What To Bring: Wine, Beer, Walking Shoes

Orientation: Day 1

We met at HUC at 4pm for some "getting to know you" mixer games with our interns. It was fun because everyone is so nice and its so interesting learning about each others backgrounds and why everyone came to HUC.

After the mixers, we had an introduction with the director of the year in Israel program, Yoshi. This is Yoshi's first year as the director of the program. He is a graduate of HUC's Rabbinic program as well as the Rhea Hirsch School. Yoshi welcome the 49 of us so warmly with his humor, kindness, and sincerity. One thing in particular that stuck out to me, was how Yoshi spoke about how wonderful this year in Israel is going to be for us all on a personal level, but that even beyond that, how ultimately, we are all here to help better the lives of others and to make a difference in the world. I know, I know, it probably sounds all cheesy but it wasn't. In fact it was quite touching, just as our first Israel program was.

But, before I get to that part, we had a nice BBQ dinner with some of the HUC faculty (that's where the wine and beer came in). I was sitting around with some of my new friends already talking about some of our ideas for new travel adventures during our breaks.

After the wine and beer, we were led by Gingy (the director of admissions of the Jerusalem campus, whom I actually worked with last year during my internship) to Mount Zion. There our HUC year in Israel welcome continued. At one point we were all sitting up against the walls of the Old City studying text. At the end of the very brief text study, we got in a circle (as Jews like to do) and passed around a Torah singing the words of "Ki Mitzion", followed by Shecheyanu, Sh'ma and my all time favorite prayer, Hashkiveinu. It was an unbelievable experience and cannot be desribed in words (I have a feeling that is how many of my experiences this year will be). Let me just say, that when it was over, we all looked at each other and asked "If this was the first night of our Year in Israel, what is our last night going to be like?"

I've really never been more certain about anything else in my life, I know this is where I am supposed to be. Looking forward to day 2.

Lilah Tov!

(I'll upload pictures later, my internet is being slow)