Jewish Community Partners

Yonina Lichter, daughter of Rabbi Ian and Katie Lichter, is a junior at the Goldie Margolin High School for Girls. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided her with a Teen Israel Experience grant to offset the costs of her Mach Hach Ba’Aretz 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 are open and can be accessed at Lemsky Endowment Fund | Jewish Community Partners (jcpmemphis.org)

Thanks to the generous support of the Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund, I had the incredible opportunity to go on the Mach Hach Ba’Aretz trip to Israel last summer. We traveled throughout Israel, exploring its history and culture.

One of the most meaningful moments of my trip was visiting the Kotel. On one of our first days in Israel, we danced and sang all the way there. It was an amazing experience to be at the Kotel with all of Mach Hach and to be able to daven there. I also got to spend time with friends from other buses that I didn’t see often over the summer, which made it even more special.

One of the most special experiences was making a BBQ for soldiers and their families who had just returned from Gaza. We grilled food, set up tables, and played with the kids. Seeing how happy and appreciative they were made it so meaningful.

Being in Israel during a war was definitely scary at times, but it also made the experience even more meaningful. At Har Herzl (Israel’s national cemetery), we heard from a woman whose husband was killed on October 7. Listening to her speak was incredibly powerful—she had so much strength and emunah (faith) in Hashem. Every morning at davening, our bus leader would share a quote from a fallen soldier, encouraging us to think about how it applied to our own lives. These quotes helped us feel connected to the soldiers and reminded us of what was happening around us.

At the end of every Shabbat, we would go to a lookout near where we were staying, sing songs, and listen to a d’var Torah. The first week, we were in Jerusalem and sang the prayer Acheinu. As we sang, other people nearby joined in, and even though we didn’t know them, we were all Jews, and that was all that mattered. That collective singing was incredibly meaningful.

I’m so grateful to the Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping make this trip possible. I will never forget my time in Israel—traveling, making meaningful connections with Jewish people from all over the world, and forming lifelong friendships.