Britt Jacobson
Spotlight Editor
After being in Israel for 6 weeks, this is what Tiferet 2015 (or Tifteen) has discovered through our experiences here. Take these tips and with them, assimilate into life in the Hod.
1. Join the Moshiko lifestyle right away. (Moshiko: a. the man working at ‘Sabres’, a fruit juice stand in the center of town, b. your new best friend.)
2. School days feel long, but you’ll adjust quickly. Two hours of core can feel like much at first, but trust me, you will appreciate it.
3. When the madrichim say lights out at 11:30, respect it. Even if you might not feel tired right then (doubtful), try to go to sleep- you’ll be so grateful the next day.
4. Buy a travel journal, and write in it everyday. You’re going to want to remember all the memories, and so much happens on Tif that just one day feels like a lifetime of experiences.
5. Bring pictures from home to decorate your dorm room. Get out those friend and family pictures, and don’t be afraid to print some artsy tumblr quotes — it adds a level of homeyness.
6. Your roommates are going to end up being your brothers and sisters. Help them clean-up for inspection, and share your food!
7. Don’t be afraid to try new foods and meet new people — Milken isn’t the only group on campus! (By new foods, we mean sabich. Try sabich.)
The AMHSI kids are there for almost exactly the same dates.
8. Definitely explore the Hod, but don’t eat out constantly. Learn to be creative with the dining hall food, because there is ALWAYS something to eat.
9. When your core teachers want you to bring a hat and 1.5 liters of water for the Tiyul, they mean it. They will check if you have them, and if you do, they will buy you ice cream. (Or promise to!)
10. Don’t stress about roommates or classes. Everything works out in the end, and you have so many support systems in place to help. You can always reach out to your teachers and madrichim for help! Remember to be open-minded and revel in the best four months of your life.
This is the third article in the Tif Top Ten series. Check out Tif Top Ten: Reasons to Go, and Tif Top Ten: Alumni Quotes as well as To Tif or Not to Tif.