Chicago native Leah Hurwitz recalls the opportunity of a lifetime: a semester-long trip to Israel to connect to her Jewish roots.

Exiting the plane from the outskirts of Chicago, Leah Hurwitz steps into an entirely new territory, but one which sits close to her heart nonetheless. She’s in the Judean Hills for the new year, right outside of the holy city of Jerusalem.  She will stay there for the next four months of her 16th year. Her Jewish roots and her suitcases are all she has to prepare herself for a journey which will teach 

Standing under the sample gates at Indiana University’s entrance, Leah Hurwitz is at the entryway to a school which hosts a multitude of culturally diverse students, something which isn’t new the Evanston Township High School Senior, as she reflects on her trip to Israel.

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