Leeat Elkayam

Staff Writer

This year, 68 sophomores embarked upon the sixth Tiferet Israel Fellowship.  On January 24, 45 percent of the class of 2014 flew to Israel to spend four months in the city of Hod Hasharon. The students will immerse themselves in Israeli culture as they study an integrated curriculum of Jewish studies and general classes.

Students have been handling the impending change in different ways. For some, it felt as if the first semester passed too slowly.

“To pass the time I’ve just been staying focused in school and doing what I usually do,” Ben Kriegsman ’14 said.

Some participants have never been to Israel at all or for such an extended period of time. Other students do not understand the culture and have never been to Hod Hasharon.

“This will actually be my fourth time in Israel. But it will be my longest trip to Israel,” Arielle Mohktarzadeh ’14 said.

Many of these Milken students do not have family in Israel and are hoping to transform their Milken community into their Milken family. However, some have the luxury of grandparents and cousins living in Israel.

“My mother’s aunt moved to Israel after the Revolution in Iran,” Mohktarzadeh said. “I am really hoping to connect with her while I am there.”

Every student has a different aspect they are most looking forward to, whether it is visiting family, bonding with friends or exploring Israel.

Milken is looking forward to hearing wonderful stories from the students going this semester and cannot wait to hear each student’s personal narratives.