TL-46-225 Update 1
Family and friends of our wonderful Birthright group,
After much waiting in line for security and a 10-hour flight, Birthright Bus 225 made it safely to Israel! Below you can find some of the highlights of our first two days-
We’re fortunate to be led by our always-spirited tour guide, Amir, who is serving as an excellent guide to the country, its personality, and its people.
After first landing in Tel Aviv, we began our adventure with a pitstop in Caesarea to take-in an incredible beach view, hold an opening ceremony, and do some intention setting for the time ahead. We then took a bus ride to Tiberius, a city on the Mediterranean coast, which once served as one of the most important Roman cities and the capital of the province of Judaea, as well as our home base for the first two days. (And we certainly don’t mind the beautiful rooms from the hotel balconies)
After stops for lunch and free time, we joined for dinner at the hotel and concluded with fun ice breakers before calling it a night so we could all get a good night’s sleep.
After that much-needed night’s sleep, we went on a beautiful and relaxing hike at the Tel Dan Nature Reserve. While there were able to take in some of northern Israel’s beautiful scenery and natural running water as we inched closer to the Golan Heights. In doing so, we took in plenty of steps and fresh air while also learning about the region’s fascinating military history.
We then met up with our awesome Mifgashim, Daniel, Noam, and Lahav. Mifgash (“encounter” in Hebrew) or Mifgashim in plural are the Israelis who participate in Birthright trips to give participants a chance to meet young Israelis as a unique way to experience the culture. These young Israelis are full participants and become an integral part of the experience. As Birthright Israel describes, “The Israeli participants deliver an intimate and highly personal dynamic that allows Diaspora participants to explore and understand complex issues. These include Israel’s role in the world and the global Jewish community.” We’re fortunate to have them, especially to have such personable and fun Mifgashim.
With our Mifgashim now with us, we took a relaxing lunch before an exciting river rafting experience in the Jordan River at Kfar Bloom. Lots of fun was had, and a rapid or two was encountered.
As we write this, students are about to go out for dinner and free time in Tiberias. In the coming days, we’ll visit the ancient mystical city of Tzfat (/Safed), the always vibrant Tel Aviv, and the holy city of Jerusalem for in-depth learning and exploring.
We are thankful for such a great group and look forward to even more in the coming days.
Yalla bye,
Rabbi Will Hall and Nikki Nissan
