NFTY withdrawals never affect me until I go back to school and reality hits me like a bus. I have spent a weekend dancing, singing, praying, learning, and making friendships; meanwhile, everyone else at my school was out at a party, or studying for that huge final. School friends could never begin to understand what NFTY means to me, or how honored and excited I am to be the newly elected Religion and Cultural Vice President of NFTY Central West Region.

At MTC, my entire life had changed when Noah told me I had won the position; my first instinct was to call my parents, my sister, and my NFTY friends who were unable to attend the event. With each phone call and text, the reality was setting in; I am on regional board, how can this be happening. The reality of the matter truly hit when I walked into school Monday morning at 7 a.m. and one of my A.P. Chemistry classmates asked in a cheery tone, “How was Jew camp?”. I remember telling everyone how excited I was to go to this event, but I guess I never realized that when I got back I would have to explain what I did. How do you explain that NFTY isn’t Jew camp; it is a place where strangers turn into family over the course of three days and two nights, a place where you learn to save the world, and sing prayers and songs about how G-d will protect all of us? How could I explain that? So I responded simply, “It was fun.”- at that moment NFTY withdrawals hit me. The cloud nine I was floating on after winning the election had completely burst, and I was hopelessly crashing to floor because no one at school could even begin to understand what had happened that weekend.

I had been given my dream since eighth grade of being RCVP on regional board. How many people can say that they have the opportunity to live out their semi-childhood dream? NFTY withdrawals hit when I realized no one at school could ever understand why I was so happy and sad at the same time.

Love Always,

Naomi Weizman, RCVP of 5772-5773