Welcome to Israel!

 At about 6 p.m. Israel time, all of the participants and staff arrived at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and were met by Shorashim staff as well as several Israelis who are going to be on the trip.

After getting their luggage and participating in an opening ceremony, all of the participants went outside for snacks and received, if ordered, their cell phones and if desired changed money to New Israeli Shekels. They rode their bus to Neve Ilan where they will be staying for several days. Neve Ilan is a hotel located on a beautiful historic kibbutz located between Israel and Tel Aviv.  
The group has a busy day scheduled tomorrow seeing an incredible overlook and the ancient sites of the Jewish Quarter of the Old City including a visit to the Western Wall. They will also visit a three-dimensional virtual reconstruction of the Temple at the Davidson Center. After a busy day, they will enjoy their first Shabbat in Israel with the final Chanukah candle lighting, services and a festive meal.
KOACH and Shorashim want to thank Joanne Palmer, the Director of the Department of Communications at USCJ and Ira Glasser, a long time Shorashim staffer, for escorting the participants from their domestic flights to their international flights at JFK.
Look for more updates in the coming days written mostly by Rabbi Elyse Winick, Associate Director of KOACH from her daily debriefings with Rose Sharon, who is staffing her third Taglit-Birthright Israel trip and is a special education teacher and is the director of Ramah Camp Tikva's vocational program.