• Will’s Declassified NFTY in Israel Survival Guide

    on July 18, 2018

    Hello, and welcome to Will’s Declassified NFTY in Israel Survival Guide. In this guide, I hope to give a little bit of insight on our experience in Israel, and give advice to survive the trip for anyone considering to participate. To begin, be aware that at any time an Israeli counselor might “volunteer” you into writing a riveting paragraph for the NFTY in Israel blog *cough* Yahelli *cough*.


    Continue reading

  • Adventure in Tel Aviv

    on July 18, 2018

    Since Friday, the teens have been in the “Kishrei Noar" segment of the NFTY in Israel Program. " During Kisrei Noar, eight Israeli teens join with the American teens for a week of socializing and talking about the "Big Questions" of being a teenager in Israel and in America.


    Continue reading

  • Visiting the First Kibbutz

    on July 18, 2018

    Today, Wednesday, the teens concluded their Chavaya Experiences. These are four-day activities during which the teens explored an interest with a likeminded group of friends. The choices included; Gadna, an Israel Defense Force immersion; Tikkun Olam Social Justice projects; Indiana Jones in Israel, an archaeological dig; and Yam l' Yam, a hike from the Sea of Galilee to the Mediterranean Sea.


    Continue reading

  • Hikes in the Desert

    on July 18, 2018

    My bus, Bus 6, had just gotten to the camp site we would be sleeping at. We dropped off our bags, got our hats and water bottles and we went to meet our guide, Yarden.


    Continue reading

  • Highlights From NFTY in Israel

    on July 17, 2018

    When I met my bus at JFK Airport for NFTY in Israel, I had no clue what to expect. I am not your “typical” kid on the trip, as I have never been to a URJ overnight camp and in another month, I will be a college freshman.


    Continue reading

  • The True NFTY in Israel Experience

    on July 17, 2018

    It’s so surreal to me that a month has flown by so quickly and that in just a few short days, we will be leaving. I remember looking at the itinerary before the trip and asking myself, “Would all of this be fun?”


    Continue reading

  • Repairing the World

    on July 17, 2018

    Last week we split into our Chavaya groups and I was in Tikkun Olam. The word Tikkun Olam means repairing the world and through the four day I had with this group I learned that Tikkun Olam is not only the physical act of doing community service but also making connections with people and learning about the issues to help solve them.


    Continue reading

  • Forgetting Your Fears Through Song

    on July 17, 2018

    If I had to think of every moment from this trip and pick out my favorite moment, it wouldn’t be the desert, or Jerusalem, it wouldn’t even be seeing my friends for the first time in a year, it would be singing with them. As we hiked up the enormous, rocky Mountains in the Negev desert, I was terrified.


    Continue reading

  • Sea to Sea with Bus 3

    on July 16, 2018

    By Mya Levin, NFTY in Israel Participant, Bus 3 Hi, my name is Mya Levin and for my chavaya I chose Yam l’ Yam, also known as Sea to Sea, which is a four day hiking trip from the Sea of Galilee to the Mediterranean. We literally jumped right in! We took a very exciting […]


    Continue reading

  • Participating in Gadna

    on July 16, 2018

    By Max Nemoy, NFTY in Israel Participant, Bus 3 Last week our group separated into our preferred Chavaot. I chose to participate in Gadna and I can truly say that this experience changed me and my perspective of the IDF. I thought it would be very difficult and it more than exceeded that expectation. Push-ups […]


    Continue reading