Mazal Sokol (r.) is an incoming senior at Parkway North High School in St. Louis. While she’s enjoyed the fun activities, like ziplining, she says she found the visit to Me’arat Hamachpela, The Cave of the Patriarchs, particularly meaningful.

“It was really inspiring [at Me’arat Hamachpela.] I got to learn individually about each matriarch and patriarch. It was really beautiful,” she says.

For Josh Zingerman, an incoming junior at Glenbrook South High School on Chicago’s North Shore, “finally” going to Jerusalem this past week was a major trip highlight.

“Going to the Western Wall was awesome,” he says, adding that it made him feel deeply connected to the Jewish people.

“Just going up to [the Kotel] and knowing that millions and millions of people have been there and prayed there before… It was just very holy and felt amazing,” Josh says.

Audrey Roberts (l.) is an incoming sophomore at Whitfield School in St. Louis. For her, experiencing the Holocaust at Yad Vashem was most memorable.

“The most impactful part was afterward when I got to hang out with my friends, and we were talking about what we took away from the Holocaust museum and [sharing our] opinions from it,” she says.

Audrey adds that being on TJJ has given her the opportunity to understand not just the Holocaust, but many of the “whys” behind Judaism that she never understood – or even had the chance to ask about – until now.

“I feel like on this trip I have a space where I feel comfortable asking questions, pushing back, and kind of figuring out how Judaism fits into my life,” Audrey says.