Category Archive: Uncategorized

  1. Last day with the Israelis

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    We started the day with an early hotel breakfast. First stop was the graffiti tour. We walked around all of Tel Aviv and saw beautiful pieces of art. The kids found meaning in the works and even got an icecream stop.

    After the tour we continued with the LGBTQIA+ tour, we learned a lot about the history of the gay community and how things have changed from the past until now. We had a nice pizur lunch and headed back to the bus.

    Our last stop of the day was to Caesarea, we stopped by the theater, saw the beautiful view of the water, had “chariot” races, and saw the ancient latrine (toilets) finally back on the bus where our 5 Israelis came to say some goodbyes on the microphone. We arrived to our hotel in Haifa we all said our goodbyes, a few tears came out and we had our final group picture. Until tomorrow! 

  2. Last full day in Tel Aviv

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    We started the morning off with a nice hotel breakfast and then for our surprise activity. It was an interactive city-wide scavenger hunt that we all couldn’t get enough of! We loved interacting with the undercover actors and eventually finding the “killer” that turned out to be one of our very own Israelis.

    We then headed over to The Bina center where we heard the story of a Sudanese genocide survivor and discussed quotes from Jewish formative documents. Next was dialogue in silence which is where we simulated deafness and had to learn how to effectively communicate and interact without our hearing. We used lots of gestures and body movements and it was a great experience for all.

    To end the evening we headed back for a late dinner before going out for free time on the Tel Aviv boardwalk!

  3. A wheelie great day

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    We started the morning off with a nice and early breakfast before heading off to our first activity of the day! Which was going to the Yitzhak Rabin center. We learned all about the military history of Israel and It was a meaningful experience for all.

    We then went to Jaffa with a walking tour of the city. We walked all around the city and explored all of the different religious connections to the city. We then had free time for lunch before walking all the way to  Tel Aviv to the independence trail.

    After the trail, we did a bike tour of the city where we biked all along the coastline and ate popsicles.

    We then headed to an Ethiopian restaurant for dinner. We had a bunch of different dishes and even learned how to dance! We all loved the new foods and new culture. We then tucked in for an early night before our surprise tomorrow morning!

  4. A restful day in Tel Aviv

    Comments Off on A restful day in Tel Aviv We started the morning off with a late optional breakfast! It was the perfect start to our relaxing Tel Aviv Shabbat day. We then made our way to the beach where we swam, jumped waves, relaxed, and ate fruit. We were warned about the jelly fish that we might encounter, but all of us escaped sting free! After lunch, many of us headed up to the pool on the roof of our hotel to swim again, tan, and do handstand competitions. After dinner, we did a Havdalah service outside, where we ended with a new song that our Israeli friends taught us. It was the perfect end to the perfect Shabbat.

  5. Shabbat shalom from Tel Aviv

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    We started the day off with a four and a half hour bus ride all the way to Tel Aviv!

    Once we arrived in Tel Aviv, we went to a market! We picked up lunch, bargained, and bought souvenirs. While we were there, we ran into a former counselor of some our ours named Eitan. We all chatted took some pictures and continued exploring the hustle and bustle that is the market.

    We then went back to the hotel to get ready for shabbat. We all went to a public Kabbalat Shabbat with roughly 300 people. It was really beautiful all being outside together with people of all ages, we sang, danced and laughed. Finally we ended the night with a late dinner at the hotel which was delicious and all gathered together for a fun game and camp style Rikud dances.

  6. Our last day in the desert

    Comments Off on Our last day in the desert We enjoyed a nice breakfast at Kibbutz Keturah and got our bags ready and loaded on the bus. We went on a short drive to Kibbutz Lotan. The kids continued learning about different kibbutzim and how this specific one is very eco friendly and sustainable. They learned all about composting and mud work, they even got to build there own bricks out of bud. After a nice delicious lunch the kids even composted there left over scraps and got back on the bus to head back to Kibbutz Keturah

    We enjoyed an afternoon pool party with amazing views and then we headed back to our rooms to pack. At dusk, we headed off to the sand dunes for some sledding and reflection time.

    We first tried sledding down the sand dunes on cardboard but then we ditched the cardboard to just roll down the dunes with only our bodies. After we were suitably covered in sand, we headed to the bottom of the dunes for reflection time. We had silent time for twenty minutes before sharing how we felt after our meditative experience.

    For dinner, we made homemade pitas on a fire and ate them with special Israeli Nutella, other spreads and falafel. We all ate our stomachs were fill and headed back to the bus for a sing-a-long on the way back to our rooms after a long but amazing day!

  7. We had Eilat of fun!

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    Today’s long day started out with a short drive to an ice cream store (the best and biggest milk production in all of Israel) to rejuvenate everybody’s energy before a long day of activities. Once we were on the bus we traveled to Eilat. The ride was super scenic with mountains on either side, one side Israel, and the other Jordan.

    Then Eilat and the Red Sea came into view. Despite being named the Red Sea, the Red Sea was actually really blue. The kids then got dressed into bathing suits and dove into the refreshing water. Many kids went snorkeling to see the tropical fish. The Red Sea is the most biologically diverse area of the Middle East. Once the kids were out of the water and tired of being in the sun we quickly took a group photo and then headed back to the bus to tackle the ropes course.

    The campers were lined up and got their harnesses on and then learned a few safety rules before getting up high on the ropes. The activity took what little energy the campers had left and made our hands a little raw, but overall it was a fun way to end the day. After the activities the kids had burgers for dinner and then a nighttime drive back to the Kibbutz. It was a tiring but fun day for all.

  8. Sunrise views

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    We woke up this morning to the lovely view right outside of our rooms. Many of us woke up at the crack of dawn for runs or sunrise walks!

    We then made our way to a Negev Jeep ride where we stopped at olive farms, vulture feeding stations, and scenic lookouts. While it was incredibly hot, it was wonderful to get to see parts of the Negev that we couldn’t reach on foot.

    After coming back, we went to a North African woman’s house for a home cooked lunch. We learned the story of the settlement that they lived in and how it had developed over the years. After, we loaded onto the bus and drove to Mitzpe Ramon for a quick lookout before driving to Kibbutz Ketura where we will stay for another three nights! To end our evening we had a poolside barbecue dinner and got to do some night swimming everyone had a blast!

  9. Welcome to the Negev

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    After waking up from the early morning calls of the peacocks from within the Bedouin tents, we ate a classic Bedouin breakfast. Once breakfast was over the kids boarded the bus to go to Be’er Sheva, one of the first cities fought over during WW1. The British fought the Ottoman Empire and won thus creating the British Mandate.

    Once again the bus took the kids across scenic desert views farther west in the Negev getting close to Gaza. In that area the kids ate salad lunch and schnitzel/meatball sandwiches on a farm created from scratch by one man. The kids then participated in numerous activities including a maze, taste testing tomatoes as well as hot chilies, and watching the farmer’s dog do some tricks.

    Back on the bus for the 3rd time we arrived at a blacksmiths warehouse whose name was Bob and has won numerous awards by many famous individuals including former President Obama and other international government officials. Bob showed the kids how he uses his unique talent of metalworking to volunteer around Israel and other countries. Bob uses metal from bombs, rockets and debris that fall to create symbols of peace.

    Last bus ride of the day took us to the hostel where the kids settled in nicely, (finally got to shower after our stay in the Bedouin tents) and explored the stunning canyon view behind the hostel. Night descended on another beautiful night in the Negev desert.

  10. Cham li (I’m hot)

    Comments Off on Cham li (I’m hot) We left early in the morning from Jerusalem going due south to the Negev desert. There we toured Masada, a mountain with a long history of Jewish bravery and perseverance. After descending Masada and leaving the beautiful views at 1500 ft we drove to lunch at a tourist town right next to the Dead Sea. Bathing suits on and sneakers off, the campers entered the Dead Sea. Next stop was a short walk to a freshwater stream to play some trivia about the Dead Sea and clean off the excess salt. The bus then took us to ride camels in the desert! Kids had a blast with the camels and their funny snorts. Kids settled into the beduin tents and continued to socialize with each other despite the intense desert heat and the length of the day. After learning the culture and daily life from a Beduin women the kids then ate a Beduin meal buffet style. With bellies full and as day turned into night the campers settled into their designated area with a roaring bonfire and some late night music before getting some needed sleep under the stars.