Why Muss Was the Right Choice for a Student and His Parent

In the aftermath of October 7, amid rising Jew-hatred in New York, Emily Bauer Jenness recognized the need for her children to understand their connection to the land and people of Israel. “It served as a call to action,” she reflects. She began seeking an experience that would ground her son Brady academically, as well as culturally and spiritually.  

Emily had several friends who spoke of their life-changing experiences at the Alexander Muss High School in Israel (Muss). With the school’s connection to Jewish National Fund-USA, an organization she trusted, she knew it was the right fit for Brady. 

As Brady headed into his junior year, the Muss Mini-mester Program in April 2025 offered the ideal balance: rigorous academics and immersion in a manageable timeframe. For Brady—curious, intellectually driven, and eager to ask big questions—Muss stood out as a place where learning would extend beyond textbooks. “The classroom becomes enriched by your outside experience, your outside experience becomes enriched by what you learn in the classroom,” Brady reflects. “It was the most immersive learning I’ve ever had.”

But Brady didn’t just study at Muss; he grew into himself there. Living and learning alongside his classmates, he formed lifelong friendships and discovered a sense of confidence that followed him home. 

At the same time, his semester reshaped his understanding of Judaism, Zionism, and identity. One particularly transformative moment came during a visit to a playground near the Gaza border that doubled as a bomb shelter. “That image of allowing children to play while also protecting them from an existential threat captures something essential about the Israeli experience,” Brady says.

That understanding deepened when Brady and his classmates were evacuated amid the conflict between Iran and Israel. As threats prompted airspace closures and emergency protocols, news coverage back home intensified anxiety for Emily and other parents. On the ground in Israel, however, Muss and Jewish National Fund-USA moved quickly to keep students safe, together, and supported. Despite the seriousness of the situation, being surrounded by his peers and educators fostered a deep sense of unity and resilience. “Experiencing that moment, with real fear present, made me feel far more connected to the nation, the land, and the people around me,” Brady says.

When Brady returned home, he carried only one suitcase, hurriedly packed during the evacuation. What he brought back, however, was far more enduring: books filled with notes and, as Emily describes it, “a Jewish foundation of learning, in his suitcase, and in his heart.” As he begins his first year at Emory University in fall 2026, Brady looks forward to continuing his Jewish engagement on campus in ways neither he nor Emily could have anticipated before Muss.

Today, that impact continues to ripple outward. Emily’s mother now serves as a Muss ambassador inspired by Brady’s experience. In choosing Muss, one decision became a life-changing moment, shaping Brady’s Jewish identity, strengthening generational ties, and deepening an entire family’s connection to Israel. 

To learn more about Alexander Muss High School in Israel, visit amhsi.org, email discover@amhsi.org, or call 800-327-5980

Know someone interested in studying at Muss? Visit amhsi.org/refer