As I pack for my journey to Budapest, Hungary, emotions flood my mind. Excitement, anxiety, happiness, and curiosity all describe my feelings toward this once in a lifetime opportunity. Mounds of clothes and necessities, which I laid across my bedroom floor, only excite me more since this will be the first time I travel without my family. I cannot wait to explore Budapest and experience everything it has to offer.
As a student of Beth Tfiloh, I have always had a strong tie to my Jewish roots. However, when the opportunity arose for me to travel to Scheiber Sandor Gimnazium to enrich Jewish identity with high school students like myself, I couldn’t pass it up. Furthermore, when I also heard that my close friends would be joining me on my journey to SSG, I was elated. Gaining the opportunity to enrich Jewish Identity in a new country, or even a new continent, is a prestigious task which I hope to fulfill. However, I know that with the help of my peers and my desire to connect with the kids at SSG, I will surely enjoy myself and make an impact on their lives.
My peers and I have had multiple sessions regarding the information we need to know for our trip. However, my favorite session discussed the lesson we will be teaching the 4th graders at SSG. My specific teaching topic touches many teenagers’ hearts, including mine. Food! I am tasked with teaching the 4th graders about Cultural American food, such as chips, candy and other junk-food. I am both excited and curious to see what the children at SSG think about the food we have in the States since it differs tremendously from the European snacks they have.
I truly can’t wait to arrive in Budapest with all my friends and enrich myself in the unique culture at SSG. I am also extremely eager to start making new connections and spreading my Jewish knowledge and experiences with all the kids in Budapest. I also hope for the high schoolers at SSG to gain a lot of knowledge about not only Judaism in Baltimore, Maryland but also about America. I want to show the kids that we are not very different from them, and although we may celebrate our cultures differently, our Judaism is still the same. Lastly, I cannot wait to learn so much about Budapest and make so many memories which will last a lifetime. ~ Ethan M
