Hanging out in the big city: Tel Aviv style!

Our fourth day in Israel held an array of exciting possibilities, all of which were surpassed with the inclusion of surprise activities and complete cultural immersion. Breakfast at Kibbutz Moran lead into a bus ride to Tzipori, the site of a rocky bicycle path and our planned two hour ride. Despite the rough terrain, almost everyone had a unique bonding experience. Our educational goals were met as we explored the ancient ruins of the Jewish Sanhedrin, or Jewish High Court. Much to everyone’s excitement, we spent our afternoon exploring the majestic streets of the older section of the Tel Aviv area, Yaffo, where a vibrant flea market and olden architecture took center stage. That night, the Mediterranean Sea provided a glittering backdrop to a casual pizza dinner carefully planned by the leaders of the day. Perhaps my favorite part of the day was our spontaneous excursion to one of the modern city of Tel Aviv’s ports, where, much to our surprise, we caught sight of a basketball tournament which included Israeli basketball star Omri Caspi. Well known in the Jewish community as the only Israeli player in the NBA, Omri Caspi provided a dose of celebrity that only added to the already exciting atmosphere of one of Israel’s most exciting cities.