This trip has thus far given me a sense of connection to Israel and Judaism that would not be possible without the outstanding staff and participants. I’m eager to take on tomorrow’s adventures.
This trip has thus far given me a sense of connection to Israel and Judaism that would not be possible without the outstanding staff and participants. I’m eager to take on tomorrow’s adventures.
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.
It was a great day and another opportunity to get to know the other participants on the trip.
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 ended the day with the most fun activity, kayaking on the Jordan River. Now we are about to celebrate our first Shabbat in Israel and we could not be more excited to experience it.
Talking to the Bedouin woman who is an activist for women's rights was our favorite part of today because she was working to positively change her community.
The science research facility was incredibly impressive, the work they are doing is extremely important for the future of science and the birthday party for Holocaust Survivors was heartwarming. Our group had the honor of spending time with the families of our Israeli participants on our trip at their homes. It was an amazing afternoon that opened our eyes to the life of our new Israeli friends.
It is my first time in Israel and I am loving every minute of this trip! It definitely feels as though we had known each other for more than just two days! :)
Many of us ate falafel and Schwarma which was very delicious. After lunch, we made our way to a park. There, we learned about many stories of soldiers in combat, as well as enjoyed the gorgeous view that we could only see at this park. On top of a hill, we saw the border of the Mediterranean and Lebanon, which was breathtaking. We got back to the kibbutz to prepare for Shabbat. Our Shabbat service was beautiful, held outside and filled with many memories. Once the service was over, we had our Oneg, which consisted of guitar playing and getting to know each other games. We concluded the day with lounging out in the kibbutz central area. We're excited to rest up on Shabbat and then continue our trip.
This morning we did a nature hike through some really pretty forest. The rocky path was challenging, so we were all careful to watch our step, instead of looking at the beautiful trees, but picking our footing was fun on its own. Then we drove to Tel Aviv and had (a very fancy, very quick) lunch in our hotel for tonight. I have now had falafel as part of my lunch for three days in a row and that's awesome.