SH-21-149's blog

We have sadly finally arrived at the last day and though I have not fully processed the experience, there has been plenty of time to pause for reflection. I think back to the first day when half delirious we got off the plane and right away took a bus to have a group Kiddish on a cliff overlooking the Kinnert. We were asked to write down three wishes that we hope to come true during our trip. One of my wishes was to expereince a moment that is a leap of faith-to really put myself out there to try something new and exciting for the first time.

Having gone on this trip with other Jewish Americans is nice in itself. It's nice to see people coming from different parts of the country coming together to experience Israel. However, the bonus to this trip is that we get to share it with some Israeli Jews as well. Having them here gave this a more authentic experience while also allowing us to gather information. After talking with them, we were able to learn more about today's young adult culture as well as picking up some interesting information regarding the IDF.

The Birthright experience has been an amazing and eye opening adventure. So many wonderful and exciting activies have taken place along our 10 day journey. One of the most unique experiences was floating in the Dead Sea. It was truley a bonding time for the group. Whether it was the mineral filled mud coating or the novel feeling of discovering weightlessness, this was definitley one of the most fun and new expereinces shared as our new birthright family.

1. Cats are absolutely EVERYWHERE in Israel! They are friendly and surprisingly well fed and you will see them all over the country.

2. Bring hiking boots! I have rolled my ankle three times, and almost fallen down several mountains due to wearing tennis shoes instead of hiking boots.

3. Piggy-backing on #2 above...pack what's on the packing list! My rain jacket and mini flashlight really did get used.

4. Bring an adapter. Charging your camera and cell phone nightly are important and they are a high commodity once you get here.

Overall it has been a great trip, and I am incredibly sad to see it come to an end. I know that I have made some real connections here and have witnessed incredible transformations in my perception of the world. We had tons of fun such as caving and an archeological dig at Adullam Forest, camel rides, shopping in Jerusalem and Tzvat, floating in the Dead Sea, and hiking on the cliffs of Mount Arbel.
 

The group is currently on the bus right now - salty, sweaty and full of sun bleached contentment. Today started at 4:45 am, where our wakeup call arose us from the floor of Bedouin tents in the middle of the Negev Desert. After some bitter tea and biscuits, we set off to hike Masada before sunrise. The hike was surprisingly short, and for many of us, we saw sunrise for the first time. Kineret, our tour guide, explained to us the history of Masada, and how the Jews built a civilized town atop a mountain in the middle of the desert.

Seeing Israel in 10 days is quite ambitious, and really means that we spend a good amount of time on the bus (which happens to look like an ant!). Shlomo, our bus driver, is very tolerant of us, including our constant "counting off". Aside from seeing the countryside from the bus windows, we have also spent much time getting to know one another, and catching up on sleep!

Apart from the spiritual awakening this trip is giving me, I was told the bonds I would have are similar to a camp experience, but in reality it's much more. Although we have only started our third day together I feel as though the relationships that I've formed, and the relationships I've seen around me are extremely strong and genuine. I'm mostly pleased with how easy it has been to connect with our Israeli's, all of which love to talk, teach and listen. I'm looking forward to growing these relationships over the next week.