The Class of 2027 recently returned from its long-awaited Israel trip on March 18, 2025, bringing home plenty of souvenirs and lasting memories. This trip was canceled last year due to the outbreak of the war and has since been permanently moved from 9th to 10th grade to ensure the best possible experience for students. 

We spent two adventure-filled weeks in the Holy Land, traveling north to south from March 3-18. After landing at Ben-Gurion Airport in Tel-Aviv, we jumped right into our first activities, which included riding donkeys in Kfar Kedem and planting seeds in Safta Yehudit, an organic farm. Each day was spent engaging in countless amazing activities, sightseeing, and eating delicious food. We had so much fun riding UTVs, swimming in the Dead Sea, shopping in shuks and malls, biking in Agam HaChula, hiking in Eilat, spending Purim together in Jerusalem, and more. This trip, however, was so much more than just a workout; it was an incredibly emotional experience that deepened our understanding of Israel and its inhabitants, Jewish and non-Jewish alike. We gained these insights through visits to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, the military cemetery at Har Herzl, the Nova site, Hostages’ Square, the Druze City of Isifiya, and the ancient cities of Peki’in and Tzfat. We also listened to the experiences of multiple IDF soldiers. These activities brought us together as a grade and moved us in ways that allowed us to connect to Eretz Israel on a deeper level. 

We owe it all to Opher Yunger, our trip director and organizer. He made sure that our trip was action-packed and unforgettable. Every minute of the trip was planned and spent in the most meaningful way. Each student explored the Jewish homeland from a new perspective, built new connections, exercised independence, heard countless different stories, learned something new, and ate delicious food, creating cherished memories. I speak for every student on the trip when I say that this trip was one of the best of our lives!