SH-26-228's blog

Today was the day I had been looking forward to most since we were given our trip itineraries. Today was the day we crossed the threshold of surface tourists--those who take the safe and predictable route taken from a $5 travel book. To the wild side, the unforgettable side, the side where you find yourself on the back of the smelliest, most nonchellant yet conversely sassiest creature you've ever encountered. The camel.

Last night we finally reached the pinnacle of our Birthright experience: our night in the Bedouin tent. When I'd first heard about this, I have to admit, I was less than thrilled. I'm a pretty light sleeper, and the thought of 47 people sleeping in one tent, with an undetermined number of snorers was not exactly my idea of fun. As with most things on this trip, I was pleasantly surprised. When we arrived to the village/campsite, we set up our beds and then it was off to dinner.

Day 6: Yad Vashem - Holocaust Museum:
I am in this world today in part because I have two grandparents (father's parents) who had the faith, will and luck neccessary to survive the travesty that was the Holocaust. My nana, from Romania, and my papa, from Poland, were both teenagers when they saw their entire families slaughtered along with the ten million other pour souls in an unthinkable act of pure hate.

Friday was my first Shabbat. Leading up to the service, I didn't know what to expect and was eager to take part in the festivities. Because it was my first time experiencing Shabbat, I was a bit anxious about my potential role and didn't want to appear as though I lacked investment in the tradition. As soon as I sat down though I knew I was in the right place and felt extremely welcomed by the group. Between the joyous singing, traditional practices and a laughter-filled dinner with my new friends, my first Shabbat was absolutely wonderful.

The of Old City Jerusalem provided our group with a rich experience filled with beautiful scenery and historic significance. From the narrow stone roads worn smooth by millions of visitors to the Western Wall, it was immediately clear that the Old City holds an importance that we were all able to appreciate on some level or another. At the same time, the life that is constantly pulsating through those narrow streets adds to the impact of the importance of the city.

After dinner we were split into four groups, each with two Israeli participants. Each group was asked to present a skit discussing historic Israeli events. Topics ranged from the Six Day War to more recent issues regarding the Gaza strip and the kidnapping of Gilad Shalit. The first skit was an awesome rendition of "American Pie" led by singer afficionados Michelle Mantel and Eric Rapaport. It featured creative lyrics such as "Chai Chai we're in Israel, hi", and informed us regarding how Israel came to be a country.

My legs are still sore after what seemed like an endless hike in the Jilaboon today. The third leg of our journey will certainly be engraved in my heart for years to come. It was another day of basting in the sun-- but don't worry moms and dads, we can still hear you reminding us to drink lots of water and douse ourselves in sunscreen from thousands of miles away.

Day 2

It's amazing how a couple of plane rides and a few hours can transform not only a location but a group of people. Just a few short (OK, maybe not that short) hours ago, around 40 Shorashim participants met at JFK airport to begin the 10-day trip of a lifetime. After meeting and greeting, we boarded a Swiss Airlines flight to Zurich. Seven plus hours passed by relatively quickly, and - before we knew it - we were landing in Zurich and ready to board the connecting flight to Tel Aviv.