Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv
Day 4-
Our last day in the Golan Heights began with an Israeli breakfast before we loaded up the bus and began our journey to the city of Tel Aviv. We took in our last glimpses of the beautiful rolling hills and blue Galilee Sea before arriving in the more metropolitan area of Israel. Arriving by the port side of Jaffa, the much older side of Tel Aviv, Michal showed us the archaeological remains of the city while reviewing the different historical entities that have held the area over time. After this, we broke up for an independent lunch in the Carmel Flea Market area, where we enjoyed all kinds of different lunches. Participants also got a chance to pick up some souvenirs and fine tune their bargaining skills.
After lunch, we took a dip in the Mediterannean sea. (Of course parents, we waited 30 minutes after eating!!) After four days of heavy hiking and walking, the time at the beach was a great way for particpants to kick back. The waves were a lot of fun, and we were encouraged to talk to as many locals as we could. When our time was up at the beach in Tel Aviv, we dried off and drove a short way in to the city to arguably the most important historical landmark in the state of Israel, Independence Hall. This is the location where David Ben-Gurion declared independence for the state of Israel. Our tour guide was a sharp-witted Tel Aviv local who caught our attention with his jokes, but drove home the importance of the 1948 declaration that created Israel. He highlighted the chain of events that brought Theodore Herzl's dream to fruition. We got to sit in the actual room where the jewish state was founded.
Salty from the Mediterannean but enlightened by our tour of Independence Hall, we checked into the Sea-Net Hotel in Tel Aviv and showered up before enjoying dinner. It was either chicken or duck, I'm not sure, but either way it was delicious. After dinner we had some free time in the city to check out the Tel Aviv nightlife. Most participants found a bar or pub to watch the end of the Germany v. Italy soccer game with the locals. One group managed to stumble upon a McDonalds! I'm ready for Jerusalem tomorrow, where I will get to celebrate Shabbos with all my new firends.

