TL-47-369 Update 2

Happy New Year!!

We finished up visiting the North after some fun ATVing and a special visit to Tzvat. The group really enjoyed the Political Seminar and this sparked many eye opening conversations between participants.

We are currently in Jerusalem and everyone is feeling the power of the city! We had a great visit to the Kotel and then headed back to the hotel to prepare for Shabbat. A group of participants on the Shabbat committee helped run the Kabbalah Shabbat. The participants loved the ceremony and we then shared a special shabbat dinner. Our Oneg Shabbat was quite the experience! We played a few games (including family feud and human knot) and everyone was loving it! We also shared some snacks and a lot of laughs.

On Shabbat we went for a group walk and then the Israeli peers led a fun group activity. We spent some time relaxing and recharging. Before Havdalah we had a very special discussion about Jewish identity and participants opened up their hearts and had conversations with the group about what being Jewish means to them and shared their past experiences. After we all went outside to sing, light the candle, and smell the scents to end Shabbat. We all danced and we introduced our group song, Salaam, which we are excited to bring back into the trip when we head to the desert and sit around the campfire. The group then set out to enjoy their leisure night and dinner in the city and celebrate NYE!!

We are all having such a wonderful time getting to know each other and Israel better. We are all excited for the new memories and adventures that are to come! 

Alyssa Annenberg and Alex Frisch