Masada and Dead Sea!

Masada and Dead Sea!

Today we woke up at 4:30 am, had crackers and tea, then headed to Masada where we took a 15 minute hike to the top via the Roman ramp. We had some lectures about King Herad, saw the sun rise. There were Greek baths with mosaic tiles in them, saw a synagogue. We learned the story of the 900 Jews after the destruction of the second temple, who committed a heroic suicide. They wouldn’t throw rocks at the people building the ramp because there were Jewish slaves making it. There were 10 names in pottery, One of the names was Yoav. Other birthright groups were on top of Masada from England and other countries. We did an activity on Masada where we shouted Am Yisrael Chi over the valley to the mountain and listened to the echo. The walk down was about 45 minutes, while some people took the cable car.
Becca really enjoyed the peacefulness on Masada and having the chance to think about the archaeology and how the Romans had a tough job building the fortress. Seeing all the different parts of the palace was very amazing. I really felt connected to the Romans and Jews who lived on Masada in the past. Being an archaeology student, Masada was my favorite part of the trip so far.
We went to the Ahava shop for a bit, then to the dead sea and put some black mud on our bodies before going in the Dead Sea. Some people went in the sulphur pool. Lunch was a choice of three sandwiches, pears, water and chocolate.
Becca and Sarah M. had a great time at the Dead Sea collecting a variety of rocks that were incredible. The salt minerals incased a bunch of the rocks. Becca spent the majority of the time at the beach looking at and collecting rocks. The two geology students on the trip decided that the Dead Sea was a geologist’s dream place. While we were floating in the sea, we could look around and see the mountains.
We came back to Jerusalem, to the Yehuda Youth Hostel, dressed up for Shabbat and had a group service and dinner. We did a massage game and then introduced all the Israeli soldiers with songs and skits. For Oneg we had dates and poprock chocolates.
We are looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow.
Alex Greene and Becca Siegal

Day 4!!!

After yesterday’s subduing visit to Yad V’shem we could feel the mood change as we prepared to meet our eight Israeli soldiers. We picked them up on the side of the highway. Tara got to sit next to one of them, Oz, on the bus and had the opportuinity to talk to him about his future plans for college in America at Florida State.
Later, after several of us got to know the soldiers better, we visited Sederot, a city that has been attacked many times over the last several years from the Gaza Stip. Seeing the houses that had dents in them from missal shrapnel was moving and I’m glad that we were able to visit it despite the turmoil. There were missal shelters everywhere. The most notable of these were in a children’s playground. It was disheartening to see that something as innocent as a playground had bomb-shelters built into it as giant caterpillars. We got lunch in Sederot then drove to a hill where we could see into the Gaza Strip. After that it was off to the Bedouin tents to enjoy a recreation of old Bedouin hospitality. On the way Yoav, our awesome guide, told us about how the Bedouins are no longer nomadic because there are borders and water is now more accessible.
The camels were the first thing we saw after we passed through the stunning scenery of the desert. Almost everyone was excited to ride the camels, but a few of us were apprehensive. Getting on the camel wasn’t a problem, it was not freaking out as the camel stood up and got back down that was the real issue. There were several screams as the camels pitched forward from kneeling to standing and then back again. We gathered in a warm tent and drank authentic tea and coffee while learning about Bedouin culture. At several points during the night a chatul ashpatote(a stray “dumpster” cat, something we as a group have been somewhat obsessed with) dropped by and distracted us. The dinner we ate on floor with our hands was delicious.
After dinner we walked into the dessert in the dark. The stars were brilliant, we could see more than we ever have before. We had some more circle time we branched off and sat/lay in the dark by ourselves and appreciate the Negev dessert and contemplate everything. Tara in particular felt a deep connection to one of the stars and thought about her family members who have passed away, and about everything else that was out there.
As I’m writing this I’m sitting on the floor of our Bedouin tent, which is scattered with mats, backpacks, and sleeping bags. The electric heater is warming the tent and some of us are getting ready for bed. I’m so excited to hike Masada tomorrow morning, but not as thrilled to be waking up before 5 a.m. Tomorrow is going to be another great adventure!
--Alex Ross and Tara Fialkow

Day 3 in Israel!

Today began with a trip to Yad Vashem which is the Holocaust museum of Jerusalem. We spent the morning learning about the Holocaust. The museum connected on a very personal level with many of our group members especially when we were shown a testimonial by a Jewish man from Greece. After having a group discussion which brought up comparisons between this museum and the one in Washington, DC, we stopped for a homemade lunch in a small community center. The lunch was made by a feminist group who train Israeli women to start businesses involving cooking. Following lunch, we participated in an act of Tikun Olam involving mulching the paths of a community garden located in Jerusalem. This activity led in to a discussion of what we thought were the most important Jewish values to enact in the future. Finally, we ended the day with dinner at a mall and free time to explore the shops. We are so excited for tomorrow!

Sophie and Alex

Day 2!

Hi Everyone,
I hope you all had a nice Chanukah and that you miss us all terribly! We had an amazing day today and are just finishing up our last activity of the night. After a lovely breakfast at the Kibbutz hotel we drove to a lookout point in Jerusalem to take pictures and talk about the city layout and history. We took a group picture, walked to another point, and then drove to the archeological park in the old city. We walked through and talked about the site, traditions and layout of the old city. Then we went to the Western Wall. We separated men and women and walked to the wall to pray and put notes while we reflected. It was beautiful and an amazing experience to see this site that we had heard so much about. Feeling the energy and emotion associated with it was indescribable.

After our time at the wall we ate lunch and explored the old city's Jewish Quarter. The group i was in had falafel! We went shopping and took pictures and had a great afternoon. After returning to the hotel and eating dinner we made and painted mezuzahs with a local Israeli artist. Overall it was an amazing day and had a blast exploring the old city and learning from our guide Yoav. Its absolutely surreal being here.
-Signing off from Jerusalem,
Anna Isserow
p.s. miss you mom, dad, jesse and bandit <3

Arrival in Israel!

Hello All. We are now blogging from Jerusalem! Yay! Today we arrived after a long flight. The food on the plane was delicious. They served us Chinese chicken with rice for dinner and bagels with eggs for breakfast. I slept for about an hour on the whole flight. After landing we met our tour guide Yoav! That's Y-O-A-V. And we met Pini! Who is our personal medic and security. His family is from Jerusalem, but Yoav is from northern Israel. Yoav claims he is a great basketball player but we are yet to confirm this. We then headed from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem we had a little bit of time to explore the old city and see Hanukah lights. There are cats everywhere. They are like the squirrels of Jerusalem. Yoav took us through these alleys that seemed very secret but in fact it was the center of the old city. There were menorahs in every window which is a very cool sight to see. It was absolutely amazing but we were all exhausted from the flight and ready to go to sleep. We headed to meet the bus where we saw our first Israeli soldiers. They looked like they were about 18 carrying M16's but wearing sweatpants and tennis shoes. They weren't really in a specific uniform. The 3 soldiers had their hands full with a very drunk arab man. Finally we headed back to the hotel and were able to go to sleep.
The words of the day were Bavakasha - please
Toda - Thank you
Slicha - Excuse me
Mike Swartz and Sarah Dagon

Reflections Taglit Birthright Israel Bus 120

The Five Senses of Israel


Ashley Marx


Sight: “I lift my eyes to the mountains, where will my help come from, my help will come from God,” (Psalm 121).

This morning our group, KESHER 120, climbed the historical mountain, Masada. Watching the sunrise from the top, gazing across the dead sea was truly phenomenal. Learning about the heroic strength of these people has brought new meaning to this psalm; this summer when singing it at camp I will look at our own mountain and be reminded of our connection to Israel.

Taste: ”God said, “See, I give you every seed-bearing plant that is upon all the earth, and every tree that has seed-bearing fruit; they shall be yours for food.” (Genesis 1:27-29)

In addition to fruits, such as pomegranates, we have been sampling some incredible delicacies. Last night we were treated to a Bedouin feast in the Negev desert; the food is served family style and everyone shares from a communal dish. The Bedouin hospitality was delicious and is only a sample of the delicious food we have tasted including falafel, schwarma, many vegetable dishes and shakshuka, a Israeli breakfast dish.

Smell: ”We smell the spices and taste the wine as the stars above begin to shine,” (Shavua Tov, Klepper).

On Saturday, Sam and I had the pleasure of leading havdallah services for the group. From the patio of the hotel, it was incredible to see the lights of Jerusalem hillside beneath the stars. When we began to sing this song, we were the only ones in the group singing. There is a wide breadth of Jewish knowledge on our trip; some are active in the URJ or at their Hillel, while others did not have a bar or bat mitzvah. Yet each one of us is an important member of our group and just as Sam and I shared this song, we all bring something that can be learned. An hour after we had smelled the spices our week was made sweet when we spent a night with two Kalsman mishlacat members, Chen and Shir. There was no better way to start the second week of our trip.

Sound: “and the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in the streets,” ( Zechariah Viii 3)

On our tour of the old city of Jerusalem, our tour guide Itai, showed us the place within the main square, where it is written on the wall. As he was explaining the significance of the prophecy we were interrupted by the voices of school children running through the square. Seeing the prophecy come to life before our eyes and hearing the laughter of the children is the greatest hope that the land of Israel, despite challenges, will continue to prosper.

Touch: “Jerusalem, if I forget you, let my right hand forget what it’s supposed to do,” – Jerusalem, Matisyahu (referencing Psalm 137).

This song, in addition to being extremely popular on our bus, represents the connection that after 5 days we feel to the land of Israel. There was no moment more powerful than placing my hand on the western wall. Feeling the stones representing the history of the Jewish people was an incredible spiritual experience and although I was touching the wall, I felt completely separate from the world. Matisyahu is saying that it is essential to the soul to remember Israel; this trip is impacting my Jewish identity and connections to my faith, I know it is the beginning of a lifelong relationship with Israel.

Connections to Judaism and Israel

My connection to Judaism from this birthright trip has certainly been a gradual, but definitely present, process. The land of Israel is so different from the lush, green geography of the American east coast that the first experiences were moments of awe in scenery and architecture. The first moment where I finally felt connected was when touring the port of Jaffa. Some sort of chilling feeling came when staring out of this ancient port, where some of the first Israeli Jews has arrived in the early 20th century, not to mention those of ancient times.

Touring each ancient location had given a similar chill, though it was a different feeling of connection to Judaism than those brought by family and tradition. The connection was and is certain present in a more communal and historical way, almost mystical at times. Going to the Western Wall and seeing Orthodox, reform, and cultural Jews, all praying as one in a way, was an unforgettable sight. Joining them was an unforgettable experience. Walking around the excavation site on the southwest corner of the Temple Mount brought some eerie feeling of a historical connection to Judaism for which I have never felt before. I feel as if all of these joint feelings and connections are building to a complete connection not to just Judaism, but rather a connection between Judaism, Israel, and myself. It has truly been a rewarding experience thus far.

-Maxwell Alpert

Jerusalem

"Jerusalem if I forget you..."

What a way to begin our Israel adventure. The history of our people, the sounds of prayer coming from the streets, the sun reflecting off the coblestone... as we placed our hands on the western wall, recited our thoughts or prayers, folded our notes and found a place for them among the cracks where thousandsw of others have left their own prayers. In the old city of Jerusalem, we are walking beside a history of two, three, four, five thousand years... as we are just beginning to create our own histories. What a way to begin our Israel adventure. Shelbi

Birthright Trip!

The second bus of hokies leave for Israel in 15 days!!! We are so excited!

Kesher Bus 120 Taglit Birthright Israel

4 DAYS UNTIL WE LEAVE FOR ISRAEL

SIX DAYS UNTIL WE LEAVE FOR ISRAEL!!!!

Spent all day today getting ready for the trip. Planning conversations and looking over the itinerary and agenda. Take plenty of vitamins and get plenty of sleep! This is going to be an awesome journey that I can't wait to share with you all. Sue