Days 1 and 2: 1st Shabbat in Israel!
We started off the trip with a song and dance called “Achim,” which means brothers. This was appropriate, as all of us on this trip have already become very close. We’re a loud, friendly and excited group; perfect for a first trip to Israel. Our first night was in a Kibbutz: a small, self-sustaining community. Sometimes we forget that we are in the middle of the Middle East on this Kibbutz. On our tour the following day, we stood before an incredible view of the mountains and a village. “That’s Jordan,” our tour-guide, Yotam, told us. That’s when we remembered just where we were. Shabbat is truly a day of rest in Israel. We slept in and spent the rest of the day getting to know each other, lounging on the grass by the swimming pool and playing basketball. A few shades darker and a little less jetlagged, we showered and met up in the “Activity Room.” There, we played a few games and talked about the Torah Portion of the week. A lot of people said Havdallah was their favorite part of the trip so far. The whole group assembled in a circle, singing prayers and dancing. When the candle was dunked in the wine, we made every effort to hug each and every member of the group and tell them “Shavouh Tov.” Lastly, we went to Tiberius, a very cute little city where we wandered around and ate dinner. The bus ride home, however, was perhaps even more exciting, as our new Israeli friends attempted to teach us some songs. Key word there being “attempted.” We finally decided to sing “Give me Everything” by Pitbull and Neyo, an American song that both the Israeli and Americans knew.
