Lemsky

Hannah Siegler, the daughter of Stacy and Jerry Siegler, is an 11th grade student at Lausanne Collegiate School. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided her with a Teen Israel Experience grant to help offset the costs of her Summer 2019 NFTY program in Israel. All rising juniors and seniors in the Memphis Jewish community are eligible for grants of up to $3000 to attend a recognized teen summer or semester program in Israel. Teen Israel Experience applications for summer 2020 are available online.

This past summer, I went to Israel with NFTY. I had been to Israel before with my family, but I was very little so I do not remember much. The second time I had gone to Israel was with Bornblum Jewish Community School for the 8th grade trip. I was with a few of my friends going into it, so I had a good time. On this trip, I was accompanied by my friends from the URJ Jacobs Camp and kids from the URJ Greene Family Camp. Since some of my camp friends weren’t going, I was nervous to meet new people and to see camp people I wasn’t really close with.

When we arrived at our first destination, we did some icebreakers. We were all tired from a long day of traveling, so it made getting to know people more difficult. We all just stuck to our own small groups for the first week, not really branching out. But by the time we got to Israel, we went from a bunch of little groups to one big community.

We spent our first few days in Israel in the Negev desert, and this was where we really bonded. We had to do everything outdoors: sleep, eat, hike, and even go to the bathroom. From then on, there were no more unfamiliar faces because we were all friends.

Hannah, left, is pictured after an event in Israel with a friend she made on her Teen Israel Experience trip to Israel, which was supported by a grant from Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund.

From the good times, such as Ben Yehuda Street, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Bedouin tents, to the not as happy moments, such as remembering those who gave their lives for Israel and hearing Holocaust survivors’ stories, we were together throughout it all.

I will cherish all the wonderful memories that I made in those 5 weeks. I know that this was a once in a lifetime kind of experience and that wherever I may be, I will always remember NFTY in Israel.

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Alex Rochkind, the daughter of Leslie and Bill Rochkind, is an 11th grade student at Lausanne Collegiate School. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided her with a Teen Israel Experience grant to help offset the costs of her Summer 2019 BBYO program in Israel. All rising juniors and seniors in the Memphis Jewish community are eligible for grants of up to $3000 to attend a recognized teen summer or semester program in Israel. Teen Israel Experience applications for summer 2020 are available at www.jcpmemphis.smapply.org.

Last summer, I decided to go to Israel on a BBYO Passport program. Ever since I learned about Israel and its existence, I knew I wanted to go someday and learn about the roots of my people. I was fascinated by the geography, culture, food, and of course the history behind it all. From the minute I stepped off the EL-AL plane at Ben Gurion Airport, I fell in love.

Not only was the country beautiful, with its incredible sunsets, seas, and deserts, but also, its Jewish atmosphere was breathtaking. The way Jews walked so freely and with so much pride in their identities was something I have never witnessed back home in Memphis. I could feel the connection I had with strangers, because we were Jews who understood the struggles our people have faced in the past and even now in the present.

In the final days of the trip, my 44 new friends and I sat down for a seminar with a speaker who explained the Israel-Palestine conflict to us. This history was fascinating to me, but there was one thing in particular, which he said at the end of his presentation, that I’ll remember forever.

He said, “When you go back home to America, I hope you are less Jewish.” I looked around the room and saw confusion on everyone’s faces. Aren’t we supposed to be more Jewish? I thought. He later went on to confirm my original thought– yes, of course you are supposed to be Jewish.

But what he wanted us to take away from this was that Judaism is the only religion that is written with an “ish” at the end of its name. It’s a religion whose people have been the scapegoat for global problems, their identities a target throughout history by those who wish to destroy us. I related heavily to this, as there are often times when I’m scared to be outspoken about my Judaism because I don’t know how others will react.

This moment was when my mindset went from usually suppressing my Jewish identity to realizing how special and important it is to me.

Without my visit to Israel this summer, my connection to Judaism and the country would not be nearly as strong.  I am so grateful to have gone on such an incredible trip that I will look back on and cherish forever.

The effect of spending a month in a place where Jews aren’t the minority had a greater effect on me than I could have ever imagined. I can’t thank Memphis Jewish Federation enough for giving me this opportunity, and I can’t wait to go back to Israel one day.

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Spending the summer on NCSY JOLT Israel was truly life-changing for me. There were so many incredible aspects of this once in a lifetime trip to Israel. This was not my first trip to Israel, but it was by far the best way to experience Israel! NCSY and the Federation’s Lemsky grant gave me this opportunity to grow as a Jewish teen leader as well as give back to Israeli children.

The mission of NCSY JOLT Israel is to tour Israel in a unique way that allows for each of us to take advantage of the cultural and religious experiences that Israel has to offer, as well as work together to develop our team-building and leadership skills. One unique experience we had was herding sheep in groups. Several of us worked together to learn how to herd sheep in the most efficient way. It brought to mind for me the times of our ancestors, Avraham, Yitzchak, and Yaakov, as we worked in small groups implementing old-fashioned techniques to herd the sheep. It took communication, teamwork, and a lot of mess to figure out how to do it. I grew very close with the 59 other teens who joined me on the trip! This was just one example of an activity we experienced during our amazing five weeks in Israel.

The highlight of the trip was running a ten-day camp at Zichron Menachem. The campers were all siblings of children fighting illnesses. Often, the siblings do not have the typical fun summers that Israeli children experience, because their parents are busy caring for a sick child. The camp celebrates these siblings and allows them to shine. As part of the program, we planned activities for the campers and made the experience as special as possible for them. I especially loved using all the Hebrew I have learned at Margolin Hebrew Academy to communicate with the children in the camp. Many of the other participants in JOLT Israel did not have strong Hebrew communication skills and they stayed mostly with the children who could speak English. I loved being able to talk with all the children and help them feel as special as I could!

This experience in Israel helped me grow as a person and focus on how I can give back to others and learn about my role on teams. But most importantly, I experienced Israel with my friends. Memories like climbing Masada at 5 am in a group of 60 people and dancing at the Kotel on Tisha B’Av with hundreds of American teens on NCSY trips will stay with me for many years to come.

Jason Schubert, the son of Charna and Eric Schubert, is an 11th grade student at Cooper Yeshiva High School for Boys. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided him with a Teen Israel Experience grant to help offset the costs of his Summer 2019 NCSY program in Israel. All rising juniors and seniors in the Memphis Jewish community are eligible for grants of up to $3000 to attend a recognized teen summer or semester program in Israel. Teen Israel Experience applications for summer 2020 will become available at www.jcpmemphis.smapply.org.

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This year’s Southeast U.S. Israeli Scout Friendship Caravan, Caravan Ziv, pulls into Memphis Sunday, June 25, and begins its tour of Mid-South performances with a show Monday at 6:30 P.M. at the Cordova Library. The visit culminates with an epic show for the Memphis Jewish community Wednesday, June 28, 7:00 P.M. at the MJCC. The Scout Caravan’s annual visit to Memphis is funded by a grant from Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund. 

Over the next week and a half, we’ll get to know the young Israelis who will be sharing their exuberant love of Israel with local audiences. 

 

TAMAR (pictured above)

Hello, my name is Tamar Etzion and I am 16 years old. I live in Tel Mond, a small town 30 minutes north of Tel Aviv. My mother’s name is Yael and she’s a teacher. My father’s name is Shay and he’s a chief revenue officer. I have 3 sisters. The oldest is Noa, who is 22 years old and traveling in South America. Roni is 19 and serves in the IDF. My youngest sister is Shira, she is in the 6th grade.

I have been in the Scouts since the 4th grade. Last year I was a counselor for a group of boys in the 4th grade, and this year I am a counselor for a group of both girls and boys in the 7th grade. I enjoy being a counselor because it provides me with the opportunity to influence the younger generation and to educate them. I am honored to be a role model for them.

I enjoy spending time with my friends. We like to hang out, watch movies, go on trips together, and have picnics. I also enjoy listening to music and going to plays. I’ve been dancing since I was 7 years old and I used to play the piano. In addition, my family and I like to go on trips together on weekends.

I am excited and looking forward to meeting you this summer, and I hope we’ll have a great time together!

 

OMER

 

My name is Omer Nulman and I’m 17 years old. I live in Tel Mond, in the Sharon area in the center of Israel. I was born in Givataaim (near Tel Aviv) to my mother Adi, who works as a medical assistant in a kindergarten, and to my father Adir, who is a project manager in MOD. My older brother Itai, who is currently a soldier in the IDF, is a former Scouts leader and a role model for me. My twin sister Noa is an excellent dancer and also a Scouts member. We are all very close and I love them all very much! I enjoy being with the rest of my family, especially at family gatherings where we celebrate Jewish holidays, birthdays, and special occasions as well as traveling abroad all together, which is always memorable.

I have been in the Scouts for 8 years, in Poleg troop. Last year I was a counselor for a group of 6th grade boys and this year, I am a counselor for 8th grade girls and boys. The Scouts provides me with great experiences and for insights for my life.

I really love CrossFit training, playing volleyball, hanging out with friends, cooking, and baking. I’m the chef of my family. I also enjoy traveling with my family to places like Eilat in the south of Israel, and Mount Hermon in the north of Israel, and hanging out on the busy streets of Tel Aviv.

I am very curious about everything, therefore I learn a lot. I study at Rabin High School and my majors are physics, biomedicine, electronics, and computers. This year I started working on a medical project, which will be completed next year. Indeed, my studies are very interesting and everyday I learn something new. I am enthusiastic about learning and experiencing new opportunities which empower me.
I am excited about this opportunity and look forward to meeting you all!

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By Robin Du

I was born in Israel and I have visited Israel many times. But the trip I took this past summer was the most meaningful trip to Israel I have ever had. All my past trips have always been to see family; I had never actually seen many of the usual tourist attractions.

Going to Israel with all my friends was a truly inspirational experience. I was privileged to have the opportunity to visit my homeland and see all the attractions I had never seen, and I also was able to witness my friends experiencing Israel for the first time ever.

I remember going to the Western Wall on our first day of touring. I had visited the Western Wall many times before, but this time it was different. Before we got to the Western Wall, our tour guide walked us through the Old City western-wallof Jerusalem and explained its rich history. I had never learned about the history of Jerusalem in any of my previous visits to Jerusalem, and I was so fascinated to discover all the different cultures that had left their mark on the city. Our tour guide, Ron, took us to his favorite spot overlooking the Western Wall. I remember looking down at the Wall and feeling happy and proud. I saw that one of the other tour groups from my trip had already reached the Wall, and I could see my friend standing about thirty feet from the Wall just looking at it. It was his first time in Israel.

When we finally got to the Wall, I had an experience I will never forget. For some people, the Western Wall is just a wall, but for others it is the holiest site of the Jewish people. Many of my friends were awestruck and simply stood gazing at the Wall for several minutes, while others began to cry. I went up to the Wall and touched it, I felt the coarse stone as I ran my palm over the ancient bricks, and I felt the notes that contained the hopes and wishes of our people. I stood there for almost ten minutes thinking, and that day I realized what the Wall meant to me. I see it as the holiest site in the Jewish world, and a symbol of our people’s perseverance. We have been through so much and we have more than just survived— we have thrived. Countless nations have tried to destroy us, but today, here we stand while they are gone. Like us, the Wall has stood for years and years and has not fallen.

Once I understood what the Western Wall meant to me, I began to pray. I felt that I had to pray at the Western Wall while I was there. Every time we pray, we always stand and face the direction of the Western Wall, even if it happens to be thousands of miles away. I thought to myself, “Thousands of people are praying in the direction of the Western Wall right now, how can I not say a few prayers while I am right here?”  I am not religious, so I just said a few small prayers that I knew, the Shema and the beginning of the Amidah. When I finished praying, I went to find my friends. I wanted to be with my friends as we all stood at the Western Wall. There is something powerful about being surrounded by your best friends as you visit the holiest site of your people. My friends and I embraced each other and we were all grateful to be in Israel together.

This visit to the Western Wall furthered my connection to the Jewish people and the State of Israel.

Robin Du, the son of Tamar Hershkovitz and Ziyun Du, is a senior at White Station High School. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided him with a Teen Israel Experience grant to help offset the costs of his BBYO program in Israel in Summer 2016. All rising juniors and seniors in the Memphis Jewish community are eligible for grants of up to $2500 to attend a recognized teen summer program in Israel. Teen Israel Experience applications for summer 2017 will be available in November at www.jcpmemphis.org/lemsky-endowment-fund.

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