TL-46-426 Update 1

#Bus426 has had a great first day! After the fantastic news that everyone’s baggage had arrived safely in Israel, we met with our Israeli team and began our journey in Israel. We started with a tour of Cesaria by checking out the amphitheater. Unbeknownst to the group, one of our participants, Katie, is an opera singer. Our tour guide, Hannan, already in tune with our group, somehow knew this, got her on stage and we got an impromptu concert where we were not only treated to her fantastic vocals but also the amazing acoustics of the amphitheater itself.

Following this we made our way to docks where many Jews were deported after the ancient conquest of Jerusalem by the Romans, where we discussed the significance of us all standing there 2000 years later still Jewish and still connected in different ways to our heritage in a land once again populated with the Jewish people. A sobering and significant moment for the entire group.

After this we did a short hike to a natural spring where we discussed the importance of water both in terms of human survival but also in terms of its connection to spirituality. We explored the origins of the spring in a nearby cave.

After that, we did a speed dating Icebreaker where we all learned a lot of new things about each other and truly broke the ice, beginning to forge a new and cohesive group.

We had lunch in a market and sampled various local cuisine including shawarma and falafel.

We made our way to the hotel in Tiberius and had a relaxing end to the afternoon where many of us relaxed together in the pool and then ate a delicious meal together at the hotel. 

We ended the night with a discussion of the significance of this experience and some of the reasons why Birthright exists and it’s affect on each of us.