First Friday
First, an apology -- this was posted yesterday, but didn't upload. We should be all set from here forward!
Our travelers had a smooth flight and arrival at Ben Gurion International airport, where they were met by the Israeli members of the staff and their cohort of soldier-participants.
Lior Baruch has staffed each of our past trips for participants with Asperger's Syndrome and is a veteran of the Tikvah Program Staff at Camp Ramah in Wisconsin.
Dror Kidron has served as our moreh derekh (guide) for each of these trips as well. Dror has a unique ability to translate the land of Israel into relevant terms for our travelers, ranging from guiding sites to dramatic reenactments to being a great listener.
Having Lior and Dror in our staff contingent makes it possible for our groups to really hit the ground running.
Three male and two female Israeli soldiers have joined the group as well. They are there not to function as soldiers, but to enable participants to see beyond the windows of the bus and deep into the Israeli soul. The presence of Israeli peers throughout the program is an essential piece of the Shorashim model and our travelers benefit greatly from their participation.
Our group is well ensconced in their home away from home in Jerusalem, Neve Ilan. You can read about the community of Neve Ilan here, http://www.neve-ilan.co.il/. If you scroll down, on the left there is a link specific to the hotel itself. We've had groups there before and we know it is a comfortable place to take a break from the whirlwind the trip can be.
On Friday morning, our group toured the Old City of Jerusalem, paying a meaningful visit to the Kotel and walking the ancient stones of the Cardo. Their tour of the Jewish Quarter was capped off by a film at the Davidson Center (http://www.archpark.org.il/panorama.shtml) where they could see the intersection of the Jerusalem of yesterday with the Jerusalem of today.
Almost as exciting as the touring and the new friendships was the Israeli breakfast at Neve Ilan on Friday morning. Hotels in Israel serve a buffet breakfast which could easily satisfy for an entire day and our participants were wide-eyed at the notion that there was so much, it was so good and they could go back for more!
Tonight they settle into the peace of a Jerusalem Shabbat, singing a welcome to Shabbat together, enjoying a festive Shabbat meal and getting to know one another a little better. We hope that all of your Shabbatot here at home will be as sweet and as rich and as peaceful.
We thank you for entrusting your travelers into our hands for this very special experience and we look forward to the many stories we will share with you in the days ahead.
Shabbat Shalom! -- Rabbi Elyse Winick
