On my wall at home hangs a travel calendar that advertises Israel’s physical terrain as a “land of contrasts.” When I arrived in Israel and disembarked at Ben Gurion Airport in an Ambien-induced stupor, I slowly r

Each month, I constantly ponder what to write about for my article. It’s always easiest to draw on an individual experience, find its theme and relate it to a lesson I learned or a conclusion I came to because of that experience. However, I have come to see my time in Israel as more than just a handful of amazing experiences, but rather for what it really is—my life.

A little over two weeks ago, I left Jerusalem with eight others from Year Course and headed to Arad, a small city that sits on the border between the Judaean and Negev deserts, to work at the nature reserves of Ein Gedi and Masada. As we drove along and most of the people on the bus began to drift off, I sat watching the scenery change.

Editor's note: This is the second e-mail dispatch from our beloved former staffer   Hinda Mandell from her recent birthright israel trip. To read part one, click HERE.

It's impossible to glance at a newspaper these days and not see something in the headlines about Israel. This week, in particular, I have found myself constantly checking the TV and the Internet for updates on the disengagement; thankfully, it seems to be running pretty smoothly.