Ramah let me experience a Jewish community that I never experienced before, and it taught me how important it was to be surrounded by other Jewish youth. It piqued my curiosity about laws, prayers, mitzvot, and tradition. It not only taught me Pirkei Avot, birkat hamazon, and havdalah, it let me flourish as a Jew, ask my own questions and take my own risks with religious observances. Eventually Shacharit, Mincha, and Ma’ariv weren’t foreign to me. I wanted to participate, and I wanted to be part of the kehillah.

The most wonderful things keep happening to me here in Eretz Yisrael; things Ramah has taught me keep coming out in waves.

For example, in Ramla I was invited to eat in a sukkah. After the meal we sang zemirot and they started to sing “Mipi El.” I began to sing along with them. I also went to a concert in Akko and knew every song that was played just from singing them on Shabbat. In my ulpan, I know much more Hebrew than I thought I did, from hearing the words at camp. They are such common phrases that they are like English to me. My morah is impressed with my knowledge.

Probably the most important thing that Ramah taught me is that I am a Zionist. I didn’t realize until now that for the last 15 summers, this feeling was growing inside me. I have a full-on passionate love for this country. Having lived with 20-30 Israelis every summer, I felt prepared for Israeli culture and the way of life. For this I thank Ramah.