We then trekked up to the bus on a short and sweet climb up broken rocks that served as a natural staircase. It was beautiful.
We then trekked up to the bus on a short and sweet climb up broken rocks that served as a natural staircase. It was beautiful.
It was a beautiful evening, a great last night in Israel!
We all hurried into the stalls of Machane Yehuda as we were given an hour and a half to explore this enormous market looking for lunch, secret Moses gifts, and a snack to share.
It was some of the most fun I've ever had; the students weren't shy at all and grabbed our hands to dance with them in circles and teach us their dance moves.
We really came together as a family for our last Shabbat together. It was really amazing how the group became so close and cohesive after only spending ten days together. Feeling like we were a Birthright family made the experience that much more special.
We were all excited to sleep in and have a late breakfast after a long night of living in the moment. In observation of Shabbat, we had the Kibbutz at our disposal to rest and rejuvenate.
We shabbated really hard, learning the prayers for wine, challah, and washing of the hands. We were told that we would be at the kibbutz for the next 25 hours relaxing and enjoying each other's company and the simpler things in life.
During this discussion, many birthrighters poured out their hearts and discussed very controversial topics. By the end, each one of us felt very emotional.
Our first full day in Israel gave us a real taste for what to expect for the coming trip. We met the Israelis who would be with us for the entire 10 days, and embarked on our way to the Golan Heights. Once there, we embarked on a three hour hike to a water hole where we got the chance to swim. Along the way, we climbed through the arid terrain.
We officially rang in our Birthright journey on the beaches of Tel Aviv by singing Shehecheyanu. It was a special moment because this was the beginning of new adventures and new friendships. After we checked into the hotel, we rested and then got ready for our first Shabbat. Our first Shabbat was on the roof of our hotel and it overlooked the sunset over the Mediterranean Sea. It was pretty special and breathtaking bringing in Shabbat with a view like that.