The start of our first full day in Israel began with breakfast and a beautiful bus ride to Mount Arbel, following a quick stop at one of the ancient synagogues in the land of Israel, holding the oldest known charity box archaeologists have ever discovered! The hike entailed climbing both up mountain sides and down cliffs with a summit of 1292 feet. After a quick lesson on Israeli bartering, a trip to the beautiful holy city of Tzfat involved a gender-specific tour of the Tzfat Mikveh Learning Center, as well as tours of the ancient synagogues throughout the city. Finally we ended our visit in tzfat with an informative Judaic talk regarding the Kabbalah and the true spirituality of the Jewish religion for the past 4000 years. The first full day in Israel concluded with a much needed meal at the hotel and a beautiful night-time boardwalk experience in the city of Tiberius.
Besides the views and the exercise, the overall experience was breathtaking and informative. We learned about ancient Rabbis and scratched the surface of the true spirituality of the Jewish religion. From dipping in the Mikveh to enjoying crepes in the holy city, we started to come together through shared experiences, and have began to develop patience through the beauty and knowledge the land of Israel provides. Personally, I've discovered that I am truly interested in the Kabbalah. I hope to learn as much as I can throughout this trip, and I look forward to learning further about spirituality in the future.