(Photo: Jerusalem sunrise on Shavuot.)

Shavuot in Jerusalem

My last adventure (for this trip, that is) was spending Shavuot, the Jewish holiday of the receiving of the Torah at Mt. Sinai, in Jerusalem. Jews celebrate this holiday by studying the Torah all night and eating lots of dairy (Totally understand the Torah learning, am still a little confused with the dairy, but I’m not complaining!) When I extended my trip, I didn’t realize that it meant I would be in Israel for Shavuot but I’m so glad it worked out that way!

A few of us took a taxi from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem around 8:30 on Saturday night. This was a challenge because Shabbat was just ending and the trains and buses were closed. When we arrived in Jerusalem, I threw my backpack in a friend’s hostel and we set out to find places to study and learn.

We walked through the tunnels of the Old City and, slowly but surely, the paths began to fill with more and more people. At around 11 we got to the Kotel and decided that we needed I find somewhere to study… And we also decided that we had no idea where that would be. I looked up and saw Aish HaTorah, a yeshiva that UF Hillel’s own Rabbi Daniel studied at, so I figured we would give it a chance.

We climbed the steps up to the building and were met by a woman who invited us to join her group of American students for some classes, which would be in English, and for some snacks, which were delicious. Perfect.

So we went and listened to a few lectures, both of which were very interesting… When I run into Sarah Pollack! Again! Sarah, another UF student, Aviela, and I continued the lectures for a few more hours and then decided that because Shavuot was a Festival/Pilgrimage holiday, that we should symbolically leave the Old City and walk through the gates again, this time going directly to the Kotel.

If I thought the paths were crowded the first time, it was nothing compared to the thousands of people making their way to the wall for silent Amidahs and morning prayers. We tried to get a spot by the wall but it was already too packed so we stood outside the entrance instead.

While we were there, I ran into other people I knew from all over that I didn’t realize were in Israel! It really is a very small world!

Sarah said she had an extra bed in her hotel room which was very convenient because I hadn’t booked a hostel and was sort of planning on staying up all night. To be fair, we got home around 7:30am, so my plan was relatively plausible, but it was great to have a few hours to sleep!

In the afternoon, Sarah, Pammie and I went downstairs for lunch so that I could say “Surprise! Chag Sameach!” to Rabbi Daniel who was leading their trip. (If I can be so bold as to speak for him, I’d say it was pretty nice surprise.)

I was sad to cut lunch short, but I needed to catch the sherut (shared taxi) back to Tel Aviv to make it to my flight back to America tonight.

On a related note, if you think it’s a good idea to walk around the neighborhood surrounding the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station, you are sadly mistaken. Take my word for it.

My days in Tel Aviv have consisted of beaching, shopping, eating, going out, and sleeping. (View from the hotel)

In fact, we’ve developed the perfect routine: wake up, walk around, shop, go to the beach, get froyo from Tamara, see the man walking his Dalmatian, take the sherut home, shower, eat dinner, go out.

Im very glad I extended because it’s been a relaxing break from the constant movement of Birthright. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the whole Birthright experience, but now I feel like I’m on vacation. And this new tan doesn’t hurt, either.

Tonight the people extending are meeting up at one of our soldier’s house outside Tel Aviv!

Tel Aviv

Our afternoon in Tel Aviv started at Independence Hall, where the state of Israel was officially declared independent by David Ben Gurion in 1948. Being able to sit in this historic place and listen to pieces of Ben Gurion’s speech was really inspiring.

In the afternoon we went to the shuk in Tel Aviv and checked out the stores. Some of us decided to get hair wraps… but not like the kind you get in the Keys for $65, more like the kind where Ethiopian women braid fake hair into your head, which now means I have blue, green and blonde hair and, officially, a weave. (See photo.)

Next, we went to Rabin Square, a memorial for former Prime Minister Yitzak Rabin, who was shot and killed by an Israeli citizen. This event changed the feeling in Israel because, until that time, there hadn’t been targeted violence directed from Israelis to Israelis.

We had dinner on a goat farm and sadly went through our closing ceremony. There were lots of smiles, some tears, and many heart-felt goodbyes as we watched our group separate and go back to America, take off for Europe or return to Tel Aviv.

A few of us are back in Tel Aviv, extending our trip and seeing more of the city. I’m currently debating making a day trip to Jordan to see Petra, but today we’re decompressing from Birthright and relaxing on the beach.

Shabbat in Jerusalem

Jerusalem (Photo: The Western Wall. And the Dome of the Rock in the background.)

We left our kibbutz in the West Bank (or what some consider the West Bank) and headed towards Jerusalem. Out of all the cities an places we’ve visited in Israel, I’ve been the most excited for Jerusalem and, although we had to wait a while, I’m glad we get to spend Shabbat here.

The first place we visited was Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial Museum. Our tour guide led us through the exhibits and children’s memorial but that that to see every piece, we would need at least 8 hours. I hope that I he the opportunity to see more on future trips to Israel.

Due to pressure from mostly Nadja and I, our incredible staff members reorganized our time in Jerusalem so that we would get to be at the Kotel (Western Wall) for Shabbat. I am so thankful to them because it was such an inspiring experience. The city truly came alive and I felt the spirit of Shabbat in the air.

Just as I was leaving my note at the wall, I heard a woman with a beautiful voice singing Kabbalat Shabbat songs. A bunch of us stopped and sang along.

Because it was Shabbat, we had to walk back to our hotel, which took about an hour. It was so interesting to see how crazy and buzzing everything was at the Kotel compared to how quiet the streets were. All the shops we passed along the way began to close and soon the cars disappeared. It was a nice way to see a little of Jerusalem without being constantly surrounded by people.

Tomorrow we will relax and hang out by the pool in our hotel!

Masada and the Dead Sea (Photo: Masada sunrise)

The 5 am wake up call of course came much too early. We dragged ourselves out of our makeshift beds in the Bedouin tent and laced up our tennis shoes to begin our hike up Masada.

Let me tell you: the “easy way” up the mountain is not as leisurely as its name suggests. Although it was only about a 15-20 minute hike, the looming heat and stairs made for a very out of breath group. We spend two hours at the top of the mountain learning about the historical significance and took the “hard way” down which took about an hour to walk down. By the end, everyone’s legs were jelly.

We left Masada for Ein Gedi, a desert oasis with fresh water springs and waterfalls, which was so refreshing after our hike.

Next we made our way to the Dead Sea! Everyone was covered head-to-toe in mud wen we walked into the water. I’ve never experienced anything like floating in the Dead Sea but I can only compare it to what I think hanging out in the International Space Station would be like… Minus the water and slight burning.

Tonight we’re staying at a kibbutz in the West Bank and tomorrow we’re going to Jerusalem!

In other news that I forgot to add:
1. Our group was joined by 8 Israeli soldiers (4 girls, 4 guys) on Wednesday and they will stay with us for the rest of the trip. I’m excited to get to know them all!
2. I’ve decided to extend my time here until the 28th so that Nadja and I can spend more time in Tzfat, explore Tel Aviv, and potentially day trip to Jordan to see Petra.
3. I am extremely proud of my coworker, trip leader, and above all close friend Josh Kahn for being chosen as this year’s Scheliach of the Year! You deserve so much recognition for all the incredible things you do on our campus! Mazel Tov!

The Negev (Photo: Be’er Sheva)

Our adventure continued south to the Negev and brought us to the old city of Be’er Sheva. I was surprised by how deserted (pun intended) the city was. Entire buildings laid untouched and in need of repairs. We visited an artist gallery and took a photography tour of the neighborhood. Tres chic.

We continued south from Be’er Sheva into the desert, where we stopped at the Bedouin tent to ride some camels and settle in for the night. Our tour guide, Yael, decided to have a camel-naming contest and ours was called Camela Anderson. Pretty much, we won.

The Bedouin tents were by far the most interesting place we’ve stayed. Although I get the feeling we were at the Disney version of a real Bedouin tent, we all 40 of us stayed in a giant room/permanent tent on thin mattresses on the floor.

After a beautiful night hike in the desert, we settled in for an early night and early morning: at 5am we wake up to climb Masada!

Sderot (Photo: Rocket shells)

Most Birthright trips don’t stop in Sderot, and for good reason. The city is less than 800 meters from the northern Gaza Strip border and, for the last 12 years, has been constantly under watch for rocket fire. Everywhere you look in Sderot you can find a bomb shelter: bus stops, homes, playgrounds, schools. The walls are 40 centimeters thick and reinforced with cement and steel.

I want to say that people here live with post traumatic stress disorder… But I can’t because it’s not post. They live with this threat every day. Since 2009, there have been more than 1,400 rockets fired into the southern Negev region.

When the alarm system sounds (a woman repeating “code red” in Hebrew), you have less than 15 seconds to get to a bomb shelter before the rocket hits. Families keep extra beds in their bomb shelters so that their children can still get some sleep at night.

It’s appalling to me that this is their reality. Sderot is one of the only places in the world that faces rocket fire to purely civilian areas, and terrorist groups in Gaza use materials and food given to them by Israeli government aid to build their rockets.

To be sure, people are suffering in both sides of the border. One of the worst parts of the conflict is that terrorist groups live among people in Gaza who wish for peace and make it nearly impossible to find a peaceful solution.