Tsfat and the Golan Heights
7 am the alarm goes off and we are so excited to begin our day. It's our Israeli Monday of the week (even though it is Sunday). We filed in to our dining room for especially delicious eggs (thanks chef) and hot coffee. With stomachs full, we set out to pack for our first full day filled with activities. Filling our bags with bathings suits, towels, and a change of clothes, we hit the road at 7:45am en route to our first destination, Tzfat.
After a 40 minute bus ride filled with some snoozing and some snoring :) we were ready to go by the time we arrived at our destination. Our amazing tour guide, Yossi, instilled upon us a fun fact that we would soon be walking down the most narrow street in the world. After what seemed like being caught in an exhilerating maze of twists and turns, we found ourselves in our first stop, the synagogue.
There we learned the difference between Sephardic and Ashkenazi Jews. We also learned about the history of the synagogue - that it was built in 1492 (#holy). Having given tzedakeh, we ventured on to Avraham of Tzfat's studio - and no one was prepared for what would happen next.
A plethora of knowledge and passion about Kaballah filled the room (which, for those of you that don't know, discusses the spirituality of Judaism). Everyone left with more knowledge on the subject, and it was really interesting to learn this opinion. On the way out, some remained to purchase his artwork. Afterward, we took a group photo!
Additionally, our Israeli friend, Yaniv, gave a remarkable demonstration of how to effectively bargain at the marketplace.
Independent lunchtime! We had an hour and a half to eat, shop, and put our new bargaining skills to use. It was safe to say that everyone left with empty wallets (in a good way) and stomachs full of delicious falafel.
Next stop, Golan Heights. The rich history had everyone feeling more connected to their Jewish roots, and we were proud to hear how our Israeli brothers valiantly serve(d) their country in the fight against Syria. Watching the UN soldiers monitor the Treaty line (established in 1974) between Syria and Israel was truly something special because it was a surprise occurrence. After about an hour of history and stories, we headed back to the bus to raft down the Jordan River!
We arrived, changed into our suits, and eagerly awaited to be placed in our respective rafts and head down the Jordan River. We spent a magnificent hour singing, splashing, and heading down the waterfall. We got to the end, dried off and hopped on the bus for another snoring session, exhausted from the day.
Just when we thought the day couldn't get any more eventful, it was time to dance. An evening filled with laughter, dancing, and most importantly schvitzing, we had successfully learned 4 dances of our Jewish heritage whereby the majority of us made it out unscathed (one of us got a bit overly excited and hit the deck - but they are ok, don't worry!).
We concluded our most eventful day (up to this point) with great conversation, speculating on what adventures lie ahead. We are skeptical that any day could be greater than today but excited to see what else is in store. #shorashim #bus181 #birthright #HOLY
WORDS OF THE DAY:
Mafhid- מפחיד super "dope"
Zorem-זורם - flow, spontaneous.
Photo Credits: Image 1-@coryalpert_0, Image 2-@illegallyblonde, Image 3 and Header Image-@racheljess123, Image 4-@jeajeathejetplane, Image 5-@yahnza17
