January 9, 2011- Hillary Gimpel
Being in Israel for the first time has been an amazing experience in so many different ways. Many of us on the trip are first time visitors and I am certain that we will all come away from our Shorashim experience having learned something new about Israel, about Judaism, and about ourselves as Jews and citizens of the world. Traveling with peers, especially our Israeli peers, has proven to be an invaluable aspect of our trip. It is incredibly eye-opening to realize that while I am in my third year of college, many of our Israeli friends have either finished or are nearing the end of their service in the army. We are so fortunate to have these resources at our disposal, our Israeli friends, to answer questions about their way of life and their experiences. It has also been wonderful to travel with other Brandeis students and have discussions that both emphasize and celebrate our differences but also bring us closer together.

