The Veritas Israel trip this past summer was amazing beyond words! Veritas, Worldstrides, and our tour guide worked diligently to make sure that this trip was top-notch. They arranged for us to stay in some pretty dreamy hotels, delicious Israeli buffets, and, most importantly places that had AC. It was the best thing to walk into an air-conditioned room after touring in the hundred-degree weather all day. They also hired the most amazing tour guide anyone could ask for. He was a native Israeli who knew the land like the back of his hand and loved it dearly.

Each day, our spiritual leader taught us lessons about the Biblical stories that occurred wherever we happened to be at the time. Some of my favorite moments, though, were the thirty or so minutes we would have after a lesson to be alone with the Lord. Then, we would get to sit with Him, the Most High, Lord of the universe, and just talk to Him. One reason we got this extra time at places we went to was because of the way the trip was planned. Most trips to Israel are about 10 days, so you go restlessly from one place to the next. But because Veritas planned this trip for 17 days, we could really take time to connect with the Lord of the Land instead of rushing from one place to the next.

In addition to this, having a longer touring period gave us the ability to do unplanned activities. One Shabbat, we were in Jerusalem, and our tour guide offered to take anyone who wanted to the Western Wall during sunset. This wasn't on our original schedule, but I jumped at the opportunity. To say the least, this was one of my favorite nights, a true kiss from the Lord.

The leaders of this Veritas trip had their hands open, letting God be the ultimate leader, something I will be eternally grateful for. “For the Lord is a guide far more beautiful, knowledgeable, and loving than any other."

– Elisa