Mayanot 495

These past few days have been filled with emotion and adventure for everybody on Mayanot 495. After leaving Tiberius, we were all excited for what was to come in Jerusalem, home of some of the most famous landmarks in Israel.

Before reaching the city, the staff instructed us to blindfold ourselves as we approached Jerusalem. When we finally reached our destination, we took off our blindfolds to reveal the most incredible view of the city that I've ever seen. We were overlooking all of Jerusalem, and could even see the mountains in the distance. It was beautiful. We all took a moment to say the Shehechayanh and return the the bus for our check in at the Dan Jerusalem hotel.

Later that evening we heard from a staff member at Stand With Us, an organization dedicated to facilitating communication about the Israeli conflict and work to promote advocacy. We learned about the history of Jewish conflict and an overall report on Israel.

The next morning was an emotional one. We woke up early and watched a video about Michael Levin, a lone solider from Pennsylvania who tragically passed away serving in the IDF. At the end of the movie, not a dry eye was in the room. I've never felt more proud to have the Israeli soldiers on this trip with us, and felt even more moved since I have a close friend who served as a Paratrooper in the IDF as well.

Following a flood of tears, we made our way towards the Shuk where we did some pre-Shabbat shopping (and also some pre-Shabbat eating- the candy is amazing). Here we each picked a name out of a hat and bought a 10 shekel gift for our "mystery Moses". This was a really awesome way to bring us all together and help us learn more about each other while also making someone smile.

After the shuk we got on the bus to make our way towards Yad Vashem, the Israeli Holocaust Museum. Everyone was silent as we listened to our guide teach us more about the Holocaust, especially from an Israeli perspective.  While most of us have had Holocaust education before, it was an entirely new experience to be at the museum in Israel. I had personally been to the museum before, but every time you go, there are so many new things to read and learn about. In addition to the main museum, we had a memorial for family members of our bus participants that perished in the Holocaust, and then took a short tour through the children's memorial where we walked through darkness hearing the names of children who perished in the Holocaust being spoken aloud in a room illuminated with candles.

After Yad Vashem we made our way to a market to have some lunch and relax a little bit before returning to the hotel for Shabbat later that night. Here we met 2 Israeli children who performed magic tricks and joined us in a game of Ninja (which has become a trip favorite)!

We went back to the hotel after lunch to get dressed for our first Shabbat at the Kotel. Our bus dropped us off at the Western Wall where we all got together to light Shabbat candles and pray at the wall before returning to the hotel by foot for dinner.

At the wall, we were seperated from the men and prayed on different sides respectively. On our side, we all joined  hands in a circle and sang songs  together  with other Birthright trips at the wall with us. It was a really special experience to hear everyone praying together while celebrating Shabbat.

Personally, I was extremely worried about this walk back to the hotel. I was pleasantly surprised by how truly liberating it felt to observe Shabbat and walk home feeling proud.

 At our Shabbat dinner, I can safely assume everyone had a great time. We sang songs, danced, and met other visitors at the hotel who joined us in these activities. It was a great end to the evening- but let's not forget about the Mystery Moses reveal! We met back up in the conference room to present our gifts we had bought at the Shuk to our lucky recipient. Popular gifts were Chamsa key chains, candy, and the ever so charming "I heart Israel" boxers.

Shabbat day was an extremely exciting one for me. I have never observed Shabbat, so I really enjoyed seeing how it is properly supposed to be spent- and even trying to do so myself. We had a late wake up, and then got to join the Rabbi and staff for a talk and meaningful conversation on Jewish Identity. Here we discussed our priorities when it comes to maintaining our Jewish identities, as well as cultural differences between us and the Israelis. A popular topic during this discussion was the line between religion and culture, and when do they become integrated.

After this discussion was Stump The Rabbi! Members of the group were able to ask the Rabbi anything they wanted, and learn more about topics that intrigued them. This was a really great chance for everyone to discuss what they have been hearing about for the past few days and try to learn more about Judaism from Rabbi Levi.

The rest of the day was spent relaxing by the pool before taking a sunset walk to Hebrew University to see a beautiful look out and get out of the hotel for a little bit. We all spent time learning about the different monuments in Jerusalem, and then went back to the hotel to prepare for Havdalah services to officially end Shabbat.

That night was a really excited one for me. I had previously been to Israel on March of the Living, and one of my favorite nights was on Ben Yehuda street. Here we got to do some shopping, more eating (because you can never have too much schwarma) and some socializing with friends from different trips if they happened to be there. A fun night was had by all, and we were even more excited for what tomorrow had in store.

For our last day in Jerusalem, it was an extremely emotionally draining one- but in the best way possible. We began the day at Mt. Hertzl, a cemetery dedicated to political figures and military soldiers. We learned about the history of the Jewish State, how the cemetery got its name, as well as walking around and paying our respects.

One of the first emotional moments of the day was stopping by Michael Levin's grave and hearing our tour leader, Daniel, speak. He had known Michael well, and his words really hit me, as well as everyone else on the trip. Everyone felt connected to Michael, as he was just like us, and we made a point to pay our respects to his grave.

Soldiers on our trip gave their own stories, as well as enlightening us on their experiences and how they feel serving in the IDF. At the end of this discussion, everyone was again emotional. This wasn't even feelings of sadness, but more of immense pride. We had discussed what it meant to be a hero, and we all truly felt honored to be at this cemetery and to even know the soldiers on our trip. Thankfully in America we don't know from mandatory military service, but it was eye opening to realize just how small the bubble we really live in is. If the soldiers read this- you truly are all of our heroes.

Thankfully the rest of the day took a lighter note, and we returned back to the Kotel to walk around the old city and eat lunch. We did some shopping before going to the wall, where we could write notes to those we care about. We ended our time there with the Bat-Mitzvah's of three girls on the trip! This was an awesome thing to see, and was an even more special experience for them. Mazal Tov girls!

After the wall we walked to the City of David, where we changed into clothes more appropriate for the weather, as well as water shoes for our hike through the tunnels under the city.

This was by far one of my favorite parts of the trip. I've always been an adventurous person, and I loved walking in the dark tunnels towards the other end of the city. The walk was not only educational, but exciting, as people sang songs and kept everyone entertained in the dark!

The end of the day ended on a more somber note, as we had to finally say goodbye to our amazing soldiers: Ruth, Michal, Bar, Natali, Ron, Shachar, and Tomer.

These people are some of the most amazing people I'm sure a lot of us can say we've had the privilege of knowing. These past 5 days with them have truly led us to becoming an even closer family than I had thought possible. We eliminated preconceived notions while having endless amounts of fun. They educated us, and we educated them. We learned that Israeli teenagers are not much different from us- and that all of us will remain friends forever. I am so thankful for all that they taught and showed me, and am so proud to say that I am friends with soldiers in the IDF.

This adventure in Jerusalem was an incredible one, but we're all so excited for the Bedoin Tents tonight.

 On Thursday evening at around 6:30pm we arrived at Jerusalem and will.be staying here until Sunday evening. Full report to be posted after Shabbat.

Hundreds of photos have been posted to our Facebook page: www.Facebook.com/JewishBU

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Hello! My name is Dylan Cohen and I'll be telling you guys about the unreal day Mayanot 495 experienced in the unique city of tzavat. With connotations to the element of wind, this place was like nothing I have ever seen. We arrived around 845am at a place where Torah and tefillin scribes practiced and welcomed visitors and groups like ours. There we were split up into 3 groups and learned of the history of tefillin, how it is scribed onto the parchment and actually got to attempt to write our names in Hebrew with the ink and feather.

After our events there, we walked around the town for a little before going to the other part of tzavat to visit a famous artist and listen to him speak to us. This guy was awesome. His paintings and drawings were beautiful and each one had its own story and deep meaning behind them. I would try and explain some of them here, but they were so abstract and deep that I could only reiterate what they meant in person. He grew up in Michigan and up until his final years in college did he become religious. The reason for this is because he discovered the power of spiritual guidance through the Kabbalah. He kind of had a hippy-esque vibe and many people may have found some of the things he said a little out there, but his love and belief in the Kabbalah really resonated in my mind and caused me to think a little deeper about the spiritual side of Judaism. Because of the visit to his gallery and after seeing the way he thought and acted, my view on Judaism has been altered in a better way and I want to explore more into the Kabbalah by reading the same books he read that made him change his life.

After that experience our group went to grab lunch and shop around a market area which had stores and restaurants. Many people bought beautiful Jewish jewelry and clothing during this time. But I won't waste time here talking about how delicious (and messy) my shwarma was.

Our next and last experience in tzavat  was at one of the oldest mikvahs in the world. A mikvah is a natural water tub filled with rain/spring water which is in fact the most important thing in Judaism- more important than any synagogue. Men and women go in them to get a physical, mental and spiritual cleanse. A way to symbolize it is like a child going back into their mothers womb. This experience was incredible. The boys and girls were split up and after speaking with the awesome guide who grew up in Los Angeles, he took us men down to the famous mikvah so we could experience this cleanse. One by one we all went in the tub and submerged ourselves in the shivering water. In the short time in that water, we were asked to think deeply about positive things in our life and what we would like to change about ourselves in order to become a better person. This was an incredible experience. I felt electric after! While the reader may or may not understand the feeling we all experienced, you should just know that it's sort of like one of those things that you have to experience firsthand to understand.

Tzavat was a beautiful city with some powerful history behind it. I will never forget te experience I had there and am so blessed to have gotten this opportunity.

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Birthright thus far has been an absolutely incredible experience. On Tuesday, 6/2 we spent the evening preparing to meet the Israeli soldiers that became a part of this journey with us the following morning. Then later that evening, following dinner, we were given the opportunity to have a leisure night in the city of Tiberius. There we were able to get a peak into Israeli night life and all of the fun that goes into it. It was so incredible to see how different it was from night life back at home. This was definitely one of the most exciting nights for all of us.

The following morning, on Wednesday 6/3,  we picked up our Israeli soldiers! We greeted them with a warm welcome and they were easily the sweetest people I've ever met! All seven soldiers have a different personality and they are all so personable. We started off with various ice breakers with the Israeli soldiers as we arrived to our next destination, the Banyas hike. We were then able to get to know them better and they were able to get to know us as well. Then we began an absolutely breathtaking hike. We walked through various suspended bridges to see all different parts of nature. The end of the hike was beautiful. We walked all the way to a waterfall. There we took so many photos as we were able to capture the scenery in front of us. After the hike we stopped for lunch in a nearby mall where we were able to walk around. There was a place to grab fast food upstairs, there were shops to look around at, and there was a cafe with a lovely view. Many of us, like myself, went to the cafe for lunch. The food was delicious and I was able to taste food that I've never had before. I also discovered how great Israeli iced coffee is!

After lunch we went water rafting and it was probably the most fun I've had on the trip so far! It was six people per raft and we were able to ride with all of the new friends we just met. Like most sports and activities are, it was quite competitive! My group started off strong in the beginning but we ended up coming in last! However, it definitely didn't make the experience any less enjoyable.

After rafting, we got back onto the bus and we headed to the Lebanon border. It was crazy to find out how close Lebanon and Israel are. There was one fence that separated the two, very different countries. We were up so high the view was remarkable. There we had a former Israeli soldier, who now works in the kibbutz speak to us. He had very strong opinions, but all which he was entitled too. It was really interesting to listen to what he had to say, even if all of us didn't necessarily agree with him. Then after dinner, we spent the remainder of the night with our Israeli soldiers doing an activity that they had kindly planned for us. Their activity included learning about different facts about Israel that we might not have known prior. I learned all about where different cities are, what food's are common to eat in Israel, and what a soldier would wear. The next morning, Thursday, 6/4 we are going to visit the city of Tzfat. 

Click on the above photo for more photos of today's adventures.  

After a whole day's worth of airport shenanigans, we finally made it to the hotel in Tiberius! It's a beautiful hotel, with a patio for each room.  We ate dinner; then came the icebreakers. We switched name tags, played "bingo" and found out where the wind blows while learning the aggressive sides of our group members by knocking each other off chairs...The icebreakers were more fun than awkward. 

Today was our first real day of Israel. We began our adventure hiking at Jilabun Stream. For me, I was a bit anxious about going on the hike with my mild fear of heights and my hiking inexperience. The hike turned out to be one of the most amazing experiences I ever had. The paths were rocky, but not steep and were fun to climb up and down. Everyone was so helpful and really watched out for each other. If a clutz like me can do this hike, I'm sure anyone can. The views, like the waterfall, were absolutely beautiful. So many photo and selfie opportunities!

We took a break from the physical activity to explore the Olive Oil Factory. We learned how important olive oil is in Israel and how pure it is, too. Free samples! We were able to taste olive oil from not only green, but black olives. You're not going to find olive oil like this back in the states, that's for sure.

Then was lunchtime. I tried a shwarma for the first time and we met a real Israeli soldier. He spoke to my friends and I for awhile and told us about his life and service to the country. He was a really cool and down to earth dude. You hear all the time these rumors about how unsafe Israel is, and his words made me feel completely safe. 

After some exploration of the marketplace, we got back on the bus and headed to the Bental lookout. We looked across the border of Syria and learned a great deal about Israeli and Syrian history and war. It's crazy to think how recent this all is and to think about Syria's condition today. Despite the surreal view and fun tourist- set up and gift shop on the mountain (where I bought an awesome fedora), the location's history made me realize and think about things I never would have before.

Now back in the hotel, I am pumped to spend some time at the pool and for the night out!

Stay tuned for photos of today's adventures.

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To begin with, this was my first overseas trip. First time on a long flight, first time being away from home so far away, first time being in another country. Lots of firsts. But good firsts!

Even with thunderstorms in the area for our first flight (before the connection) we were ahead of schedule. The flight was really nice, far better than expected. Hot meals, movies on demand, free pillows & blankets too. Long flight, but not so bad. We ended up in Brussels for our connection as expected, relaxed for a bit (grabbed some Belgian pastries in the terminal) and off we were again, for the last flight for this part of the trip. Again, the service was great, even though the flight was shorter and didn't include the monitors.

We ended in the newly renovated (looking) Ben Gurion airport. We met a few more of the Mayanot faculty (in addition to the few we had been traveling with), went to a short orientation and now we're off to the hotel on the tour bus!

Everyone I've spoken to is really friendly and I have a feeling I'll make some friends before the trip ends.

Can't wait to see what else the trip has in store.

 Don't miss a heartbeat!
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After months of anticipation, there are only two days left until I set out for the trip of a lifetime! Since I was unable to go in past years, I could not have been more excited when I heard the news earlier this year that I would finally be going to Israel. While the wait has been hard, this last week has been especially difficult because my sister has been sending me pictures of all things that I’ll be doing next week from her own Birthright group that is in Israel right now. (See you soon, Amanda!)

While the entire trip is sure to be full of amazing experiences, friends who have gone on the trip have told me to look forward to a few in particular. Hiking up Masada and swimming in the Dead Sea are going to be a blast. Seeing the Western Wall in person will bring everything I have learned about Judaism and Jewish history to life. The fact that our trip to the wall is on Shabbat will make it that much more memorable. 

All in all, I can’t wait to meet the group and have a great time in Israel! See everyone soon!