Time, Friendship. And — oh yeah, Israel.

I was one of two Jewish trekkers on 2018’s Israel Trek. You might expect the following words to harp on what a moving, emotional experience it was for me to go to Israel for the first time. How I might have found some new contours of my identity, felt what…

Conflicting Narratives

The day before this photo was taken our group arrived in Israel by way of the Tel Aviv international airport. The first…

A Tale of Love and Darkness

Israel Trek 2018 certainly began as a love story. From the moment we touched down in Ben Gurion airport, it was love at first sight. I was mesmerized by the pale hue cast over the Old City by the Jerusalem Stone and was enchanted by the green hills we experienced on long bus…

Tel Aviv(a la Vida Loca): the World Renown Gay Nightlife of Tel Aviv

Israel is renown for its historic and significant religious sites, its turbulent Palestinian-Jewish and broader Arab conflicts, and its thriving and entrepreneurial startup culture. Yet, for all the geopolitical…

There’s Nothing Like Experiencing a New Culture

It’s impossible to really take in a place until you go there. Landing in Tel Aviv and taking in the beautiful landscapes, the beautiful people, and the beautiful smells took my breath away. Israel is absolutely gorgeous.

There Ain’t No Mountain High Enough: Mt. Bental and the Quest for Peace

Life is SABICH

Life is sababa until it’s not. We were exploring the Carmel and Nachalat Binyamin Market, and the first order of business was finding lunch. I ended up going back and forth between two seemingly standard places with chicken schnitzel. I remember standing in a small mass of people, and everything…

Pre-Trek Poem

The Oppressed Immigrant Oppressor:

Dust and Ashes
Anti-Semitism, Zionism
Victims, Immigrants, Settlers

Why do Nations Fail?
Why do nations survive
Against all odds
Against all enemies
Just war, blood…

Freedom and Falafels

Israel is an incredible country. It is almost impossible to convey the entire spectrum of feelings I had on the trip. I had very few clear or vivid expectations for Israel prior to visiting. When I landed in Israel, I remember being shocked by the rich ecosystem, the greenery, the pale…

Liberty or Death: Masada as an Ethical Foundation for Social Justice

As I awoke in the Judean Desert after a night of bonding with my fellow trek leaders and peers, I looked upon the skyline in front of me. Straight ahead, I could see a rock plateau towering above the rest of its…