Reflections from a Trip Leader

Thank you to Israel Outdoors leader Jonah Weisel for sharing his reflections from his trip.

Looking back, the defining moment for me occurred on the second to last day of the trip, during our visit to the Kotel. A student, who had the least connection to Judaism, began the trip by making fun of certain aspects of Israel and questioning why the trip was “so educational.” It was easy to see that all of the participants in the group were moved by being there for the first time, but for this one particular participant, it meant something more. “That was the first time that I really felt Jewish,” she said, after walking away from the Kotel in tears.