It was always on my BBYO bucket list to attend ILTC or Kallah, and when my parents told me I could attend ILTC this summer, I was beyond excited. I knew it would be a great experience and that I would learn a lot, but it was so much more than I could’ve ever expected.

I had connected with many people going to ILTC through social media and felt like I had a few friends already. It was so exciting to get to the airport and finally see them, especially since I missed IC. I ended up making many more friends and came home with so many people to talk to. I can’t wait to travel to visit them and see new parts of the country and the world.

There were so many things to do at camp that I’d never done before, and I really wanted to try everything. Some of my favorites were karate, song leading, and Israeli dancing. We had something called Sivuv, where you picked activities you were interested in and had a different one each day for five days. I got to tie-dye, swim, salsa dance, do yoga, and go on the giant swing, but there were also other options like murder mystery, ultimate soap, flower crown making, and more. Chofesh was also great because you could relax if you wanted to or hang out with friends. Sometimes they had the pool or the lake open, which were some of the best parts of camp. The lake has an inflatable obstacle course, which I wiped out on a bunch, but it was still really fun.

Nothing compares to Shabbat at Perlman. Getting dressed up with your friends and taking pictures at the Perlman Tree was always a highlight of my week. They would then have different people light each candle on the menorah, and I got to be part of it on the last Shabbat since I had a Bat Mitzvah at camp. We’d go from there into Kabbalat Shabbat and sing and dance to bring in the Sabbath. It was so meaningful to spend that time with your friends, especially for me since there aren’t many Jews where I live. Then, on Saturday night, we all gathered around the Perlman Tree and celebrated Havdalah, which was so special. I would try to replicate it at convention, but nothing compares to screaming the blessings, arm in arm with your people. There’s nothing like it.

Thank you, BBYO, for the most life-changing three weeks. I am forever grateful for the person I’ve become and the friends I’ve made.