07/05/2017
Meet Alex: Onward Participant Spotlight
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Alex Gordon (top left) enjoying the sites of Israel with fellow Onward participants.
Alex Gordon shares his experience so far as an Onward Israel participant.
After settling in, this week has given myself and all my fellow participants the chance to really dig in and explore the city. From great shakes in Florentine to potentially the best sabich in Tel Aviv this past week has been full of adventure and discovery.
Last Shabbat a group of Clevelanders including myself got to experience Tzfat, a city on the mountains in the north of Israel by the Galilee. Tzfat is known to many as being the mystical city as it is a center for Kaballah and Jewish spirituality. We got to explore the artist's colony and really appreciate what an entire community resting on Shabbat really means.
This past Monday, the entire group got to spend some time in the Negev. After a brief hike, a factory tour, and a theater workshop we learned that the ingenuity and perseverance of those who chose to come here and literally make the desert bloom is truly remarkable. During this trip, we visited David Ben-Gurion’s grave and talked a bit about his legacy. Ben-Gurion’s dream was to make the Negev livable for all citizens, and the technological and agricultural strides that have been made to realize this dream are surpassed by none. While this country is rife with geopolitical issues the advances made here, especially under the pressure that surrounds this country physically and ideologically, are the kind that inspire and revolutionize the world. Being placed here, in the center of it all, is incredibly exciting.
For my internship, I am doing Lithium Ion battery research at Bar Ilan University. I am looking into methods to produce better and more efficient rechargeable batteries for electric cars and other vehicles. To have this opportunity to learn and work on cutting edge topics at one of the world’s forefronts of technology is an experience I will not soon forget.
Please feel free to contact me at aig22@case.edu, for any questions or more information about the Israel Experience, Onward Cleveland program.
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