College Essay 1- Nesiya Final Project- TAKE TWO

Before the end of the Nesiya Summer Kehilla Experience in Israel, each participant and staff member must complete and present a final project. Although some people knew exactly what they wanted to do as the last week approached, I had absolutely no clue. To begin the process, I met with Avigail, the Digital Media artist, and decided that the word “change” would be my theme. Avigail then suggested that I sit down and write about change, in order to brainstorm ideas. I went back to my room, took out a notebook and, deviating completely from Avigail’s suggestions, wrote down the words “memory” and “change”–in Hebrew and English–until they completely filled the page. Although the word drawing didn’t contain much substance, the exercise provided me with time to think about the words I was writing down. I tried to find a connection between memory and change–something along the lines of changing memories or the memory of change. Logically, these ideas would be represented with pictures, one of the best ways to preserve memories. I also thought about using words in conjunction with the pictures. Aside from the drawing, though, nothing else came to mind.
The next day, I met again with Avigail, but I still had no clear direction for my project. She told me to recall a memory from the summer, so that I could focus on a subject. I chose the Noded, the three-day desert-survival hike that began the program. The word noded in Hebrew means “wandering”, and for the majority of the summer I was wanding through the land of Israel–literally and figuratively. This idea of wandering became the new focus of my project and caused me to contemplate my transformations during the summer. I then set out to create a collection using the theme of noded.
When I was finished, my collection included the word drawing, photos from the hike and the desert, sand and rocks, a poem about the desert, and an essay that I wrote about wandering. On the third day of the planning, the artists gave me final words of advice–to create a three-dimensional display–then left me to complete my project. Looking back, I realize that the artists’ departures expedited my work (?).
Ultimately, I was able to use my photography, layout, and writing skills to complete a visual and substantial project. I didn’t know how to describe it to others, but that was a reflection of its complexity. Although I was extremely satisfied with the end result, it is the long process, technically only three days, but in reality six weeks, that I will ultimately remember. Creating this project made me understand that spontaneity is necessary and that sometimes it’s beneficial to take a step back and just wander through life.