“It is crazy to have connections around the world,” said Arizona Gamma Katarina “Kat” Tatkin, thinking back on her journey to Birthright Israel this past winter break.

In the fall, Kat was approached by Arizona Gamma Sydney Stevens about attending Birthright Israel, 10-day trip to Israel for young Jewish people. Kat was hesitant at first, but signed up a week before the deadline for an experience she would not forget.

Kat and Sydney joined a group of 40 others, including another Pi Phi sister from a chapter in Wisconsin. In Israel, their group did activities and took tours with other student groups and Kat continued to meet more Pi Phi sisters in these other groups! “It makes you realize [Pi Phi] is bigger than just you,” Kat said about the connections she made with Pi Phis along the way.

When asked about her favorite moment of the trip, Kat shared that it was the moment she and Sydney went to the Dead Sea together. “You walk in, lay back and float,” she said. “It was a crazy experience to share.”

Although Kat was initially scared to travel to a foreign country, she said it was awesome to have a sister with her on the trip. Their bond grew so much more by traveling together. So much, in fact, that Kat and Sydney plan to travel back to Israel to visit friends they made and travel to other places in Europe! Bon voyage, sisters!