Saturday, April 25^th

Final Day

Evan

We went to the beach for some time in the sun.

What a great trip, what great fun.

18 days have passed and it’s time to say goodbye.

In the plane for 16 hours we now need to fly.

Goodbye Israel, we’ll miss you!

 

Trip Summary in Poetic Format

Jerusalem: Jacki, Ariel, Aviv and Noa

Got off the plane at Ben Gurion, drove to Jerusalem.

Weather’s colder than we thought, we all pray to Hashem.

Someone’s iPod fell into a grate.

Maybe being in the city was our fate.

Galil: Matthew and Erich

Travelling to our pen pals, Yay!

Can’t believe we’re finally on our way.

Up here in the Galil

It’s special and we can feel it for real.

Darom (South): Sarah

Hiking in Ein Avdat, by the waterfall was where we sat,

Saw some ibexes, they’re not fat,

From Masada to the Dead Sea

Bedouin tents that’s where we’ll be.

Tel Aviv: Evan, Addi, Josh, Sean

Tel Aviv is a great place

It was amazing to see the change of pace

What a great place to end the trip

We’re sad to leave but we must board our airship

 

 

 

 

Friday April 24^th 2015

Day 16

Josh

Today was our second last day and we had a great day. Our amazing tour guide Hadar took us to the Palmach museum where she used to work and take tours through when she was in the army. It was a very different museum; when you go through all the rooms, you go with a squad through basic training and the war of independence. After that we went to the shook which was crazy! There were so many people you could barely see a foot in front of us which added to the experience. Once we finished shopping and getting lunch in the shook we went to the old city of Jaffa and walked around to all of the historic sites from as far back as the ancient Egyptians to now. After we went to the Jaffa port which was so beautiful. It was still windy like the past days but the wind was not as strong like it was yesterday. Then we walked back to the bus along the sea. At the end of the day we had Shabbat on the roof with the sunset in the background. The teachers got all the boys roses so we could give them to the girls. It was very nice but at the same time super funny because the girls thought we were going to spray them with water pistols.

 

Thursday 23 2015

Day 15

Sean

Today on Yom HaAtzmaut we woke up in the morning ate breakfast and hung out at the hotel until the Yom HaAtzmaut plane show. We went up onto the roof of the hotel to watch it. The show started with four planes flying in uniform doing tricks and flying super close to the ground. After that groups of planes and one group of helicopters started flying by. The plane show lasted for about 20 minutes. After that we went into the basement of the hotel to have an indoor picnic. We were unable to have our picnic outside because of the wind. A bit later we walked to the military museum but we had to stop at a building on the way because it started raining. Eventually we made it to the museum. It was full of military equipment including tanks, artillery and lots and lots of guns. By then the temperature had increased and we wanted to get ice cream. We went to the sight of the first train station in the Middle East where there were lots of shops. Everybody ate ice cream and then we went to a workout park. We did a hardcore workout. After that Evan and Ariel bought a kite which we flew for a bit. Then we went to the beach where we waded into the water and did long jump in the sand. For dinner we went to Tel Aviv port. All the boys went to Aboulafia for dinner and ate pizza and bourekas. On the way back from the port we sang Aviv happy birthday and passed around special Alfajores cookies and Mallaby for Aviv. It was a great day despite the rain and the wind. We had a great Yom HaAtzmaut.

 

 

Wednesday 22, 2015

Day 14

Evan

Following almost three hours in the bus we arrived in the coastal city of Tel Aviv. Israel’s modern city that “never stops” was oddly quiet. Driving through the streets we saw stores close and the flags being flown at half mast. Vibrant street life was replaced with silence for Yom Hazikaron, Israel’s remembrance day. Fallen soldiers defending the state of Israel or those who were killed fight for its establishment are remembered. Our group went to the rooftop of our hotel top to hear the siren. This 2 minute sirens brings the entire country to a halt. We watched as the most energetic streets came to a complete halt. The only noise came from the siren and the sea. After that we watched movies about fallen soldiers. One was about a lone soldier who was killed. Learning about individuals who sacrificed their lives helps us comprehend the large and growing amount of victims in Israel’s forces and those who had been killed in acts of terror. The next morning we all woke up in our real beds. Despite Yom Hazikaron being a sad day we did have reasons to rejoice. We woke up to the knowledge that the Calgary Flames had defeated Vancouver and it was Aviv’s 15^th birthday. After breakfast we walked to Rabin Square, the place Israeli prime minister Yitzhack Rabin was assassinated. Rabin was an advocate for peace and his negotiations with the Palestinian Authority eventually became too much for an Israeli right-wing extremist. We were then given questions to find out what locals had to think of Rabin. Interestingly everyone remembered where they were and what they were doing at the time. Then at 11 we stood for the second siren. Once again people put their daily lives aside to pay respects to Israel’s fallen heroes. We then walked to Rothschild ave to have lunch. After we explored independence hall. The place where Israel was declared a state. We learned how the declaration happened and what it meant for an independent Jewish state. We took the bus back to the hotel and got ready for the transition from sorrow to party. We headed to Mini Israel to celebrate the country’s 76^th birthday. Before this we stopped in Latrun where we learned about Israsel’s armed corps. We also got to see and climb on an array of tanks. We then met up with fellow Canadian march of the living groups. We explored Mini Israel which has models of landmarks in Israel. We then had a presentation about March of the living. After we ate dinner listened to music and watched fireworks. After a great night we drove back to Tel Aviv. Everyone is excited to embrace the last 3 days of our wonderful trip.

 

 

Tuesday April 21 2015

Day 13

Sarah!!!

Hello from the desert! Today was possibly the hottest day so far. In the morning we left the Bedouin tents after eating a nice breakfast. Then we went to Masada. We hiked up using the Roman Ramps trail. Although it was tiring it was not as bad as expected despite the heat. We reached the top and toured the ruins along with hearing the story around Masada about the Jewish Rebels. You had a great view of the Dead Sea and surrounding desert. We hiked down using the snake path which was way longer than the original trail, and much more exhausting as it was mid-day. Near the bottom we saw another Ibex. When we reached the end we all ate ice cream. I think half the food I’ve eaten here has consisted of ice cream. Next we went to the Dead Sea. It was a lot of fun to be able to float in the water with no effort. We also put on some mud on which made our skin feel very nice. Some of us nearly got stuck. We spent some more time in the sea and then went to the pool. Today was a lot of fun and now we are heading to Tel Aviv. I can’t wait to see the city.

 

Monday 20 2015

Day 12

Jacki

Hi everyone! Another fantastic day in Israel! Early this morning we left the kibbutz and went for a hike in the Ein Ovdat Oasis. It was very very hot out. The hike was beautiful and we saw some amazing views. We stopped by this waterfall that looked like a picture from national geographic. It was breathtaking. There we sat down on the rocks, closed our eyes and just listened. The sounds of the waterfall and the desert wildlife were calming and peaceful. We walked up many steep steps and finally got to the top of the canyon. At the top of the canyon we were all overjoyed to see ice cream. After we took the bus to the Mitzpeh Ramon view point, where a scene from the Lion King was filmed. Shortly after we once again got on the bus and went for a well deserved lunch at the Kibbutz. After our lunch we went to visit Ben Gurion’s grave stone in Sde Boker. Then we went on another bus ride to Kfar HaNokdim, which is a Bedouin village. There we went for a camel ride. It was actually so fun, but at the same time pretty frightening. After the camel ride we went to a Bedouin tent and learned first hand about their culture while drinking their cultural tea. Then we had one of the best dinners of my life! We sat on carpets at miniature tables and enjoyed the delicious Bedouin cultural food. Later we went back to our tent and played a game of cards as a class. The game never ended as their were 11 people playing. I think we were laughing for most of the game! When it got dark Hadar (our tour guide) led a yoga class for some of us. Then we sat by the fire, sang songs and made smores! At the Bedouin tent we were given mattresses and sleeping bags for the night. I cannot believe that we have been here in Israel for almost two weeks already. Everything is happening so fast and I don’t want this experience to end. We are all having a blast and can’t wait for more fun!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sunday April 19

Day 11

Sarah

Hello all, our day started early with packing up our bags and leaving the nice guest house of Kibbutz Parod. We then drove to Akko, a city on the coast. We toured the crusader halls which were beneath an old prison. These halls were ruins of the crusades which the crusaders built. The ruins were buried underground when the Muslims retook the city during the third crusade. It is very interesting that a large portion of Akko’s history is buried beneath the city. We then experienced Druze hospitality and learnt about their religion and food. We had a great lunch of multiple dishes including rice with cinnamon and chicken, Pita bread with spices, and of course Humus. We then toured their village and were bussed to Caesarea, the roman city built by Herod the Great. The ruins of the old harbour, palace and amphitheater were only a small portion of their original size. I really liked hearing about the history that circulated around this city which I originally knew little of. After, we all bought ice-cream. Now we are on our way to Sde Boker, where we will be staying at a Field School. The trip has been great so far especially now that the weather is finally good. I can’t wait for the week ahead.

Saturday April 18^th

Day 10

Matthew and Erich

In Kibbutz Parod - We started the day by sleeping in. It was pretty great. After we woke up, we went to an optional breakfast. After breakfast, we had the chance to tour the kibbutz. We met Ilana - a resident of the Kibbutz and she showed us around and told us some stories about the kibbutz. It was a very different way of life but was interesting to learn about. Next we went to an olive farm – “Sabba Habib” where they made the best olive oil in the world in 2012-2014. We had a chance to smell some of their soaps and try their olive oil products. Matthew says “The olives were good”. After that everyone went to the kibbutz’s ice cream shop followed by a delicious lunch. Next it was family visiting times and the people that didn’t have visitors had the chance to socialize with each other. After everyone returned from their family visiting, we had a lemonade making program with a twist. Each part of the lemonade represented a different aspect of our identity. The lemons were our Jewish identity, the sugar was our Canadian identity, and the water was our global identity. Sean was very very very Canadian. His lemonade wasn’t a liquid, it was syrup. After that we were given different Jewish values and we had to choose our top 3. It was interesting to see the differences between everyone’s values. Then we had our third meal of the day which was Bamba, Bear Potato Chips, Doritos, Bissli, and a variety of drinks followed by Havdallah. An hour and a half later, we got on a bus and headed to Rosh Pina for a Pizur dinner. We are all having a great time and are looking forward to what lies ahead.

 

Friday April 17 2015

Day 9

Addi and Erich

Yesterday in the evening we went to Raz’s house for poikeh (when you throw chicken, vegetables, and rice in a pot and cook it over a fire for 3 hours.) The boys played pass with a tennis ball while the girls helped Yoav and Raz cook. After 3 hours, the food was ready and let me tell you, it wasn’t ready. After everyone took their 3 bites it was all thrown out. At the end of the night, everyone said their final goodbyes. We cried...

Today: We all woke up and made our way out of the Upper Galilee. Our first stop was the mystical city of Tzefat. When we arrived, after a short bus ride we went to an Ashkenazi and Sefaradic synagogue. In the synagogue we saw a very unique Torah ark. The top was bent forward, because it was brought in from Spain and they didn’t properly calculate the height. After the synagogue we went to the famous Tzefat candle shop. There, a woman showed us how they make Havdallah candles. This was really interesting to see how they hand make candles. Next we went to another synagogue, but this time a Sefaradic one. In the synagogue, there was an interesting chair. This chair had a cradle attached to it. Our tour guide explained that if you sit in it, you’ll have a baby boy in a year. Thankfully, nobody sat in it! Next, we went to a Kabbalist artist. He introduced us to Jewish spirituality and the teachings of Kabbalah. His teachings led him to complete art school and move to Israel. Now he makes Kabbalah inspired works of art. It was very inspirational to learn about his lifestyle. Then we had time to walk around Tzefat and have lunch! Today was a sad, but exciting day for all of us. P.S thank you to all of our blog followers. During and after our trip, we’d be happy to answer all of your questions.  We wish you all Shabbat Shalom from Kibbutz Farod in the Upper Galilee.

Thursday April 16,  2015

Day 8

Addi

Hi all!!! Today was a very emotional day for all of us. Today is Holocaust Memorial Day. We started our day at the school; Har Vagai, where we attended their Holocaust Memorial Day ceremony. In the ceremony, students from Har Vagai read survivors' stories, sang and danced. We sang the song 'אלי אלי' by Hannah Senesh. In the ceremony we stood for the siren, as did all of Israel. Every year on Yom Hashoah, there is a siren at 10 AM and everyone stands for a moment to pay respect. 

After the ceremony we went to see a play in Kfar Bloom. This play was about the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising. In the play, a young Jewish boy named Srulik applied for university. He did not make it in, so his parents told him to focus on playing the violin. At his violin lesson, he met the love of his life. Suddenly, one day Srulik's family heard that the German's had conquered Poland and they were forced to leave their homes and move to the Ghetto. After living in the Ghetto with barely any food and in horrible conditions for 3 years, Srulik and his friend decided to start a rebellion against the Nazis. At the end of the play, Srulik, his friend and the love of his life rebelled against the Nazis and were freed from the Warsaw Ghetto. After the war, Srulik got married. Him and his wife built a house and started a family.

This play was in Hebrew so not everybody understood, but Mr. Oren, Aviv and I translated. 

After the play we went back to the school to eat lunch and discuss what we liked about our experience here with the pen pals. 
Today has been a great day and we are all looking forward to continue exploring around Israel!!! 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday April 15 2015

Day 7

Matthew

Hello everyone it's Matthew again. Today was probably the most fun day I have had in Israel! Today we went river rafting and went on a high ropes course. Also a few of the guys including me went on a zip line that took you right into the water. In the morning I woke up and had breakfast and quickly ran over to the bus that took us to the school. After arriving at the school, we immediately went to Kibbutz Kfar Blum where the river rafting and high ropes course was located. I was in a boat with my pen pal Yotam Ariel, Erich and Erich's pen pal Guy. This was very fun but the water was very cold and we were getting splashed by the other boats a lot. After the river rafting, we were all soaking wet and cold but it was very much worth it. Soon after we were called over to the high ropes course. For the next two hours we were able to either go on the high ropes course, do archery, climb the rock climbing wall or my favorite, go on the zip line. All of these were super fun and it was a great way to spend the majority of the day. We returned to the school and then shortly after that we took the bus back to our pen pals house which is where I am writing to you now. I think all of us had a great day and are all looking forward to tomorrow.

Tuesday April 14, 2015

Day 6

Erich

 

Today was quite the day to say the least. To begin the day, I woke up from one of the best sleeps I have had in a while. I had breakfast with my host family and after that was driven to Har Vagai.  From there, just me and my class were driven to Beit Sefer Hagomeh which is our Israeli counterpart school but for our elementary. We first arrived and when we walked in, the kids began to scream. We introduced ourselves and shortly after that one of the kids kept on shouting my name. After that we did some presentations about Canada and our school and the kids I think enjoyed it. Then we danced. We walked outside and as soon as the Israeli folk music began, we all danced.  It was a great way to start the day.
From there the bus picked us up with the Israeli pen pals and we headed over to Tel Hai College. We first went to the science building and did some experiments regarding marshmallows and microwaves.  It was pretty fun. After the experiment finished, the teacher decided to throw random stuff into the microwave and see what would happen. My favorite thing was when he put in the CD and it made a cool burnt design in the CD. From there we went to the Tel Hai Museum and learnt about Josef Trumpeldor and what he did. It was an interesting museum.
After the museum we went to the Canada centre to ice skate and swim. The plastic skates were... well painful to say the least but all in all it was pretty fun. We then went swimming but sadly the water slide was closed. But it didn't matter we found a way to have fun. We decided to leave the pool early to eat some ice cream. It was good. 
To sum it up today was quite and enjoyable day.