My name is Morgan Torcellini and I had the amazing opportunity to go to Israel in the summer of 2018. I went on a program called Birthright which is a program for Jewish students around the nation and other parts of the world. Birthright is a chance for students to be able to experience their heritage as Jews and see the great Land of Israel.
My experience on this trip was more than I could put into words. It was absolutely incredible. The feeling that you get when you walk off the plane after landing in Israel is the sense that you are home. Walking the streets of Tel Aviv or touching the cobblestones that are hundreds of years old in Jerusalem are memories that you want to keep forever. Not only did I get to explore these cities but I got to hear the history surrounding what made Israel into the Jewish state it is today.
I felt more in touch with my Jewish identity and never felt more proud to be a Jew than when I spent that time in Israel. I was fortunate enough to spend two weeks there: riding camels in the desert, hiking Masada, floating in the Dead Sea, and seeing the exact places where our ancestors settled over 1,000 years ago. This was a trip I will cherish for the rest of my life. I can say that it was the most extraordinary place I have ever been and the most extraordinary experience I have ever had.
For more information about how to register for birthright, please visit: https://www.birthrightisrael.com/ or http://northcarolina.hillel.org/home/what-we-do/campuslife/free-trip-to-israel