We saw some beautiful artwork on the way out of the old city.
On top of Mount Arbel we all sang a nigun and learned some sign language from our resident ASL expert, Rachel Greenberg. Our hike down the mountain was challenging, but beautiful, with views of the Sea of Galilee and a Bedouin village.
Today, we kicked off our tour of Israel wth a hike in the beautiful Golan Heights. After lunch we went to the top of Mount Bental. It was a little chilly and windy because we were actually inside of a cloud, but I was happy because there was a coffee shop there! Later in the afternoon we travelled near the Sea of Galilee where we got a chance to swim and relax in the hot springs. Overall, it was a great day and I am very excited to continue our adventure here in Israel!
What an amazing few days we have had. We spent Shabbat in the holy city of Jerusalem. Before bringing in Shabbat, we toured the old city and visited the Kotel (Western Wall). It was a moving experience and we all had a chance to connect to our spirituality and our heritage.
On the morning of the 24th, we left our home away from home at the kibbutz. Eager for the day, we loaded into the bus and as we weaved through the hills, we said our goodbyes to the Sea of Galilee and Golan Heights. In classic Birthright style, our day was scheduled squeezing in as much as possible. Our first stop was at Haifa, the sister city of Boston, and home for many of our Israeli friends. We went to a high school where we collaborated with the students.
We started our day with a hike up and down an rocky, cave-pocked mountain near the Sea of Galilee. The trek was exhilarating.
We explored the natural beauty of the Golan Heights with a hike at Zavitan. Some brave 874ers took a dip in the pools while others sat together and wrote a lovely first-day haiku
"The trail got a bit rocky, which was challenging to some, but it was worth it to make it to the natural pool. A good number of us jumped in and it was refreshing after being in the hot sun."