In honor of Tu B’Av, the Jewish Festival of Love, I am retelling the story of how a chance encounter spending a semester in Israel led to a lasting romance.
When Miami natives Aaron and Laura Heller were in high school, they didn’t go to Israel expecting to fall in love. Despite growing up only a few miles apart—Aaron in Aventura and Laura in Pinecrest–the two had never met. But one summer in 2012, they attended a study abroad program in Israel and everything changed.
They arrived as strangers at Alexander Muss High School in Israel (Muss), Jewish National Fund-USA’s college-prep and study abroad program in Israel, designed to immerse American teens into the history, culture, language, and geography of Israel. What they found was more than just a path to the universities of their dreams —it was independence, friendship, strengthening their Jewish identity, and the foundation of a future together.
“We became instant best friends,” said Laura. “It’s like sleepaway camp. But because you’re in a completely different country with its own culture, language, and currency, it’s even more of a bonding experience.”
Founded in 1972 by Rabbi Morris Kipper z’l in collaboration with the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Muss blends a rigorous academic curriculum that prepares students for college with a unique Israel studies course that uses the land of Israel as a living classroom. Aaron and Laura remember how every class tied directly to a place in Israel, learning about ancient Jewish history while walking the land where it happened.
“The way that they had us explore Israel was very intentional,” said Laura. “It was closely aligned with the coursework. For example, we went to Masada when we were learning about that point in Israel’s history. It was really cool to see it through that lens.”
“Being there for two months, seeing the country in depth, really made Israel come alive for me,” added Aaron.
Laura, whose parents emigrated from Paraguay so she and her sister could grow up in a Jewish community, had never attended sleepaway camp and typically spent summers visiting family in South America. “This was my first time being on my own in that way,” she said. “We had a budget, we planned nights out—it was structured, but we had freedom. It felt very grown up.”
They used that freedom to immerse themselves in Israeli culture, going to the mall in Hod Hasharon, a town just outside of Tel Aviv and the location of the Muss campus, and staying with Israeli families on Shabbat. Their teacher, Elchanan, even invited them into his home, offering an authentic glimpse into Israeli life.
“It wasn’t just a trip,” Aaron said. “It was a life experience.”
And yet, romance wasn’t part of the story—not yet. “We were just really close,” Laura explained. “We stayed friends through college, visited each other, and studied abroad in the same city.”
However, the young singles fell for each other a few years after college, and their relationship blossomed.
“What I love about Laura is that she’s the most caring person in the world,” said Aaron. “She goes out of her way to make everyone feel comfortable. She can be serious with work but also be a very fun partner to have in any activity.”
“I don’t even have enough words to describe how amazing this man is,” Laura gushed. “He really is the most caring, compassionate, thoughtful, patient person I’ve ever met. The way he treats me, cares for me, predicts what I need, even taking care of his family and his mom and his siblings, making sure that everyone is always happy. It’s incredible.”
When they married in January 2025, Laura’s maid of honor was also a Muss alumna, and the couple estimates that at least 40% of their friends at the wedding were involved with Muss, a sign of the deep bonds that took only two months to forge.
“Our inside jokes started there,” Laura said. “Our whole social world was shaped by Muss.”
Zionism, too, stayed central in their lives. Both have family in Israel and stay engaged with news, advocacy, and community. They also try to educate people about Israel using the tools they learned at Muss. “Many of our friends didn’t necessarily receive the exposure that we did,” Aaron noted. “We can offer them a different perspective and more insight than what they see on the news or social media. I think outreach to everyday people is the most important thing we can do.”
At their wedding, they even paused before the breaking of the glass to play Hatikvah, Israel’s national anthem, offer a prayer for the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and remember the hostages. “Even during joyful moments,” Laura noted, “Israel is in our hearts. It had to be part of our chuppah.”
Aaron and Laura’s journey is a reminder of how one summer, one decision, one shared experience in Israel can spark something far more lasting than a friendship.
“My parents didn’t know what Muss would lead to,” Laura said. “But that one summer changed my life. Without it, we wouldn’t be here.”
“Our kids are going,” Aaron added. “No questions asked.”
To learn more about Alexander Muss High School in Israel, visit amhsi.org.
JD Krebs is the national communications associate for Jewish National Fund-USA. A University of Maryland graduate who majored in political science and history, he covers the organization’s philanthropic investments and education initiatives in Israel and the people who make it happen.
