Mt. Arbel and Tzfat
Our second full day in Israel started bright and early - or not so bright, on second thought, as it was raining a little bit. While that did cut short our morning hike down Mt.Arbel in the Golan, it did not stop us from making our way upwards to look out over a beautiful view before heading back to the bus. After the excitement of the first day and a fun night of dancing and group activities on the kibbutz, our group already feels closer together and the bus was full of interesting conversation.
We drove to Tzfat, a historic Northern city that is known for being the center of Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. The city itself feels magical, in a way, ancient and timeless all at once. Bright blue accents lined fences, doorways, walls, everywhere you look; we learned that blue is a special color for the Kabbalah. After getting lunch - the shawarma here is absolutely incredible - we went to learn a bit about Kabbalah from a local artist named Abram. (Actually, his real name is Robert and he is from Michigan!) Hearing his perspective on this lesser-known side of Judaism was definitely an eye-opening experience, regardless of how one feels about spirituality and mysticism. He was extremely passionate.
Finally, our day out ended with some exploring and shopping around Tzfat's vibrant markets. Gotta get those gifts for back home!
We are back on the bus now so I am going to sign off. (One last thing I have to do: hi Mom and Dad!!!!!!!!!!!)