(Abby Cassius, second from right, is going into senior year at White Station High School in Memphis, TN)

On our fifth day of TJJ we went on a 3 hour hike. Today I really connected with that hike. Other than the beautiful wind and shady eucalyptus trees, I learned that I really like hiking. As I was walking down the rocks, I realized that one wrong step could lead to me falling, which was terrifying, but I was comforted by seeing the rest of my group. I think the most impactful part was jumping into the lake while not being able to see the bottom and feeling a huge rush of adrenaline. This was my first real hike, and a perfect start to my second week in Israel.  Then, we heard from Elaine Hoter, who shared such insightful information about how to respond to loss and how to honor a lost loved one by talking about good memories. I am really looking forward to many more fun and meaningful experiences to come.