Day 3 (end of the north)

Shalom all,

Waking up this morning at 7:15 was great but not enough. We said our goodbyes to the Astoria Hotel and headed back to down town Tiberias where we went to a Naot (Israeli known company of shoes) store. Today's word of the day was "Chick Chack" which means hurry up. However, some of us wanted another word so after much grudging we were told yalla, which also means hurry up.

After the Naot store, we traveled over an hour to trek down/up Mount Carmel in the mud. There our tour guide Shabat showed us more wild asparigus and informed us that picking flowers there has a fine of 400 shekel ($100...oops). Shabat also showed us an exotic branch that if you chew on it it makes your teeth whiter, as well as sweet tangerines. Then we headed to Haifa during the rain storm and saw a beautiful view of the skyline. We also had lunch in Haifa at a mall.

After our final experience in the North, we started our 2.5 hour drive to Israel's capital, Jerusalem. Before heading to dinner at Divon, the head of Sachlav, our tour provider's house, we dropped our luggage off at the Young Judean Guest house we will be staying at for the next 2 nights. Becuase it was raining we were unable to have the event outside so we squooshed into his living room with another Sachlav tour from Boston University. Divon spoke to us about hospitality and opened his speech with a story from Genesis about Abraham and 3 men visiting him while Hashem was in his tent.

Then we got back to the Guest house to have our closing night activity. Because we were all exhausted and sleepy from the ride back Shabat decided to play a game with us to wake us up, where Sam Weiner was totally fooled but entertainment was provided :) However, afterward we had an intense conversation about the Shoah, Holocaust, becuase tomorrow morning we are going to Israel's holocasut museum, located in Jerusalem, called Yad Vashem. There were many stories shared, with tears and heart felt emotions expressed.

Now it is time for bed so stay tuned... lila tov, have a good day!

-Shaina Stiefel 2012, Lenny Haas 2012 (who says hi)

Day 2 cont'

Shalom Abbas and Emmas,
Today we learned another hebrew word of the day, manishma meaning how are you doing, what's up, what's happening. We woke at 6:30 had breakfast and loaded the buses to head to the Golan Heights Region. We saw the Kineret (Sea of Galilee), then we headed to our adventurous hike where we hiked down the Jeelabon Valley. It was very steep and required great skill. We climbed down hills, up rocks, through jungle areas, and across streams. It took us about two and a half hours, taking pictures every step of the way, videos cheering each other on and acutally ate different plants such as asparagas plants and ate "poison ivy" that helps prevent hair loss. From there we headed to the olive oil factory, tried the cosmetic protects (face and hand creams) and tasted different olive oils with bread. After we had lunch and got to relax, some people played frisbee. We then got on the bus and headed to an open area where we circled up and sang happy birthday to Craig (he's 20). Oren, Sam, and Dan made a chair for Craig to sit in and celebrated with our traditional raising of the chair. We also now have a song that we all sing, the birthright tenth anniversary song. It says one love, one heart, one home and we now listen to Israeli music everytime we travel on the bus. We then went to Mount Bental where Shabat (our tourguide) told us about the 1973 Yom Kippur war and on a clear day you can clearly see the Syria and Israeli border. We walked down into the bunker and saw where the Soldiers hid during the firing of the missles. Once we finised with the bunker we went to the hot springs right on the border of Jordan. The hot pools of water were like a pool club where the water reached 110 degress. From the sulfur we all smelled like eggs but had a ton of fun and very refreshing after the 40 degree weather on Bental. Then we came back to the hotel, had dinner, washed up, and went on the boardwalk to a club right on the Galilee. We had so much fun, dancing, bonding, and singing to our current popular American music. Now we are all back, changed, in bed, and ready to get some sleep for our 7:15 wake up call. You should have seen how excited we all were and how loud we cheered to know we got to wake up at 7:15 not 6:30! Lylah Tov (goodnight) well wished from Israel, until tomorrow....
-Sarah Wexler 2013 & Shaina Stiefel 2012

Day 2

Today, after getting up and out of the Hotel, our guide, Shabat, brought our group to the spectacular sights of the Jeelabon Creek hike. This river,deep in the Jordan River Valley, provided our group with nearly three hours of fun and picture taking. Even though it was a more difficult hike than yesterday, everyone had fun stumbling and slipping over the rocks. Some of us even found a huge cave! After our hike, we visited the Capernaum Olive Oil Company where we saw how olive oil is made and we has a chance to taste some of the oils and try some of the other products. From the hills of Qatzrin we went to Har (Mount) Bental where we heard about story of the moutain's importance during the Yom Kippur War and got to visit the actual bunker dug into the top of the mountain. When we couldn't take any more mountains, we went swimming in the naturally heated sulfur pools near Tiberias. Our day ended with a taste of Israeli club life with music and dancing and fun.
I can't wait to go to Jerusalem tomorrow!
-Sam Weiner, '12

First Full Day in Israel

After an 11 hour flight on El Al, we arrived in Tel Aviv! We had an awesome orientation with a Birthright group from Boston University, and met Diron from Sachlav who told us all about the Taglit program. After we got settled in our hotel in Tiberias, we got a sababa (AWESOME!) and needed sleep. Today, we hiked near the northern borders and learned about the history of the Israeli-Lebanese conflicts. Also, we went to the Galil Mtn. Winery on a kibbutz! Tsfat was awesome because of the history and great scenery and Jewish mysticism! GO ISRAEL!! :D -Scott Sincoff '13

After a long first full day in Israel, we are currently relaxing in our beautiful accommodations at the Astoria Hotel in Tiberias. Today we hiked Mount Heron, visited the Galil Winery, and toured Tsfat. We are tired from jet lag but in great spirits, and we're so excited to continue our journey around Israel! -Ariel Bucher, '11

So after the flight, we met our tour guide! His name is Shabat! It's like the day of rest! He is cool and very knowledgable! We also have a cool security guard named Avi, he has a big gun, but we can't touch it or take pictures with it, but that's okay! Our hotel is cool too, but it definitely is not the kind of hotel I am used to. *shadypalmtree* The hike was super fun! We saw lots of trees and fungi! Yay exercise! Then we had wine at the winery and it was fermented and grapey! Yay! In Tsfat, there was lots of trinkets and dodads and candles, all of which was really unnecessary to buy but people did anyway! Yay candles! In conclusion, it was super fun! Yay super fun! PS- Eho mom. - Lenny Haas, '12

Stay tuned for more!! Shalom!

Here are some pictures from the past few days!!

In Memory

Yad Vashem was our first stop yesterday June 10th and it is one that I will remember for the rest of my life. Yad Vashem is the Holocaust memorial museum in Jerusalem and it was an experience that truly changed my life. I have never felt more connected to my Jewish heritage than while walking through Yad Vashem and reading the propoganda portraying Jews to be devils, witnessing the pictures of holocaust survivors, watching videos of executions, and seeing burnt Torahs touched me and in those few hours touring the museum I truly realized what it meant to be Jewish. My grandfather spends many of our family holidays talking about Judaism and the history of our people and now I realize how important that is. At the end of the tour you open tall glass doors and the triangular shaped structure begins to open up and you can walk out and witness the most magnificent view of Jerusalem. For me exiting the museum where I had just witnessed the remaining documentations of the extermination of 6 million Jews and seeing Jerusalem and realizing that I was in Israel. A place that the Jewish people can call home, a place that we received in order to rebuild and start new. It was at this moment that I put my arm around my new friends Eitan and Eyal, two soldiers in the Israeli army and I thanked them. I thanked them because at that moment I decided that although Israel is in a war with Palestine they are fighting for something much greater, they are fighting for our home, a place in which the families of those who had their lives taken in the Holocaust can pass along the memories and ideals of our people. Then I decided that I would take it upon myself to do all that I could to keep the shared memory of our heritage and history alive. I am a Jew and very proud to be able to be connected with so many brave and courageous individuals who fought for their lives in the Holocaust and fight to defend the lives of the Jewish people here in Israel.


Brandon Weiner '11
University of Delaware

Holocaust & Dancing

June 10, 2009

We woke up early, had breakfast and then we went to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum. We learned about the lives of the Jewish people who were forced to go into the concentration camps and the hardships that they faced. Later we had lunch at the local mall. Ellen says hi Mindy and Donald! After our delicous lunch at the food court which included chinese food, sandwiches and pizza, we were off to the Mega Event where we were able to meet thousands of Jews from around the world. We even saw Jews from India and Brazil. During the Mega Event, we listened to a concert from famous Israeli Singer which later turned into a dance party.

Hi Michael, Cecily, Jackie, Rebecca and all the Robermans, which you were here!
Hi Mom, Dad and Arielle, I am having a great time and running out of money so don't be surprised if the credit card bill is a little high. Tell Grammy I have not joined the Army.

Deanna Roberman RU 2011
Brian Erenrich UD 2012

Too exhausted to think of clever titles

Hello Parental Units,

Today was a really long day. Not as long as yesterday, which lasted for 40 hours, but still. We got around. We started our day bright and early and went to listen to a vibrant lecture by Hillel's President Emeritus Avraham Infeld. He was a really charismatic, warm, and entertaining speaker, as evidenced by the fact that we actually stayed awake. He talked about the idea that Judaism is not a religion, but a culture, and it was really thought-provoking.

After that, we drove from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, on the way passing through a valley that was a main battle site in the Six Day War. In Tel Aviv, we visited Rabin Square, which is the biggest square in Tel Aviv and known for being the site of huge political protests. Our esteemed tour guide Yuval also told us the sobering story of the Square's name. At an anti-violence rally in 1995, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin spoke about the desperate need for peaceful political ideology, and the whole crowd sang the song "Shir L'Shalom (A Song for Peace)". As he exited the event, a Jewish man shot and killed him. The entire country mourned the death of this great leader.

After this we had lunch and went to an awesome-tastic craft fair/festival with fascinating and sometimes unnerving exhibits (dancing men with webbed fingers, for example). THEN WE WENT TO THE BEACH!!! It was so despicably hot the whole day, that we were unbelievably excited. The Mediterranean water was so warm and calm. It was blissful.

After a quick conversation about how we relate to Israel, we visited Independence Hall, where the state of Israel was officially declared on May 14th, 1948. It was so moving and helped me to really understand the complex struggles of the Israeli people. It's so easy when reading the news at home in the U.S. to make quick assumptions about this complicated country-- this trip has taught me so much about the nuances of the Israeli identity. It is hard, hard work to try to understand it all, but it is a vital journey for which I am extremely grateful.

PS-We will post more pictures tomorrow :)

Carly Groff 2011 UD
Lauren Knapp 2012 UD
Anton Rassadkin 2011 RU

Our hotel in Jerusalem has free wireless that works--yay for more blogs!-Day 4 and 5!!

Day 4

We started off the day by meeting our 'chayelim'-the soldiers from the Israeli army that will be joining us for the next five days. There are eight of them and we are super excited to get to know them. It is a great opportunity since they are our age and it's interesting to see how we will relate to each other. Next we went to Arad, which is the sister city of the Jewish Federations of both Delaware and parts of New Jersey. We did a Partnership Community P2K project with the children from the area, which consisted of a baseball game. The kids did not make it easy for us-and they were only 10 years old! Then we had some time to explore Arad-it turns out it's a Russian community. Privet! Following that, we drove to the Bedouin Hafla, where we took turns riding camels and/or donkeys. This was one of the most exciting parts so far for many of the participants. Natalie wasn't quite pleased with her donkey, as he was being an ass. While quite a few others named their saddled friends, including names such as Herb and Irving. Then we continued to learn about the Bedouin's culture-they showed us some of their rituals and gave us a taste of their cuisine. Many of us found this to be the most delicious meal we've had so far. We then had a very deep discussion in the desert and had the chance to explore and connect with our more spiritual side. Our overnight stay consisted of sleeping in the Bedouin tents and much bonding over campfires.

Day 5

We woke up at 4am today in order to see the sunrise at the top of Mount Masada. We had a lot of fun learning about Masada's significance within history. The way up was not bad via the Roman Ramp, however on the way down we took the Snake Path, which was quite long and frightening for some. Afterwards we drove to the Dead Sea and had a blast floating in the water and covering ourselves in mud. Though, it did turn out to be painful on cuts and wounds. Then we went to Ein Gedi, which is an oasis in the middle of the desert. It was incredible to see the gushing waterfalls and even personally experience them as we went swimming and hiked through. We then drove to Jerusalem and attended the 'Shehechiyanu' which was a welcoming ceremony for the Taglit-Birthright Israel: Hillel groups. This was a fun event consisting of drums, dancing, and prayers. Rachel even had a dance-off. Sababa! She was great :) After this we arrived at our hotel in Jerusalem and all of us were super excited to finally take a shower. After dinner we had a great program planned for us by our new soldier friends, which was a competition based on Israeli knowledge of pop culture as well as history. Shout out and much love to the Chernavsky family. Dear Mom, I know this is supposed to be a shout out, but my IsraelPhone sucks and I'm sorry and I love you.-Hilary. Hi Sheynmans! Dad, sorry we keep playing phone tag!-Love,Shaina. And to all the parents---we miss you and hope you are enjoying your vacation from us :)

Mariya Badu RU 2011

Natalie Sheynman RU 2009

Natalie Fenchel RU 2011

Day 3

Today was our first Shabbat in Israel. We slept in a bit and headed to a buffet breakfast, where we had delicious rugelah. Then we did yogaerobics from a room overlooking the beautiful view of the Sea of Galilee. After some D-Rut (Delaware-Rutgers) bonding time, including some fun games, we headed to the pool to cool down. We learned about our soldiers who are joining us tomorrow before dinner.

After dinner we did Havdala with the other two Taglit-Birthright Israel: Hillel buses out on the patio. Then we headed into city of Tiberias where we were able to walk around, shop and eat. We watched as Asi (our guard-medic) and Brad joined in on an Israeli dance aerobics class. We ate crepes and bought “Aladdin” pants and enjoyed a beautiful evening in Israel. We had a great time and are looking forward to all of the experiences yet to come.

Ari Hausman UD '10

Lauren Knapp UD '12

Carly Groff UD

Day 2

So today we went to Mount Bental where we can see the Hermon peak and believe or not there is still snow on top of the Hermon mountain peak. At the mountain we traveled through the Israeli built bunkers and it felt surreal! The tunnels were just like the movie Boufor. On the mountain peak, we saw Pereg flowers, the plants where Opium is extracted from. I just love that movie!!!!!

Then we went walking in the Jordan River!! It was the time of my life! Sometimes the water was up to our ankles then it would go all the way up to our necks and our guard was walking through the river with his gun above his head to protect us. Then we got into rafts and rafted into bushes trying to get top the end of the river. It was very fun even though our boat was flooded with water. After the Jordan we headed back to prepare for Shabbat. It felt very different and special having Shabbat in Israel. I love this country and it just makes me feel so great inside, I feel so connected to my Jewish roots.

Alyson Belgraier UD '12

Rotem Naftalovich RU '09

Day 1

After a long 10 hour flight, we arrived in sunny Israel. It was already super hot by 9 AM. We got some cash, our phones and headed off on our grand adventure.

Our first stop was at the aquaducts in Caesarea. Right next to the Mediterranean was a 9 mile long 2000 year old aquaduct that was built by King Herod. We shot some group pictures and splashed in the turquoise waters. We took our sandy feet back onto the bus and started towards Tzfat.

After a some quick naps on the bus, we got some lunch in Modern Tzfat. We ate falafel and shwarma from tiny restaurants. With some food in our bellies we trekked down the slippery stairs to the old Tzfat. We took in the beautiful view of the mountains and the valleys. We visited the candle factory and saw many meaningful candles along with Harry Potter broomstick candles and rubber duck candles and then went on to the shops before heading towards our hotel.

After another quick nap on the bus we arrived at our hotel and played musical rooms. After we all got settled we ate a wide variety of Jewish and Mediterranean food. After stuffing our faces we did some quick icebreakers and got to know each other a little bit better. We parted for the night and we are preparing for another exciting day in Israel tomorrow!!

Sarah Baser UD '10

Lindy Deal UD '11

Daniel Naftalovich RU '09

Greetings from Israel!

Hello everyone!

We apologize for the lack of messages on our blog from our group thus far. (We haven't been able to access the internet from our own computer and the very nice hotel staff is letting us use their computer right now.) We should be back online when we arrive in Jerusalem on Monday evening. (Sunday evening we will be in the Bedouin Tent in the South and will not have internet access... and we're getting up before dawn on Monday).

Everyone is having a great time, bonding as a group and learning about this beautiful land. We look forward to sharing their stories and posting pictures as soon as we can.

~Alicia & Brittne

3 more days until we are in Israel!

Hello everyone!!

On Wednesday, June 3rd we will be leaving to go to Israel for the best 10 days of our lives! We don't arrive in Israel until Thursday morning, June 4th, so check back later on Thursday to read our first blog!! Once we are in Israel we will be updating the blog with pictures and summaries of our days as often as we can!

Stay tuned 8-)

-Brittne

So it took us a while to get the blog started today because we could not find a good warm place with spectacular internet connection. So while being carefully observed by the black and white cat that is creeping around (one of the many cats walking randomly around the kibbutz), we will start the blog from the beginning of the day. We started by waking up and going to breakfast at 7:43am. After a full breakfast we headed for a tour of the kibbutz gonen, which began at 7:45am, where Tzipi (a resident of the kibbutz) explained the mystery smells of the kibbutz (fertilizer), and the cool features of the kibbutz such as spraying cats from within the confines of your shower, and getting your horoscope from the t.v. (Scott's said no intelligence and no energy for the day). At a platform that overlooked the Hula Valley, we listened and took pictures of the view as a warning siren went off indicating that missiles went off in the area from nearby Lebanon. At first we had no idea what was going on, but the alarm soon stopped. A few moments later the alarm sounded again and this time we get on the bus and left for Safed, where we were updated on the situation. Two missiles were indeed fired and landed in a nearby area but no one was injured and there is no threat from Lebanon. (Scott was able to deflect one of the missiles with his impressive bicycle kick into Syria)

At Safed we explored the ancient mystical city and learned about Kaballah an and Safed's role in the war of independence. While sitting in the cursed square that formerly inhabited by an excommunicated Rabbi, we listened to Gilad's history of the area and visited a flying synagogue which was very beautiful. We also went into another synagogue that was unique because it had a bima in the center. We then had free time to shop, eat lunch and look at the microcalligraphy and art for which the area is known.

We then took a trip to Rosh Hanikra where we took ridiculously fabulous pictures of the grottos. First we took yellow and red cables cars down the steep but short ride to the grottos, then we spent about half an hour excavating the water tunnels. After which we watched an interactive film about the legend of the area during which we got sprayed with water and blown on by the fan. We then took the cable cars back to the top at which point we stood right next to the border with Lebanon and waved at the guards.

We then took an hour drive to Acre during which time we listened to music and jammed on the bus. At Acre, also called Akko, we went through underground tunnels and escape routes including the templar canal. We were also able to witness and hear an army initiation from afar. We then took a stroll through the nearby city and watched a beautiful sunset with a view of Haifa.

The trip home wasn't as long and tedious as usual and the ride went by quickly. After which time we had dinner (better then most nights... schnitzel!!)

During the next few days we may not have internet access because we will be leaving in the morning for the south and the Bedouin tents. (They may be easy on the go, but stubborn about their switch from dial up to T1).

written by: Scott Silver 2012, Julie Chudnovsky 2013, Evan Waltzer 2010, Adam Stambler 2011

Day 7

Today is day 7 of our lovely trip to the holy land.  We began the trip with a delicious breakfast, complete with Kari'ot cereal, which means "pillow".  They happened to be filled with chocolate!  As Brittne said "they are scrumptious in my tum tum!"  After breakfast we jumped in jeeps straight out of a safari movie and started on our journey through the Golan Heights.  Traveling through mud and puddles, while hitting our heads on the roofs of the trucks, we learned about the land surrounding us. We saw cows, gazelles, and abandoned mine fields.  Don't worry! They were blocked off with very sharp barbed wire.  We made our way down the hills and got back on the bus to continue on our excursion.  We then went to the Tel Dan  ("Hi Dan!" says Sarah) Nature Reserve, which houses one of the springs that feeds into the Jordan River.  We learned about ancient flour mills and the history behind the ruins we stood on.  After then we went further up into the mountains to a spot overlooking the Israel-Lebanon, and Israel-Syria Borders.  Although it was mighty windy and super cold, we stuck it out and got a first hand view of the closeness of these countries.  Lunch followed, at Katzrin, the only town in the Golan Heights.  After lunch we went into the Gallilee, and went to a kibbutz-like village called Moshav Shorashim.  There we learned about Arab-Israeli relations, and the conflicts between these two groups.  Following that, we went to a local school gymnasium to see a circus performance put on by local school children, of both Israeli and Israeli-Arab descent.  They were absolutely ADORABLE!  After the performance, they showed us some of their tricks.  Following that, we went back to the Kibbutz for dinner.  After that we had a provocative discussion about Judaism, what it means to be Jewish in America and Israel, and the feelings we are all experiencing on our trip.  This concluded our night, and tomorrow brings another day in the North!  

Rachel Hodes: 2011

Jessica Falk: 2011

Julie Britton: 2011

Maddie Witchel: 2011

Days Four And Five:

Yad Lakashish-

At Yad Lakashish we took a tour of a tzedek project aimed toward helping elderly people socially, economically and physically. The project was started by a teacher who wanted to bring resources to impoverished elderly people. The seniors were given jobs that ranged from knitting to metal working and book binding. They were given a stipend, hot meal, bus pass and resources for all there work. Although most of the people spoke very little English or Hebrew they were still able to communicate with some of us through languages such as Spanish and Russian. 

Tour of Ultra-Orthodox Neighborhoods-

Because of the strict dress code enforced by the Ultra-Orthodox we were unable to walk through these neighborhoods. We took a bus tour during which Gilad, our tour educator, guided us and explained how these people live their daily lives. He discussed the ins and outs of all the different sects and divisions within the community which expand our definition of "orthodox" into something much more complex. Tiny variations in dress code signal which sect one belongs to, and what we realized is that this community is much more multi-faceted than it would appear to the uneducated outsider.

Ben Yehuda

This is the tourist center of Jerusalem, where tourists such as ourselves are hustled everyday by the quick witted salespeople peddling cheap souvenirs. Guys and girls started off shopping together but quickly split up; the girls heading for shoes and scarfs, while the guys went straight towards the army-navy store. I, Matt,  ended up falling in love, with a sweet guitar in the window of a music store. For 250 sheckles (about 65 bucks) I was able to acquire a nice little acoustic guitar which will become an invaluable asset to our group jams.

Yad Vashem

An incredible an unforgettable experience. This trip to the holocaust memorial lasted four hours, but will live on and continue to stay with us for the rest of our lives. The recently redesigned memorial is a brilliant marvel of modern architecture, containing elements of symbolism and artistry that leave any visitor in awe. Gilad led us through a journey of words and images which took us through the chilling story of one of humanities greatest tragedies, but eventually led us to a message of hope and redemption for the Jewish people and the world. We left Yad Vashem with a new sense of what it means to be Jewish. 

After we returned from Yad Vashem we did a short preparation session for our mifgash (encounter) with the Israeli soldiers who would be meeting us tomorrow. Later in the night we were able to go let off some steam at a local club which was rented out specifically for all of us birthrighters from all across the USA. We all danced like it was 1999 and then called it a night and went to sleep happy.

Day Five

Tel Aviv

Today we left the holy city of Jerusalem for the beach city of Tel Aviv. Right before we arrived at a scenic overlook in the nearby city of Jaffa, we picked up three of the the five soldiers who will be with us until Friday. After taking a few pictures we drove to Tel Aviv, where we met the other two soldiers. In a park in Tel Aviv we did a few more icebreakers in order to become better acquainted with our fellow birthrighters and the soldiers. Afterwards, we took a tour of Yitzhak Rabin Square and learned about Israeli politics. Gilad also taught us about the assassination of Rabin, the popular Israeli Prime Minister, by a fellow Jew in 1995. To lighten the mood, we went for lunch in downtown Tel Aviv. 

To continue our education about Israeli history, we the went on to Independence Hall.  It is an unassuming house in the middle of Tel Aviv.  From this house in May 1948, David Ben Gurion proclaimed Israel's independence and created the Jewish state.   

After we finished Independence hall, we left Tel Aviv for the long drive north to the Kibbutz Gonen.  

There you have it, two days in the life of birthrighters.

Brought to you by:

Ross Kleiman-  2012

Matt Mantel -  2008

Dan Rauchwerk -  2011

Adam Stambler - 2011