We touched the same wall our ancestors had practiced their faith and where the Jewish people will still continue to exercise their religious freedom. Some felt a connection and some did not, but either way it will be one of the memorable experiences collected on the Birthright trip.
I must say that today, our fifth day, was probably my favorite so far.
After learning from Bar (our Israeli tour guide) the history behind Rabin and his assassination, we were broken into groups to walk through the square, ask questions to Israelis about how they felt about the assassination and what it meant for the state of Israel. For me, this was an eye opening activity that was really beneficial to speak to Israelis in Tel Aviv to learn how they actually felt about how the assassination effected their lives and the future of Israel as a whole. Getting first handed accounts of how the people of Israel felt during this difficult time.
Greetings from Israel! Today we are finally reaching Jerusalem, and we can't wait to see everything the city has to offer. We've only been here five days but it feels like we've been here for five years. After arriving in Ben-Gurion Airport and getting through customs, we were greeted by our Israeli participants and went on our way to our first kibbutz.
On the morning of the 24th, we left our home away from home at the kibbutz. Eager for the day, we loaded into the bus and as we weaved through the hills, we said our goodbyes to the Sea of Galilee and Golan Heights. In classic Birthright style, our day was scheduled squeezing in as much as possible. Our first stop was at Haifa, the sister city of Boston, and home for many of our Israeli friends. We went to a high school where we collaborated with the students.
We walked to the largest shuk, or open market, in Tel Aviv, Shuk H'Carmel and it was incredible! There were merchants shouting out their prices and boasting the superiority of their products. We were offered "special" prices everywhere we went because we were on Birthright but our Israeli friends and our staff made sure we were getting the best deals possible!
We were lucky enough to see some fabulous mosaics dating back to the fourth century C.E. including a beautiful mosaic floor.
In Tel Aviv, we experienced the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes of an open air market, where you can find anything from counterfeit merchandise to handmade jewelry
"Next stop was Rabin Square where we learned about what shook up Israel on the quest for peace . Then, what we were all waiting for, heading to the beach! We tanned, swam in the Mediterranean, and fixed our hiking tan lines on the sand."
"After our discussion, we went to Tel Aviv's largest and busiest Shuk, Shuk haCarmel, where we got to explore different vendors selling goods from dried fruits, exotic spices, clothing, and footwear."