Hi, it’s May!

If it’s been a minute since you’ve seen me, I’m 15 years old and starting my sophomore year of high school. I live in Eugene, Oregon with my younger sister Mimi and my parents.

I’m about to do something a little wild. I’m heading to Israel in January, where I’ll spend the semester studying.

There aren’t many Jews in Eugene — in my high school, I'm one of a handful. Growing up here, I’ve often felt isolated from my peers, like my Jewish identity makes me different. I catch myself staying quiet when Israel or Judaism comes up in class. It’s not because I don’t care, but because I don’t want to make waves or get judged. This self-censoring makes it challenging to be Jewish in this small, college town.

You know what keeps me strong? My Jewish summer camp. I’ve been privileged to spend the last five years at Young Judaea camps in New York. At both Camp Young Judaea - Sprout Lake and Camp Tel Yehudah, I can be my truest and happiest self. Surrounded by other Jewish kids from all over the world, I am safe, proud, and connected — from learning together on Tisha B’Av to welcoming Shabbat on Friday evening.

Now, I have the opportunity to dive deeper. I’ve been accepted to spend a semester at Alexander Muss High School in Israel — living, learning, and experiencing daily life in the only place in the world where I'm not a minority. No more feeling like I have to defend myself or the people I belong to. Living in Israel, visiting historical sites, meeting my Israeli peers, learning to speak Hebrew…all of this will help me deepen my Jewish identity in a way I can’t at home.

This is where I need your help. I am fundraising through Dream Israel, a Jewish National Fund initiative. They'll match every dollar I raise for their important work in Israel with up to $7500 in grants for my semester abroad. Your generous donation will support programs in Israel that increase accessibility for people with disabilities, create security and quality of life improvements for people living in the "Gaza Envelope" (the Israeli area directly next to Gaza), and build cultural exchange opportunities between Israel and North America. That donation ALSO makes it possible for me to study, live, and grow proudly in Israel.

Thank you so much for considering a gift to make this once-in-a-lifetime experience possible.

With gratitude,

May