Stories and Pathways

By Pauleen Faynberg ENP Volunteer Onward Israel- Boston Jerusalem Learning how to be independent in a foreign country is not as easy a feat as one might think. Despite the freedom and adventure that comes with being alone, one must take upon several responsibilities that are both challenging and new. For me, these responsibilities include going grocery shopping, cooking meals for myself, navigating my way around the city and going to my internship at the Ethiopian National Project. You might ask why I have chosen to spend my free time this summer getting up early, going to work and volunteering. To answer this, I’ll explain what my volunteering at ENP actually consists of. I split my time between the office, working on the website and other social media forums, and spending time in the field working with kids from an all-boys school about 40 minutes from the main office in Jerusalem. As interesting as it is to learn the intricacies of marketing and social media in the office,...

By Jessica Cohen ENP Volunteer Israel Experience Ramla The reality of my first week in the Scholastic Assistance Program was unlike any of my preconceptions. While I was prepared to interact with many Ethiopian-Israeli students, I was amazed by the program's impact and the teenagers' enthusiasm. On my first day there, after struggling to understand Hebrew and mostly resorting to conversations about American music and movies, the students were asked to fill out a survey on the program. I sat next to a girl who translated the questions for me and explained her answers, in order to help me understand and allow her to practice her English. In her explanations she told me that the program makes her feel prepared to begin high school, that she feels supported by her teachers and mentors, and that she loves being a part of it. I was thrilled to hear about the impact the program had on this one girl, but I had yet to see it in action. The next day, it became very clear to m...