Looking at Noa Rose you see a typical 13-year-old girl, which she is. But this school year she gets the amazing opportunity of living in Israel.

“If you are a professor or rabbi, after seven years you get a year off to study in a different place,” Noa explained, adding that her parents chose Israel.

Her father, Rabbi Carnie Shalom Rose, is the rabbi at Congregation B’nai Amoona. He is going on sabbatical for the year and bringing his whole family along.

“At first I was a little nervous [about moving to Israel] but now I have come to realize that this is going to be a great experience that I will never forget and that will help me later in life.” Noa said.

Most teenagers would be unwilling and anxious to leave their lives for a year to live in a different country. Noa has some of these same worries.

“I am concerned about leaving all my friends and that I don’t know the language that well so school will be a challenge,” she said. “But I think after I get there and start to speak more Hebrew and meet some people it will be fun.”

Noa left in the middle of August for this one year expedition; she will be attending a modern Orthodox all girls’ school called the Hartman School for Girls. Just days before leaving America, the fact that she would be leaving so soon had not quite sunk in.

“Although we are leaving very shortly, the fact that I am not going to be in America for a year still hasn’t hit me.” Noa said.

She and her family will be in living in an apartment in Jerusalem and she is eager for the year ahead!

“Despite the fact that it was not my decision to come to Israel for the year I am excited about this experience,” Noa said. “Even though I will miss my friends, I know I will make new friends in Israel and I will stay in touch with my friends in America.”