Life in America
Exploring the American Life
Renée and her friends eating dinner in Boston
Track meet at Braintree High School
Ed Sheeran Concert at GIllete Stadium
Trip to New York City
Renée and her family moved to Needham, Massachusetts when she was 15 in the summer of 2021. In that same school year, she was quick to immerse herself into new experiences in and outside of school, such as joining clubs and playing a sport at Needham High School. Renée and her family also love to travel, so they spend every school break exploring America's sights and popular cities, such as New York City and Cape Cod. Renée notes how there was a substantial culture shock when she got to America: "Everything is so big and excessive – it's crazy. Everybody's sometimes too nice or the complete opposite." Even with these differences, Renée was still able to create a community in Needham and find many outlets to make friends, such as Track and Field, her classes, and peers from her synagogue.
Comparing US and Israel Schools
Structure
In the US, elementary school is 1st - 5th, middle school is 6th-8th, and high school is 9th-12th. Whereas in Israel, the elementary school is 1st-6th, middle school is 7th-9th, and high school is 10th-12th.
Class Size
In the US class sizes are about 20 kids per class while in Israel they are about 40 kids per class.
Renée noted that, “The schools in Israel are generally way smaller, especially Needham. It's crazy how big it is, like oh my God I was so lost at first."
Atmosphere
In Israel, due to the large class sizes, each student is unable to receive as much attention from the teacher as they would at Needham because of their smaller class sizes. Renée also mentioned, "the teachers are way meaner” in Israel compared to the teachers at Needham High School.
In addition to these differences, Renée revealed her toughest opponent throughout immigration: the Language barrier. She explains "I moved with basic English, not really like amazing English, also speaking not your first language 24/7 is kind of challenging." Despite this difficulty, Renée is able to succeed in her classes, communicate effectively with her classmates, and challenge herself by taking a rigor of classes, such as AP Chemistry junior year. She was determined to not allow the language barrier to be a restriction for her in America so she would practice her English every day, even outside of school. She explains how she would go to the "supermarket, Dunkin Donuts, or force my siblings to speak in English with me" in order to get practice. Today, Renée speaks fluent English and does not see language as a major obstacle anymore.
Bringing Israel to America
Renée's Hanakka Menorah in 2022
In order to keep their Israeli traditions and culture alive, Renée's family prioritizes the same celebrations in her American home as they did in their Israeli home. This includes Rosh Ha-Shana, Sukkot, Hanukkah, Yom Kippur, and Passover. Renee notes how these traditions help her "family bring a piece of Israel back to America" and have aided them in easing the culture shock because of the comfort of familiarity.
Renée's family about to eat Passover dinner in their Needham home