Israel. A Better Stimulus Plan.

elina moyn, tel aviv university

In 1980s Latvia, being Jewish wasn’t ideal. It’s not something one
exactly bragged about. So when Elina Moyn emigrated from Latvia
to the United States at the age of six, she had little Jewish identity. It
was not until she was a senior at the University of Colorado, during
her Masa Israel experience at Tel Aviv University, that she fully gained
appreciation for her roots.

“I had always known I was Jewish, but knew little about our
traditions or history. In Latvia, my parents had no job security and
were strongly encouraged not to attend synagogue. The first time
we experienced positive reinforcement for being Jewish was when an American Jewish immigration
service helped us settle in the United States in 1992,” says Elina.

During Elina’s time at CU Boulder, she had the opportunity to take part in a Birthright Israel trip that
sparked her curiosity about her Jewish identity and fueled her hunger for more.

“At Tel Aviv University I studied Israeli history with academics who not only spent years engaged in their
studies; having fought in battles and lived through the wars and triumphs about which they lectured,
they experienced the subjects they taught firsthand,” says Elina. At the same time, she worked hard in
her Hebrew Ulpan courses, trying to keep up with Israelis and immerse herself in society.

“Until I went on my Masa program, I did not feel as personally invested in the land,” says Elina. “As I
developed friendships with Israelis and lived an everyday life amongst the history I learned about in
the classroom, my Jewish identity grew, with Israel at its epicenter.”

Back in the States, Elina still maintains a strong relationship with Israel. “I read Israeli news every day
and go to pro-Israel rallies in my area. I work in financial services full time, but teach Hebrew school
as well,” says Elina. “It’s important for me to stay connected. Eventually, I’d like to earn an MBA or JD
and work in international business with an Israeli company.”

www.Abetterstimulusplan.org
Masa Israel Journey is a project of the Government of Israel and the Jewish Agency for Israel and is made
possible by the generous support of the Federations of North America and Keren Hayesod-UIA