A Work in Progress | Shorashim - Israel with Israelis

A Work in Progress

Mia DeSantis

The fifth day of our Birthright Israel journey began like the days before: shake off the sleep deprived delirium, scarf down breakfast because you may be running late, and file onto the bus to continue our journey. Today's agenda was to travel to Rabin Square, Jerusalem, and the Western Wall. 

For those unfamiliar with Rabin Square, it is a memorial to Israel's Former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin who was assassinated in 1995, devasting the people of Israel. Talking to local citizens of Tel Aviv about their memories of that  event in Israeli history gave each of us an understanding of how truely a loss the death of the Former Prime Minister was. Even more so, it continued our learning about the seemingly impossible struggle for peace in Israel.

About an hour bus ride and a lunch break later we reached Jerusalem. As our group walked the cobblestoned streets of this ancient city (and cautiously maneuvering around the local cat population) we could feel the rich history being soaked up by our feet. We stood where our ancestors once prayed at Mt. Zion, stood atop an ancient building and absorbed the view of Jerusalem our ancestors once saw, and toured the city our ancestors once lived. Learning about Jerusalem's past meshed with the city's current life of young boys playing soccer, people walking past making calls on their cellphones, and local vendors attending to their shops: a collision of the old and new living homogenusly. 

Lastly, we walked down to the Western Wall (also known as the Kotel) and had an opportunity to pray at the most holy site for the Jewish people. 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. 

All in all it has been a very emotional day but no individual is alone in this group of outstanding individuals who continue to build friendships. No matter what goals we set out to accomplish on this journey we all continue to connect with our Jewish identities and broaden our perspectives about a side of the world that is completely different than our own. As our trip continues and we continue learning, you might call us a work in progress. 

Tags: 
Tel Aviv
Rabin Square
Jerusalem
Kotel
Western Wall
Learning

Search form

Bus 122

Summer 2018

Bus 10
Bus 1035
Bus 104
Bus 1068
Bus 1072
Bus 1076
Bus 116
Bus 117
Bus 118
Bus 12
Bus 13
Bus 14
Bus 15
Bus 16
Bus 173
Bus 174
Bus 175
Bus 176
Bus 177
Bus 178
Bus 179
Bus 18
BUS 180
Bus 19
Bus 20
Bus 239
Bus 240
Bus 241
Bus 242
Bus 243
Bus 244
Bus 27
Bus 282
Bus 283
Bus 284
Bus 3
Bus 325
Bus 350
Bus 366
Bus 367
Bus 4
Bus 495
Bus 496
Bus 514
Bus 515
Bus 521
Bus 524
Bus 525
Bus 526
Bus 536
Bus 541
Bus 567
Bus 587
Bus 59
Bus 596
Bus 608
Bus 650
Bus 688
Bus 694
Bus 777
Bus 923
Bus 924
Bus 933
Bus 946

Winter 2017/2018

Bus 10
Bus 11
Bus 114
Bus 115
Bus 116
Bus 12
Bus 13
Bus 183
Bus 184
Bus 185
Bus 186
Bus 21
Bus 246
Bus 262
Bus 263
Bus 264
Bus 273
Bus 274
Bus 277
Bus 294
Bus 296
Bus 306
Bus 307
Bus 309
Bus 315
Bus 316
Bus 317
Bus 4
Bus 413
Bus 414
Bus 487
Bus 5
Bus 53
Bus 54
Bus 55
Bus 56
Bus 57
Bus 6

Summer 2017

Bus 100
Bus 101
Bus 103
Bus 104
Bus 105
Bus 106
Bus 107
Bus 108
Bus 109
Bus 110
Bus 111
Bus 113
Bus 115
Bus 116
Bus 117
Bus 118
Bus 119
Bus 120
Bus 123
Bus 124
Bus 125
Bus 126
Bus 127
Bus 128
Bus 129
Bus 130
Bus 131
Bus 133
Bus 134
Bus 135
Bus 136
Bus 137
Bus 138
Bus 428
Bus 429
Bus 430
Bus 431
Bus 445
Bus 471
Bus 481
Bus 497
Bus 526
Bus 553
Bus 555
Bus 678
Bus 802
Bus 892
Bus 915
Bus 935
Bus 98
Bus 99

Winter 2018/2019

Bus 112
Bus 113
Bus 13
Bus 138
Bus 16
Bus 17
Bus 174
Bus 176
Bus 181
Bus 184
Bus 186
Bus 19
Bus 191
Bus 20
Bus 201
Bus 202
Bus 203
Bus 216
Bus 221
Bus 222
Bus 223
Bus 224
Bus 225
Bus 256
Bus 272
Bus 273
Bus 287
Bus 288
Bus 292
Bus 308
Bus 311
Bus 312
Bus 316
Bus 318
Bus 319
Bus 358
Bus 360
Bus 369
Bus 55
Bus 70
Bus 72

Summer 2016

Bus 121
Bus 122
Bus 123
Bus 124
Bus 126
Bus 169
Bus 181
Bus 20
Bus 221
Bus 272
Bus 273
Bus 274
Bus 275
Bus 337
Bus 352
Bus 353
Bus 356
Bus 357
Bus 358
Bus 359
Bus 360
Bus 361
Bus 457
Bus 460
Bus 461
Bus 463
Bus 48
Bus 488
Bus 5
Bus 50
Bus 504
Bus 506
Bus 51
Bus 52
Bus 525
Bus 538
Bus 551
Bus 552
Bus 603
Bus 810
Bus 817
Bus 818
Bus 838
Bus 854
Bus 9
Bus 911
Bus 928

Winter 2016/17

BUS 13
Bus 16
Bus 18
Bus 19
BUS 20
Bus 21
Bus 22
BUS 24
Bus 25
Bus 26
Bus 297
Bus 298
Bus 299
Bus 300
BUS 301
BUS 302
Bus 303
BUS 304
Bus 34
Bus 37
BUS 391
Bus 40
Bus 422
Bus 423
Bus 43
BUS 44
BUS 448
BUS 449
Bus 450
BUS 451
Bus 636

Winter 2015/16

Bus 109
Bus 110
Bus 13
Bus 158
Bus 16
Bus 161
Bus 165
Bus 166
Bus 17
Bus 217
Bus 218
Bus 219
Bus 220
Bus 221
Bus 222
Bus 223
Bus 409
Bus 447
Bus 46
Bus 47
Bus 48
Bus 49
Bus 77
Bus 78

Summer 2015

Bus 506
Bus 508
Bus 510
Bus 512
Bus 513
Bus 514
Bus 517
Bus 519
Bus 522
Bus 525
Bus 527
Bus 528
Bus 529
Bus 530
Bus 531
Bus 533
Bus 535
Bus 536
Bus 539
Bus 542
Bus 545
Bus 548
Bus 551
Bus 554
Bus 557
Bus 560
Bus 562
Bus 564
Bus 568
Bus 570
Bus 572
Bus 683
Bus 797
Bus 873
Bus 874
Bus 898
Bus 899
Bus 909
Bus 913
Bus 915

Shorashim - Travel With Friends Button Sidebar

 

 

Pre-register Now Button