My recent trip to Israel was the best experience of my life. The juniors at my school, the American Hebrew Academy, spent 10 weeks at the Israel-based Alexander Muss High School, attending classes every day except Fridays. Aside from secular studies, we spent four hours every morning studying Jewish history. Four hours seems like such a long time to spend on one subject, but we covered almost everything, from Abraham to present-day events.

The Alexander Muss High School is in Hod HaSharon, a small city about 30 minutes from Tel Aviv. Though it’s considered a suburb, Hod HaSharon is densely populated with horrendous traffic, which gives it a very urban feel. The main street is lined with falafel restaurants, cafés and small stores, which my school friends and I would visit so we could watch all the activities in this bustling town.

There were two real highlights from our trip. First, we spent a week as part of the Israel Defense Forces Gadna youth program, which involved helping young people, Israelis and interested foreigners, get ready for military service. We got a real taste of how hard it must be for soldiers to live in such a regulated, demanding environment. This experience deeply enhanced my understanding and appreciation of the IDF.

We spent another standout week on a hike called “Yam le Yam,” which literally means “Sea to Sea.” The 40-mile hike stretched from the Mediterranean Sea to Lake Kinneret and often included climbing rather rough terrain. My legs were always exhausted by the end of the day! When we finished our hike at the Kinneret, we linked hands, smelly and sore, and jumped into the water. I’m sure I will always treasure the experience of hiking through the land of my people.

I had many other amazing moments as well. I spent Rosh Hashanah with a gracious, observant family in Jerusalem, and got a sense of the incredible unity and spiritual connection in the streets of Jerusalem during the High Holy Days. The pride and appreciation I felt was like nothing I have ever experienced, like when I reached the top of a mountain and learned of the Jews who walked the same mountain many years before. I’m now back in the United States, but my experience in Israel is an inextricable part of me now.

Emily Kane goes to the American Hebrew Academy, a Jewish boarding school in North Carolina. Her hobbies include photography, shopping, making sushi and watching movies with friends. She’s also a member of the JVibe Teen Advisory Board.