Jewish Community Partners

By Daniel Kahane

Daniel Kahane, son of Elana and Josh Kahane, is a junior at the Cooper Yeshiva High School for Boys. Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund provided him with a Teen Israel Experience grant to offset the costs of his B’nei Akiva 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 2026 are open and can be accessed at Lemsky Endowment Fund | Jewish Community Partners (jcpmemphis.org)

This past summer, I had the incredible opportunity to spend five weeks in Israel with Mach Hach BaAretz. Traveling throughout the Land of Israel with many other Jewish teens just like me made the summer much more memorable. I had been to Israel many times before with my family but experiencing it as a teenager with friends my age made this trip so much better. Every day was a different adventure, from hiking up mountains, going to the Kotel, and Shabbos with all my friends, which is what I loved most about this summer. Every day I think about Mach Hach BaAretz. It was the best summer ever. 

One of my most memorable highlights of the summer was hiking Masada and doing Birkat Kohanim (priestly blessing) at sunrise. We woke up very early and climbed up the mountain. Once we reached the top, we were tired, but it was worth it even though it was a challenge. The view of the sunrise was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. Standing there, surrounded by my friends, davening to Hashem (God) made my connection to the Land of Israel much stronger. These moments on top of the mountain made me proud to be Jewish and thankful to be in Israel. 

Another place that stood out to me was the Old City of Jerusalem. To get to the Kotel, we walked through narrow streets with ancient stones surrounding us, which were very beautiful. On the first night of camp, the whole Mach Hach BaAretz – all 13 buses – stood in a circle singing in front of the Kotel. It was a truly special moment to see all my friends from previous summers and the kids I met that day come together as one family, singing and praying for Israel. 

We also had the chance to go to different parts of Israel that I had never been to before. Visiting Hostage Square was very meaningful as we saw the pictures and the families of the hostages and heard their stories. Floating in the Dead Sea was so much fun, even though it burned all my cuts on my skin. It was still a fantastic experience and something I had always wanted to do. Eilat was one of the best parts of the trip, with beautiful views, water sports, and boating. All these places made my trip so much more memorable and meaningful.

I am so grateful to have had the chance to be part of Mach Hach BaAretz. The memories and experiences I made this summer are ones that I will never forget. From davening at the Kotel and hiking Masada, to the fun activities in Eilat and the Dead Sea, every part of the summer helped me grow closer to Israel and myself. I know that the friendships I made and the things I learned will stay with me forever, and I can’t wait for the next time I return to Israel.

Thank you to the Memphis Jewish Federation’s Lemsky Endowment Fund for helping make this unforgettable experience possible.