By Faren Gurvey

Faren GurveyLooking back on our past three months in Israel it is difficult to believe how much we have experienced and how much more lies ahead of us. We left amidst headlines and newscasts declaring "Crisis in the Middle East" and threats of the war escalating. However, when we arrived in Jerusalem in the first week of August very excited and a little apprehensive, we immediately felt welcomed and it was clear how much our presence was appreciated. Within the first few days we had already toured the old city and jumped right into our intensive Ulpan classes. In our Ulpan classes we were surrounded by people from many different cultures, religions and ages, all here for personal reasons. We met young people making Alliyah from places such as France and Argentina; nuns, priests and rabbis; Palestinians and Arabs wanting to learn the language so that they too could have the opportunity to study at the Hebrew University. We have also met other young Jews in our program all wanting to experience a year in Israel just like us. In addition to studying and working hard at improving our Hebrew we've had opportunities to travel throughout Israel and immerse ourselves in Israeli culture. We've hiked the Negev, taken trains and Sheiruts to Tel Aviv, Caesaria and more; we've seen Israeli musicians live in concert and shopped in the Shuk on a busy Friday afternoon. We've seen the contrast of dancing at a club on a Thursday night on crowded Ben Yehuda and then seeing the city shut down on Friday night. Having Shabbat dinner with our friends, saying the prayers and sitting outside together on a Friday evening give us all a clear sense of our Jewish identity. In addition to experiencing Israel on our own, we are fortunate enough to be offered various opportunities to explore Israel through the Organization of Students Abroad, a program that presents us with an assortment of activities enabling us to explore aspects of Israeli life. There are weekend getaways, volunteer opportunities, Israeli dance classes, rock climbing trips and much more. Furthermore, our classes also allow us to become further informed on situations involving politics in Israel and the Middle East, Jewish and Israeli History and subjects on present day Israeli culture. Our upcoming year in Jerusalem promises to be a remarkable, enlightening and fulfilling experience. Upon our return home, we not only will know the realities of living in Israel, but we will also be able to educate people on their misconceptions of the situation here. It does not feel like the dangerous place that is presented to us in the news on a day to day basis nor do we feel unsafe living here. We'll learn more about ourselves through others and be able to return home as ambassadors for the Hebrew University, Israel and Jewish youth from all over the world.