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: