As our trip concluded, we had activities that sought to allow us to develop an understanding of Israel on a deeper level. Wednesday consisted of leaving Tel Aviv and traveling south, where we experienced the desert on various levels. At the end of the day, we stayed in Bedouin tents after having learned about the lifestyles and culture behind the Bedouin. The next morning, we woke up at 5am in order to ride camels at sunrise! Everyone had a blast! From there, we continued to hike up Masada, which was fascinating seeing as though it's an existing structure from a very historic moment in time. After Masada, we traveled to Ein Gedi where we hiked through the desert to go swimming in an oasis--it was absolutely beautiful. The water was so refreshing after a long day in the hot sun. Following that, we went to the Dead Sea where we rubbed mud on ourselves and proceeded to float in the water. The feeling of bobbing in the water without any effort was strange and very incredible. All of us had expectations for what the Dead Sea would be like because of our friends' and family's stories, but I definitely think the experience exceeded those expectations.
ב"ה
A Bitter Beginning
Friday, 7 June, 2013 - 10:10 pm
Finally, when we arrived at the Kibbutz, which is where we stayed for the night, we ate dinner and then gathered as a whole for a closing ceremony--or rather, an opening ceremony, as our amazing tour guide, Duby, said. We all spoke of our favorite, most inspiring and thought-provoking moments from the trip while mentioning what we would take from this experience. It was an emotional and exciting beginning to an end because we all expressed our newly embedded pride in Israel and stronger connection with our culture. Although today marked the end of our trip in Israel, just like Duby said, it simultaneously marked the beginning of our journeys with Judaism and Israel. The sky is not the limit, it is only the beginning and with this we should see how these last ten days helped us grow as individuals and a group. When we return home and reflect on our trip, I know that many, if not all of us, will find that our expectations were far exceeded and our goals met.