This morning, the Diller teens awoke from their beds to begin on yet another remarkable journey. We all gathered for a Diller 2013 picture. It was so hard to grasp the fact that there were close to 400 people in one place, and all of us so passionate about this one program.
We then gathered in the auditorium for a special appearance by many active Jewish leaders. Tal and Leyat organized a panel in which the leaders discussed challenges facing the Jewish people, as well as specific skills in which a leader must possess. After the panel, we separated into groups and met a speaker while discussing leadership opportunities that we should embrace in the future. Personally, my groups discussion with Meir Hoyzman was very interesting, and we focused on major obstacles that you may face while trying to pursue a career and/or opportunity.
For lunch, a few friends and I went to the cafe and dug deep into our diller experience. We explored the meaning of the program, the reason we all joined, and about our own personal struggles with our Jewish identities. It was a great addition to my day :)
In the afternoon, our tribes grouped together to formulate presentations for the closing ceremonies. It is true that we are all winners in Diller, but I am almost positive that the Dan Tribe swept the crowd away with their amazing vocal jams.
The Diller 2013 BBQ party was one that I will never forget. All of my friends gathered around and hanging out in one place, and the food was pretty good. Hotdogs, burgers, chicken, pita, zatar, and of course....HUMMUS!!!
At the end of the night, all of the diller teens came together at the white tent for a massive party! The party itself is hard to describe, however many of us put ourselves out there in order to have an amazing time. Personally, I entered an insane crowd of Israeli guys, jumping and yelling, and somehow ended up joining them as they jumped and sung. It was one of my favorite moments of tonight.
It is our last night at congress, and although I want to be sad that it is over, I can't stop thinking about how much I have learned and how many friends I have met from this incredible experience. Not only have I been building my skills as a leader and teen, but I have also been able to take a lot out of our discussions (especially in our tribe groups), and apply that to my search for my personal Jewish identity. I went into Congress not knowing what to expect and what I would learn, and I am coming a stronger, more confident, self-discovered leader, with more questions then I have answers.
Kayla Goldstein