TL-41-29 Update 2

It’s hard to believe we’re already halfway through our Birthright Israel trip! We’ve had such a fun time exploring around Israel, with more fun still to come. After we left the north of Israel, our group headed to Jerusalem to spend four days in the historic and beautiful city. We traversed around the old city, celebrated Shabbat together, and visited Yad Vashem and Har Herzl. Some culinary highlights of Jerusalem for our group have included rugelach, challah, and shwarma. Our time in Jerusalem is best described as a time of discovery- discovery of ourselves, our Jewish identities, and our world. We were fortunate enough to spend six days with the mifgash, our Israeli peers who joined us as part of their military service. We loved getting to know them and sharing pieces of American culture with them, while learning all about Israeli culture. Unfortunately we had to depart from the mifgash today, but we will keep in touch and always remember what they’ve taught us.

Today, we toured a brewery and got to taste different Israeli beers, and we explored ancient caves over 2,000 years old and participated in an archaeological dig. We’re on our way to the desert to stay in Bedouin tents overnight, before we hike Masada, ride camels, and float in the Dead Sea on Monday. On top of it all, tonight is the first night of Hanukkah! How special to be celebrating in Israel, where on the dreidels it says “a great miracle happened here” instead of “a great miracle happened there.”

Thank you Israel Outdoors!
Ally Gerstley