It’s around 1 in the morning, and we’re very tired so we’ll try to make this as short and to the point as possible. As we come to the end of our second Shabbat celebration, we look back at our experience and re-evaluate the lessons learned throughout the last 24 hours. As we encounter various Jewish traditions and ethics over the holiday, we feel that, by celebrating Shabbat, and learning the various things about it, has changed our views of the Jewish society and G-d himself. When we look back at the past 2 days, we realize that Shabbat really is worth a true celebration, as it is the day of rest. Unlike a normal weekday, Shabbat is special because we are commemorating a true gift from G-D. We are celebrating the rest that G-d had taken during the creation of the 7 days, and we are thanking G-d for all that He has given us. I now realize that Shabbat is a way to thank G-d for everything he has done, and has truly given me a way to commemorate the special things we have in life.
We also looked deep into our ancestral roots and the purpose of Judaism itself. From the flood of Noah to the travels of Abraham, we studied the practical and spiritual applications of their journeys. We looked deep into why the Jewish people need an independent land and the reasons why that land was gained, lost, and regained over the course of history. On a personal level, we’ve been moved by the concept of open-mindedness and actualizing our potential as a critical concept of Judaism and Jewish life.
After a rousing Havdalah to end the Shabbat we went to a bowling alley. We had an awesome time with our newly close friends, brought closer not in spite of our diversity but due to them.

Joey Florence and Gabe Gelgor