Home
Tag Archives | israel experience

Lake Forest High School senior finds ‘true self’ during Israel Experience

on January 9, 2012

The enthusiasm in Robin Leventhal’s blog postings — and her voice during a conversation — reinforce the fact that her semester of study in Israel affected her for a lifetime to come. A Lake Forest High School senior, Leventhal, 18, returned Dec. 29 from four months of academic and field trip experiences outside the norm for virtually all teenagers, such as learning to handle and shoot an M16 rifle.

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

The Five Senses of Israel

on December 23, 2011

Ashley Marx, a staff member at URJ Camp Kalsman, is currently travelling in Israel on a KESHER Taglit-Birthright Israel trip. She’s one of the more than 750 people who will travel to Israel with us this winter. Ashley took some time to send these reflections from Israel back to the Camp Kalsman community.

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

Impact and Importance of the Israel Experience on Teens

on December 12, 2011

Over the last year I was fortunate enough to be appointed Director of NFTY in Israel working along side Paul Reichenbach and a dedicated team that continues to run arguably some of the most successful programs coming out of the URJ in the last fifty years. Everyone knows NFTY in Israel and if you have ever talked to a Reform Jewish professional and or a lay leader, chances are that one of the formative pillars of their Reform Jewish identity took place while on a NFTY in Israel program.

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

Rekindling an Old Flame

on October 5, 2011

On Rosh Hashanah, Rabbi Block spoke about Israel engagement. In his sermon, he especially noted the wonderful programming at Greene Family Camp to teach campers about what it means to love Israel.

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

Teen Joins Fellow Jews in Marking Judaism’s Holy Days

on September 26, 2011

As far as Emma Nathanson knows, she’s the only Jewish student among about 725 at General McLane High School in Erie County. Even in a small Jewish community like hers, preparations have begun for the High Holy Days.

Read full story • Comments { 0 }

A Crash Course in Israel

on June 28, 2011

Discovering Israel on a Taglit-Birthright Israel trip can be an overwhelming experience, and difficult to describe to others, to boot. KESHER Birthright participant and writer Celeste Kaufman from Brooklyn funneled her experiences and emotions into an inspiring blog that covers her trip. As she puts it, “No story based in the birthplace of the human race and some of its most practiced religions can be told without a little explanation.”

Read full story • Comments { 0 }
The Unique Global Experience of Netzer Year

The Unique Global Experience of Netzer Year

on June 21, 2011

On Netzer Year, participants get the unique opportunity to take part in an international and cross-cultural exchange with peers from North America and around the world, all-the-while living, learning, and volunteering in Israel. Of course, the program is also a fun, challenging and stimulating way for recent high school graduates to spend a year in Israel as a member of an exciting and vibrant group.

Read full story • Comments { 0 }