For me it was a chance to separate from my family and become my own person. It was also my first to chance to develop a group of close Jewish friends. Also there are less distractions its more normal to be learning in EY. The air has something special in it that drew me in from the first. Before I went to EY for the year, I had no plans of living in EY and now I hope to live in EY with my family one day. I also got one and one attention from some of my teachers.
But I never learned in a Jewish school in the states so I cannot compare the two. Good luck with your decision.