Sometime last December I got a phone cal from Pepperdine encouraging me to apply for Glazer Israel Program. Now it is August and tonight I am getting on an airplane. Back to the states, my fiancee and affordable Mexican food. This summer has been a whirlwind. President Hinckley had a way of describing life, he said, “Life is just like an old time rail journey … delays, sidetracks, smoke, dust, cinders, and jolts, interspersed only occasionally by beautiful vistas and thrilling bursts of speed. The trick is to thank the Lord for letting you have the ride.”
I think if you switched “Life” to “My time in Israel” you would have a pretty accurate description of my feelings. Not every moment was thrilling. There were times when I was bored, hot, hungry, and missed home. But there were times, when I thought to myself, why am I so lucky? How did I end up here?
If the point of sending me here was to fall in love with Israel and the Jewish people, then mission accomplished. This is truly remarkable land, and a truly remarkable people. I was also so fortunate to be here with a great group from Pepperdine. While initially some of us would not necessarily have so much in common I certainly enjoyed the group dynamic.
My internship was amazing. Certainly the language barrier made some things difficult, I accomplished many of the goals I set out. I made good contacts, I represented Pepperdine, myself, and my faith well. I worked on a project I was passionate about and received excellent feedback about it.
I read at least 4000 pages while I was here, uploaded 150 or so pictures, consumed a tremendous amount of pizza and falafel ( I am pretty much done with falafel in a pita forever), walked to the beach, and grew my closest approximation of a beard.
I don’t know when I will be back here, at church on Shabat the people kept asking me if I was coming back. I told them I don’t know. But I do and will forever treasure my time here.
From the cat infested streets, the opinionated bus driver, Benny our life saver, Jo our Ambassador, accidentally hiking through an artillery range, floating in the Dead Sea, riding a Donkey,a Turkish shave to the birth place of the Savior, I saw and did everything I wanted.
Now I am excited to go home, eat some Tommy’s, and marry my sweetheart.
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