Update from Israel #Bus211
Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem!!!
The last five days have been a whirlwind of travel, logistics, and transportation, but we’ve arrived safely and soundly in Jerusalem! After landing at Ben Gurion International Airport on Monday and meeting our award winning tour guide, Shabat (yes, his name is really Shabat), we hopped on the bus and made our way up to the Galilee region. We spent the first three days familiarizing ourselves with the geography of Israel and many of the places that we’ll be visiting over the course of our trip.
Tuesday was a very busy day. After waking up and eating our first Israeli breakfast (YUM), we spent the day exploring the mystical city of Tzfat! Tzfat is the birthplace of Jewish mysticism. We spent the morning learning about the mystical themes that permeate throughout this beautiful northern city and were able to eat lunch among the many artists that have moved to the north to dedicate their lives to Kabbalah.
On Wednesday we climbed into our private tour bus and trekked over to Gamla. Gamla was an ancient city in Israel, famous for its cinematic last stand against the Roman Empire long ago. After hiking around Gamla, we made our way over to Mount Bental, where we learned about the Yom Kippur War and Israel’s complicated relationship with Syria and Lebanon.
Thursday morning we traveled to Yokneam, Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta’s sister-city! Yokneam is a hilly region that is a thriving hub for Israeli tech and research companies. During our stay in Yokneam, we learned about the wonderful partnership between the city and Federation, and were able to plant herbs for the local community to take advantage of. You can find the pictures on the Facebook album we linked in the first email update!
We also met our AMAZING Israeli peers who joined the group on Thursday morning. They’ll be spending a total of 5 days with us. We’re so lucky to have them, and they’ve brought an incredible energy along with their stories, Hebrew phrases (and slang), and outgoing personalities. The Israelis joined the group as part of Birthright’s Mifgash program (Mifgash means “encounter” or “meeting” in Hebrew). Without them, the Birthright experience would be very different.
When we drove into Jerusalem on Thursday, we stopped at Mount Scopus by Hebrew University to see a panoramic view of the Holy City. We spent the day yesterday preparing for Shabbat in Jerusalem and going on a walking tour of the Old City (where the Western Wall and Temple Mount are). The Jewish Quarter in the Old City brought a new feeling of spirituality to our group. Some participants put on tefillin for the first time and everyone wrote a note to put into the Kotel (again- you can find pictures on Facebook).
After touring the Old City, we ate lunch in Machane Yehuda, Jerusalem’s busiest open market. As it gets later in the day, the vendors begin dropping prices and competing with each other to sell their stock before Shabbat comes. We were able to get some awesome deals on food, produce, and souvenirs.
Last night, we celebrated Shabbat and the 7th night of Chanukkah by visiting the Western Wall again – a first for most of our participants AND Israeli soldiers. We sang, danced, and shared in a most incredible and unique experience. In honor of Shabbat, we weren’t able to take pictures of the Wall at night, but trust us when we say that it was an unforgettable experience for everyone, including the staff.
We were able to sleep in this morning (FINALLY), and will spend the rest of the day in the area around the hotel hanging out and catching up on some much needed relaxation time. Tonight we will be ringing in New Year together!
Chag Sameach, Shabbat Shalom, and HAPPY NEW YEAR FROM JERUSALEM!
Much love,
Ryan, Lindsey, and Jeremy