Our Last Day - Goodbye to Israel

We write to you now from Ben-Gurion Airport, as we await our flight home back to you!

Today was our last Shabbat, as well as our last day. We began our day with Shabbat morning tfilot in a beautiful garden known as the Rose Garden, located near some of Israel's most important government buildings, including the supreme court and the Knesset. After a leisurely morning of enjoying the beautiful weather in a playground with other Israelis, we dug into our picnic lunch that the students had prepared. It was delicious!

We then visited Jerusalem's famous Israel Museum, which contains an amazing collection of art from all aspects and eras of Israeli society, as well as renowned international pieces. We took advantage of the beautiful grounds upon which the museum is located to do some reflecting on our time in Israel. Students and staff shared their thoughts on the ways they deepened their connection to Judaism, Israel, and their own sense of self. Their reflections were poignant and touching, an amazing way to end an amazing trip!

We then packed up and headed to Abu Gosh, an Arab village near Jerusalem, for a final farewell dinner of delicious middle eastern food. We made our last and final stop on our journey at Zvi's family's home in Modi'in, where we made havdallah out in their beautiful backyard under the stars. It was the perfect way to end such an incredible Shabbat!

We should be heading to our gate for boarding any minute now. Our students are sad to leave Israel, but can't wait to tell you all about their journey! Shavuah tov, and see you soon!

Day 8 - More Jerusalem

Today was a day packed with poignant learning, as well as fun. We began the day by visiting Yad Vashem, Israel's famous Holocaust museum. Here, students had a chance to access their prior knowledge of the Shoah, as well as learn new information, gathering more meaning into the existence of the State of Israel. As we weaved our way through the galleries, ending up on a beautiful lookout overlooking the hills of Jerusalem, we understood on a deeper level how important Israel is to us, in the wake of this piece of our history.

From here, we went to Har Herzl, Israel's military cematary and memorial for fallen soldiers. Along with paying homage at the graves of the Jewish peoples greatest leaders including Yitzhak Rabin, Theodor Herzl, and Hannah Senesh, we learned about the many soldiers who have fallen and continue to fall in defense of Israel. At each stop we read a poem or sang a song, reflecting on what the specific location meant to us.

We then headed to Machane Yehudah, the large outdoor Jersualem market for lunch. But lunch was not our only mission at the shuk...our students had the important task of buying food for our highly anticipated Shabbat lunch picnic! In teams, students scoured shuk for fresh fruit, bread, dessert, cheeses, and other treats. It's sure to be a delicious meal!

After some down time to get ready for Shabbat, we headed to services at Shira Chadasha, a local modern orthodox synagogue. It was exciting to see the different kinds of Jewish expression and practice here in Jerusalem!

We enjoyed a delicious Shabbat dinner in our hotel with some special guests...our wonderful tour guide Zvi's wife and sons! After dinner, we gathered for a festive oneg. Students shared songs, poems, riddles, and more. Zvi told stories, Marc rapped, and Deborah even sang her new origional songs!

We are excited for a relaxing Shabbat tomorrow, including services outdoors and our picnic lunch. Shabbat Shalom!

Day 7 - Entering Jerusalem

We left the north today and headed toward Jerusalem, but before entering the city to stopped at Neot Kedumim, a living museum meant to teach our students about the Bible. Our students practiced drawing water from a well, learned about the plants in the Torah, and (this was a huge favorite) got a chance to try out herding sheep. They loved it and some of them were especially good at it. Look below for pictures.

We then got into the bus and drove the half hour to Jerusalem. After a brief stop at an overlook of the old city, our students headed to the Zion Gate and entered. We said a quick prayer before walking in (thanking God for allowing us to reach this season) and stopped briefly for lunch. Then we started touring seeing many of the ruins and learning about the different people who called the city their home. We then headed over to the Kotel (the Western Wall) and our students got a chance to write notes to God and put them into the cracks.

After this visit we headed over the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Jesus was supposedly crucified and buried. Our students were especially taken by the dark and ominous feeling that pervaded the place. Then we gave students a little free time to shop in the Shuk (market).

After checking into our hotel, our students headed out for a night on Ben Yehudah St, a hip (but touristy) locale in the heart of New Jerusalem. Most joined Rabbi Katz at Burger's Bar (his favorite from his year in Israel)‎.

We are now back in our hotel for the night. Tomorrow we have a full day, Yad V'shem, Har Herzel, and Machane Yehudah. Wonder what each of these are? Check in then.

Pictures from today:

Adventures in the North

Another packed day. We started out going to the ancient city of Safed (Tzfat). This city is the home to Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah). After touring a 500 year old synagogue we headed over to a local artist's studio and learned about the hidden meaning behind his art. I kid you not, he blew our student's minds. Make sure to ask them about this. Then we headed to the Candle Shop to do a little shopping before boarding the bus.

We continued our journey at the Hula Nature Reserve. We rented bikes and rode the 5 mile loop looking at wild life and meeting a group of soldiers whose unit trained dogs. We were a little worried about these city kids on bikes but our students were real troopers. We ended up having a nice lunch there as well. Many of our kids chose to eat traditional Druze Pita.

Getting back on the bus we headed to the Golan Heights. We went to an amazing lookout on the border of Syria and Lebanon and, in addition to talking about the different historical wars with our neighbors, we spent some time talking about the current civil war in Syria. It was a little surreal to be looking out on the land as we were speaking about it.

We then headed to a local olive oil factory where students sampled the products and tried the skin care creams and washes made from olive residue. We then headed back for dinner and finished the night with a special drumming workshop where students sang and danced to traditional Arabic songs.

We head the Jerusalem tomorrow.

Some pictures from today:

Day 4 and 5 - into the desert and up to the north

Yesterday was a day filled with desert wonders, history, and natural beauty. We began the day by driving into the northern Negev to Beit Guvrin, a lush area filled with 2,000 year old caves, perfect for spelunking! We had the opportunity to see the desert in full bloom, filled with bright red flowers.

We continued to travel south, to the development town of Yerucham. Here, we learned about the desert's complicated socio-economic history, as we were fed an incredible home-cooked meal by a local woman who had some fascinating stories to tell of her immigration to Israel and settlement in the desert.

We headed east to Sde Boker, famous for Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben-Gurion's grave. Here we learned about the science behind the development of life in Israel's expansive deserts, and paid homage to Ben-Gurion's legacy.

We finally landed at our last stop of the day, Neot Kedumim, a campground near Arad, at the point where the Negev and the Judean Desert meet. Here we rode camels, slept in tents, ate delicious food, and learned about traditional Bedouin society. A highlight of this magical evening was going on a night hike into the open space. Surrounded by stars, we took a moment for some individual spiritual practice and meditation. After a campfire filled with songs and stories, we settled into bed in our warm tent.

Today, we began our extremely early morning with an invigorating hike up Masada, the fortress founded in the 2nd century BCE, but most famous for its stand and fall against a Roman siege in 70 CE. After learning its history and taking in its breathtaking views, we headed to the lowest place on earth for a swim! (The Dead Sea!) Students floated in the salty water and bathed in the mineral-rich mud. It was certainly the highlight of the day!

We then drove all the way up to the north to the Galil, where we learned about the birth of Rabbinic Judaism in the ancient city of Tziporri. After arriving at our kibbutz, we settled in for a night of fun with the circus! This was not any ordinary circus, but a troupe comprised of both Jewish and Arab high schoolers. After their mind-blowing performance, our 8th graders had a chance to talk with them more about their lives.

We are excited for our day of biking, exploring, and fun tomorrow! Layla tov!

A few additional pictures:

Some Reflections On Our Trip So Far - and a Few Pictures

We just got back from the desert and found Wi-Fi. Here are some students' reflections and a few pictures. More to come when we get back tonight.

Justin C:

I thought that it was so cool to see the mixture of modern and old buildings in Tel Aviv. The majority of them were new, but it was fun to learn about the older ones and how they were made. The newer buildings had lots of cool technology like jumbo trons and lights and intricate designs. The buildings show complexity and it really shows how time and technology changes over the decades and (in Yaffo) centuries. 

Nick:

I thought the graffiti tour was the highlight of Tel Aviv and the trip so far. I really loved how artistic and thoughtful each piece of graffiti was and how there was so much meaning to it. It wasn’t just vandalism; it was artwork. My favorite artist was Dede who included bandaids in all his art. They symbolized the patching up of Israel. In every piece of graffiti he made there was a bandaid hidden Every single one was like a puzzle. 

Matt:

I really enjoyed the day we walked to Jaffa because it was an experience I had never had in Brooklyn or in the USA. It was amazing to be able to walk by the ports and see all the architecture. I was able to see things I had only seen in textbooks. It helped me learn things about my ancestors like how people lived long ago in the Yaffo. It was so cool to have an old city like Yaffo only a short distance away from a new city like Tel Aviv.

Julia:

My highlight of the trip so far was stargazing with my friends in the Negev. It was a really good opportunity to take a step back from always holding hands and gave me the ability to be by myself and think about the experiences and opportunities we’ve been given. When I was out there, I noticed there was a presence that I couldn’t see or hear but I felt there something there that I could think toward and would recognize my thoughts. Stargazing makes me want to be in nature more because I realize it is very peaceful and it helps me recognize things about myself I have never seen before.

Alex:

One of my favorite parts of the trip so far was lunch at a women’s house in Yerucham. She was an immigrant from Morocco who came here when she was a young girl. From her whole talk, I specifically held on to and found most interesting her and her families struggle. In the 1950s, when she came to Israel, she thought she would settle in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv but was placed in the middle of the desert because she wasn’t Ashkenazi (from Eastern Europe). Besides the delicious meal, I got a new appreciation for immigrants and the difficulties that come up when they leave a place they know so well and need to start over again in a new home.

Some pictures:

Day 3 - Museums, Graffiti, and Shakshukah Oh My!

After breakfast, our group headed out to the Palmach museum. For those who don't know, the Palmach were the young underground fighters who helped to win the War of Independence. The museum was unlike any other in Israel. Through video presentations we followed a group of 10 friends who came together at the age of 16 to begin training for the Palmach. We learned about their stories and struggles as they fought for Israeli independence. Our students left with a deeper understanding of what it means to sacrifice for the Jewish state.

From there we headed to lunch at the Shuk HaCarmel. The shuk is an outdoor market. Most had falafel or schwarma but a few headed over to Aroma, the Israeli Starbucks for a sandwich. Parents, you may find that some of your gifts were purchased today. 

From there we headed to the Holon Children's Museum. We spent all our time at one particular exhibit dealing with aging (called Dialogue with Time). Our students learned what it was like to age, walking with weights on their shoes and trying to text while wearing heavy gloves. We then met elderly guides who helped us better understand the way in which age is relative and to help us examine our own relationships with elderly in our own community. Our students then took photos which were transformed into images to gives them a sense of what they might look like as 80 year olds. 

Following this we headed back to Florentine (the Bushwick to Tel Aviv) for a graffiti tour. Students learned the story behind some of Tel Aviv's most creative graffiti, ranging from political statements to cultural references, and even religious art. Our tour guide, Guy, also used the tour as an opportunity to teach students some basic Hebrew. 

Following this we ate a delicious dinner at Dr. Shakshukah, a Yaffo hotspot that features the speciality of eggs cooked in tomato and spices. It was delicious and plentiful.

We are now back at the hotel getting ready for a special music and dance program. 

More to come tomorrow!

Pictures below:

All the females on the trip bought turquoise rings at the shuk except one (guess who)

Guy teaching our students a little Hebrew on his famous white board

Nick's creative use of graffiti in the shape of a shadow

The whole gang following our tour

Day 2 - Yaffo and more

What a fun day!

We gave students the option of sleeping in. Most took us up on it. We met together at 9am for a wonderful Israeli breakfast. For those who have never eaten breakfast in Israel its a lot of fresh cheese, ripe vegis, and tasty breads.

Then we set off. We began the day with services on the beach. Deborah led and Marc taught a little about this week's Torah portion, the famous story of the Golden Calf. It was wonderful to pray on the sand and only made certain prayers dealing with nature all the more poignant.

From there we headed on a walking tour of Yaffo. For those who don't know, Yaffo is the "old city" of Tel Aviv. Our students not only saw the culture but learned how Yaffo is a microcosm for the diversity of cultures and historical landscapes in Israel. Zvi, our tour guide, played a game with the students. He would stop at an area of interest and ask them to guess what it was, why it was there, and what it added to the surroundings. Students came alive at each stop. Look below for a number of pictures from Yaffo.

From there students came back for lunch and bit of rest time. Following that, and because it was raining, we chose to do some group building exercises indoors. Our teens, who have already been bonding, are only growing closer with each passing day. It's wonderful to watch them open up to us and to one another.

We then joined together for an interactive and engaging program on the history of the Middle East conflict and learned about the problems surrounding drawing borders in Israel. This is perhaps the most serious program of the trip (beside maybe Yad V'shem and Har Hetzel later in the trip). We were impressed by their knowledge and their engagement with the material.

Following this we walked over to Rothchild Blvd, Tel Aviv's upscale promenade filled with every kind of restaurant and gave students free time to explore and eat. About half chose a very tasty brunch place (that served breakfast all day). The other half chose to go to a salad and sandwich shop. It was amazing to see how empowered they felt by ordering food in real Israeli restaurants, and mingling with real Israelis on a warm Saturday evening!

Walking home, our teens stopped and raided a local bodega (in Israel they call it Kiosk), buying and sampling all kinds of Israeli chocolates and junk food.  We bought, and they especially liked, the chocolate filled with pop rocks.

They are now all in bed (hopefully asleep) because we have a BIG day tomorrow. Update coming soon.

Check out the pictures below from our day in Yaffo.

And some photos from the plane...

We are here!

After rain, sleet, snow and lots of careful driving we made it to the airport. Everything went smoothly...until we were delayed for two hours on the runway! But no worries; by 11:30 pm we were up in the sky, and on our merry way!

Around 4:30 pm, Israel time, we landed in Tel Aviv. Zvi, our intrepid tour guide and Micky, our wonderful medic, met us at the airport and regaled us with fun introductions as we drove through the city, already darkened and shutting down for a peaceful Shabbat. After Shabbat dinner and a meditative Kabbalat Shabbat on the beach, we headed to bed, to be ready for a Shabbat day filled with exploring this amazing city.

Shabbat shalom and layla tov!