Students of the University of Rhode Island Hillel

By: Stephanie Greenberg 

Going to Israel on Taglit-Birthright was probably one of the most eye-opening experiences I’ve ever had. Coming from an area with a very small Jewish population, being surrounded by only Jewish people was a culture shock in itself before even factoring in being in a different country for the first time.

My family is not religious and we do not go to temple, making the environment a bit daunting. I never had any sense of Jewish identity before this trip and I never saw myself as being Jewish enough. One of the speakers on the trip, Avraham Infeld, gave a talk about Judaism, and how it was a culture, not a religion. Hearing him speak made me feel more comfortable identifying myself as Jewish.  He made me realize that whether you go to temple every week and eat kosher, or never observe any type of Jewish practices, we are all equal.

A lot of the activities on the trip were really fun, too. Camel riding at the Bedouin tents was one of the top things I was looking forward to and it did not disappoint!  The Bedouin people were so kind and welcoming. Meeting the Israeli soldiers was another high point of my Birthright experience. Going into the trip, I was expecting the soldiers to be in uniform, serious, and there only to protect us. As we spent time with them, I learned that they were just like us. They were dressed in street clothes and acted just like any young person would.  I was surprised that there wasn’t a culture barrier at all, which allowed a lot of us on the trip to form really strong friendships with the soldiers during our time together.  

Being immersed in the culture was awesome! The falafel and pita were on point and American falafel and pita will never be the same. Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem had tons of shops, hookah bars, and restaurants with different foods from all over the world. The Mediterranean Sea and Dead Sea were also some of my favorite places to visit.  At the end of it all, I made new lasting friendships that I never would have made without going on this trip. 10/10, would highly recommend.

Stephanie is a junior microbiology major from Pawtucket, R.I.  She is also the Vice President of the URI ASL Club 

By: Lauren Yanku 
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This past June, I spent ten days in Israel as part of my Birthright trip with Hillel. Originally, I was not even sure that I was ready to do my trip and waited until the last second to apply and secured probably one of the last seats on Bus 1345. However, I could not be happier that I made the choice to go with URI Hillel this summer.
 
It’s hard to pick a favorite part of this trip. I had never been out of the country before so the whole experience was brand new to me. I loved how jam packed the schedule was because we really got to see and experience the country and culture, from riding camels in the desert to shopping in Tel Aviv to swimming in the Dead Sea. Our tour guide knew everything about everything and was probably one of the main reasons our bus had so much fun.
 
One of the coolest experiences was when eight Israeli soldiers joined us and stayed with us until almost the end of the ten days. I was actually nervous to meet them and Israelis in general. However, everyone we encountered was so welcoming and so happy we had made the choice to come. Everyone had such pride in Israel and wanted to share this feeling with us.
 
I did not know anyone going into the trip. This didn’t matter because once everyone got to JFK Airport, we began to bond. Creating friendships with the forty other kids, eight Israeli soldiers, two staff, and tour guide was probably one of the best parts of the trip. By the end, one would have believed we had known each other for way longer than ten days.  But after spending hours on the bus together, sleeping in the desert, and hiking up the Masada at 5am, you really know people! Looking back, I’m so happy I got to be on this bus.
           
Some people think you have to be “ultra-Jewish” to go on these trips. This is not the case. Jews of all backgrounds go on these trips. For me, I was a little nervous because I did feel somewhat out of touch with my heritage. Experiencing this trip, though, made me realize that while I may not celebrate every holiday or know every prayer, I’m still proud to be Jewish and incredibly grateful for this trip. Birthright was an amazing experience and I wouldn’t change anything about my time there.

​Lauren is a junior, double majoring in health studies and political science. Originally, from Cranston, RI, she now lives in Charlotte, NC. She love animals and has two dogs. She also loves cooking and country music! Going to Israel this past summer was her first time out of the country, but she hopes to do more traveling during her time in college! ​

​Written by Josephine Maida 

​It’s going to be an exciting semester here at the University of Rhode Island Hillel!  There are so many interesting events going on that I am really excited for, but the one I am most excited for (right now at least) is our Shakshuka making event!  I went to this event when we had it last year and since then, making, and more importantly, eating, shakshuka has became one of my favorite things to do!
 
When I began working at Hillel, a goal of mine was to become more immersed in Jewish culture, and I think one of the best ways to connect with any culture is through food, plus, food is amazing!  Although I had never had it before, shakshuka, a dish consisting of a flavorful tomato sauce base with eggs cooked right on top always seemed interesting to me.  It had tons of things I loved to eat and you got to dunk tons of bread in it, which sounded, and is, awesome!  I couldn’t wait to learn how to make it!  At the event, we learned how to make Shakshuka from an Israeli and while eating, we all got to know each other a little more, gaining insight into the lives and cultures of other community members and students.  It really was one of my favorite nights at Hillel- plus I got to eat a delicious, easy and healthy homemade meal at school, which is always a plus!
 
Eager to get as involved as possible with my heritage and with the Jewish culture after so many wonderful experiences here on campus at Hillel, this past summer, I traveled with Hillel on my Birthright trip to Israel.  Of course there were many things I was looking forward to doing in Israel, but eating was certainly at the top of the list.  Once we got to Israel, I couldn’t wait to try the top dish on my foodie bucket list- shakshuka.  Throughout our entire trip, I asked our knowledgeable tour guide the best place to go to get a taste of this traditional dish, and finally on one of our last days, he brought me to a small stand in the middle of the shuk ha Carmel in Tel Aviv.  The saucy and decadent dish was worth the wait.  I saw the chef preparing mine exactly to my liking- spicy and covered with fresh cheese before he served it to me alongside a fruity juice and a whole basket of soft bread.  It was delicious and made me feel right at home in Israel, sharing a well-loved dish with well-loved friends!

​I can’t wait to make shakshuka on Monday, January 30th at 7 PM at Hillel!  I know that although it will not be my first time trying the dish, it will now bring back amazing memories and feelings that stretch across cultures and countries.  I hope you join me there! 

Written by Josephine Maida 

As a twenty-one year old college student exploring my Judaism for the first time, I really had no idea what to expect from my first Passover Seder.  Sure, I had seen a Seder plate before and I was pretty sure Matzos and a hard boiled egg would be somewhere in the mix throughout the night, but other than that, I really did not know what I was getting myself into.  Lucky enough for me, I work at Hillel, so in the weeks beforehand, I was surrounded by people who could guide me to at least understand why we celebrate Passover in the first place. 
 
As our Hillel Director, Amy, dove into telling me the story of Passover, I was surprised--and not for the first time--at how NOT bored I was.  My mother is Jewish, but my father is Catholic and growing up, I was raised mainly with Catholicism- and by that I mean I went to church for the baptisms of cousins and celebrated Christmas and Easter. I attended CCD (the equivalent of Catholic Sunday School) and I often found myself bored and confused. I did not find any meaning behind the rituals. As I got older, my family’s slim commitment to religion got slimmer and I felt disconnected from Catholicism. Yes I celebrated Christmas and Easter, but not really for any religious reasons.  In hearing the story of Passover, I was once again reminded of one of the reasons I feel so connected to Judaism- everything we do and every holiday we celebrate has so much meaning behind it, which I think is so cool and really refreshing. 
 
Finally the day came where I would experience Passover for the first time. The day before, I helped make the haroset and set the table at Hillel, but when I finally got to Hillel on the night of the seder, I was nervous.  This holiday seemed so special to everyone around me, and I was scared I would do something wrong during the seder that would make me look silly- or even worse would ruin the whole night.  I sat down next to my friends and the night began, and it was fun!  I mainly just listened and copied what everyone around me was doing, which I sometimes think can be the best way to learn.  I was pleasantly surprised at how interactive and fun Passover was. And even better, the food was delicious.  The Hillel sandwich that had been making my stomach quiver with fear all week was actually one of my favorite parts. 
 
After my first Seder experience, I would say I am more than excited to celebrate again next year and also learn more about the other holidays.  What I learned from this evening the most is to never be afraid to try something new.  If you are genuinely excited for something and you try your best to learn all you can, your experience will be meaningful.  I learned that Passover is harder than I thought-- there’s a lot more to it than refraining from bread.  This year I am proud to be observing Passover for the first time, because even though it is difficult, I am doing it to remember all of the hardships the Jewish people faced as slaves and to thank God for bringing our people to safety all those years ago.  As it says in the Hagaddah, “In every generation we must view ourselves as if we personally had gone out from Egypt.” It feels good to be a part of keeping that memory alive. Plus the reduction of refined sugars and carbs from my diet this week hasn’t been too bad for my health!  

Written by Brittney Leif

1. Food
Whether it’s falafel, or schwarma, Israel has some amazing food. You just have to try it to believe it. 

​2. Staff
The staff members you go with will help make your journey through Israel complete. They are like your camp counselors for the 10 day trip, but in a good way.  If you go on our URI Hillel trip you will get to explore Israel with Yaniv! ​

While standing at baggage claim in the Ben Gurion airport, I had no idea how much this 10 day trip would impact me and my future. As we were all talking in groups about our excitements and worries, a loud shout came over us saying, “Welcome home!!!” It was our guide Gabby who is Canadian born, but raised in Israel. At this time I only considered the small town of Bethel, Connecticut to be my home, and possibly the University of Rhode Island, but an entire nation? I wasn’t so sure.  After arrival, we were herded onto our bus like a bunch of happy go lucky Americans. We headed down to Masada, slept, and hiked the mountain for sunrise. This was my favorite hiking experience, and definitely a great way to start off the trip. The sunrise was beautiful and it became surreal that we were actually in a different part of the world, and experiencing thousands of years of history. The next night we stayed in Bedouin tents in the Negev, the desert. This was quite the cultural experience, but even more than that, it was a bonding experience. We all stayed up that night playing Egyptian Rat Screw, and other card games, and teaching our Israeli medics these games too.  One of our medics introduced us to the game Jungle Speed. This game involved up to 8 people, fast card matching skills, and some light hand to hand combat. The next day we picked up our 8 Israeli soldiers from a random street corner, and we welcomed them onto the “red carpet” also known as the bus aisle. Getting to know the Israeli soldiers was a main highlight of the trip. It was a shock to most of us how much we had in common with these men and women from a different part of the world. Being Jewish was our common denominator, and they showed us how there are many ways to express Judaism: through prayer, through the culture, and also by fighting for the country.  While travelling all around with this group we all became very close and still communicate almost daily. This trip introduced me to a new family, and a new home, and I’m very thankful for it. This summer I’ll be returning to Israel for a two month internship program, and I could not be more excited. If I could give one piece of advice to someone thinking about going on this trip it would be to sign up yesterday. Don’t sit and wait on this experience! If I could give one piece of advice to those signed up to go this summer it would be to keep an open mind and allow yourself to be open with others. Birthright is way more than a free trip, it’s an experience you’ll never forget.

Stephanie is a senior studying psychology and human development and family studies at the University of Rhode Island.  She has been a gymnast for 13 years! 

​Last May I packed up as many clothes as I could fit into my suitcase to head on a trip to a country I have only dreamed of going to, Israel. Little did I know that this trip would be the most amazing 10 days of my life.  Many people overuse that phrase, but it is true. You have to truly experience Israel on Birthright to get it. It feels like a dream looking back on it. In those 10 days I became a whole new person. I always considered myself Jewish, but I now had a deeper understanding of Judaism.  More importantly, a deeper connection to my faith and a place where there is so much history. It isn’t about being religious; it is a trip about understanding your roots. From praying at the Western Wall, floating in the Dead Sea, to eating falafel in Tel Aviv I now have a home in Israel, and a place in my heart for this country. You do so much in 10 days. You never stop. You see Israel in all its lights and angles. But the people are what help you see this. From the tour guides and Israeli soldiers, you get a clear picture and learn that Israel is not what you see in the news. It is a magical place. Birthright exposes you to realize you have had a second home your whole life. You won’t realize until its over, but you will grow as a person, and make connections for a lifetime. 

Brittney is a sophomore film/media major and journalism minor  student here at the University of Rhode Island who enjoys doing improv in her spare time.