Happy 16th birthday Hallel! We started off our day with a powerful tour of Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem. We spent three hours learning about the hardships many of our ancestors went through. One of the most memorable moments of the experience were the few but compelling minutes of our tour through the children’s memorial. After a discussion on what we each thought was the most memorable part of the museum, we enjoyed a delicious lunch at the museum before we began our tour of Mount Herzl, the national cemetery for Israeli leaders and fallen soldiers. We congregated in a circle to discuss what makes a great leader. Then we explored famous graves such as former Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir and the tragic final resting place of the assassinated Yitzhak Rabin. Following a short bathroom break, we commemorated the passing of a courageous IDF “lone soldier” who made aliyah to Israel and fought for his country to the very end. IMG_6929 We then headed back to the hotel for a couple hours of pool and relaxation time before dinner. After dinner, we gathered by the pool to play some fun Israeli birthday games such as a timed competition to see who could eat a chocolate bar with a fork and knife, and using our mouths to sift through whipped cream and find chocolate covered goldfish. We then celebrated Hallel’s birthday with her requests of chocolate, fruit, and cold water before we received our newly made No’ar Hadash t-shirts and discussing our plans for our last day in the Holy Land. IMG_6943

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