Beit Canada is always a highlight!

When we first arrived at Beit Canada, our excitement was at a minimum because of the language barrier; but similar to many of our experiences, it ended up being fantastic. We walked in the door we divided into 5 groups, each to play a different game for ten minutes of the hour rotation. As we went to the area where we would spend the rest of our time, our plan quickly changed as we moved from 5 groups to 1. The area quickly became a hair salon/playground. The guys were running around with kids on their backs and shoulders who were stealing sun glasses from the Americans while the girls were having their hair braided and tugged at by the excited Ethiopian girls. Our slow day immediately turned into a meaningful experience that none of us wanted to leave. It exceeded all expectations, and set us up for a meaningful Shabbat with our families.

-Morgan Plant and Sam Sugarman

Shabbat in Ashkelon by Rob Monfred

The whole community week in Ashkelon has been unbelievable, but Shabbat was even more special. Some went to the famous chocolate bar restaurant in Tel Aviv called Max Brenner, others went to Cinema City in Rishon Letzion, while the majority spent Friday night at their host homes for huge buffet of food from schnitzel to cous cous and Saturday on the pretty beaches. The city of Ashkelon lights up on Shabbat. Most places close down and people either stay at home with their friends and family or hit the Marina for some fun time swimming and relaxing. As the trip winds down, everyone seems to cherish every last moment with their Ashkelonian counterparts. Personally after hanging on the beach all day and eating one pound burgers with all my friends, I realized how important the Ashkemore connection is and how much I will miss being here.

Ben's morning update from Thursday August 2, 2012

In accordance with today’s theme (Israel: Past, Present, and Future), we began with a recounting of Israel’s declaration of independence. In honor of the young people who danced in the street to celebrate their new state, we woke up through a 90 minute lesson in Hora theory and practice. Our instructor, a fortysomething virile-gray type, seemed like one of those aquatic aerobics instructors who works for country club communities in Boca but was so overjoyed to be dealing with reasonably spry pupils sans-arthritis that he completely overrode any sort of dance-instructor protocols and had us execute several highly involved and creative maneuvers that forged lasting and often gymnastic connections between ourselves and our partners from Ashkelon. 

Update from Alex Green

When we first arrived in Givat Haviva for the North American Kenness, everyone was excited to make friends with 150 new people. While unfortunately this goal was unrealistic, everyone did make friends with people from all across the U.S. as well as teens from Montreal. It was strange to make friends with people from North America in a country half way around the world. We got to make deep connections with our fellow Dillers through discussions in the color groups that we were assigned to (go light green!). Although it was amazing getting to spend time with just North Americans it was great when the Israeli Dillers got to join us. This addition of 150 people was a little crazy at first, but everyone was so excited to meet new people that it was and easy adjustment. While some of the conversations that we had in our color groups were intellectually stimulating, if polled, the majority of Diller teens, if not all, would say that the best part about Congress was the opportunity we had to make connections with people our age from across North America and Israel. Because of this, we were upset to leave Givat Haviva: a place we called home for 6 days, however, no one was sad to leave the food. After we boarded the bus, two hours was what separated the Baltimore teens from entering our sister city, Ashkelon, for the first time as a group. Coming to a place we had been learning about and connecting with for a year was surreal. We went directly to a national park where we got to eat lunch at get to spend some one-on-one time with our Ashkelon friends. A few teens from Ashkelon led us in conversations on various topics. Although we loved spending time with the group, everyone was happy to have an early night and get to their match’s homes. It was so exciting getting to meet their families and finally being able to give them their presents (it lightened my bag by 7 pounds!). Everyone was happy to be with a family but in the end, I think people were just as excited to have a bed and a working air conditioner. 

Home in Ashkelon

Dear Parents,

Wow. It is so hard to believe that we are starting our third and final week in Israel. The Israel Summer Seminar has completely flown by and everyone is doing extremely well and are happy!

I am updating the blog from my room in the hotel that I am staying at in Ashkelon and it is a very strange feeling not being around the best 20 teens and 2 staff anyone could ever ask for. I know understand how my parents feel whenever I leave them for some time. As much as I am looking forward to sleeping tonight... I already miss being with the teens and I look forward to seeing them and hearing about their adventures in the morning.

Here is a short update, and a few pictures, of the last few days from Leah Gold and Dani Dermer:

Keness was a great chance for us to meet and bond with the five other North American cohorts. The central focus of the Keness and Congress was the philosophy of a speaker named Avraham Infeld. Avraham came to speak to all the North Americans on the second day of Keness and he spoke to the Israelis earlier in the year. His speech focused on a five legged table of Jewish values: family, memory, covenant, Israel, and language. Avraham’s philosophy is that if every Jew picks at least 3 values from this table, then every Jewish person will have at least one value in common. His speech was very inspirational and opened many eyes. I know the second I heard his speech I wanted him to come and talk to my school. This five legged table set the foundation of topic for the International Congress. When the Israelis came, Givat Haviva resembled summer camp color wars with each partnership proudly cheering their names. The whole entire congress was filled with intense workshops and seminars focusing on the different legs, in addition to discussing our own Jewish Identities. We had a meaningful Shabbat with a white parade, we had “only the best” Israeli food, and we had very little sleep. Although we were exhausted each and every night, we managed to socialize with 200 other fellows at night in the very cool White Tent. In addition, we had an incredibly meaningful Tisha B’av where many of our fellows fasted for the first time. This morning we left Congress with new friendships, memories, and new perspectives. Although we are exhausted beyond belief, our bodies still shake with excitement as we begin our Community Week in Ashkelon.  As we speak, our partnership is mingling together in Ashkelon’s National Park. We are filled with delicious fruit and falafel and ready to meet our new families.

I have seen such tremendous growth in all of these teens over the last two weeks. They inspire me each and every day and you should all be so proud of them! Enjoy the pictures and we will hopefully post another update tomorrow. Good night!

-Megan

Everyone is having a good time at the Diller Youth Congress... a more formal update is coming soon. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures!