I have a lot of faith in the next generation. I just got back from spending a month in Israel, leading a trip of 17 15-18-year-olds on Camp Tawonga’s TSL (teen service learning) Israel trip. Unlike the Israel trip I went on when I was 16 through the Jewish Federation, this trip is focused on community service, traveling and learning. We would spend our mornings volunteering our afternoons touring significant sights or meeting with Israelis, Israeli Arabs, Drews, or Bedwins. At night we would come back to the hotel and lead the teens in an educational programs about poverty, values, social justice, sustainability, etc. It was an intense schedule and we did an amazing amount in 3+ weeks.
I can’t really express in words how amazing this group of teenagers was. They got along better than any group of kids I’ve ever had have gotten along, I’m talking absolutely no drama, and these are teenagers were talking about! They were so kind to each other, no one was excluded and they were really all friends. They had such good attitudes, although they got tired and grumpy at moments, we set the bar really high for them and they exceeded our expectations! They were motivated and driven, they want to change the world and incorporate all that we learned into their lives. This is a small sample size, but I really believe in these teens and I think we have a lot to look forward to in this world.
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