Let’s daydream about the post-pandemic world for a minute—a world where we can broaden our horizons through internships, gap years, or study abroad programs. A world where we can be immersed in Jewish culture and traditions with access to beautiful Mediterranean beaches and the vibrant bustle of Tel Aviv or Jerusalem.

Traveling might be unheard of now, but the Israel Center has all kinds of programs that run year in and year out that’ll be waiting for you in a post-pandemic world.

Maya Halpern's recent time with the URJ Heller High Semester in Israel program was cut short, but not before she had an incredible experience.

“I’m not just saying this: It was the best seven weeks of my life,” Maya said. “It was really sad that we couldn’t have the full experience...But what we did do was amazing.”

Heller High is set up as an opportunity for high school sophomores, juniors, and seniors to immerse themselves for four months in the culture and history of Israel while still getting in a great education. Maya went for new experiences and new connections with her Jewish identity, and says she got that and more. “My main goals were trying to find my Jewish identity, a connection with Israel, personal independence, and growing as a human,” she said. “A long time ago, one of the things I really wanted to do was just experience new things, beautiful things, every day. And I definitely did that—[I had] totally new experiences that I wouldn’t have had anywhere else.”

Thanks to the Israel Center, those kinds of new and beautiful experiences are possible (and accessible with scholarships!). Maybe you won’t be hopping on a flight anytime soon, but check out our upcoming Teenfest2Gether, where 1000 teens from around the world will get together for music, workshops, conversations about life in the pandemic, and more—including a session with the incredible Netta Barzilai! Or, if you’re looking for a deeper, Jewish values-based conversation about the Israel-Palestinian conflict, check out our upcoming iEngage Series launch.

And in the meantime, you can travel vicariously through Maya’s own experience.

“We are all human and we all want to create a more peaceful, loving world. ”

*Heller High participant Maya Halpern in Israel earlier this year.*

By Maya Halpern

“I don’t need to sing to prove my existence. I don’t need to sing to fight your indifference. I sing for the lessons the world hasn’t learned. I sing for my soul as she watches it burn.”

One of the most meaningful experiences I had during my semester in Israel was the workshop I attended with the Jerusalem Youth Chorus. I had just finished a long day of classes during my third week on the program. I was excited to hear the music but a bit reluctant to sit through what I thought might be a boring performance. To my surprise, the workshop that I was about to experience would be interactive and eye-opening.

As I sat alongside my classmates, a group of five young adults entered the room. They introduced themselves as Shifra, Amer, Ya’ara, Minas, and Alla. They were representing a choir of young Israeli and Palestinian Jews, Muslims, and Christians from East and West Jerusalem. Amer, a Palestinian from East Jerusalem, explained that the choir meets once a week to sing and engage in dialogue as a means to better understand each other.

Hearing this introduction captured my attention right away. One of the main reasons I wanted to live in Israel was to learn about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and meet real people from both sides. There I was, in a room with young Israelis and Palestinians who strive to make peace, and do so through music.

Throughout the workshop, we learned about each individual’s story and their experiences in the choir. We watched a video of the choir singing an original song with these powerful lyrics in English, Arabic, and Hebrew:

I don’t need to sing to prove my existence.

I don’t need to sing to fight your indifference.

I sing for the lessons the world hasn’t learned.

I sing for my soul as she watches it burn…

Goosebumps covered my body. As the harmonies and languages of the song echoed around the room, I was filled with hope. I was incredibly moved by the choir’s courage to contradict society’s conventional narrative that they must be enemies. Although each member of the choir comes from a different background, they all embody the same message: we are all human and we all want to create a more peaceful, loving world.

At the end of the workshop, the leaders taught us one of their songs and divided up the room into three sections. One group sang the English, one sang the Hebrew, and one sang the Arabic. Singing with the choir made me feel as though I was being welcomed into their communities, like we were one. Once again, goosebumps coursed through my body as I was filled with complete awe. The music was much more than a beautiful melody—the music was the bridge that connected us by allowing us to both celebrate each other’s differences, and prove our commonality.

To learn more about the Israel Center and the different programs available for high school students, click here or email Amanda Feigin, Israel Program Specialist. To learn more about the upcoming Virtual Global Teen Fest, click here, and learn more about iEngage here.

"A more peaceful, loving world": One teen's experience in Israel