Daniela Weinsweig

Introduction

           

          The smell of fresh falafel, the sense of awe I feel each time I go to the Western Wall, and the joy I feel each time I see my family inspire my love for Israel. Despite having been to Israel before, it was not until my bat mitzvah trip at 12 years old that I fell in love. It was the culture that I loved; strangers helped each other on the street, and because the country is only the size of New Jersey, it seemed that everyone knew everyone else. Because of this closeness that I feel to each person there, every time I travel to Israel, I am inspired and touched at the sight of a uniformed soldier. It warms my heart to know that at the age of 18, these men and women risk their lives to protect their people and their beloved land. After my trip at 12 years old, I knew that Israel was my home. Thus, I learned the language of my home, and returned to Israel whenever I could; since that first trip, I have been there 10 times.

            Around this same time that my love for Israel began, so did my love for psychology. Just as I was intrigued by Israel’s culture, so too was I by the mind and all of its nuances and intricacies. To combine my two loves, I intended to study psychology in Israel during college. My next goal is to receive my Masters degree in Organizational Behavior and Development at the IDC school of Psychology in Herzlya, Israel. There, I will learn to diagnose organizations, and conduct organizational development interventions in those organizations. I am so excited to spend two years doing what I love in the place that I love most.