Meet Your #Birthright Israel #Shorashim #Bus51 Staff
Arya Marvazy
Where are you from?
Los Angeles.
Where do you currently live?
Los Angeles.
What is your favorite place in Israel?
Tel Aviv
What is a fun fact about yourself?
If staffing Birthright trips was a profession, I'd be first in line to apply ;)
What are your words of wisdom for your future participants?
Come in to this experience with a grateful lens, and maintain that lens of gratitude throughout every element of the experience - it's truly an incomparable gift. You'll have the time of your life for most of the trip, and you'll inevitably find yourself tired or bored from a certain activity. I think to take away and make the most of your Birthright experience, you have to genuinely understand just how fortunate we are that Birthright exists at all, and how it's changed Israel and the Jewish people forever.
Anything else?
I think Birthright as an experience has completely helped to revolutionize Jewish identity, and specifically as it relates to Israel. I would never be the Jew I am today were it not for my introduction to Israel back at 18, and I can never thank those that make this trip possible enough - miracles happen on every bus :)
Hannah Simpson
Where are you from?
Hillsdale, NJ
Where do you currently live?
New York, NY
What is your favorite place in Israel?
The Ein Gedi Oasis near the Dead Sea.
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I was a live studio guest panelist on the Melissa Harris-Perry Show on MSNBC twice!
What are your words of wisdom for your future participants?
Talk to EVERYONE, not just the people "on" the trip! Talk to the fight attendants, the servers at dinner, the street vendors, even your bus driver. Israelis are not shy about their stories or even their politics if you ask.
Anything else?
Look for staggered balconies in Jerusalem, thick cast iron doors into classrooms, and trains that ride on the lefthand tracks... What things can you find in Israel that are different from your home? What might be the meaning behind each difference?
Dolev Lankri
Where are you from?
Petah Tikvah, Israel
Where do you currently live?
Petah Tikvah, Israel
What is your favorite place in Israel?
The Negev
What is a fun fact about yourself?
I wear hats 99% of the time and I can't explain why.
What are your words of wisdom for your future participants?
Be open minded, and get ready to be part of a new family.
Anything else?
Only that I'm extremely excited to meet you all.
