So many people my age would give anything to travel to Israel

Excerpts from the diary - age 18

You chose to let me go to Israel and I thank you for that. That sounds so silly, but let me explain. I said it here and I'll say it again a million times, I'm a lucky girl and I thank you. So many people my age would give anything to travel to Israel and they would never be able to go, and I go, EE.

To look at all the people, all the Jews, all my family ... ancients who lived and died before they could take one step to the Land of Israel, even just to peek at that land, and that's me going. Why am I? I do not understand at all why I? All I can say at this point is thank you very much God, Leader, Lord, King. Uri Yeshai. I thank you, living and existing King.

I still can not believe I'm writing this. It seems unreal. Am I going to Eretz Israel ?! After the prayer today I burst into tears and when I saw the friends I cried even more.

Dear Logs, How can I tell? It's crazy. I am going to Eretz Israel in 3 days !! As I write this, it's even scarier than in real life. I just can not describe in words everything I feel inside me. It may be one of the most wonderful and memorable days of my life.

The breakups caused me sadness and tears. Mom made my favorite Shabbat meal, Dad did Kiddush and we all sat and drank from the cup of Isul and ate challah and sang Shabbat songs and then I went out and sang for hours on the car, as I always do, I wanted to get the real feeling of traveling to Eretz Israel and sang every song I remembered.