But, what kind of inspiration should I draw from such an important place as the Western Wall? For me, I was inspired because it is our most powerful connection to the biblical past of Judaism and the original Jewish state. It is a place where everyone can find their own meaning and purpose. 

Our Shabbat service this evening was very pretty. It was nice to sing prayers I hadn't sang in years and to find that I still remembered them. After the service and the lovely kibbutz dinner, we split into groups and learned about each other's backgrounds, then played a game based on remembering people's names that had me paralyzed with laughter. 

This morning we did a nature hike through some really pretty forest. The rocky path was challenging, so we were all careful to watch our step, instead of looking at the beautiful trees, but picking our footing was fun on its own. Then we drove to Tel Aviv and had (a very fancy, very quick) lunch in our hotel for tonight. I have now had falafel as part of my lunch for three days in a row and that's awesome.

If I had to describe Friday in one word, I would say magical. 

The next stop was one of our favorite parts of the day: the Kotel. With so much historic and religious significance, the Western Wall is known as one of the holiest sites in the world. It was exhilarating to see people of all different religious backgrounds and beliefs worshipping and praying at the same place. Being able to put our hands on the wall and think about all of the people who came there before us was something that was truly indescribable. 

All together this experience has been incredibly rewarding whether we are traveling to Tel Aviv by bus or hiking our way down to a natural spring. My only wish is for the days to go by slower! We cant wait to see whats in store for tomorrow! 

Get to know the Israelis who traveled with us for 10 days. Hear their perspectives on the trip and what they love most about Israel!