We had a great day today. Woke up and ate breakfast then joined together for Shabbat services together. The students had lots to compare between last night and today's services.
Then we set out. We walked around Jerusalem visiting independence park for a picnic lunch and the old city. We visited the church of the holy sepulcher and gave them time to shop.
Then we headed back and packed and debriefed the trip.
A quick havdallah later we were off to a final dinner in Abu gosh a nearby Arab village. Now we are through security and awaiting our flight.
See you back in the states. It was a great trip.
Saturday, February 21, 2015
Friday, February 20, 2015
Jerusalem, Day 2
Today, because of the snow, students woke up late. Then after breakfast we headed out. We took a walking tour of Nachlaot, an interesting and old neighborhood nearby. It is an ultra-orthodox neighborhood and the day (along with the evening) brought up lots of questions about the different ways that Jews practice.
Afterwards we went to the Shuk (outdoor Market). Students ate lunch and were given an assignment. Each had to buy an item for lunch the next day. Some bought cheeses and dips. Others bread. Others nuts.
Throughout the morning we tried to impress upon them just how unique it was to see Jerusalem in snow. That's why the roads were closed (now open) and most stores and museums were closed (as well as most modes of transportation). They also got an appreciation for the playful nature of Jerusalem, since most of the residents were playing in the snow alongside them (lots of snowball fights). They said it was the perfect snowball snow (very wet, stays compact).
Afterwards, students came back and rested and changed for Shabbat (they were very wet after our day out because of the puddles).
Because we had to go within walking distance, we went to a nearby Orthodox shul. Most had never been to services like these and it was a good experience. I think it challenged them to think about what they like about Reform Judaism.
After a tasty Shabbat dinner, students joined together for a talent show in honor of Shabbat. Some told jokes. Others sang songs. Jodie told a scary story. Rabbi Marc rapped and did the worm.
Now our students are resting (as they should for Shabbat) before a bit of debriefing and some more touring tomorrow. We take off at 11:45pm.
Some pictures from today:
And an oldie of Solomon with the chickens (that we unearthed from a few days ago):
Afterwards we went to the Shuk (outdoor Market). Students ate lunch and were given an assignment. Each had to buy an item for lunch the next day. Some bought cheeses and dips. Others bread. Others nuts.
Throughout the morning we tried to impress upon them just how unique it was to see Jerusalem in snow. That's why the roads were closed (now open) and most stores and museums were closed (as well as most modes of transportation). They also got an appreciation for the playful nature of Jerusalem, since most of the residents were playing in the snow alongside them (lots of snowball fights). They said it was the perfect snowball snow (very wet, stays compact).
Afterwards, students came back and rested and changed for Shabbat (they were very wet after our day out because of the puddles).
Because we had to go within walking distance, we went to a nearby Orthodox shul. Most had never been to services like these and it was a good experience. I think it challenged them to think about what they like about Reform Judaism.
After a tasty Shabbat dinner, students joined together for a talent show in honor of Shabbat. Some told jokes. Others sang songs. Jodie told a scary story. Rabbi Marc rapped and did the worm.
Now our students are resting (as they should for Shabbat) before a bit of debriefing and some more touring tomorrow. We take off at 11:45pm.
Some pictures from today:
And an oldie of Solomon with the chickens (that we unearthed from a few days ago):
Thursday, February 19, 2015
Day 1 in Jersusalem
Despite the weather we had a great day!
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We woke up early and headed to Jerusalem to beat the snow. Lucky for us as we are writing this and it hasn't yet snowed, only rained, but sadly Israel is a lot like NYC of a few weeks ago. They are freaking out about snow that hasn't yet come. It's supposed to snow tonight, so let's hope it doesn't accumulate.
When we arrived, we went strait to the Kotel (the western wall). Students wrote notes and placed them into the cracks. Then they spent time praying or saying whatever words were in their hearts. Many said the experience was powerful.
Afterwards, we walked around the other parts of the wall. Robinson's Arch which is an excavation nearby, the Ezrat Yisrael (the egalitarian prayer space that is a political compromise between the government and the Reform movement in Israel), and the southern wall steps. We spent a bit of time in a nearby museum looking at maps and learning the history then headed to lunch.
After students had lunch on their own we went to an old Jewish home that was destroyed during Roman times called the burnt house and saw a movie about its history. Students learned the history but more than anything enjoyed the bad acting and dubbing.
Then we walked around the Cardo, the heart of the ancient city 2000 years ago, learned about a mosaic and visited David's Tomb (which happens to be the basement of the location of the Last Supper - we went there too).
We got on the bus, and went back to the hotel for a bit. After a few people left for family visits we went out together for dinner at Burgers Bar (Rabbi Marc's favorite Jerusalem spot) and gave them a bit of free time at Ben Yehudah St. Sadly because of the "snow", only two stores were open, so expect a lot of gifts from the Jerusalem Army / Navy store.
Tomorrow's plan is a bit up in the air because of the weather but unfortunately we already know Yad V'shem is closed until we leave (wimps). We will organize a trip to the DC Holocaust Museam if there is interest to make up for this.
Here are some pictures from today:
Wednesday, February 18, 2015
Our Time in the North
Wednesday morning we woke to the smells and sounds of kibbutz degania. We boarded the bus and headed to Safed, a mystical and beautiful city in the North. We began our time with a visit to a kabbalistic artist who taught our group about the connections between Kabbala, numbers, colors, shapes and letters through his own artwork. There were lots of oohs and ahhs as he taught about jewish mysticism and it's strange connections to geometry..(Their math teachers will be pleased :)
We continued learning about Safed and its history by visiting a famous historic synagogue, touring a candle factory, enjoying a special Moroccan lunch with chocolate crepes for dessert.
After Safed we had a surprise visit to our guard, Evyatar's village on the border of Lebanon. Evyatar has been traveling with us and comes from a village of Jews from Cochin, India. We visited the village chicken coop with Evyatar's uncle and were able to understand a little better the lives of Israelis in the north.
Next we visited the Hula valley nature reserve which is known for its bird-watching and amazing views. We even saw a full rainbow as we drove there! We watched an incredible 4-D movie explaining bird migration and why the hula valley is such an important spot for birds on their long journeys across the world.
After dinner at the hotel we went to a very special show. It is a group of Israeli Arab and Jewish children who come together to create a circus for others to enjoy. They put on a show for us and then taught us some circus skills such as juggling and tight-rope walking.
Tomorrow we head to Jerusalem. There is supposed to be snow and some roads may be closed for a few days. This may affect our Jerusalem itinerary. Luckily the snow will end a full 36 hours before we have to leave so it shouldn't affect our getting to the airport. But we will keep you posted if we change our itinerary once we see how much the snow is accumulating. It is our priority to make sure we can get everyone to the airport on Saturday night.
More updates tomorrow and pictures below.
We continued learning about Safed and its history by visiting a famous historic synagogue, touring a candle factory, enjoying a special Moroccan lunch with chocolate crepes for dessert.
After Safed we had a surprise visit to our guard, Evyatar's village on the border of Lebanon. Evyatar has been traveling with us and comes from a village of Jews from Cochin, India. We visited the village chicken coop with Evyatar's uncle and were able to understand a little better the lives of Israelis in the north.
Next we visited the Hula valley nature reserve which is known for its bird-watching and amazing views. We even saw a full rainbow as we drove there! We watched an incredible 4-D movie explaining bird migration and why the hula valley is such an important spot for birds on their long journeys across the world.
After dinner at the hotel we went to a very special show. It is a group of Israeli Arab and Jewish children who come together to create a circus for others to enjoy. They put on a show for us and then taught us some circus skills such as juggling and tight-rope walking.
Tomorrow we head to Jerusalem. There is supposed to be snow and some roads may be closed for a few days. This may affect our Jerusalem itinerary. Luckily the snow will end a full 36 hours before we have to leave so it shouldn't affect our getting to the airport. But we will keep you posted if we change our itinerary once we see how much the snow is accumulating. It is our priority to make sure we can get everyone to the airport on Saturday night.
More updates tomorrow and pictures below.
Tuesday, February 17, 2015
Student Reflections
A highlight of the trip so far:
Benny:
My highlight so far was going into the Dead Sea. It was really cool. I felt like I could almost walk on water. But it was also kinda scary because if you swallowed water you could get really sick. The hot tub was also really fun and relaxing. It smelled like rotten eggs. It was also a lot of fun putting mud on myself. It felt really weird. The whole thing was a good bonding experience because most of had never experienced something like this and we all had something to say.
Sam L:
My highlight so far was going to the shuk in the Tel Aviv market. I went around with Zvi (our guide) and three other kids to get very good falafel from a small vendor. It was very cheap and it was my first time ever having good falafel. It balanced vegetables with good sauce and pita bread and it tasted meaty even though it was vegetarian. We went and got really good hummus at a hummus store / synagogue. Then we went and looked at all the fake merchandise such as fake beat headphones and sunglasses (which I bought). I got an Israeli soccer team hat and ate some new foods (like coconut pieces). They were delicious. I saw a lot of different kinds of people. I liked it because you can't get that kind of experience easily in the US. It was really cool.
Ben S:
My highlight was a show called "not by bread alone." It was a show where all the actors and actresses were deaf and blind. I liked it because it was really inspiring to see all these people do really amazing things when their disability had made it impossible to do some things for a really long time. But it really showed that they could the same things that people without these disabilities could do, like play the accordion, light a cigarette, and bake bread. And some could speak, which I didn't expect. It was also really fun because it's not the type of play you would see at a playhouse. It's something where you would have to read more than you can watch, so you can really understand the play better and it's really inspiring to see what these people can do.
Chris:
My highlight was probably the bike tour through Tel Aviv. It was amazing to get the feel of Israel and see the scenery. It was also to end up at the playground. It was really modern and different than any playground that I had ever been to. It really helped that the weather was really amazing. It was my favorite kind of weather. That day, I think we tackled like 16 miles which was really different than in NY since I don't usually bike that far.
Benny:
My highlight so far was going into the Dead Sea. It was really cool. I felt like I could almost walk on water. But it was also kinda scary because if you swallowed water you could get really sick. The hot tub was also really fun and relaxing. It smelled like rotten eggs. It was also a lot of fun putting mud on myself. It felt really weird. The whole thing was a good bonding experience because most of had never experienced something like this and we all had something to say.
Sam L:
My highlight so far was going to the shuk in the Tel Aviv market. I went around with Zvi (our guide) and three other kids to get very good falafel from a small vendor. It was very cheap and it was my first time ever having good falafel. It balanced vegetables with good sauce and pita bread and it tasted meaty even though it was vegetarian. We went and got really good hummus at a hummus store / synagogue. Then we went and looked at all the fake merchandise such as fake beat headphones and sunglasses (which I bought). I got an Israeli soccer team hat and ate some new foods (like coconut pieces). They were delicious. I saw a lot of different kinds of people. I liked it because you can't get that kind of experience easily in the US. It was really cool.
Ben S:
My highlight was a show called "not by bread alone." It was a show where all the actors and actresses were deaf and blind. I liked it because it was really inspiring to see all these people do really amazing things when their disability had made it impossible to do some things for a really long time. But it really showed that they could the same things that people without these disabilities could do, like play the accordion, light a cigarette, and bake bread. And some could speak, which I didn't expect. It was also really fun because it's not the type of play you would see at a playhouse. It's something where you would have to read more than you can watch, so you can really understand the play better and it's really inspiring to see what these people can do.
Chris:
My highlight was probably the bike tour through Tel Aviv. It was amazing to get the feel of Israel and see the scenery. It was also to end up at the playground. It was really modern and different than any playground that I had ever been to. It really helped that the weather was really amazing. It was my favorite kind of weather. That day, I think we tackled like 16 miles which was really different than in NY since I don't usually bike that far.
The Past Two Days: Going Down South
We've had a very exciting past two days.
We began on Monday by heading to an ancient cave system called Beit HaGuvrin. Together the students learned what archaeologists do. They got a chance to dig in an ancient cave and all of them found artifacts, from bone to pottery shards. They were budding each a Indiana Jones. Then we went spelunking in a cave that had not been excavated. The students were troopers because at points they were crawling through very small holes. It was not for the claustrophobic. Many of them took home pottery shards for each of you.
We then headed to a town called Yerucham for lunch. Yerucham is a town that was settled in the 1950s by Jews from the Arab world. They were put on trucks and told they were headed for Tel Aviv and Eilat but were then dumped in the middle of the desert. We ate lunch at one of these residents house who was brought there as a young girl. The food as amazing and some of our picky eaters even tried new food.
We then got on the bus and headed to Sede Boker, the retirement home of David Ben Gurion, Israel's first prime minister. We learned about his life, saw his house, and learned about what the desert meant to him. The students were especially impressed by his library.
We then got on the bus and headed to the Bedouin Tent. We began by riding camels. I'm not sure what it is about the experience but this seems to be THE highlight for so many of our students. I guess it's the city. We then were hosted with hospitality by the Bedouins, given tea and learned about their life. After a delicious dinner we went star gazing, spending a little each on his or her own in a process known as hitboddedut. We finished the night with a campfire.
When we woke up the next day, we ate breakfast and then headed to Masada, an ancient Jewish fortress built by King Herod in the desert. Students saw his palace, and learned about the story of Jews giving up their life rather than submit to the Romans. We spent some time talking about the idea of Marterdom and we challenged them to think if there was anything they would sacrifice their lives for.
Then we headed to the Dead Sea Spa. Students swam in the sea (or rather floated, it's 30% salt), covered themselves in mud and then after swimming in a regular pool took a dip in a hot sulfur pool.
We headed up North to Kibbutz Degania (the first Kibbutz in Israeli history) where we are staying. After dinner at the Kibbutz we are spending the night bonding and playing Celebrity and Mafia.
Tomorrow we have a full day but it may change due to weather. It's supposed to be very rainy. It's also supposed to snow in Jerusalem when we are there. Please look out for announcements about how this may change our itinerary since roads tend to close in Jerusalem when it rains.
Pictures below:
We began on Monday by heading to an ancient cave system called Beit HaGuvrin. Together the students learned what archaeologists do. They got a chance to dig in an ancient cave and all of them found artifacts, from bone to pottery shards. They were budding each a Indiana Jones. Then we went spelunking in a cave that had not been excavated. The students were troopers because at points they were crawling through very small holes. It was not for the claustrophobic. Many of them took home pottery shards for each of you.
We then headed to a town called Yerucham for lunch. Yerucham is a town that was settled in the 1950s by Jews from the Arab world. They were put on trucks and told they were headed for Tel Aviv and Eilat but were then dumped in the middle of the desert. We ate lunch at one of these residents house who was brought there as a young girl. The food as amazing and some of our picky eaters even tried new food.
We then got on the bus and headed to Sede Boker, the retirement home of David Ben Gurion, Israel's first prime minister. We learned about his life, saw his house, and learned about what the desert meant to him. The students were especially impressed by his library.
We then got on the bus and headed to the Bedouin Tent. We began by riding camels. I'm not sure what it is about the experience but this seems to be THE highlight for so many of our students. I guess it's the city. We then were hosted with hospitality by the Bedouins, given tea and learned about their life. After a delicious dinner we went star gazing, spending a little each on his or her own in a process known as hitboddedut. We finished the night with a campfire.
When we woke up the next day, we ate breakfast and then headed to Masada, an ancient Jewish fortress built by King Herod in the desert. Students saw his palace, and learned about the story of Jews giving up their life rather than submit to the Romans. We spent some time talking about the idea of Marterdom and we challenged them to think if there was anything they would sacrifice their lives for.
Then we headed to the Dead Sea Spa. Students swam in the sea (or rather floated, it's 30% salt), covered themselves in mud and then after swimming in a regular pool took a dip in a hot sulfur pool.
We headed up North to Kibbutz Degania (the first Kibbutz in Israeli history) where we are staying. After dinner at the Kibbutz we are spending the night bonding and playing Celebrity and Mafia.
Tomorrow we have a full day but it may change due to weather. It's supposed to be very rainy. It's also supposed to snow in Jerusalem when we are there. Please look out for announcements about how this may change our itinerary since roads tend to close in Jerusalem when it rains.
Pictures below:
Sunday, February 15, 2015
Off to the Negev!
See you soon. We won't be able to post tonight.
Until then we posted a few more pictures to the Cbe Facebook page since we are still having some computer issues (www.facebook.com/cbebk).
Until then we posted a few more pictures to the Cbe Facebook page since we are still having some computer issues (www.facebook.com/cbebk).
Day 3: Tel Aviv/Jaffa
This morning we woke up to a sunny day and enjoyed another delicious breakfast at the hotel.
We boarded the bus and learned a bit more about our fantastic tour guide, Zvi. We drove to Florentine, a very hip, artsy neighborhood in Tel Aviv for a graffiti tour. Our guide showed us some very cool graffiti while explaining how it represents different elements of Israeli society. The guide challenged the group to see who could take the most artistic picture of themselves using the graffiti as a backdrop. Through graffiti we learned about the Israeli reaction to Prime Minister Yitschak Rabin's assassination, the role the army plays in Israeli society and more.
Ever since the tour the group had been noticing graffiti all over the city! After the tour we walked through the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv, Neve Tzedek. Zvi explained how Tel Aviv, the first Hebrew city, developed alongside the revival of the modern Hebrew language. We saw Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed.
After walking through the heart of the city and noticing the famous Bahaus architecture, we arrived at the shuk or market in Tel Aviv. Each staff member took small groups through the shuk to eat lunch and try new foods. Some of the items they tried were: falafel, shawarma, dried mango, pomegranate juice, coconut milk straight from the coconut, strawberries, Israeli donuts and more! They all loved the falafel and all the exotic fruits.
After the shuk we headed to the Palmach museum. It has really interactive displays about the history of the Palmach. The Palmach was a pre-state elite unit of the Haganah (the underground Jewish defense force during the British Mandate).
This evening we ate another great dinner at Dr. Shakshuka where they bring out endless plates of shakshuka, hummus, salad, meat, soup, couscous, tea and dessert. Needless to say, we were very well fed today!
We finished the day at the Na Laga'at theater. This is a group of blind and deaf Israelis who put on a show to teach about their lives and how they learned to communicate.
We are blogging from our phone now, but we will try to post pictures later on tonight. If we are unable to then we promise to post a ton of pictures the next time we blog! Tomorrow night we will be at the Bedouin tent so we won't be able to post.
So far the trip has been a blast and all of our guides keep saying how impressed they are with the group. We head South tomorrow for adventures in the desert... Laila tov (goodnight) from Tel-Aviv!
We boarded the bus and learned a bit more about our fantastic tour guide, Zvi. We drove to Florentine, a very hip, artsy neighborhood in Tel Aviv for a graffiti tour. Our guide showed us some very cool graffiti while explaining how it represents different elements of Israeli society. The guide challenged the group to see who could take the most artistic picture of themselves using the graffiti as a backdrop. Through graffiti we learned about the Israeli reaction to Prime Minister Yitschak Rabin's assassination, the role the army plays in Israeli society and more.
Ever since the tour the group had been noticing graffiti all over the city! After the tour we walked through the first neighborhood of Tel Aviv, Neve Tzedek. Zvi explained how Tel Aviv, the first Hebrew city, developed alongside the revival of the modern Hebrew language. We saw Independence Hall where the Declaration of Independence was signed.
After walking through the heart of the city and noticing the famous Bahaus architecture, we arrived at the shuk or market in Tel Aviv. Each staff member took small groups through the shuk to eat lunch and try new foods. Some of the items they tried were: falafel, shawarma, dried mango, pomegranate juice, coconut milk straight from the coconut, strawberries, Israeli donuts and more! They all loved the falafel and all the exotic fruits.
After the shuk we headed to the Palmach museum. It has really interactive displays about the history of the Palmach. The Palmach was a pre-state elite unit of the Haganah (the underground Jewish defense force during the British Mandate).
This evening we ate another great dinner at Dr. Shakshuka where they bring out endless plates of shakshuka, hummus, salad, meat, soup, couscous, tea and dessert. Needless to say, we were very well fed today!
We finished the day at the Na Laga'at theater. This is a group of blind and deaf Israelis who put on a show to teach about their lives and how they learned to communicate.
We are blogging from our phone now, but we will try to post pictures later on tonight. If we are unable to then we promise to post a ton of pictures the next time we blog! Tomorrow night we will be at the Bedouin tent so we won't be able to post.
So far the trip has been a blast and all of our guides keep saying how impressed they are with the group. We head South tomorrow for adventures in the desert... Laila tov (goodnight) from Tel-Aviv!
Saturday, February 14, 2015
Day 2: Tel Aviv / Yaffo
What a great day today!
We woke up a bit late today (it's Shabbat after all) and ate breakfast together. Our students all got boring american cereal so we scolded them (nicely) and they all were made to try Burekas. Needless to say they were hooked. If you don't know what that it, it's fried pastries with cheese.
After that we walked to Jaffa, the old city of Tel Aviv. We originally wanted to have services on the beach but because of a big rainstorm overnight it was a bit too wet. So we had a wandering service, stopping at 5 spots along the way for a few minutes of prayer (standing in a circle) and relating it the location we were in. For example, in front of the sea we spoke about the Mi Chamocha prayer which the Jews sang after crossing the sea.
Once in Jaffa we saw many of the famous sites (an arch from 3000 years ago, a statue of Napoleon, and a tree suspended in air) then we headed back to the hotel, but not without stopping at a playground on the way for 10 minutes.
After lunch at the hotel, we went on a bike tour of Tel Aviv. We visited the square where Rabin was assassinated, visited the Lincoln Center of Israel, and crossed the Yarkon River, which reminded our Boston knowledgeable students of the Charles River Greenway. Then, because our students complained when we only gave them 10 minutes at the playground, we stopped at another one (the biggest in Tel Aviv) near the port, a trendy area with lots of stores and restaurants.
We had about an hour of rest time, then made Hadallah on our roof. Finally we headed out to Rothchild St. for dinner. Most of our students decided to try Israeli Pizza. Others went to a famous Gelato place.
Two of our students had successful meetups with relatives. More are planning on visiting when we get to Jerusalem.
They are now back at the hotel ready for another day.
Some pictures from today:
We woke up a bit late today (it's Shabbat after all) and ate breakfast together. Our students all got boring american cereal so we scolded them (nicely) and they all were made to try Burekas. Needless to say they were hooked. If you don't know what that it, it's fried pastries with cheese.
After that we walked to Jaffa, the old city of Tel Aviv. We originally wanted to have services on the beach but because of a big rainstorm overnight it was a bit too wet. So we had a wandering service, stopping at 5 spots along the way for a few minutes of prayer (standing in a circle) and relating it the location we were in. For example, in front of the sea we spoke about the Mi Chamocha prayer which the Jews sang after crossing the sea.
Once in Jaffa we saw many of the famous sites (an arch from 3000 years ago, a statue of Napoleon, and a tree suspended in air) then we headed back to the hotel, but not without stopping at a playground on the way for 10 minutes.
After lunch at the hotel, we went on a bike tour of Tel Aviv. We visited the square where Rabin was assassinated, visited the Lincoln Center of Israel, and crossed the Yarkon River, which reminded our Boston knowledgeable students of the Charles River Greenway. Then, because our students complained when we only gave them 10 minutes at the playground, we stopped at another one (the biggest in Tel Aviv) near the port, a trendy area with lots of stores and restaurants.
We had about an hour of rest time, then made Hadallah on our roof. Finally we headed out to Rothchild St. for dinner. Most of our students decided to try Israeli Pizza. Others went to a famous Gelato place.
Two of our students had successful meetups with relatives. More are planning on visiting when we get to Jerusalem.
They are now back at the hotel ready for another day.
Some pictures from today:
Friday, February 13, 2015
Our First Day
We made it!
After a very easy flight we arrived in Israel around 1pm. Getting our luggage we headed out and met our tour guide Zvi and our medic Eviatar.
Once we arrived we got on the bus and headed to the hotel. Enroute Zvi quizzed the students on facts about Israel. It turns out we have some budding urban planners. Already their questions are insightful especially around zoning and greenery in Israel! Who would have thought.
After an hour of so of rest we headed to the beach at Tel Aviv. We sang a little then began to play games to get to know one another only to get caught in the rain. After a mad dash to a nearby shopping mall we continued with mixers.
We just finished out first Shabbat dinner. We asked the students the difference between Israeli foods and what they would eat for Shabbat in the states. They loved it. Charlie loved the soup. Henry loved the salad dressing. It was "the best of his life".
Because of jet lag we are calling it an early night but not before we gave them their first taste of Israeli junk food. Chips and candy.
Look out tomorrow for another post and a bunch of pictures.
For now:
.JPG)
After a very easy flight we arrived in Israel around 1pm. Getting our luggage we headed out and met our tour guide Zvi and our medic Eviatar.
Once we arrived we got on the bus and headed to the hotel. Enroute Zvi quizzed the students on facts about Israel. It turns out we have some budding urban planners. Already their questions are insightful especially around zoning and greenery in Israel! Who would have thought.
After an hour of so of rest we headed to the beach at Tel Aviv. We sang a little then began to play games to get to know one another only to get caught in the rain. After a mad dash to a nearby shopping mall we continued with mixers.
We just finished out first Shabbat dinner. We asked the students the difference between Israeli foods and what they would eat for Shabbat in the states. They loved it. Charlie loved the soup. Henry loved the salad dressing. It was "the best of his life".
Because of jet lag we are calling it an early night but not before we gave them their first taste of Israeli junk food. Chips and candy.
Look out tomorrow for another post and a bunch of pictures.
For now:
.
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