Ali Goldberg, a participant on the BINA MITF TLV + Bet Shean, reflects on her experience in MITF, and her move to Beit She’an.
“If nothing changes, nothing changes”, has been a simple yet impactful quote that has always stuck with me when going through the inevitable triumphs and tribulations that life has to offer.
Humans are ever-evolving creatures that go through changes from infancy; babies need to crawl before they walk and coo before they speak. Basically, as humans, change is an unavoidable thing; sometimes scary, but necessary for survival.
As we grow into our adult life, changes become less evolutionary and more voluntary, but there is still an immense amount of personal growth that occurs when we put ourselves outside of our comfort zone.
The reason I gravitated towards Masa Israel Teaching Tel Aviv+ track was because of the opportunity to live in one of the most booming cities in the world, while also being able to experience Israeli culture in the most authentic way possible.
I saw it as being a truly unique situation to be in and one that would really push me to explore, both physically and mentally. My specific track started in Tel Aviv this August and at the end of January I will be moving to Beit She’an, a beautiful community-oriented city in northern Israel. I can’t lie though, I love Tel Aviv and I feel some anxiety moving because they are very different from each other; but with these differences comes the opportunity to create something beautiful.
As someone who has always lived in big cities, I’m excited to branch out and see what small city living looks like. Just with everything in life, situations are what you make it and I’m prepared to go in with an open mind, heart, and my amazing support system that I’ve created while being on the program.
When I look back on my time in Tel Aviv, I’m able to reminisce on all of the memories I’ve created this year. In just five short months, I can thank the program for drastically changing my life. It has brought me some of my new best friends, given me the opportunity to foster bonds with students who don’t even speak the same language as me, learn more about Judaism, and travel around a new country
Along with physical memories, I have also noticed extreme personal growth. Everyday I become more proud of my peers and myself for putting ourselves in a situation that forces change. Just like taking those first big steps as a baby or even just making that big move, change may come as quickly as it leaves. Sometimes we don’t even realize how much we have changed until we reflect on our past and see the growth we have made. At the end of the day, I feel all sorts of emotions towards moving to Beit She’an, but what I do know is that nothing changes, if nothing changes.
// Ali Goldberg: MITF TLV + Bet Shean
