David Sabin, son of Dr. Joanne Levine and Dr. Noah Sabin, is a senior at Memphis University School (pictured enjoying the view on top of a mountain outside of Eilat, Israel). Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemksy Endowment Fund provided him with a Teen Israel Experience grant to help offset the cost of his Ramah Israel Seminar in Israel. All rising high school juniors and seniors in the Memphis Jewish community are eligible for grants up to $3,000 to attend a recognized teen summer or semester program in Israel. To learn more and apply, please go to: www.jcpmemphis.org/lemsky-endowment-fund
By: David Sabin
This past summer I attended Ramah Seminar in Israel. The summer was one of the greatest summers of my life so far. Being given the opportunity to spend six weeks in Israel with my closest friends not only strengthened my connection with them, but also my connection with Judaism and the Jewish people. To see with my own eyes the thousands of years of Jewish history I learned about in day school was amazing to me.
The main highlight of the trip for me was the Etgar trip, which means challenge. Initially I chose to do the Etgar Desert trip, but unfortunately it was cancelled due to a heat wave and I had to do Etgar Sea-to-Sea. This new arrangement proved to be an incredible experience. Spending four straight days without everyday luxuries made me appreciate the life I had much more and allowed me to create new friendships with people I had not even spoken to until that point.
Another great part of the Ramah Seminar was the time we spent in the Negev desert. We stayed at several kibbutzim which were all situated in breathtaking landscapes the likes of which I have never seen. While in the south of Israel, we went to a community on the border between Israel and Gaza. Hearing their perspectives and experiences of living so close to conflict inspired me to do what I can to foster peace not only between Israel and the Palestinians but also anywhere else I see needless violence arise.
Thank you to the Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemksy Endowment Fund for helping to make my Ramah Israel Seminar possible.