A Young Judaean Writes from Israel
Dear friends and family,
I hope your summers are all going well. My name is Shaked Hoter, I am 17 years old from Oregon and I am currently on YJ's Israel summer program. I'm writing this as I sit on a bus with all of my friends. Many are asleep, a few are writing in their journals. We have filled up many of the pages over the last two weeks, and we have three more weeks to go in this beautiful country.
This morning we left Eilat, a city at Israel's southernmost tip, where we spent the past couple of days snorkeling in the Red Sea, shopping, hanging out on the city's famous tayelet (boardwalk), visiting a naval base, and more. Even though it has only been two weeks, I feel like we have been here for months. Every day is packed full of Hebrew words, jokes, and amazing sights. Biblical scenes unfold before our eyes as places such as the Kotel (Western Wall) seem to materialize out of thin air.
The most meaningful moment for me so far occurred on a early morning hike in the Red Canyon near Eilat. I woke up at 5:30 am and got on the bus. We slept on the way except for when we passed by the border. Imagine suddenly seeing a sign that read "Egypt" and immediately beneath it, "Jordan." My only knowledge of these countries had come from the newspaper, yet I was now literally only a few feet away from both.
Even more amazing was the Red Canyon itself. As we made our way through, we realized that we were taking a ridiculous amount of pictures. We wanted to take the place home with us, and as the time passed, we realized we were attempting the impossible. We were trying to capture an experience that could not be reproduced, not even in photos. I finally understood the magnitude of this trip.
To sit with your closest friends and watch the sun rise over Masada, to form strong bonds with individuals we didn't know two weeks ago, to feel we belong in a place where we may not know how to speak the language, much less use the currency, is one of the most incredible and fulfilling experiences I have ever had.
Anyone can tell you about Israel. My message to you is go out and see it for yourself. You won't regret it!
Love,
Shaked Hoter, Age 17
Write to Shaked at write@ttt.org.il
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