We'll get there fast but then we'll take it slow.... Kibbutz Hukuk for Shabbat
The second day of our trip was a bit different than our weary beginning. Before the chaos and insanity begins, we had the opportunity to enjoy a restful shabbat at our kibbutz in the Golan Heights. We began the day at a very leisurely pace with some coffee and cake before we got down to business. Our fearless leaders read the week's parshah, or torah portion, which recounted the story of Moses sending a member of each of the 12 tribes into the land of Canaan to explore the area. Upon returning, the 12 "spies" gave their first impressions of the new and unfamilar land, which seemed pretty similar to our start to Birthright! In response, we got a chance to break into groups and think about our impressions of Israel and our new Israeli friends (including the remarkable irrigation system) sometimes through song, dance, and Rebecca Black.
Following our informative, if contentious discussions, we closed Shabbat with the havdallah candal lighting ceremony and playtime on the kibbutz seesaw. Immediately afterwards, we ventured into the ancient city of Tiberius, named after a former Roman emperor, for dinner and drinks. Splitting into more intimate groups, we enjoyed meals of traditional fare -- pizza, tapas, and crepes -- sampling the diverse culinary offerings of Israel. We then returned to the kibbutz where we continued the festivities with the aid of a moon bounce, iPod speakers, and friendly political discussions. Everyone had a great time, but unfortunately went to sleep a little too late for the 6:15am wakeup to be even remotely pleasant. With the help of some turkish coffee and alarm clocks, everyone made it to the bus on time and the journey to Svaat began!

