I know its been a while since the last blog, but here’s to a serious catch up!

Weds July 11

We started off our day by going to a Kibbutz called Misgav Am. Misgav Am is located at the northern most part of Israel and is boarded by both Syria and Lebanon. We were given a brief overview of the Arab-Israeli conflict and were offered a Kibbutznik’s flat out personal opinion. He gave us a first hand account of what it was like to live be on the kibbutz during the 1967 War/ Six Day War and what it is like to literally. defend your community with your life. The 70 year old guide was very outspoken and basically said we did not have enough life experience for our opinions on worldy issues to matter.  After taking some pictures with the beautiful scenery, we headed to the water nature walk where we ate really delicious shnitzel sandwiches and hiked through the lush waters of the Hatsbani river. Rafting down the Jordan river was definitely one of the most memorable moments of TJJ so far.  The water was absolutely freezing and it was a blast traveling down the river.  Kids were boat hopping and steeling eachothers pattles.  At one point my boat had to use our arms to make way down the river.  The day was jam packed with activitives that when we got back to the hotel in tzfat everyone crashed.  The rest of the night was planned with nice relaxing torah sessions.  Following our evening programming, we had some chill time and everyone was intermingleing with TJJ bus 3, who were staying at the same hotel as we were.  The day was absolutly spectacular!!! I was so sad when it came to a close.

(Allison)

Thursday July 12

This morning we began our day with a hike called Nachal Beshet. It was a really nice hike through the woods of the Galil mountains. Thank G-d it was not nearly as intense as some of our previous hikes.We then made our way to the ancient city of Acre/ Akko. This fortress sits overlooking the Mediteranean Sea and has been around for centuries and was used during the Crussades as a fortress. Later and most recently, it was used by the British when they occupied Palestine in the early-mid 1900’s as a jail for traitors and rebels. Many Hagana leaders were tortured and killed here. We also learned that one of the reasons the British ultimately left palestine was because of threats that Hagana made toward the British, warning them that if they killed anymore of their men, Hagana would go after British soldiers. We returned back to the hotel for some relax-time and dinner. After dinner, we thoroughly enjoyed the “Shabbos Shuk”- a program where we all participated in learning about different aspects of shabbos or other mitzvahs like making challah, lighting candles, making tzitzit, etc.

 

Friday July 13

Friday was amazing!! Rabbi Gershie and staff surprised the bus with a trip to the chocolate factory.  At De Karina we learned how the chocolate was made.  Its a very technical and miticulous process, it has to be the perfect temperature and has to be put on a vibration machine to get rid of all the air bubbles! After learning how to make the chocolate we got to make our own and freeze it to eat as a snack later that day! Can you say yum?!?!? Following the fun morning at the chocolate factory we went to a mive about the Golan in the valley of tears.  The Yom Kippur war of 1973 was a great victory for Isreal and the movie although we had to read subtitles was very moving.  By then it was lunch time and we made our way back to tzfat and we traveled around with in our boundries and split off to find what we each individually wanted to lunch.  Our daily activities we done by three, and then we were given rest time and got ready for shabbat.  Once everyone cleaned up we had an absolutly amazing shabbat in the very old and spirtual city of tzfat.  Tzfat is a very holy place in the land of Isreal, for shabbat services we walked outside to hear inspirational stories with a great view and danced in the street. After the service, we had a long dinner.  i swear it was served in ten courses, but during dinner we were cheering and singing songs like God Bless America to the canadians.  It was so funny, USA definitely had more spirit.  GO bus two.  Following dinner, we headed over a hill to meet up with anouther ncsy program, ICE, and we had a beautiful oneg with them.  By 11 it was time to go, and we had an hour of free time and then called it a night!  The night was magical spending shabbat in the city of Tzfat.

(Allison)

Shabbos July 14

We began this incredible shabbos at an overlook  in Tzfat. At sunset, our group walked two minutes down the road from our hotel and came to an overlook of the surrounding mountains. Rabbi Polstein shared a inspirational story about the “Lecha Dodi” prayer that is sung on friday nights. It was a truly powerful way to begin our shabbat. We reluctantly left the scene and went to pray with such power and happiness; it was truly a beautiful tefillah! We enjoyed a cheer-filled dinner as we competed with other buses trying to prove that bus 2 really is the BEST! After dinner we made our way up town (more like up the mountain) to Hotel Ron, where we met up with the ICE program for a moving Oneg Shabbat. There, we heard a very moving story from their bus director, Rabbi Lashak about the ture meaning of giving selflessly. We made it back to our hotel (the Metsuda) and enjoyed a bit of free time before curfew. Shabbat morning, we again enjoyed a super late wake-up (11 am) followed by 11:30 lunch. Afer lunch, everyone made their way to the davening room we were watched a powerful skit by our fellow TJJ-ers about overcoming adversity and challenges. Next bit was a much needed rest and naptime. At 5, we met in the lobby for a brief walking tour of Tzfat and we heard a story by our tour guide, Binyamin, as  well. Once we made it back to the hotel, we had an optional mincha service, and then headed into the dining room (again!) for the Third and final meal of shabbat- Shalosh Shudos. Afterwards we walked upstairs to the roof and watched sunset as we sang moving songs, heard incredible stories from Rabbi Gershie, and had a beautiful havdala service with Rabbi Gershie. It was a perfect end to a perfect shabbat! After shabbos was over, we had a fun night of pizza and movie…Get Smart!