Faced with the challenge of imbuing this year’s Yom Ha’atzmaut with the spirit of unity and enthusiasm it deserves, Naaleh’s Committee for Israel Awareness responded with creativity and passion. Each morning, students received a video with clips of faculty members sharing their personal connections to the land of Israel. The videos showed how one small country with such a rich past can mean so many things to different people; it is a land bursting with religious, historical and global significance. The program climaxed on Yom Ha’atzmaut, when committee members shared their stories of connection and challenged their peers to create yard signs featuring what Israel means to them, including a slogan and a special logo merging Naaleh’s signature “N” with the map of Israel. Each submission told a unique story of personal perspective and affection towards the land. This program was augmented by a fabulous cooking demo with Ahuva Schwartz, chef and creator behind the popular instagram account and blog The Katamon Kitchen. Ahuva not only shared her prized recipes and culinary techniques, but also shared her story as a young olah who followed her dream to move to Israel and became a chef in Jerusalem. The program culminated with a riveting game of “Let’s Make an Israeli Deal” with Digital Dov. In the absence of linking arms in song and dance, Yom Ha’atzmaut 5780 will always be one to remember.