As I stepped off the plane at Newark International Airport, I was greeted by hundreds of Jewish teens from all around the world. I didn't yet realize it, but this would have such a lasting impact on my life. As I began taking the escalator down towards baggage claim, I heard the click and clacks of suitcases coming towards me and began to wonder how much the ILTC experience would give me. Click, clack. The click and clack of yet another suitcase rolling across the floor. As I pulled my suitcase off the baggage carousel, I took my first steps into what would be one of the most impactful experiences of my life.

I walked into ILTC not knowing what to expect. I knew I would be meeting new people, learning about leadership, and surrounding myself with other Jewish teens. What I didn't know was that I would be finding a community that would change my thinking, perception, and ways of living.

Before ILTC, I thought of leadership as being a person who leads others, makes decisions, and helps others. However, throughout the ILTC experience, I learned that leadership is more than just a characteristic or trait. It is having the ability to listen to someone and allow them to feel included, having the ability to push yourself out of your comfort zone, and having the ability to take charge and make a decision in a time of need. I learned that the best leaders are not those who do everything for you, but instead those who help you realize your own abilities from within.

One of the most impactful realizations I had in ILTC was that I was surrounded by people who understood me in a way I had never been able to explain. We were people from all over the world, yet somehow we were all brought together as the Jewish community. We all came from different paths and backgrounds, yet somehow we all held something in common. Even though we all knew something different, learned something different, and held different traditions, we were able to come together and learn from each other and form bonds as if we had known each other our entire lives.

There was something special about seeing Jewish teens from all around the world and knowing that I was a part of something so much bigger than myself. My Judaism was no longer just a part of who I was and something that brought me together with the people in my immediate community. It was something that connected me with thousands of people across the world and something that brought us all together as one. ILTC helped me realize that being Jewish isn't just something that brings you together with others in your area and the people around you, but it also brings together everyone who believes in the same religion, values, and the responsibility of making our community and future better.

However, the biggest realization I had was surrounding myself with others and how much it helped me grow as an individual. ILTC forced me to come out of my comfort zone and realize that I had the ability to speak up, take charge, and realize that my opinions and ideas were valuable. It made me realize that I didn't have to wait for a certain age to be able to have an impact, but instead that I had that ability right then and there. The image I had of who I wanted to be was no longer something I had to strive towards, but instead it was something that I could start right then and there. I didn't have to wait to step up or help others; I had that ability in that moment.

As I left ILTC, I knew I couldn't let all that I had learned go. I wanted to make an impact on those in my community. I wanted to make a difference and spread the impact ILTC had on me. I wanted to be the one to welcome others in and show them that they belong in our community. The people and the impact it had on me made me want to be the one to bring that to others.

In some ways, I'm still reeling from that moment at Newark International Airport. I think back on the suitcase rolling across the floor and the unfamiliar faces surrounding me. I think back on what I didn't know and the things I thought the experience would provide me with. I think back on when I thought that I was arriving at something that would change my summer, yet I had no idea the impact it would have on the rest of my life.

In addition to the memories and friendships I made at ILTC, the impact it has on me is that it has changed my way of thinking when it comes to Judaism. I realize that my being Jewish brings together not only me and the people surrounding me, but also it unites everybody who is within Judaism. It gives everybody a responsibility of working towards making the community and world we live in better.

Likewise, the impact ILTC has on me is that it has opened my eyes to the fact that leadership is something that is done not by the amount of people who know your name but by the amount of people who are confident, welcome, and included because of you.

My arrival at Newark International Airport was just the beginning of my ILTC experience, as well as the beginning of my new understanding of who I want to be. The suitcase that I pulled off the baggage carousel contained all the things I had packed for the summer. However, all I had to carry back home with me was the impact that ILTC had on me as a person and the responsibility I had to those around me.