Day One from Bus 506 | Shorashim - Israel with Israelis

Day One from Bus 506

By Alexis Shanes

Our first full day in Israel started with a breakfast of fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, bread, and coffee at Kibbutz Afik, where we stayed for several days.

We spent our morning hiking in the Golan Heights, swimming in a freshwater spring, and taking in the beautiful views of the vast desert. Next, we stopped at a small shopping area for lunch to refresh after the exhilerating hike. Many of us ordered pita with vegetables, hummus, and falafel or schnitzel, and we all appreciated the wonderful meal after our busy morning.

 

Later, we drove to the top of Mount Bental, which is an overlook of the Israel-Syria border, and learned about the history of the Golan Heights, as well as the issues of conflict plaguing the region today. It was fascinating.

 

Finally, we had the amazing experience of rafting down the Jordan River. This activity gave us the chance to interact with many local Israelis who were also enjoying the lovely weather and scenery. It was so much fun and such a great bonding experience for the group on our first day!

 

In the evening, our group had some more bonding time in the form of a Kabbalat Shabbat service. We all enjoyed welcoming Shabbat together by singing and playing team games. It was a super exhausting and incredibly fun start to the trip!

Photo Credits: Header Image-@ryhelder, Image 1-@lex_loves_lattes, Image 2-@afeld10, Image 3-@lorik_127, Image 4-@ryhelder, Image 5-Alexis Shanes, Image 6-@hannahlindsayy_