Experience of a Lifetime

My niece went on Young Judaea's Year Course program and it was an experience of a lifetime! She forged deep friendships that hopefully will last forever (she has already gone to a couple of reunions in her first year back in the states). She strengthened her Jewish identity and learned about life in Israel and the mixtures of cultures that exist there. She learned to manage finances, organize meals, and juggle studies, social work, and fun while living in apartments in Bat Yam, the Negev, and Jerusalem.

We spent a week traveling together when my husband and I visited and got our fill of stories about the great experiences she was having. The measures Young Judaea took to ensure everyone's safety were also obvious (and a welcome excuse for my niece to have a cell phone with her at all times). It was clear to us that it was a transformational year for her. Having gone on Year Course myself decades ago, it was heartwarming to see that she too was finding it to be an experience of a lifetime. It's a program I'd highly recommend.