Bar took us to an amazing rooftop with a view of the old city and the Western Wall.
When Hatikvah flowed triumphantly from the speakers, the emotions were raw and powerful and we rose to our feet as one. Achdout – literally "unity" in Hebrew, but translating to a more powerful sentiment than our word conveys – is a contagion that has infected our whole group.
The architecture of the museum is quite breathtaking.
It was a beautiful evening, a great last night in Israel!
We had spent 11 days and 10 nights with strangers who had become best friends, in new lands learning so many new things about ourselves and our heritage, and experiencing more than any one of us had ever hoped or dreamed.
We all hurried into the stalls of Machane Yehuda as we were given an hour and a half to explore this enormous market looking for lunch, secret Moses gifts, and a snack to share.
It was some of the most fun I've ever had; the students weren't shy at all and grabbed our hands to dance with them in circles and teach us their dance moves.
We all left in silence, reflecting upon what we had just heard and seen. It was such an individual and unique experience for all.
Hebrew word of the day: Ad Matai which translates to "until when"
After our final meal at Kibbutz Afiq, we boarded the bus and headed to the holy city of Tzfat. Tzfat is one of four holy cities in Israel alongside Hebron, Tiberius, and Jerusalem. Tzfat is a beautiful city full of lively art and Jewish mysticism called Kabbalah.
There truly is nothing like waking up at 3am for a seriously difficult hike up a mountain for the sunrise. We cheered each other on as we conquered what felt like thousands of winding stairs to reach the ancient fortress of Masada, the site of a famous Jewish rebellion against the Romans. We took a tour and a history lesson before climbing down in the heat of the day.