Today we left for Jerusalem, stopping at the village of Haifa on the way to tour the Ein Hod artist colony. A guide showed us many sculptures and paintings and explained the significance of the art, ultimately having us do our own activity creating mandalas.
After that, we hopped back on the bus and continued the rest of our journey to the holy city, where we arrived just in time for sunset. We sang and danced and said the prayers over the bread and the wine. We then had dinner and participated in an activity, neither of which I can tell you about because I was passed out in my bed (classic).
Day 5 was a tough one. I waited in the lobby of the hotel for the rest of my group, and seeing the Israeli soldiers who we have come to know as teenagers just like us come down in full military uniform was a wake up call for me. We went to Yad Vashem to visit the Jewish National Memorial and Historical Museum as well as the Children's Memorial. Having already been to the National Holocaust Museum and numerous Jewish historical sights and concentration camps in Eastern Europe, I was surprised by the amount of new information and perspectives I gathered from Yad Vashem. The museum focuses less on the tragedy (although it is still very much apparent) and more on the remembrance of those who suffered.
The most emotional part of the day was going to Mt. Herzl and visiting the graves of Israeli politicians and soldiers. The soldiers in our group took turns sharing stories about friends that they lost in the army, and we all thought about the things that we take for granted. As I walked away, I turned around and caught of glimpse of my new friends, arm in arm, standing around the graves of recently deceased soldiers.
We returned to the hotel in time for Shabbat, and we lit the candles and attended a reform service and Shabbat dinner. The rest of the night was spent relaxing by the bar and in the lobby until a late late hour. (I may or may not have demanded love stories out of everyone...)
Day 6 was Mitzvah day!!!
I, as well as a few others from my trip, made the large decision to become mitzvah'd in Jerusalem, something that many Jews only dream about. We spent the morning studying our prayers and torah portions. During my service, Shir read a passage from the Torah, and the crowd roared as they realized she was the voice on the radio that that were so used to hearing.
After Havdalah, we ended shabbat by doing the only reasonable thing: going out in Tel Aviv. Upon arrival, Nov met up with his friend Jonathan and they took us to a couple bars where Emily and I toasted to becoming bat mitzvahs and we all watched the shekels slowly (or quickly) disappear from our wallets.
Day 6 was Mitzvah day!!!
I, as well as a few others from my trip, made the large decision to become mitzvah'd in Jerusalem, something that many Jews only dream about. We spent the morning studying our prayers and torah portions. During my service, Shir read a passage from the Torah, and the crowd roared as they realized she was the voice on the radio that that were so used to hearing.
After Havdalah, we ended shabbat by doing the only reasonable thing: going out in Tel Aviv. Upon arrival, Nov met up with his friend Jonathan and they took us to a couple bars where Emily and I toasted to becoming bat mitzvahs and we all watched the shekels slowly (or quickly) disappear from our wallets.
