Welcome and Shalom!
Shalom Shorashim participants and parents!
My name is Jessica and I am one of the two American staff that will be leading you on this ridiculously awesome journey through Israel. Throughout the trip I promise that you will continue to hear about my passion and love for Israel which hopefully by the end of the trip you will feel, too!
I grew up in Skokie, IL . I fled the coup (went to college) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. There I majored in Global Studies and received a minor in Jewish Studies. I was involved in some awesome extra curriculars but you will hear more about that on the trip! After college I began working for Metro Chicago Hillel which is where I currently work. You will also hear lots about Hillel while in Israel!
I went to Israel for the first time when I was 10 years old with my family. After that I was pretty much hooked. I went back to Israel with my mom after my bat mitzvah (after I begged my parents for about 5 months straight…I was quite persistent!) In college I went on Birthright with Shorashim and then I studied abroad at Hebrew University in Jerusalem my junior year of college. I staffed my first Birthright trip this past December and I am pumped for this upcoming trip. The whole country is really awesome, but I absolutely love being in the desert. It’s so peaceful and so unlike anything we have in the Midwest. Good thing we are spending time in the desert!
If you haven’t been able to tell by now, I LOVE ISRAEL! I am so excited to meet all of you in less than 2 weeks and make some lifetime memories.
See you all soon!
Jessica

