After a very exciting and jam packed first two days, mayanot group 291 made the trip from Tiberius to the holy land of Jerusalem. We started the day looking over the city of Jerusalem from the view point of mount scopus. After many photos and taking in the beautiful view of the holy city, we explored the market of Machane Yehuda. During this time we were all able to explore the many shops and pick from a wide variety food choices in the market. Before we entered the market, each member of group 291 was secretly given a name of another member on the trip to be sha budies with and pick out a present from the market to give to them on Shabbat. After the market we took a trip
to the Kotel (western wall) where the men and woman split up and were able to pray and place notes inside the wall. Which was the first time for many in the group. During this time at the wall, members Brandon, Julie, Kayla and Jamie became Bar/Bat Mitzvah. We all celebrated by singing and dancing near the kotel. We were all moved by the speeches other members of the group said about the men and woman celebrating this holy moment. Following the wall we took a trip to the City of David where we explored and journeyed through the Hezekiah tunnels. These were tunnels dug thousands of years ago under the control of King David to bring water to the city. Unlike the hotel we had been sleeping at the past few nights, we are spending our few nights in Jerusalem at a hostel, where we met up with other mayonot groups. Toward the end of the night the groups listened to a history of Israel.
Personally, this is my first trip to the country of Israel and as taken back as I have been so far in this trip, it was nothing compared to the holy city of Jerusalem. The culture and the devotion of the Israelites praying to god as they were pressed against the wall was nothing I have and don’t believe will ever experience again. Mayanot group 291 expects to have a interesting and emotional day as we take a trip to the Holocaust museum and finish touring the city of Jerusalem.