Having also spent last summer in Israel, I was pleased to read a piece detailing what the country felt like during such a time of turmoil. It’s scary to think of kids just two years older than I am going to fight in the Israeli Defense Force, but that is the way of life for Israeli teenagers, and they are proud to fight for the country they love.

Because of the war against Lebanon last summer, many families in northern Israel were displaced from their homes. Refugee camps were set up for them, and I visited one. When we entered the tents where people were living, we saw dozens of bored, homesick children. My friends and I tried to cheer them up by playing card games, but it was difficult to communicate as most of them only spoke Hebrew. We may have cheered them up a bit for a short time, but maybe we also gave them hope.

Visiting the camp was one of the highlights of my summer, but we also made packages for soldiers and visited with mentally disabled adults. Despite the cliché, it feels great to make a difference, especially in a country that faces so many difficulties.