I am sitting in John F. Kennedy International Airport surrounded by a group of strangers and ready to depart from everything that is familiar to me. Standing in line to get my baggage checked, I nervously try to make conversation with the people around me. I am asked questions. I ask questions. They are all the same generic curiosities of people who have never met each other, but anticipate spending a great deal of time together.

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.

So much for the food pyramid or a balanced diet. Looking at the meal choices in the army mess hall, I'm thinking that there's not much difference between the sticky and starchy rice, couscous or pasta. But when you're in gadna (training for the Israeli army), food isn't your priority.