Spend Seven Days in Israel with Jewish Mothers Like You

This journey of personal growth has had an extraordinary impact on me. The whole program and tours were amazing. I came alone, with the desire to reconnect with myself, to take a step back and live this experience to the fullest. This journey has allowed me to understand myself better, to refocus and to leave with new energy, more confidence and a lot of gratitude.

I didn't think Momentum would have such an impact on me. This stay enriched me considerably. First of all in the exchanges with our new French “sisters”. Strong, sincere and caring. And this is especially true with our Israeli sisters whose vision of life has enriched me greatly. The relevance of their advice and their kindness overwhelmed me.

The experience reminded me that I need to lead and live with more courage and less self-doubt. It also renewed my desire to help my children and students understand that Israel and Zionism are not peripheral to Jewish life, but central to our identity and future. I returned feeling strengthened, inspired, and more committed to being a positive model for my family and my school community.

This journey strengthened my sense of purpose as an educator and reminded me of the importance of building meaningful connections between Israel and Jewish communities around the world. I am leaving with new ideas, practical tools, inspiring friendships, and a renewed commitment to creating educational experiences that foster dialogue, identity, and mutual understanding.

The experience has challenged me to reflect on my own life, especially after the loss of my daughter. I have found comfort in connecting with others who understand grief, hope, and perseverance. Rather than feeling like a visitor, I have felt part of a larger family connected by shared values and history.

As an educator, this journey has strengthened my commitment to teaching about the Holocaust, Jewish identity, and Israel with greater authenticity and compassion. I will return home with renewed purpose, meaningful relationships, and a desire to share what I have learned with my students and community. Israel has not only deepened my knowledge. It has helped me grow in resilience, faith, and hope.

I am deeply grateful for all I have learned on the trip, including the history of Israel, biblical philosophy which guides the Jewish people, and the deep connection Israelis have to both Jerusalem and the whole country. Traveling with our Israeli sisters was incredibly meaningful, hearing their firsthand experiences provided me with the words to be able to tell the truth about Israel and all of its wonder. I felt magic in nearly every experience and will remember all of the feelings for a very long time and these are memories I will always carry with me.

I'm going to work on being more grateful for being me as a Jewish woman in a not so Jewish area. I want to work on being proud and not hiding who I am. I also want to do more things at home with my family like keeping Shabbat and teaching them Jewish values as well. This gave me courage to speak to others about Israel even when it's uncomfortable. I want to bring my children back to Israel.

I have never felt such a strong sense of home as I did in Jerusalem, and I will never forget this. Where I kind of dodged questions and discussions about modern Israel before, I now feel a sense of kinship and obligation towards it and a commitment to its future.