Matan Horenstein - Sderot Camp!
I have been to Israel several times prior to TJJ Ambassadors 2012, yet everyday I am surprised by the number of places and activities that are a first for me. For three days, all of the Ambassadors showed tremendous leadership by becoming advisors and counselors for over 30 children from Sderot. The children would be picked up in the morning and would spend the day with us. It was our job to plan activities to do with the kids and to carry them out. On the first day of the camp, before the kids arrived, I was…
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David Sperber - NCSY Kollel and Neil Lazarus!
As Ambassadors, we get this a lot. Rabbi G has said 1,000 times: “You guys should be really proud of yourselves. Most teens would never, ever choose to spend their summer learning how to become an Ambassador. The choice you have made is very special.” This past week, this apparently super unusual decision became the best decision of my life. This choice really manifested itself recently with the three days spent at NCSY’s Kollel and the full day spent with Neil Lazarus. Yes, I was a bit anxious going to Kollel,…
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Jessica Esther Sabbah-Dery - NCSY Michlelet!
This past week we spent three days with the NCSY program Michlelet. Though we all came from different backgrounds, it was really nice to have these two programs come together. What united us together was a shared learning experience and, at the center of it all, the Torah. In each group, nobody had a judgmental perspective because we can only be humble when studying Torah. Jews have been studying Torah for thousands of years. Torah is what brings us together, no matter what background, no matter what education, no matter what experiences or circumstances, we are ONE…
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Matan Horenstein - Our Day in Sderot + Day Camp!
As our TJJ Ambassadors bus has completed the first half of our once in a lifetime trip, it is arduous to put my thrilling experience into words. From the intense hands-on Israel advocacy programming, to the challenging water hikes in the Golan and Galilee, TJJ Ambassadors has helped me to solidify my passionate feelings towards Judaism and Israel and has taught me to be a knowledgeable leader. A few days ago we took a day trip to the city of Sderot, Israel. Before the trip, I had seen videos and read articles about this city that has…
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Ari McEwing - The Experience of a Lifetime!
TJJ Ambassadors has been the best summer of my entire life. We have only been here for a few short weeks and I have absolutely fallen in love with the culture, the people, my new family, and of course Israel. The days have blended together as we trekked through the dark water Tunnels of Hezekiah in the Old City, scaled the mountains of the Golan Heights, and Snorkeled in the Mediteranean Sea. I have come to meet some of the greatest people in my generation. I feel that I have truly made new best friends in each…
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Coraal Cohen - Tzfat!
After spending an invigorating Shabbat in Tsfat, we are on our way to Efrat. Located near Israel’s capital, this next stop on The Jerusalem Journey Ambassadors will be our base for the next few fun and education filled days. To recap the events of this past weekend: bright and early on Friday – the hottest day of the year – the ambassadors paid a meaningful visit to what many believe to have been the cave in which Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai hid with his son for thirteen years in order to avoid being killed by the…
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Ariel Stern / Mackenzie C. - Our Day in Tel Aviv!
Ariel Stern: Today was the 6th day of the trip. We were rested from our Shabbat shnatz (nap) and were ready for the packed day ahead. After a long bus ride to Tel Aviv our first stop was at the Independence Hall where Israel was established and the declaration was read. Not more than a few streets over we then landed in the Southern quarters of the city where we sat in a park arguing over the issue of refugees living in Israel and the rights they are given/not given. We then drove over to the…
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Mackenzie C. - Our Day on the Kineret!
Today we got to sleep late until 7 am! While it may seem pretty early, this hour is actually a treat for us because we’ve been getting out of bed for the last few days before the sun rose. Our first stop after a delicious Kibbutz breakfast was the Kineret. There we built rafts out of bamboo shafts, old crates, metal barrels and rope. Four groups competed for the best built raft and its flotation abilities. Ultimately, after the blood, sweat and tears that were put into the boats, we sabotaged all of the boats and everyone…
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David Sperber - Friday Night at the Kotel!
“Shalom HaLECHEM,” we screamed in the streets of Machane Yehuda, one of Israel’s famous flea markets. It was right before our first shabbos of the trip, and our bus was divided into many different groups to go around Jerusamlem’s market searching for different gifts for the whole bus. My group had the best idea; we found a loaf of bread that was 2 meters long. 160 shekels later, we went around the shuk parading our prize. Heads were turning at our massive loaf, and, to crown the moment,…
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Ariella Assouline - My First Visit to the Kotel!
For as long as I can remember, Israel was been defined by one singular item: the Kotel. Its grandeur and timelessness makes it an obvious candidate for the icon of Israel, the land of the Jewish people. I’ve read the stories about the first and second temples, heard of their destruction, and seen thousands of pictures of this ancient wonder. This trip to Israel is my second, the first the being when I was only six months old. Obviously, I can’t remember all the places my parents say that I’ve explored, such as the Kotel and Masada.…
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Bari Lager / Adele Lerner- Our First Shabbat!
Bari Lager: Shabbat! What a different experience it is here. All day Friday was crazy. At first, we went to Mount Scopus. We sifted through archeological findings and uncovered pottery and other artifacts from the times of the first and second Temples. It was very sababa (cool)! Afterwards, we went to the Mamilla outdoor mall, where we got iced coffees from Aroma, the equivalent of starbucks in Israel, but so much better! Then we went to Machaneh Yehuda, an outdoor market, which was unbelievable. Our group got grapes and cherries as a gift for the Kiddush and checked…
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Jenna Weisz - Ammunition Hill!
It’s Jenna, and I apologize for the late update, but things move so quickly on ambassadors that it’s hard to keep up! I have been in Israel for a little over a week now, and so far things are incredible. We’ve been through the city of David, Hezekiah’s tunnel, had a flash mob in a very public mall, and have done so many other things that my head is still spinning. However, to keep things moderately short I shall keep this post to one experience that has stood out in a very profound way. Maybe it was…
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