Fantastic First Friday

Our first full day in Israel began at the Ohalo Guest house at the bottom of Lake Kineret. In dense fog, we ventured to Mount Bental to the north. We ascended and walked around the old battlefield used by Israeli forces during the Yom Kippur War. Dense fog surrounded us like a white wall, but if we could have seen outwards we would have seen the borders of Syria and Lebanon. We then went to Katzarin and visited an olive oil factory where the owner of the factory enlightened us about the incredible benefits of olive oil. We had some delicious shwarma for lunch (shaved meat on a stick in a pita, sounds strange, tastes amazing) and then visited the Kineret cemetery where we saw the grave of famous poet Rachel. In spite of sporadic rain and the cold, it was an excellent first day. Already, it seems like everyone in the group is able to connect and enjoy each other's company. Even after such a short time together, bonds have already begun to form, making for a great start to our trip and promising for more happy and memorable days to come.