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.

Saying goodbye to my family and my home for a semester abroad with NFTY's High School in Israel (Jerusalem) was one of the hardest things I've ever had 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."