Pre-Israel Post

Friends and Family: Welcome to my blog! Over the next year, I hope to document my adventures here in order to satisfy all of your curiosities regarding what exactly I'll be doing in Israel. For those of you who aren't sure, the program I'm doing is called the Nativ College Leadership Program in Israel, and it's run by United Synagogue Youth, the Conservative youth movement. There are 116 kids going on this program with me, plus staff, and I do have quite a few friends going with me as well, which makes leaving home much easier. For the first half of the year I will be living in Jerusalem in the Fuchsberg Center dorms while taking classes at the Rothberg International School at Hebrew University. For the second half of the year I will be living in a small village called Yerucham and volunteering. I've arranged so my credits will transfer, and with those credits plus the AP credits I have, I'll be able to graduate Emory in three years after entering as a freshman in the fall of 2009.
I want to thank all the family that came to see us this morning, it definitely meant a lot to me to be able to spend one last day with my whole family before I leave. My family, immediate and extended, has been outstanding in supporting me and the decision I've made. There's no way I would be able to go without them. And a big happy sixteenth birthday to Marcus!
I can't believe I'm already leaving tomorrow, but I'm sure in the blink of an eye I'll be saying "I can't believe I'm going home already." I'm a little scared and definitely sad about leaving home, but overall I'm just excited and I do know that it's going to be a great year. I'm infinitely lucky to be able to have such amazing opportunities.

Talk to you from the Holy Land!
Love,
Kari