Spring Break
The journey inward
by Matthew Kriegsman
Features | 2/5/08
Posted online at 10:54 PM EST on 2/4/08
/ Last updated at 4:38 AM EST on 2/4/08
Jeremy Slosberg '11 gained new perspective on his future when he participated in a mixed-gender program called Netiv, in which he took classes at Hebrew University and took part in a community service program.
Because "Israel allowed me to be more relaxed and look at the bigger picture of things, I made sure to make my time useful in Israel," Slosberg said.
"It was time to understand when it was time to act like a five-year-old and when it was time to act like a 20-year-old," Jeremy says with a smirk. "I started to think and see things differently, putting certain things of higher importance than I had originally thought."
Simon, Brian and I saw evidence of the change in outlook that Slosberg described. Many of our friends-whether studying in yeshiva, seminary or a yearlong study program like Nativ, which allows students to take secular classes and find jobs within the community-demonstrated a new seriousness, an ability to separate the important from the nonsense.
We were impressed with our friends' newfound sense of responsibility in setting specific goals for themselves. Asaf Jacbos, one of our good friends who we visited in Israel, is studying finance in Israel this past semester before he enters Baruch College this fall. He hopes that studying the field prior to entering college will help make his work easier in the future.
Jeremy Goldstein, another close friend of ours, will attend Binghamton University this fall and is studying in Israel this year, already has plans for getting his boating license so that he can help give tours around the Kineret in Israel.
Ari Tretin, who will enter Brandeis as a first-year this fall and is currently a student at Yeshiva Shveelay in Jerusalem, has been participating in many community service opportunities, such as painting houses for poor families and boxing materials for Israeli soldiers in the army, as a means of bettering himself and the community around him.
Although the details of their undertakings differ, all our friends had become increasingly aware of remaining active and assertive in their interests and pursuits.
Because "Israel allowed me to be more relaxed and look at the bigger picture of things, I made sure to make my time useful in Israel," Slosberg said.
"It was time to understand when it was time to act like a five-year-old and when it was time to act like a 20-year-old," Jeremy says with a smirk. "I started to think and see things differently, putting certain things of higher importance than I had originally thought."
Simon, Brian and I saw evidence of the change in outlook that Slosberg described. Many of our friends-whether studying in yeshiva, seminary or a yearlong study program like Nativ, which allows students to take secular classes and find jobs within the community-demonstrated a new seriousness, an ability to separate the important from the nonsense.
We were impressed with our friends' newfound sense of responsibility in setting specific goals for themselves. Asaf Jacbos, one of our good friends who we visited in Israel, is studying finance in Israel this past semester before he enters Baruch College this fall. He hopes that studying the field prior to entering college will help make his work easier in the future.
Jeremy Goldstein, another close friend of ours, will attend Binghamton University this fall and is studying in Israel this year, already has plans for getting his boating license so that he can help give tours around the Kineret in Israel.
Ari Tretin, who will enter Brandeis as a first-year this fall and is currently a student at Yeshiva Shveelay in Jerusalem, has been participating in many community service opportunities, such as painting houses for poor families and boxing materials for Israeli soldiers in the army, as a means of bettering himself and the community around him.
Although the details of their undertakings differ, all our friends had become increasingly aware of remaining active and assertive in their interests and pursuits.
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Vegetarian
posted 2/06/08 @ 2:47 AM EST
There is more to life than just academics. It is good to take a year off from academics to learn more about yourself and learn other ways at looking at life. (Continued…)
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