Hi, friends and family,
I am so excited to share that I am planning to study abroad in Jerusalem for spring semester of my sophomore year! I will be attending TRY (Tichon Ramah Yerushalayim), where I can continue my classes while also exploring the country, participating in many volunteer projects, improving my Hebrew, connecting with my Jewish heritage (including a trip to Poland), and meeting family in Israel I have never met before!

One way I am helping my parents to pay for this opportunity is participating in the Dream Israel Teen Initiative. This is a really cool program that raises money through the Jewish National Fund for important Israel-related projects and teen experiences in Israel at the same time! When you donate to my chosen project, your donation is matched -- both to the project AND to my trip!

The project I chose to help support is the Arava Joint Institute for Food, Water, and Energy Security. This project has the mission of introducing innovative technology that builds capacity for food, water, and energy security in vulnerable communities in arid and hyper-arid environments — with a focus on Africa. It is one of many JNF projects that uses Israeli technology to give back to the global community. My goal is to raise $5000 for Arava. If I succeed, they will get $5000 more in matched funds AND I will get $7500 for my semester at TRY.

If I meet my fundraising goal, JNF will provide me with a grant towards my own Israel travel experience, ensuring my opportunity to meet Israelis whose lives have been changed due to our support, and to explore my own connection to the land and people of Israel. Please consider supporting this important initiative and my efforts to meet my fundraising goal.

Next year in Jerusalem!
Love, Nora