Our 8th graders have returned from their incredible Tiyul (8th grade culminating trip) to Israel. They spent 10 days fully immersed in the country, traveling from the Golan in the north to Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, and a night in the Negev, concluding their journey in Tel Aviv. Throughout their trip, our 8th graders embraced every opportunity to experience the rich history, language, food, and culture around them. Making it to Israel this year was not guaranteed, but witnessing them forge connections to their 11 years of study at Bernard Zell and to each other demonstrated the power of growing up in a Jewish community and having the chance to visit the Jewish homeland together. Tiyul solidifies our students' Jewish identities as they form authentic connections with Israel, Jewish history, and community, right as they begin their journey into high school and beyond. We are fortunate to have three of our 8th-grade students share a brief reflection on their Tiyul.

Hannah:

The community on this trip was so welcoming and special, making it truly amazing. Having been at Bernard Zell my entire life, this trip felt like the culmination of a lifelong journey. As we prepare to head off to high school in the fall, it feels like the start of a new chapter. I feel so connected to this grade that leaving will be incredibly difficult; we are like one big mishpacha (family). This strong sense of community was evident in countless moments, even during the in-between times when we were all singing together on the bus. This trip also offered experiences I might never have again. Hiking Arbel with my classmates was eye-opening – I remember it being challenging and a little scary. We had to hold onto handles and cables while climbing, which was hard, but the view was absolutely worth it. Visiting the Old City was also so cool because it's a place for Jews, Muslims, and Christians alike. We also had the chance to go beneath the Kotel (Western Wall) and walk along the outside wall of the Second Temple, learning more about its history.

We had many opportunities to walk around and explore, such as in the shuk (marketplace in Jerusalem). The shuk was so much fun; I found a necklace I've wanted my entire life – my name, Hannah, in Hebrew – and you can often find great deals, though I definitely suggest you bargain. The food at the shuk was delicious, including a Dubai Chocolate skillet cookie. It wasn't all just fun and games, though; we also had time to connect with our religious side. I was able to strengthen a religious aspect of myself that I didn't even realize existed until this trip. Celebrating Kabbalat Shabbat at the Kotel was amazing. It reconnected me with my Judaism, and it was beautiful to see so many different kinds of Jews from all around the world praying and welcoming in Shabbat. After Kabbalat Shabbat, we had dinner at the hotel. There were three other groups there, and a Chabad rabbi from Canada named Rafi had everyone singing songs and asked a person from each table to stand on their chair and give a speech from our class. It happened to be Ari and me. I shared how grateful I was for sharing Shabbat with this group and said, "Am Yisrael Chai."

Abby H.:

Today, my class arrived home after a trip of a lifetime. It feels surreal to say "my class"—after waiting so long for this moment, it flew by in an instant. It's strange how something we talked about for months and dreamed about for years is now behind us.

Our first day began with hiking Mount Arbel in the Golan Heights. We climbed in a line, one after another, holding onto metal wires and bars, helping each other up and down. And when I got near the bottom, I could hear my classmates cheering me on, just like they did for everyone else. That moment stuck with me—not just the view, not the challenge—but the feeling of being supported and connected.

What made this trip special weren’t the big sites on our itinerary, but the little moments between them: singing at the top of our lungs on the bus, playing endless games while walking from one place to another, laughing over inside jokes, the late-night talks, the shared snacks, the random dance parties. Each laugh reminded me how lucky I am to be a part of this group.

One of the most powerful moments for me was Shabbat dinner, when we were singing with people from all over the world—Chile, Canada, and more. It hit me then: the Jewish community isn’t just something we learn about—it’s something that exists everywhere and brings us together instantly.

But the strongest feeling of home came from the people I was with: my classmates, my grade. We’re a small group, but this trip showed me just how much love, energy, and connection can come from a small group of people who truly care for each other.

Time is weird; it doesn’t stop. It moves on whether we’re ready or not. And yet, some moments feel like they slow everything down—like they matter more than the ticking clock. This trip gave us those moments. It reminded us that even in a world that’s always changing, some things stay with us. We’ll move forward, graduate, grow up, and go in different directions, but we’ll always share this time we had together. Tiyul 2025 gave us more than a journey through Israel—it gave us a moment in our lives that we’ll carry forever.

Ari:

This trip, to me, felt like the final page in a decade-long chapter of our lives. Together, we have been growing, learning, and making memories that we will never forget. In a little more than a month, the rest of my class and I will be graduating and going off to high school. But even though we will stay in touch, we will never get another opportunity quite like this one.

Even though we experienced some of the most amazing things someone can during a visit to Israel, some of the most memorable moments from this trip were the simple, unplanned ones, like singing and playing one night at the beach or walking around a museum and experiencing the wonders of Israeli history. But this trip was all centered on one main idea: Judaism. Many times on this trip, I was able to connect with my Jewish self. On Friday night, we went to the Kotel ( during Shabbat, surrounded by thousands of other people. We found our way through the crowd to the Western Wall, and for a few minutes, I sat there in silence and prayed. For a brief moment, all I could hear was myself; nobody else was around, and I was able to truly talk to God. I felt like I had reached a peak moment in my Jewish identity. Afterward, at the hotel, I was given the opportunity to give a short toast in front of about a hundred people, and I talked about how lucky I am to have been given this trip of a lifetime. The next morning, I visited a synagogue for services and was given the opportunity to lift the Torah while it was dressed, in front of the congregation. This wasn’t our community; we didn’t know these people, but they still invited us in and gave another student and me the opportunity to participate in the service while they prayed and listened.

But I don’t just want to focus on the deepest parts of this trip but also on the times when I really felt a huge sense of community. In Jerusalem, we did something that might seem a little strange for a bunch of fourteen-year-olds: we went to a park and we all played on the playground. We went down the slide, rode the swings, and played tag. But while it may seem childish to do this, we loved it so much because we were able to do things together that we hadn’t done in years, and it reminded me of all the great memories I have from when we were all younger. We also had times when we really felt like one big family. On Yom HaZikaron, we went to Tel Saki, a retired military base. We were surrounded by people who had fought in wars and lost family members at this exact base, but we were just the eighth graders on a school trip. Yet, we were all able to be respectful and kind to everyone there.

This trip has been a blessing for me and my entire grade. I have formed memories and experienced some of the most meaningful moments I will ever have. I have met new people, made new friends, and strengthened some of my longest-lasting friendships. In the end, I am so grateful to have been on this trip, and I hope that everyone here who hasn’t been to Israel gets to go and has as incredible an experience as I had these past two weeks. 

Click here to view the Tiyul Blog!