Where to begin? JITLI has been one of the most memorable experiences of my life. It was certainly the most unique and unexpected. Leading up to JITLI, I didn’t know what to expect. One of my biggest obstacles in life is meeting and befriending new people. I knew that I not only would meet new people, but that I would meet “Arabs.” I have grown up in a radically pro-Israel, Jewish house, so meeting these kids was not going to be easy. Much to my surprise, a lot of them were extremely friendly, kind, caring people and it was a privilege being a part of JITLI with them. My favorite experience while I was in JITLI was having dinner at Tamer’s home along with 5 other participants. To say it was entertaining wouldn’t suffice. We were there about an hour, and without exaggeration, we laughed 55 minutes. We had no worries, no stress, and we just had good old-fashioned fun. JITLI has helped me grow as an individual tremendously; not only during and after the summer trip, but the 7 months of preparation before it. Being a part of such a unique group, and being committed to such an important movement was extremely helpful to me. We had meetings every week, which meant I had to be 100% committed; something that is essential in every aspect of life. I thank each and every individual who took part in JITLI 2012 and each and every individual who made it possible. It really made an impact on me as a person and I’m sure it had that same impact on many, if not all the other participants.
