Shayna Dorfman (r.), an incoming junior at Maple Grove Senior High School in Minneapolis, came to Israel expecting a great trip. She didn’t expect to see her own Judaism differently.
It happened in the small moments as much as the big ones. Spending Shabbos in Israel. Late-night conversations with advisors and friends. Being surrounded by peers who were each growing in their own way, at their own pace.
“I felt a much stronger connection to my Judaism and Jewish people as a whole,” Shayna says. “Being surrounded by people who were all growing in their own ways inspired me to grow as well.”
TJJ gave her something else, too: room to ask questions.
“TJJ gave me the opportunity to ask questions, learn more, and think about what being Jewish means to me,” she says.
Shayna came home with more than memories and new friendships.
“I’m coming home,” she says, “with a greater appreciation of Torah, Israel, and the Jewish community.”