New experiences that will make you grow
We started off this beautiful morning with a drive up to Mt Arbel. Once we reached our destination, we were all blown away by the breathtaking views we encountered. We sat there and breathed in every second of this experience as deeply as we could. As we started the descent, we realized this hike was going to be a little bit more challenging than many of us ever thought - in a good way. It would help us grow and bond! :)
Having such a diverse group of people had everyone on a different level in terms of hiking ability. There are people in our group who hike as a hobby and there are also people who are lucky enough to say that Mt. Arbel was their very first hike. For many of us on this trip, this challenge turned into a life-changing accomplishment that will be remembered forever.
Today was a turning point in our Birthright Israel adventure. On our last day staying at the Kibbutz, we had the once in a lifetime opportunity to visit one of four holy cities in Israel: Tzfat. This city absolutely blew us away: from the culture to the food and all the shops along the way. The people in Tzfat are humble and very conservative, but most importantly, they were extremely welcoming. We visited a temple where we learned about the two regions that Jewish people originally came from: the Ashkenazi Jews from Europe, and the Sephardic Jews from Africa. This temple was unique because it incorporated both the aisles from Ashkenazi temples as well as the center podiums from the Sephardic traditions. It was beautiful. Also, in Tzfat everything is blue because blue represents the sky and the sky represents a higher power. It was truly an amazing city.
While we were in Tzfat, we had the opportunity to meet an incredible Kabbalah artist named Abraham. He was so passionate about Kabbalah - the meditative side of Judaism. Personally, I was moved by every single word he said.
Abraham was from the United States and didn't grow up very religious; once he learned more about the spiritual side of his heritage, this realization led him to pursue his passion for kabbalah and spreading this passion through art and educating others on the Kabbalah. He taught us all about how getting in touch with our Hebrew names as a way to get in touch with our souls. All of these teachings were reflected in different ways in the beautiful prints that he sold.
For instance, his print that was reminiscent of yin and yang, a white Hebrew letter "hey" above a black letter on a white background. It represented the path to enlightenment - bringing the white "hey" surrounded by the darkness of self involvement, back to the higher truth of thinking of and being connected to others.
Over all, Day Three of this journey was another success. Not only did we learn so much about this beautiful part of the world that we will continue to pass on from generation to generation, but we also learned an immense amount about ourselves. Stepping out of your comfort zone is never easy, but when you do it is one of most satisfying feelings you will ever come across.
With that being said, we have another adventure ahead of us in just a few hours (Jerusalem).
Layla tov, oevet amon ve neshikot.
Photo Credit: Header Image-@alyse_michelle, Image 1-@jaimerjames
