Sunday marked the last day of only Americans. Early in the
morning we left Jerusalem and started our journey to meet up with the Ashkelon
teens. Once we were reunited it seemed as though no time had passed and we
could pick up exactly where we left off in April. That morning both groups
worked together on a variety of outdoor training activities. The activities
were fun, but we were more focused on seeing each other and lunch was welcomed
greatly as a chance for us all to catch up. After leaving the outdoor training
facility we headed to Kibbutz Deganya Bet where we would be staying that
evening. Upon arrival we got situated in our rooms and then quickly got changed
for free time at the pool on the Kibbutz. The pool was gorgeous and everyone
had a blast talking and playing games in the water. For dinner, we got the
chance to go out in the city of Tiberias and buy our own dinners and enjoy some
free time. As a special treat we got the opportunity to see a lovely light show
on the water. It was very entertaining and we all enjoyed it a lot. Eventually
we made our way back to the Kibbutz and were rewarded with some much needed
sleep after our night circles.
Monday, we woke up extra early to load up the bus and have
breakfast at the kibbutz. We headed off to the Golan Heights where we watched
an interactive show all about the land and how it has shaped Israel as a whole.
We could even feel the wind and the mist from the different experiences of the
Golan. Lunch followed this cool experience where we ate delicious pizza in a
reserve part of the Golan and even played on the playground there. Next, we
travelled to Mount Bental where we saw Syria which was a stone throw away and
the incredible view of the Kinneret and the surrounding green fields. We even
had the opportunity to walk through a former military bunker and hear from
Pauline about how the soldiers lived and what their lives were like when the
bunker was active. From there, we met Liat (Director of the Diller program in Israel) on a mountain overlooking the town of Metulla. She told us the story of
the town and the challenging history of its settlement and those who lived
there. Emphasized in her story was the importance of keeping Jews in Metulla
and never giving up the town to the Druids or Lebanese so that Metulla would
forever stay a part of Israel. Liat also shared with us her personal experience
of living in there during both Lebanese wars which was truly inspiring. She
then welcomed us into her home for a discussion about a story we read together and
for dinner. After surpassing the many disruptions caused by a neighbor’s rowdy dog,
we finally expressed all of our ideas and filled our stomachs with a
home-cooked meal. We then drove to our camp site where we slept for the night
under the stars. Roasting marshmallows was especially delicious and we had the
incredible opportunity to talk to a group of paratroopers doing their nightly
patrols. They told us about their daily life and how happy they were to see our
partnership and young Americans interested in Israel. We had our Ma’agal and
settled in for the night in sleeping bags and makeshift pillows made from spare
clothes. It may not have been the most comfortable arrangement but the shooting
stars we caught sight of made it all worth it!
Tuesday, we began our day by rising with the sun and eating
breakfast at our camp site. After packing up our belongings, we headed to Tsfat where two of the Israelis, Amit and Ofir, led us in an activity about the
history of Tsvat and its Jewish occupation that our ancestors had to fight for
to keep the holy city a part of Israel. We then visited a shul where a man
showed us an impressive podium filled with necessary materials and supplies for
Shabbat and all of the other Jewish holidays such as a Kiddush cup, seder plate,
lulav holder, and Havdallah spice container. We visited two more synagogues
whose histories and functions Pauline shared with us. Morgan and I (Rachel)
then explained the rules for a picture scavenger hunt through Tsfat among which
was the wax figures of the Penguins of Madagascar. After completing the
scavenger hunt and having a little bit of free time, we set out for Jaffa where
we got to visit the flea market. We were then split into groups and assigned
one special monument or spot in Jaffa which we had to present to the group in
various fashions including a musical, Disney movie, romantic comedy, and silent
film. After our walking tour of Jaffa we headed to our hotel in Tel Aviv where
we finally got to shower (thank goodness!) and had dinner at our hotel. We had
a joint Ma’agal with the Israelis on the roof which overlooked the city and
reflected on our time touring together before heading off to sleep. Lila Tov
and goodnight!
No comments:
Post a Comment