Jewish Community Partners

Israel was always a special place to me, even though I had never visited. I thought about it as my second home away from home. The summer of 2023 proved to me that I was right; Israel is my second home. I felt so welcomed and everyone treated me like I was one of their own. The people on my BBYO summer trip made the journey there even better. Everything and everyone appeared super alive and bright. As soon as I walked outside, I could feel the energy of the Jewish State and felt connected to my roots. While on my trip to Israel, we stopped in five cities – Jerusalem, Haifa, Tiberias, Tel Aviv, and Eilat – and then ended back in Jerusalem. All five cities were amazing but different. My favorite city was Tel Aviv because it was so vibrant with amazing food, people, and beaches. I also had the unique opportunity to visit my Israeli family while I was in Tel Aviv. The city I felt most connected to was Jerusalem because besides Memphis, Jerusalem means the most to me. I was incredibly happy Jerusalem was the first stop on my trip. I had always dreamed of going to the Old City and more specifically, the Kotel. I felt connected to the Old City, especially the tomb of Abraham. When I entered the Kotel for the first time, it felt different from any place I had ever visited. I, a 16-year-old kid from Memphis, Tennessee, was walking in the footsteps of the ancestors before me and the ancestors before them. It felt like, and was, the most special place I had ever stepped foot in. Haifa, Tiberias, and Eilat were the other three cities we visited. Although I didn’t feel as connected to these cities as I did to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, they were still amazing. Haifa’s culture and beaches were amazing. This was my third favorite city. We had a fantastic first Shabbat in Haifa. Tiberias was also very fun, despite a record-breaking heat wave while we were there. To stay cool, we did a lot of water activities while seeing historical sites and hiking. Eilat was also fun, but it was the hottest city we visited. In Eilat, we went banana boating and we went to the pier/docks. At the pier, I went on a slingshot ride with one of my friends; it was very scary. While in Eilat I had Glidah (the best ice cream ever.) On the way back from Eilat to Jerusalem, we stopped for the night and had a great experience at the Bedouin tents. After that night and experiencing their culture, we woke up super early to climb Masada. Masada was amazing, the sunrise was beautiful, and I learned about the history that occurred on the mountain. Although I am not in Israel anymore, the summer of 2023 was the best summer ever. I was able to experience the country I had always wanted to visit, see the beautiful country and spend it with the best BBYO friends. I can confidently say Israel is my second home. Thank you to Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping make my BBYO Israel journey possible for me. Ari Taub, son of Elissa and Dr. Marc Taub, is a rising senior at St. George’s Independent School. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided him with a Teen Israel Experience grant to offset the costs of his BBYO Ultimate Western Europe / Israel program. All rising juniors and seniors are eligible for grants of up to $3,000 to attend a recognized teen summer or semester program in Israel. Teen Israel Experience applications for Summer 2025 will open in November 2024.