aying goodbye to my family and my home last January for a semester abroad with NFTY's High School in Israel (Jerusalem) was one of the hardest things to do. Leaving home, I understood, was one of life's terrifying, yet important events. Though it was not a permanent move, it was nonetheless a challenge that kept me thinking long and hard into the night. Amidst these rough waters, a friend's words helped me to make the decision to finally pack my bags and blurt out a "sayonara" to the world as I knew it. She had simply said, "Face your fears." As my confusion dissipated into clarity, I began to slice through the layers of my life searching for times when I had faced a fear and had overcome it with flying colors. I knew that if I could find an example where I faced a fear and grew from the experience, it would be easier for me to decide to leave for Israel. After much thought, I determined that riding a bike for the first time (a real two-wheeler!) was precisely like leaving home. Since I had succeeded to face the fear of riding a bike, I convinced myself that I, too, would succeed on this voyage, starting January 30, 2001, at El Al's Terminal, JFK Airport in New York.

What drove me to hop on my wobbly, two-wheeled adventure, equipped with huge suitcases, a camcorder, my baby blanket, a canteen, copies of Little Women and The Source and a list of forty-five new classmates? It was an opportunity that doesn't come along every day. It was an opportunity to experience not the typical school day, but to be out in the world, experiencing every taste, smell, and sound of a new country and culture.

Deep inside, I knew I truly wanted to go to Israel in spite of the politics and the risk, and without the comfort, support, and security of having my family and friends nearby. For the first time, for four months, I would really be on my own. My experiences living for a semester on the Hebrew Union College campus, on a kibbutz, with a host family, in an army training camp, and on a visit to Poland and Prague, would be fascinating and unforgettable. Israel is a beloved country to so many religions; I wanted to go there to find my connection to the land, ancient peoples, and tradition. I couldn't wait to be in a country where I could see the stores close and the streets become quiet on Shabbat. I knew I would inevitably return home a stronger person, having coasted down and incredible hill - without training wheels.

Lauren Marcus is a senior at Worcester Academy in Worcester, Mass. She participated in Genesis at Brandeis, and was an international student at NFTY High School in Israel last semester. Lauren loves theater, creative writing, dance and international relations.