Updates from Israel

Thursday began with us packing up to leave our kibbutz in the north of Israel. We took an hour and a half drive to Haifa, Israel’s third-largest city. We stopped at an overlook to see the world-famous Baháʼí Gardens, the spiritual and administrative center of the Bahá’í Faith. Afterward, we went on a nature hike…

Wednesday, we gathered together for our early breakfast as a roaming community, then set out under clear skies for Tzfat, the mystical city tucked into a steep hillside. Our first stop was an errand run along a business street looking out across the valley, then we descended on foot together to visit Avraham Loewenthal’s contemporary…

The morning started with a delicious breakfast, followed by an enlightening tour of Jaffa. Also known as Old Tel Aviv, this historic city presented a sharp contrast against The Nonstop City – the centre of Israel’s Silicon Valley.  The incredible architecture, Mediterranean-feeling homes, plant life, and environment, backdropped by gorgeous ocean views and glimmering buildings…

Our first full day in Israel started with a classic Israeli breakfast spread of vegetables and cheeses. We left our beautiful kibbutz to explore the Golan Heights, stopping first at an overlook to see Syria. Next, we visited Tel Facher, a former Syrian outpost before 1967. It was the site of a fierce battle in…

Written by Brandon We visited Mount Herzl today to visit the national cemetery, located on the west side of Jerusalem. Living in North America, it can be difficult to understand the threats and risks that Israeli soldiers and civilians face living here and the impact that has on their lives. We sometimes read about fatal…

Written by Shahar (mifgash-Israeli Peer) As an Israeli who has joined Birthright, you don’t know exactly what to expect. To join a group of new people that you have never met before can be quite intimidating, but as time goes by you become part of a family that you don’t want to be apart from.…

An update from us here at Kibbutz Afik, On Monday afternoon, our group (thirty participants!) touched down in Tel Aviv after flying out from Newark and Los Angeles. By Monday evening, we have gone from strangers to feeling like a community. Along the way, we have had remarkable insight into Israel’s diversity. At the airport,…

written by Alanna For some, a rainy Shabbat began with a visit to Shul, for others, it was a relaxing sleep-in. Gathering in (almost) full force we made our way to the Israel Museum. For many of us, the walk was a unique experience. The city was calm and quiet, our group’s energy and excitement…