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Bonding In Israel
Trip brings FJA seniors together for an incredible shared experience.
Hannah Posen
Jewish News Intern
A
s the summer continues, the Frankel Jewish
Academy's most recent graduates are starting to
go their different ways; but as they do, they will
never forget their last experience together.
From May 11 to June 3, nearly all of FVs senior class
brought their high school experiences to a close on the
senior trip to Israel. Accompanied by Debbie Wrotslaysky,
math teacher and director of professional development at
FJA, and Rabbi Maccabee Avishur, dean of Judaics, for the
first half of the trip, and Bosmat Dovas, Hebrew teacher and
trip coordinator, and Rabbi Eric Grossman, head of school,
for the second half of the trip, the FJA seniors explored
Israeli history and culture firsthand.
"The highlight of our years at FJA is our senior trip to Israel
where we are able to experience the fullness of our heritage
and the richness of our culture," Eden Adler said in her stu-
dent reflection at Frankel Jewish Academy's graduation.
4tL.
The FJA senior trip to Israel is called Chavaya, the Hebrew
word for experience.
The goal of the trip:' said Dovas, "is to experience Israel
firsthand. Our itinerary followed the historical chronology
of the Jewish people in its relationship to the Land and State
of Israel:'
And experience Israel is just what the senior class did.
Students went zip lining, experienced Neot Kedumim
Biblical Park where they herded sheep and celebrated Israeli
Independence Day, among many other activities.
FJA senior Aaron Hovey wrote in a blog post on Day Six
of the trip, "The Holy Land has been all that it's been hyped
up to be and so much more. This trip has been the greatest
bonding experience and the most significant trip connect-
ing us all to our historical roots. I wouldn't trade it for the
world." H
The photos were provided by FJA senior Jessica Polk, a longtime
Teen2Teen staff photographer who will study photography this fall
at Savannah College of Art and Design. Mazel tov, Jessica!
O
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Seniors Ari Terebelo and Jessica Polk made some
young friends in Israel.
Seniors Danny Nemer and Rachel Klein
Cooling off: senior Moshe Alishayev,
Senior Aaron Hovey takes a turn at the
Seniors Nathan Pilcowitz and Moshe
go for a camel ride.
Rabbi Maccabee Avishur and senior
drum.
Alishayev at Neot Kedumim Biblical
Park
Josh Kahn
Hillel Does Israel
Graduating eighth-graders travel to places
they have studied together at school.
Hannah Posen
Jewish News Intern
I
n May, Hillel sent 73 students and
five Hillel faculty members to Israel
on the eighth-grade graduation trip.
For more than two weeks, the students
traveled from one tip of Israel to the
other. The students did everything
from rappelling in the Ramon Crater
to camel riding and dinner at Kfar
Hanokdim Bedouin Tent to meeting
with Israeli students in Metro Detroit's
Partnership 2000 region in the Central
Galilee.
"I heard so many amazing things
about Israel; however, you really never
understand how beautiful and special
it is until you step off a plane and see
it for yourself," said eighth-grader
Samantha Sherman of Farmington
Hills. "Going to Israel meant that I
finally got to visit the home of the
Jewish people; the land I have been
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July 14 . 2011
learning so much about for the past
eight years. It was amazing!"
The Hillel Israel trip comes at the
culmination of the eighth-grade stu-
dents' studies and serves as a powerful
impetus to encourage them to remain
connected to Israel and the organized
Jewish community as they leave Hillel.
The trip promotes reflection on who
they are as Jews, strengthening their
ties to Israel and Judaism, helping them
to bond with their peer community
and teaching them about Israel and
Jewish history. Much of what they have
learned at Hillel comes alive in Israel.
"When we arrived in Jerusalem, it
was breathtaking',' said Sara Cahn of
West Bloomfield. "For the first time in
nine years, this mystical place that was
2,000 miles away was real. The Western
Wall seemed like only a place in a story,
but on that day we were able to see and
feel the most holy place to Jews, and it
made me feel closer to God." I 1
Hillel Day School's eighth-grade class of 2011 together for Kabbalat Shabbat in Jerusalem
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Hillel eighth-graders Dean Sallan, Annie
Hillel eighth-graders at the Western Wall:
Slabotsky, Natali Barish, Shayni Shecter,
Bella Adelman, Rachel Kahan, Madeline
Madelyn Selonke and Jessica Birndorf
Jacobson, Brianna Zlatopoisky and Annie
Slabotsky