Shavuah Tov!
Hi! This is Abby and Katie writing to tell you more about our amazing trip as it continues. Yesterday we left our hotel after breakfast to travel to the northern part of Israel for a strenuous but beautiful hike in the Jilaboon. After two hours hiking down the valley in the hot sun, we came to a refreshing waterfall and swimming area. After climbing back up from swimming in the pool with crabs and playing under the waterfall, we went for lunch at a local food court type of place. Swarma and falafel ensued. Since they weren’t exactly prepared for 47 hungry Americans, one of our Israeli friends “got Israeli” and jumped behind the counter to help in the kitchen, cutting and peeling potatoes for our French fries. Delicious.
We continued further north into the Golan Heights where we looked over Syria and learned about the political history and condition of their relationship to Israel. It was so interesting to hear the perspectives from the young Israeli soldiers who are traveling with us. We discussed if a peace agreement would ever be reached and each of them told us their thoughts about the surrounding nations. We’re so incredibly lucky to get to hear their experiences first hand.
Friday night began our Shabbat. We were given the option to participate in a discussion, a peer-guided service, or to attend a Sephardic Orthodox service. Katie and I chose the latter, which proved to be a very interesting experience. As women of the congregation, we sat in a separate room that was shielded from the men’s quarter by a thick piece of cloth. We could only listen to a completely Hebrew service, so while I had no idea what they were saying, being a part of it was something I’ll never forget.
Today was our lovely day of rest, consisting of sleeping in, spending time with our group, hanging out by the pool, and continuing to learn about the meanings of Shabbat. We did the typical blessings, songs, and rituals that accompany Shabbat, which was new to many of us. Tomorrow it’s back to reality and another jam packed day of adventures. Can’t wait! Hope all’s well in America; hi Mom, Grandma, and anybody else who might be reading this.
Katie Feldman and Abby Levin
