Much Love and Gratitude

I woke up on Saturday morning after an evening of desert stargazing, fun group games, and a delicious Shabbat dinner in our new home in Kibbutz Almog.  For a brief moment upon waking, I had no idea where I was.  Suddenly a wonderful feeling came over my heart and a smile across my face when I remembered I was in Israel.  To make things even better, it was my birthday!  I cant think of a gift more memorable than this trip and the experience I’ve had thus far.

After breakfast, I was pleasantly surprised to find a mini birthday party complete with balloons, pastries, and a song from our new Israeli friends.  Afterwards, we had a few group activities including some relaxing meditation, yoga, and discussion.  Since it was still Shabbat, we had the rest of the morning off to enjoy the sun and pool.

I think my favorite part of the day was our trip to Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem at night.  As we drove from the edge of the desert to the old city, I could see the black silhouette of sand hills and finally the glowing beauty of Jerusalem at night.  I never expected to see so much energy buzzing through a historic and holy city like Jerusalem.  All of the ancient brick paved roads and stone buildings were complimented by unique decorations and lights. There were so many people walking around and we found ourselves surrounded by wonderful food and culture that left us in awe of this beautiful country.

I can honestly say that this has been the best birthday in 27 years.  Ten days of new friendships, experiences, and memories.  I’ve enjoyed it so much that I will be extending my trip for six more days because I simply cant get enough of this place.  Much love and gratitude to Shorashim and Bus 46O.

Photo Credits: Header Image-@chelseco, Image 1-@chelseco, Image 2-@skolshotzphotography, Image 3-@nsandler