When we were selected for the Cincinnati Rockwern delegation, we were surprised, slightly anxious, but above all - delighted. Only five students were selected - Amit Groissman, Yuval Varutslavski, Chen Schiffer, Adi Dekter and Tomer Tsarfati.
The time we had to prepare flew by very quickly and the flight date drew ever closer, and we became increasingly excited.
When we got to Cincinnati it was an amazing feeling. There we were standing on foreign soil, a foreign language and people with a slightly different body language.
We met the families and, in the evening, we sat together and got to know each other better.
The next day we went to the school where a lot of students waited for us with Welcome signs in Hebrew. It was one of the most unforgettable moments of the whole trip - the excitement and the feeling of being "famous". For the first time in our lives we understood the significance of the Holy Land for Diaspora Jews - and we were proud of living in Israel.
We had our photos taken, we smiled and laughed a lot and, eventually, we went into the school.
Their school was a little different from ours. It was one big building, a synagogue and large classrooms, with a small number of children. Their school even had a Holocaust museum, which we visited. The museum was, for us, the most meaningful experience of the whole trip. It doesn't matter how far away Diaspora Jews live, they still remember and still know. They know the suffering the Jewish people went through.
The museum contained antiques taken from synagogues, a light and sound room where we watched a movie with stories of the Holocaust that were equally shocking and astounding.
After this experience we learned to appreciate the Diaspora Jews far more. They suffer from racism on a daily basis, they know what it feels like to not belong, but they stick to their religion and their belief.
During the trip we visited the Freedom Museum, which tells the story of the thousands of black slaves who were held captive during the Civil War, and about the good and benevolent people who helped them and kept them hidden whenever necessary.
On one of our last days of the trip we visited the International Aviation Museum. At first we were sure it was going to be boring and pointless, but we were wrong. The time passed so quickly and we begged to be able to stay a bit longer, and then even more. The planes were amazing, and their stories were fascinating.
But there was a point during the visit at the museum when we felt angry. The museum owners had dedicated an enormous hallway to the Holocaust, with pictures and video clips of survivors, and people just passed it by without even glancing at it. It was then that we fully understood the meaning of the terms "denial" and "discounting" the Holocaust.
During the trip we experienced "consolidation days" - parties and meals when we got to know the eighth grade kids from Cincinnati a lot better. We went to a circus, a zoo, the local Hebrew University and more. Each of the places was unique and amazing in its own way, and was etched upon our memories.
Our relationship with the American youngsters went through an incredible process during the two weeks.
One day, when we got to Cincinnati, all the delegation kids as well as our host counterparts went out to eat at a bagel restaurant. While we were eating, the Israelis and the Americans were together. Separately we each speak our own language, and are scared of starting up a conversation with the other.
But it all changed - and how! During those incredible two weeks, not only did we open up to each other we also bonded and became very good friends. We laughed together, helped each other and, more than anything, we enjoyed each other's company.
The time passed so quickly, as it was hard to say our tearful goodbyes - both for the Israelis and the Americans. True transatlantic friendships were made here, which we still keep up via the Internet.
The delegation to Cincinnati was a once in a lifetime experience, the most amazing experience we ever had and one that we'll never forget.