On Friday night, Feb. 8, HAFTR students went to the Hillel, one of the largest on a college campus, to have a traditional Friday night dinner. The experience is unique because it allows all types of Jews to come together in an environment to which they would not normally be exposed.

Although we were unable to attend three of the sessions that took place on Saturday, this did not stop HAFTR students from showing that they meant business. Goldstein sat on the intelligence committee, and brought compelling arguments for and against certain bills. He was awarded an honorable mention, an honor difficult to achieve for even those who attend all sessions. “I love it every year I go back. When you go into the room you see people who take it very seriously and spend the whole year preparing, people in there who wrote their bills the day before, and people who are somewhere in the middle. It’s important to be a mix of the two, to have fun, make your point but not go too crazy,” he said.

Overall, almost no attendee could deny the fact that he met wonderful people, and truly had an great time. The atmosphere is great, the people are amazing, the speakers are inspirational, and the experience is captivating. “It’s one of the highlights of my year. It’s just a really good time,” said junuior Amanda Kanefsky.