WUJS Jerusalem Participants on their way to a class
On March 1st, we began the new WUJS Machzor with participants from America, Canada, England, Sweden and Hungary. All the new participants are now settled into their new homes in Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv and are either learning, interning, volunteering or working on their respective art projects.
Interview with Sarah Stein from Newton, MA
Where are you from? Why did you decide to come on the WUJS program?
After college, I moved to Manhattan to work in finance. Two years into my job, I was ready for a change and wanted to embark on a new, meaningful experience. WUJS was a great opportunity for me since I've always thought about living in Israel for a long-term stay.
How was the orientation to the program?
Since arriving in Tel Aviv, the first three weeks have been action-packed. I've visited Jerusalem, hiked in the desert, floated on the Dead Sea and enjoyed Tel- Aviv night life. I also joined a seminar series sponsored by MASA and was able to attend a lecture with Moshe Ya'alon, a member of the Knesset.
How is your internship going so far?
When I thought about what sort of internship to pursue, I knew I wanted a change from my previous job and a position in a field relevant to Israel. I ended up taking a research position at the Institute of Counter-Terrorism at the Interdisciplinary Center in Hertzilya and the first few weeks have been great. I work with people of many different nationalities who are experts in a variety of fields in counter-terrorism.
What about life in Tel-Aviv in general?
When I'm not on campus, life in Tel Aviv is great. My biggest apprehension coming to Israel was sharing an apartment with three other people. Fortunately, the four of us get along very well and I now really look forward to relaxing with them at the end of the day. Last week we celebrated Purim together. Our neighborhood hosted a great block party where everyone came dressed in costumes, something I had never experienced in America.
