A Shabbat Experience

Last night, as the sun began to set, we gathered outdoors to sing the Friday night prayers. It was a really meaningful time for all of us to come together and be as one in the spirit of Shabbat, allowing the burdens of the week to slip away with the fading light. After prayers, we shared another delicious kibbutz dinner, fresh from the fields. It was the beginning to a great night. Lots of laughs were shared long into the night. Today, the group was blessed with another beautiful Israeli summer day. We all caught up on some much needed rest, sleeping in until ten - much to everyone’s delight. We met for coffee and breakfast cake before embarking on a morning hike through the surrounding hillside of Kibbutz Afik to stretch our legs and see the countryside as it rolled down the grassy hills into the Sea of Galilee (also known as the Kinneret). We got an impromptu lesson on the geography of Israel and posed for a great group photo before returning to the Kibbutz for lunch. After a much needed calorie intake, the group got some free time to relax and unwind as one should do on Shabbat. Most could be found poolside soaking rays with a good book or playing Marco Polo with their newfound friends. Linor, one of our trip leaders, organized an afternoon yoga session that brought out quite a surprising number of newcomers and first timers who found the exercise to be quite restive and healing - exactly how one should be feeling on Shabbat. The afternoon was spent as a group getting to know each other a little better through a few ice breaker activities, bringing down everyone’s guard and reservations, as well as giving all of us a bunch of laughs and better perspective on who our peers were. As the sun set and Shabbat came to a close, we boarded the bus to head to the nearby town of Tiberias for dinner, where we walked along the boardwalk to the Sea of Galilee, winding through the eclectic shops, vendors and restaurants - all who were quite vocal and eager to grab our attention. Some of us haggled and shopped while others sat down for to taste the many offerings of exotic cuisine available on the promenade. It was a perfect close to a great day and relaxing night. By Dave Connor from Northeastern University, Boston

Pictures from August 18-24 are also posted. Feel free to comment on the post or the pictures! More pictures to come soon.