When we first got to Mount Bental, I was shocked by how close we were to Syria and Lebanon. It made me realize how important it was to have Israelis serve in the IDF and protect the borders because without their protection Israel would be at risk of being taken over. On the raft, I had a chance to speak with Gaya, one of our Israeli soldiers, about her time in the IDF and what it meant to her to serve. I had never met someone my age that actively served in an extremely dangerous country. It made me respect Israelis even more and made me feel more connected to the country.
.png)