About the prompt: We asked each Peer Ambassador to share with us a pivotal moment in their Jewish journey, what being a Peer Ambassador means to them personally, and what value speaks to them. Stay tuned over the next month to hear from all of the Peer Ambassadors.

Check out Gaby's blog post below as she shares how NFTY shaped her Jewish journey in middle school and why she values curiosity as Peer Ambassador. Plus, Gaby shares her favorite recipe for "matzah crack". 

While attending Thomas Middle School, I learned about a program called NFTY from my brother, who was greatly involved in the program. NFTY is a youth group of teens grades 6-12th who come together as a community with special events and programs for those who are involved. I went to all the overnight retreats and met some amazing people! This program opened my eyes to the amazing Jewish community because people from all around the midwest were able to attend the overnighters at a jewish overnight camp called OSRUI. I got to bond with some of the best people ever and make jokes and spend 48+ hours together, going to water parks eating icees after shabbat dinner, eating donuts on Saturday mornings, and lighting the candles Saturday night before going back to the cabins and having the college kids tell you all about their lives.

Being a Peer Ambassador means that I get to be a leader and I love being a leader. This year I am looking forward to the 18 Under 18 celebration! I went last year to the drive-in and it was a fun experience. I would recommend going even if you don’t know any of the 18 Under 18 nominees.

One important value I follow is curiosity. Curiosity speaks to me the most because I am curious about the different Jewish events that I can be involved in and to meet new people. I want to meet new people and learn about what they like to do! I am curious about the future and what it holds for me in the jewish community! 

I wanted to share a recipe that I personally love to make on Passover and I know that everyone loves this recipe. I love this because ever since I was little I had made it and it’s one of my first memories of wanting to become a cook when I was older. It is called matzah crack! First you gather the matzah, chocolate, butter, and brown sugar. Next you heat the butter and brown sugar in a large saucepan on medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Once it boils, continue stirring for five minutes. Then you remove it from the heat. Next pour the toffee mixture over the top of the matzah and spread it evenly until it completely covers all the matzah. Put the baking sheet in the oven for 10 minutes until the top of the toffee is bubbling a darker brown. After taking the baking sheet out of the oven, sprinkle the chocolate on the hot toffee and spread it evenly across all of the toffee and matzah. After that if you want to add sea salt or any other toppings you can. Cool in the freezer or fridge until chocolate hardens, then serve! 

About the Author: Gaby is a sophomore at Buffalo Grove High school. She enjoys swimming and water polo and hanging out with her friends. She works as a babysitter and is getting certified to become a lifeguard. She goes to BJBE in Deerfield.