Teen Israel

Yosef with family at the Kotel

Yosef Vanderwalde, son of Drs. Lindi and Ari Vanderwalde, is a junior at the 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 cost of his Mach Hach Ba’Aretz Israel trip last summer. 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. Applications for Summer 2023 are now available online. To learn more and apply, please click here.

By Yosef Vanderwalde

Before this year, I never recognized Israel as anything more than a vacation destination. I’ve been to Israel with my family twice before: once when I was six and once when I was ten. I wasn’t old enough to appreciate all that Israel had to offer that America could not. This visit was very different. I went on a program called Mach Hach Ba’Aretz for five weeks and had the time of my life and grew a new appreciation for the Land of Israel.

I arrived in Israel after a very long flight, was greeted by my old summer camp friends, and then met the people on my bus who I would be spending the next month in Israel. After driving to our hotel in Jerusalem to put our bags down, we headed to the bus again to take the short trip to the Western Wall. I had visited the Wall before, but this time I felt an incredible connection with the city and the people around me and I was excited to experience Israel again.

Mach Hach Ba’Aretz is a touring program, we went from the Golan Heights in the north to the Red Sea in the south and from the beaches of the Mediterranean in the east to the Dead Sea in the west. We really covered a lot of ground. We went to many cities, including Tel Aviv, Haifa, Tzfat, Tiberius, Eilat, and so many more. Along the way we became friends with other Jewish teens from different countries such as England, France, and Belarus. My counselors were all amazing Americans who made aliyah to Israel after high school and it was very nice to get to know them and learn what made them love Israel.

While on my trip, I learned about what it is like to live in Israel. I really enjoyed being able to eat basically wherever I wanted because there were so many kosher options. It was nice to be in an environment where there were Jews always surrounding me. Sometimes in America, I don’t want to wear a Kippah because I am worried that someone will have a problem with me, but in Israel I was able to express my Judaism with everyone around me.

To conclude, I had an amazing time in Israel. I traveled throughout the entire country and was able to appreciate it as a young adult. Also, I saw what it was like to live in Israel as a Jew and enjoy all the delicious kosher foods. Lastly, I made tons of friendships that will hopefully last a lifetime. I love the Land of Israel and all that it has to offer, and maybe one day I will be able to move there.

Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping to make my Mach Hach Ba’Aretz trip possible.

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Natalie and her cousin Shayna in Tiberius.

Natalie Mashinsky, daughter of Deena Thomas and Alex Mashinsky, is a senior at the Goldie Margolin School for Girls. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided her with a Teen Israel Experience grant to offset the costs of her NCSY Euro Israel program in Israel. All rising juniors and seniors are eligible for grants of up to $3,000 to attend a recognized teen summer or semester program in Israel. Teen Israel Experience applications for Summer 2023 are open click here to learn more.

By Natalie Mashinsky

This summer I had the privilege of going on NCSY’s summer program Euro Israel. This trip consisted of eighty-six teens flying to Switzerland, driving to Italy, and then flying to Israel.

I could easily say this was the best summer ever. When we flew into Switzerland and started the drive to Italy, I saw parts of Switzerland I never thought I would see. We also drove through the French Alps which was even more awesome. When we finally reached Italy, it was a dream come true. My entire life I had wanted to travel to Italy, so this was a perfect program for me.

We went through the major cities in Italy and stayed there for a week and a half. Shabbos was amazing and we got to see the first ghetto established in World War II.

Italy was amazing but Israel was even better. I never felt much of a connection to the land of Israel until this summer. I even talked to my advisors about my guilt, and they said, “once you get there you will feel it,” and they were right. We covered all of Israel going from Tzfat to Eilat. We started in Teveria (Tiberias) and that was my favorite place. I loved the water there and the layout of the city. It was so beautiful to me I will never forget it. We stayed there for Shabbos and then drove north to Tzfat. I liked the cooler air in Tzfat and how beautiful the stone streets were. From there we went to Haifa and went surfing. This was my second time surfing, and I did not do so well. But I still made amazing memories with my friends as we all fell off our boards.

The next event was Yom NCSY (an annual event with an evening concert that marks the extended NCSY community spending the summer in Israel) and traveling in Tel Aviv. This was my first Yom NCSY, and it was one of the best days of my life. I saw other friends on other programs and got to see all of these Jewish kids come together. In the final weeks of the trip, we went south down to Eilat. The heat there was unbearable, but we got through it as we partied on a boat.

Finally on our last stop we stayed in Jerusalem. This was another one of my favorite parts of the trip. Learning about the history and even walking through the sites gave me an understanding of my heritage that I didn’t have before. After this program my feelings changed, and I love Israel more than anything now. Traveling throughout the land to different cities and different histories opened up my eyes to how important the land is. I also met the most amazing people on this program. I have made friendships I know will last a lifetime. I am forever grateful for being able to go on this journey.

Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping to make my NSCY Euro Israel trip possible.

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Shoshanah with Reyut Wasserstein and Eliana Waghalter

By Shoshanah Kaplowitz

Shoshanah Kaplowitz, daughter of Drs. Rebekah and Mark Kaplowitz, is a junior at the Goldie Margolin School for Girls. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided her with a Teen Israel Experience grant to offset the costs of her Lindenbaum Lamdeni program in Israel. All rising juniors and seniors are eligible for grants of up to $3,000 to attend a recognized teen summer or semester program in Israel. Teen Israel Experience applications for Summer 2023 are open. Click here to learn more.

This past summer I was a part of the Lindenbaum Lamdeni program. I spent the summer learning Torah and other Jewish topics in Israel but was also able to experience them in real time, by going to the places where they happened. I visited Shiloh to see where the Mishkan (Tabernacle) stood, and to the place on the Jordan river where B’nai Yisrael (the Jewish people) crossed into Israel for the first time.

I did many fun and exciting things in Israel including going white water rafting and on scavenger hunts. We explored Jerusalem, by going to the Kotel multiple times, spending time in the Old City, and by just simply walking around going to cafes and malls. We went across Israel and spent a weekend in the North at a small kibbutz, and spent time in Efrat, south of Jerusalem. I had so much fun seeing small parts of Israeli society in different places in Israel.

The classes on this program were all amazing and I learned so much from the teachers and Rabbis who taught. Every class was super interesting and informative and changed the way I thought about different Jewish topics. The classes ranged from the true meaning of the Jewish holidays to a Gemara (Talmud) class where we finished the last chapter of Mesechet (Tractate) Ta’anit, and classes about modern Israeli society and government.

The best part of the Lamdeni program was that it was very small and close knit, and I was able to be friends with everyone there. The people who went on the program truly made the program what it was and made every day great. I am still in contact with the friends I made on this program, and they are friends that will last a lifetime. The people who went all had such a love for learning that you could feel all the time, and having access to the Lindenbaum Beit Midrash (Study Hall) meant you could see people learning in there at all hours of the day, and even night. I cherish my many memories of being on this program, and the friends I made there. Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping to make my Lindenbaum Lamdeni Israel trip possible.

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Yehuda and friends at the Kotel during the NCSY Kollel trip last summer.

Yehuda Kahn, son of Dr. Yosef and Talia Kahn, is a junior at the 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 cost of his NCSY Kollel Israel trip last summer. 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. Applications for Summer 2023 are now available online. To learn more and apply, click here.

I spent this past summer in Israel attending NCSY Kollel and had an amazing Israel experience. It is a beautiful culture with so many amazing landmarks. Israel is a great country for hiking because everything is so close together due to it being such a small country. During my trip, I went on many different hikes, such as the one in Ein Gedi, which was a beautiful water hike. Every 50 feet or so there is another lake that we would jump into, and it would be so refreshing.

Every Friday, the campers would all drive to the Machane Yehuda shuk (market) in Jerusalem. The kosher options were phenomenal. Food that is typically difficult to find kosher in Memphis, such as falafel, shawarma, and pizza, were readily available on the trip, which made it even more enjoyable. Israel is impressive since many American chains opened up in Jerusalem in a kosher version.  Pizza Hut or Big Apple Pizza are just some examples. I am sure some of you have heard about the famous Marzipan Bakery in the shuk. If you are ever in Jerusalem, you should try to go to the Marzipan Bakery and purchase some of their famous rugelach. There is no rugelach in America that compares to Marzipan rugelach in Israel.

 Every week there was one big tiyul (journey). Some of the tiyulim were hikes in great scenic sites, and others were attractions like the visit to the Blind Museum in Holon. Also, we met great Rabbis and visited a great Rabbi’s grave. Every day the campers went on one or two mini tiyulim to either the mall or to the Kotel or to some fun exciting place.

NCSY Kollel took us to the Kotel many times and it was an indescribable, beautiful and a very spiritual experience.

The learning in NCSY Kollel was amazing. I was in an amazing shiur (lesson) with a truly knowledgeable rabbi. We also had chaburas (small groups studying Torah) of about 4 to 5 kids with one madrich (counselor.) In chaburas we would learn and do fun activities together. Every time the whole camp goes somewhere, chaburas stayed together. My madrich was amazing and really taught us a lot and made the experience a lot better.

In NCSY Kollel I made many new friends and met amazing people throughout the entire six weeks. The kids that you are around determine how good the experience in Israel is going to be. Many nights I played pickup basketball with friends and would go to the canteen afterwards. We also had basketball leagues with about eight people on each team and 48 teams which encouraged everyone to play basketball and have a blast. I had an amazing team and we played very well together and made it all the way to the semifinals.

I thoroughly enjoyed my fun and spiritual Israel experience this summer. Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping to make my NCSY Kollel trip possible.

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Sarah visiting The Kotel during BBYO’s International Leadership Seminar in Israel

Sarah Hochman, daughter of Molly Haley and Jacobo Hochman is a junior at Houston High School. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided her with a Teen Israel Experience grant to help offset the cost of her BBYO ILSI (International Leadership Seminar in Israel) trip last summer. 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. Applications for Summer 2023 are now available online. Click here to learn more and apply.

By: Sarah Hochman

During three weeks of Summer 2022, I participated in BBYO’s International Leadership Seminar in Israel (ILSI). This trip was the voyage of a lifetime and my first ever trip to Israel. Over the three weeks we spent traveling across all of Israel, we were able to see and learn more than I had ever imagined to be possible.

From hiking the legendary Masada before sunrise, not only seeing but going into Ben Gurion’s humble kibbutz home in the Negev, learning how to surf with a nonprofit on a Tel Aviv beach, visiting and praying at the Kotel multiple times, and exploring a bustling Jerusalem shuk (market) before Shabbat, each and every day provided me with a new experience. Other activities we did and places we saw include splashing in the Sea of Galilee, floating in the Dead Sea, camel riding, rafting down the Jordan River, staying in Bedouin tents, rappelling down a crater, hiking through cool and clear waterfalls, singing together under the desert moonlight, and shopping along Ben Yehuda Street.

Each of these experiences deepened my connection to Israel and to the Jewish people more than I ever expected to be possible, reaffirming a bond I know will never be broken. I already am looking forward to taking another trip when I get the chance to go back.

When I arrived on the trip, I knew virtually no one. Being one of the youngest in a group that filled up four buses to their entirety was quite daunting. Yet, in the blink of an eye, I was surrounded by so many new friends who I still talk to every single day. These people have all changed my life, and I never would have met them if I hadn’t gone to Israel. Being on a trip with 160 other Jewish teens from a plethora of different countries leaves me speechless; it helped me to realize how much we have in common with one another even while living completely different lives in completely different places. We would never have met and become friends if it weren’t for this shared voyage, we all chose to do. It also was an inspiring and powerful example that Judaism thrives today in so many varying communities all over the globe.

Our various awe-inspiring guest speakers, fearless BBYO staff members, and knowledgeable tour guides affirmed this, giving us perspectives from all their unique stories and connections to Israel. Some of them were Israeli, some were immigrants, and all came from different countries and different Jewish backgrounds. Whether they were sharing memories of their time in the army or an interesting fun fact, they provided us with learning opportunities we would never have gotten from school or even an Israel trip with our families, and that knowledge will forever remain a great asset to myself and all who were fortunate enough to experience ILSI or any Israel trip. If nothing else, everyone (including myself) learned: there is nowhere quite like Israel.

Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping make my BBYO ISIL Israel trip possible for me.

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Kotel (L to R) Ezra Davidovics, Yaakov Lubetski, Asher Liss, Eli Schloss, Izzy Weiner, Yehuda Kahn

Ezra Davidovics, son of Dr. Deena and Noam Davidovics, is a junior at the 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 cost of his NCSY Kollel Israel trip last summer. 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. Applications for Summer 2023 are now available online. Click here to learn more and apply.

By Ezra Davidovics

Last summer I had the time of my life on NCSY Kollel. It was a completely spectacular experience which I will never forget. The learning was meaningful, the rabbis inspiring, the trips amazing, the counselors fantastic, and the friendships I made along the way long lasting. While on Kollel, I could feel how much I was growing both in my learning and athleticism. I truly believe that if you are going to Israel for the summer, NCSY Kollel is the best and most worthwhile program to attend. 

Kollel, which is in Moshav Beit Meir, a moshav near Jerusalem, is a program which beautifully blends Torah learning and sports. It includes a rigorous schedule of six hours a day of learning, with world renowned rabbis, and an equally intense basketball league, which almost all of the participants are in. The program also has great “mini-tiyulim,” (journeys) for those who don’t want to be in the league or people with an off-day from basketball, which are trips around Israel anywhere from malls to yeshiva campuses. 

Every Tuesday during the program we went on big trips to amazing places throughout the Land of Israel. These trips helped me recognize the beauty of the land I call my second home and what it means to be Zionist. My favorite trip was when I went to go climb Har Yehoram and Har Yo’ash (mountains) in Eilat. This trip was physically challenging, as much of the climb was vertically up a cliff face, but also extremely rewarding once you finally get to the top. The climb down was also another two miles and took us three hours but once we were finished with that it was still 10:00 AM! After the mountain, we went on a boat and had water sports and swimming in the Red Sea. We spent a little time at the famous Ice Mall in Eilat but unfortunately not much there was kosher.

Other tiyulim were more educational, like the Gedolim (noted rabbis) tour. This tiyul was where we went from great rabbi’s house to great rabbi’s house in the city of Bnei Brak. It was very cool and inspiring to see all these holy people and hear words of Torah from them. We were accompanied by our head counselor who knew the city well and could tell us exactly where to go. 

Over the course of the program, through the use of free time and late nights, I managed to finish three quarters of the entire Gemara Maseches (Talmud Tractate) Rosh Hashanah. This was a goal that I took on early in the program and was a tall task indeed. With four days left until the day we were leaving, I was sitting with four dapim (pages) left. I rallied my chavrusa (learning partner), and we managed to finish them all before the final day, at a much faster pace than we were used to. This is what I consider my greatest accomplishment from this program as I worked the hardest for it. Overall, I would recommend NCSY Kollel to anyone and everyone as it was, in fact, the “Best Summer Ever.”

Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping to make my NCSY Kollel trip possible.

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Jacob Shapiro, son of Virginia Palacio and Todd Shapiro, just graduated Lausanne Collegiate School (and is pictured [right] enjoying food in Jerusalem with friends Jack Benjamin, Connor Rubin, and Anders Kennedy). Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemksy Endowment Fund provided him with a Teen Israel Experience grant to help offset the cost of his NFTY program in Israel last summer. 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. Applications for Summer 2023 will open in the Fall of 2022.

By: Jacob Shapiro

My time in Israel was one of the most defining months of my life. It opened my eyes to the history of Judaism, Israel, and buses, more than I have ever experienced.

The first part of the trip was exciting because I went to New Jersey to hang out for the night and meet people from the other camps who were all going to Israel. It was a fun night, and I was excited about staying in a hotel with my camp friends and not in a Jacobs camp cabin. When I landed in Tel-Aviv we were greeted by our tour guide. Immediately after stepping outside, it was noticeably clear we were experiencing a completely different culture. It was hot and everything was built out of what looked like a type of sandstone. However, the first thing that stood out to me was the security for passengers entering the country. Just like any other international flight, we needed passports and identification, but the distinguishable differences were the border control permits and passenger interviews.

The Eastern Mediterranean International School right outside of Tel Aviv was the first place we stayed. The school was a boarding school with housing and dining facilities. Surprisingly, the food was amazing, better than any other place we stayed. After a few days of orientation and talking about the itinerary for the next week, we had our first night out in the city of Tel-Aviv. The city of Tel-Aviv had a downtown that felt similar to Seattle but not quite as big as Chicago or New York. We had a fun night with some amazing ice cream from a place recommended by the tour guides.

The second week was action packed because we traveled all over and stayed in the Negev desert for three days. I was worried I was going to spend three days in the desert and not shower the whole time, but it was the best part of the trip. The first day we hiked up Masada and saw the incredible sunrise, one of the prettiest things I have ever seen. We went to a community pool in the desert which was very strange because I felt refreshed and relaxed and then looked around and realized I was in the middle of nowhere.

Masada was not the only thing that took away my breath. Though it was incredible, the Western Wall and the city of Jerusalem took my breath away, sent chills down my spine and dropped my jaw. I have never seen a city so perfect and beautiful. The image of the sun setting over the Golden Dome is still drilled in my head. I found that the people of Israel were genuinely welcoming and nice to our group.

In conclusion, Israel was a life changing trip, and I am so grateful for everything that made the stars align for the trip to happen not just for me, but for everyone.

Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping to make my NFTY summer Israel experience possible.

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Eli Lewis, son of Sarah and Jeff Lewis, is a junior at Memphis University School (Eli is pictured back right). Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemksy Endowment Fund provided him with a Teen Israel Experience grant to help offset the cost of his NFTY Jacobs Camp program 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. Teen Israel Experience applications for Summer 2022 are now available online. To learn more and apply, please go to: www.jcpmemphis.org/lemsky-endowment-fund.

By: Eli Lewis

This summer I went on the NFTY Jacobs Camp program in Israel, and it was one of the most incredible experiences of my life. Before I left, I was very hesitant to go on the trip due to concerns of safety and the fact I only knew a few people none of whom I was very close with.  I also wanted to stay home and hang with my friends; however, I am so happy my parents encouraged me to go because I had the time of my life.

When I arrived at Newark airport, I began meeting all the people I would be spending a month with. I was a bit nervous we would not all get along, but I am so glad I was wrong, for immediately when landing in Israel we all started to warm up and get to know each other. The first hostel we stayed was in Jerusalem. I was a bit disappointed because I did not know any of the kids in my room and it appeared all my friends’ got rooms with someone they knew. However, I think being in a room with a smaller group really helps people get to know each other and become friends.

The next day we met the kids who arrived after us and that is when I met my best friend on the trip. After we stayed in Jerusalem, we camped in the desert which I can confidently say was the worst part of the trip and probably of my life, but after suffering with everyone together I think it brought us all closer.

We went to Tel Aviv next, and the place we stayed had animals all over which was really cool. I really enjoyed going out in the city to the markets to eat food. I really liked the free time we got not only because I got to do what I wanted, but it gives you a sense of responsibility and I felt more like an adult getting to go around on our own in small little groups.

My friends and I did the “Taste of the IDF” together. It was interesting experiencing a little of what it is like to be in the Israeli army. It was rough for me and my friends out in the woods, but just hanging out with them and talking was so much fun. It was amazing when we all met up again in Acre. Acre was my favorite part of the trip because the place we stayed was really cool and had lots to do.

Next, we went to Haifa where we were paired with our Israeli friends. I requested to be in a room with one of the Israeli teens which led me to making another great friend. It was hard to say goodbye to the Israelis, but I still talk to them. Overall, the trip was great because I learned so much about the culture of Israel and made lifelong friends.

Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Fund for helping me to make my NFTY Jacobs Camp summer experience possible.

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