Shabbat in the north of Israel

Today was packed with fun, relaxing celebrations that captured the Shabbat spirit.

We started things off with a rendition of the Torah portion, telling the story of Joseph interpreting Pharoah's dreams and finding it in his heart to forgive his brothers. Oscar worthy performance came out of the wordwork from Tal, Jacob, Lauren, and Yossi (who played his namesake).

Coffee spurred us through the afternoon. Nearly no one took a nap. Instead, we bonded by sharing hammock time, playing ultimate frisbee, and walking to explore the cows, pastures, and backyards around the kibbutz.

In addition to all the bonding with our amazing trip mates, we also got to know ourselves better in a discussion about the defining aspects of Judaism. We found our group is home to differences in opinion about the importance of tradition, of marrying other Jews, and of living in Israel. Nevertheless, we can all connect to parts of Jewish history, Jewish values, and our growing shared experience of Israel.

Our Havdalah service was short and sweet. I took the ritual spices around our circle. Seeing the faces of everyone in the candlelight was a beautiful experience for me. Up close, it is easy to see the transformative power of Shabbat.

At the moment we're off to explore Tel Aviv. More updates to come!