Jerusalem Post- Ben Gurion Airport Edition

5/21/12

Even though today was our last day, or perhaps because it was our last day, it was a very full day. We went from Independence Hall in Tel Aviv to the Yitzhak Rabin Center Museum, to Neot Kedumim to plant trees to N’hara restaurant in Abu Ghosh for an amazing dinner and then to the airport. After making our way through security (Israel appears to have the only airport in the world where you don’t take your shoes off) we did a quick poll of the kids who are here with us at the airport to capture their favorite Israel moment. More than likely they all could’ve just as easily picked a different one, but here’s a little something to get the conversation started on the ride home from Hartsfield!

“Touching and praying at the kotel.” Jordan Gold

“Breakfast at the Bedouin tent after Masada.” Max Harris

“Floating in the Dead Sea.” Noah Caspi

“The second I touched the kotel.” Harrison Lipsky

“Walking through the water tunnel at the City of David.” Abi Szabo

“Driving through the barren desert and knowing that my ancestors walked there.” Rachel Kaufman

“Everywhere we went we were able to sing songs and that always put me in a good mood.” Sara Srochi

“Sunrise on Masada.” Sammy Harris

“Rafting down the Jordan river with five of my close friends.” Mallory Goldenberg

“The song sessions in all the different cities in Israel.” Zoe Light

“The magic steps in Haifa.” Alyssa Quatela

“Guitar on the steps in Haifa.” Jake Footer

“Snorkeling in the Red Sea.” Anna Rosing

“Walking with my friends in the boardwalk shuk in Eilat.” Jessica Bachner

“Sitting in a circle near the magic steps and sharing spiritual moments.” Maddie Fleischmann

“Every night time bonding experience that gave me inseparable bonds with my classmates.” Carly Shoulberg

“When I was at the kotel and I put on tefillin and then put my note in the way.” Zachary Chase

“Floating in the Dead Sea.” Max Miller

“Walking on the streets of Jerusalem.” Ashley Spector

“Snorkeling in the Dead Sea, the reef was so pretty.” Cassidy Aronin

“Being on the steps in Haifa and when all the guys finally joined in for singing and we all cried and took it all in.” Nicole Webb

“When we had Shabbat on the beach in Tel Aviv.” Samantha Alterman

“Me, Sophie, and Eliran (our security guard) were playing soccer at Sachne.” Blake Teilhaber

“Standing under the waterfall at Sachne.” Logan Botnick

“Praying at the kotel.” Eric Silver

“Being in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time.” Ben Marcus

“Putting a note in the wall at the kotel.” Evan Miller

“Singing from the Meline’s to Masada all the way to the bus ride to the airport.” Leah Elgart

“The beaches!” Danielle Dinberg

“The kotel.” Sam Baroff

“Climbing Masada and watching the sunrise.” Jamie Greenberg

“The sunrise on Masada.” Daniel Gothard

“Walking around Jerusalem with my grade.” Abby Schwartz

“Collecting balls of salt from the bottom of the Dead Sea.” Max Brandwine

“Walking around Haifa with Mr. Barry.” Larry Yanovich

“Having the opportunity to speak openly about my religious beliefs.” Sophie Frostbaum

“The bus rides with friends and enjoying the amazing scenery all around me.” Sammi Schiff

“Singing in the Mediterranean Sea.” Marley Gordon

“Seeing the Mediterranean Sea for the first time at Rosh HaNikra.” Rebecca Greenberg

“NA NA NA.” Mr. O’Dell

“The Meline’s house when we were all crying together and I realized how much I loved all of my friends and how much I will miss them but how wonderful our future together will be.” Shaina Goldfein

“Climbing Masada.” Anna Goldstein

“Hanging out at the beach in Eilat as well as the shuk.” Cody Wertheimer

“At the Meline’s house when everyone was crying and we realized that we will be graduating as a family.” Rachel Nemeth

“Our song session at the Kinneret when everyone took a turn with the guitar.” Micah Lapidus

“The Dead Sea.” Ben Stinar

“Finding a spot to put my note in the kotel.” Michelle Nelkin

“We like big…” Matt Barry

“Rosh HaNikra, it was really pretty and I loved looking at the water.” Becca Meline

“When the fish were eating at our feet at Sachne.” Ethan Hertz

“Experiencing the most perfect day of my life ever starting with the sunrise at Masada with the 60+ people I care most about in my family and then seeing it set in Tel Aviv. How often do you get to see the sun rise and set with such a special community?” Ms. Kendrick

“Seeing my Israeli friends and being with my grade in the place that never gets old for me.” Jansen Redler

“Being with our grade in the Reform synagogue in Haifa and singing along. I loved it when the bar mitzvah boy invited us to his service the following day!” Kadey Burstein

“Becoming friends with so many new people in the grade when I thought it was too late.” Lille Brown

“The stairs in Haifa when we did Havdallah and were singing together in a big circle, connecting and bonding for the first time.” Julie Covall

“Riding the camel with Michelle. We had been waiting a long time and finally go to do it!” Jamie Antonino

“Floating in the Dead Sea.” Sammi Nozick

“Being on the boardwalk in Eilat and doing the fireball ride.” Kyle Rabinowitz

“Havdallah in Haifa, it was the first time I’ve ever done Havdallah and was very important to me.” Evelyn Grinberg

“The disco cruise, dancing and hanging out with all my friends.” Meredith Galanti

“Surviving the hike at Ain Avdat.” Orna Willis

Jerusalem Post- End in Sight Edition

5/20/12

            I’m writing to you from our “Bus 2.0” as we make our way back from a very full day of wonderful activities including: The Weisman Institute for Science Discovery Park, the Ayalon Bullet Factory, and “We Dig Israel.” When we get back we’ll return to our new favorite restaurant, El Gaucho, for a different menu of delicacies. After dinner we’ll have our annual closing circle as tonight is our last night in Israel!

            The Weisman Institute: Take that natural love of playgrounds that was mentioned in yesterday’s post and fuse it with the world’s coolest science park and you get the Weisman Institute’s Science Discovery Park.

           

            Situated on the campus of one the most widely respected research centers in the world, the Science Discovery Park is meant to create a sense of joy and curiosity pertaining to matters scientific. We broke into groups and were guided through a number of the different activities at the park. The kids got to get their hands dirty and will be very happy to describe the awesome and engaging activities that will still be fresh in their minds. After more than two hours many still wanted more time at the park. We were only too happy to deny their request while reminding them that they are welcome to return and visit the park any time they like! Time only moves in one direction and we were due at the Ayalon Bullet Factory.

            During the final years of the British Mandate (1945-1948) it was illegal to manufacture weapons of any kind. Since the Jews of Palestine were actively involved in a variety of conflicts, culminating with the War of Independence this statute had to be circumvented. The Ayalon Bullet Factory is a testament to the courage, endurance, and commitment of the Jews during this period. It tells the story of a group of 45 young people who operated a clandestine bullet factory from 1945-1948. The bullet factory was and is located 24 feet underground, beneath a laundry room and bakery of a kibbutz. Amazingly, during the 3 years of operation during which more than 2.5 million bullets were produced, there was only 1 injury. The bullet factory included a number of interesting features including a tanning bed so that family and friends wouldn’t notice that their loved ones were spending most of the daylight hours underground, as well as a firing range to test the safety and accuracy of the bullets. Our students were very impressed with the site and had lots of questions about the logistics of the factory’s operation. A wonderful bonus of the Ayalon Bullet Factory is that they set up an assembly line to make fresh falafel for lunch. Many went back for seconds! From Ayalon we went to Beit Guvrin to participate in an actual archaeological dig.

            The kids really dug the dig! Our guides were very impressed with the amount of dirt we sifted through during our time underground. “We Dig Israel” is a massive operation that has made several of the most important discoveries in recent years. We don’t know whether anything we pulled out of the cave today will be part of the next big discovery. In addition to digging we also got to venture into a cave that has not yet been excavated. While there were some tight passages everyone enjoyed the unique experience of caving in Israel.

            Hopefully we will be back to the hotel soon so we can get a head start on packing. Suitcases will definitely be much fuller on the return to Atlanta! While everyone wants more time in Israel, we are also excited to get back to family and friends, graduation, and everything the future holds!  

Yediot Aharonot- Tel Aviv/Jaffa Edition

5/19/12

Shavua tov! Here’s an overview of our 2^nd and final Shabbat in Israel…

After resting up for a couple of hours we met in the lobby and headed to the beautiful Bat Yam beach across the street from our hotel. On the beach we made a big circle and sang many of our favorite Shabbat songs. Along the way we collected a small gathering of curious observers… Apparently a musical Kabbalat Shabbat on the Bat Yam waterfront isn’t a weekly occurrence! In their eyes I’m sure we were quite a spectacle, singing and dancing, praying and laughing. The energy was infectious and at one point Mr. Barry jumped into the middle of the circle to offer a free-style rap. Our Shabbat singing ended just as the sun was setting. After a brief detour at a local playground (do you know that your kids LOVE playgrounds???) we were seated in the most traditional of Israeli restaurants for dinner: El Gaucho.

At El Gaucho we feasted on delicious bread, salad, beef, and chicken. As always there were additional options for our vegetarians. Fresh watermelon came for dessert. We started our meal, as indicated in the last blog, by singing the Shabbat blessings. The manager of the restaurant was so moved by our prayers that he felt the need to put a napkin “kippah” on his head. In truth, he was truly moved, and said as much to the chaperones. This simple moment is yet another example of an unexpected aspect of this trip:

Not only does Israel impact and change our kids, but our kids actually impact and change Israel.

For this restaurant manager, the folks on the beach, or the passers by who joined us for Havdallah tonight, our kids offer a different perspective on Judaism. Your kids, yes!, your kids, demonstrate that it is not only possible, but wonderful, to be Jewishly engaged. In Israel there is a very strong division between the “religious” and the “secular.” It is one of the deepest rifts in Israeli society. Our kids demonstrate that religion can be a source of joy, inspiration, intellectual and spiritual growth, as well as community. Amazingly, many Israelis don’t understand this, because the expressions of Judaism that they most often encounter feel very foreign and alienating to them.

Then we went to sleep.

Breakfast: As indicated, our hotel is very nice. This “very” extends to breakfast. We ate breakfast against the backdrop of an indoor/outdoor infinity pool. There were more pastries than you’d find in most bakeries, fresh fruit, and a variety of hot dishes. This was the first time in the trip that the chaperones were actually served coffee rather than having to fetch it for ourselves (no great hardship by the way). The kids were clearly intrigued by the breakfast and did a good job making a dent in the pastry supply. From breakfast we headed to the Reform synagogue, Beit Daniel, for our 2^nd synagogue experience. 

            Surely you’ve heard of “The Wedding Crashers.” At Beit Daniel we had the unique opportunity to be “Bar Mitzvah Crashers.” The Bar Mitzvah boy: Gavi, was very poised. He seemed genuinely happy to have 70 Americans slightly older than him (and better dressed) at his bar mitzvah. He definitely impressed his friends. During the service we had the unique honor of being invited to recite the first aliyah (Torah blessing). Mr. O’Dell’s and Mr. Barry’s groups accepted the honor on behalf of our group. Later in the service we were invited to lead the Aleinu prayer, which we did with great confidence and power.

            After services we visited Rabin Square to witness the final moments of the life of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. His tragic assassination was discussed in a previous post, but to visit the actual site brings additional insight into this darkest of moments in Israeli history.

           

            From Rabin Square we made our way to the port city of Jaffa. By then we were all very hungry so we had a traditional Israeli/Arab snack: the bagele. Jaffa is a small town built on a hill. It has been and always will be a port city. As such, there’s a certain mystery and sense of journey that accompanies the place. The kids definitely experienced this as we wandered up and down the twisting, slanted, narrow alleyways. When we reached the top, some of us encountered a Christian-Eritrean wedding. Imagine a beautiful bride and groom, and wedding party looking very sharp. Lots of dancing and singing too! It was a unique treat and a reminder that Israeli society is anything but homogenous and monochromatic. For lunch most of the kids went to the Abulafia restaurant for traditional Arab shwarma and falafel. Our time in Jaffa was a good reminder that there is so much more to Israel than we see on the news—Israel is a diverse country where many different types of people flourish and feel a sense of profound connection.

            From Jaffa we went to one of Tel Aviv’s beautiful beaches. Having dreamt of this moment the kids jumped right into the ocean and/or relaxing. Given that there was a strong current Mr. Barry set strict parameters around the depth that kids were permitted into the water. From the lifeguard tower commands were called out in three languages; Arabic, Hebrew, and English. I’m pretty sure our kids responded most quickly to the Arabic ones! Some of the kids also had the chance to play Israel’s most famous beach game: Paddle Tennis (I can’t remember what it’s called in Hebrew). No Israeli beach is complete without the sound of the rubber ball bouncing back and forth between the wooden paddles.

            We came back to the hotel, rested, and went to a nice dinner. At dinner we all sat at the same table.  I’ll leave it to your imagination to think of what that looks like! Since we were joined by Betty and Paulina (two of our ORT students), the total number of our group was 72. 72 happens to be the number of members of the Great Sanhedrin, the rabbinical court that ruled during ancient times. While our table was certainly light on the halakhic disputes, there’s no doubt that the future leaders of the Jewish community are about to receive their Davis diplomas (a sensitive topic amongst the kids). After dinner we had our final spiritual check-in followed by a beautiful Havdallah at the park with the playground mentioned above. Morah Orna, Mr. Barry, and Ms. Kendrick spoke beautifully. In speaking about the meaning of the Havdallah candle, which has three braided wicks, Ms. Kendrick shared that this group of students is what changed her life and made her want to join our Davis family. She shared that while they are leaving Davis, their bond will never be broken. Ms. Kendrick is keeping the candle.

While Ms. Kendrick was speaking of her own experience, her words resonated with many of us. There is a bond that we all share that makes us burn more strongly and brightly when we are together. To the extent that The Davis Academy has played a central role in helping to forge this bond, which I believe it has, then the work that we are doing together, as parents, teachers, children, and as a school community—that work is avodat kodesh, sacred work.

Tomorrow we do science, War of Independence, archaeology, and our closing circle.

Shavua Tov!  

Yediot Aharanot- Bat Yam Edition

5/18/12

So it turns out that 3am isn’t nearly as early as it sounds, it’s actually much later! 3am doesn't make the cutoff for early morning, instead it's just really late at night. 

 It’s a good thing everyone was highly motivated to climb Masada this morning because the 3am wake up call is somewhere between tough, offensive, and impossible, without something compelling to look forward to.

We wearily loaded the busses and embarked on the winding road to Masada. For those of us who remained awake we enjoyed the unique treat of waking up various animals in the desert and watching them run across the road, including Bambi and Thumper.

Masada was very crowded today, but that didn’t detract from the powerful serenity of watching the sunrise. There was consensus among the chaperones that the kids were treated to the finest Masada sunrise in recent memory. The truly seemed to appreciate the beauty of the sun rising over the Dead Sea and the Jordanian mountains in the distance. We watched from the rooftop of the ancient Roman sauna at Masada. You might be wondering why they had a sauna at Masada. Well, they needed somewhere to relax after swimming the fresh water pool in ancient days!

Masada is a massive array of palaces, and other types of structures, including an ancient synagogue, all atop a flat mountain. The narrative that accompanies Masada is complex and raises a number of challenging questions including the classic: live free, or die?

The mountain top got very hot very quickly and the heat+exhaustion combination meant that everyone was ready to eat breakfast. We descended and made our way to a Bedouin tent.

As our twitter feed indicated this morning, this was an unbelievable breakfast. First of all the camp was deserted and we had an entire tent to ourselves, overlooking the Judean desert. The meal started with freshly fried eggs, then there were a variety of spicy salads—eggplant, tomato, and others. From there, you could load your plate with hummus, labane (a special kind of cheese) and other delicacies. For breakfast “dessert” we could have pita and Nutella, or halvah. But the favorite part of this smorgasbord was the tea. Black tea, perfectly sweetened, with a special herb called Shiva (sp?). Much much much tea was enjoyed by all.

Following a sleepy ride we made our way to the center of Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv on Friday afternoon is a whirlwind of activity, nowhere more so than at Nahalat Binyamin and Shuk Ha-Carmel. The former is an artist market overflowing with creative and beautiful treasures at all prices. The latter is the bustling marketplace that offers the uniquely Israeli combination of cheap t-shirts and freshly baked challah, as well as the finest produce in the Middle East. The best part for the kids was that they were also given an allotment of shekels so that they could, in groups, buy whatever they wanted for lunch. We saw kids eating all sorts of exciting things—shwarma, falafel, chicken, salads, freshly squeezed fruit juices, and so on. Luckily Tel Aviv was cooler, whether wise, than Masada, so it felt very pleasant to be there.

I’m writing to you from the Leonardo Hotel in Bat Yam. Bat Yam is to Tel Aviv what Dunwoody is to Atlanta, a beautiful suburb, virtually indistinguishable from Tel Aviv itself. Every room here overlooks the sea. We can even here the infamous sound of Israeli paddle tennis from the beach below, as well as the unforgettably rhythmic sound of waves crashing on the beach. We can also hear the lifeguard yelling at the people in the water—great pedagogy!

Tonight we will welcome Shabbat on the shores of the Mediterranean. There will be lots of singing and a D’var Torah from Cassidy. As last week Mr. Kudlats told us to make the most of our first Shabbat in Israel, tonight we will encourage the kids to make the most of our last Shabbat in Israel. We’ll retreat from the beach to a delicious dinner.

Tonight, with your permission, the chaperones will bless your children with the traditional words that parents offer children.  We do so as a way of invoking your presence, which has been felt throughout the trip. We also do so to acknowledge the fact that being here in Israel, seeing this land and its people through their eyes, living their questions and dreams, carrying their shopping bags and making sure they clean their tables, has been a gift and blessing to us. We look forward to returning them safely back to Atlanta in a few days time. They have definitely been changed by this experience, but we promise that you will still recognize them. They haven’t become different people, rather they have emerged into fuller versions of the kids that we all love and cherish.

Shabbat Shalom from Bat Yam!

Yediot Aharonot- Masada Prep Edition

5/17/12

This message is coming to you from the beautiful Kibbutz K’ramim just outside of Be’ersheva. We’re having an early night since we are waking up at 3am to climb Masada. Additionally today was a wonderful and intense day due to the content and the heat. Boy, was it hot!

Neve Shalom/Wahat Al Salaam is a village of approximately 60 families that was founded in the 1970s. What makes the village unique is that it is one of the only places in Israel where Jews and Arabs live alongside one another by choice, and not only by necessity. At the core of Neve Shalom/Wahat Al Salaam is a school where Jewish and Arab (Muslim and Christian) children learn side by side. Apparently the kids love school because they get time off for the holidays of all three religions! More profoundly students learn both Hebrew and Arabic.

While it might seem like the vision of Neve Shalom/Wahat Al Salaam is to dissolve all boundaries and create a type of “global community” that isn’t the case. Rather, it is to own one’s own story/narrative/history, while at the same time acknowledging that other people have their own story/narrative/history. What this meant for our tour guide, a Jewish young woman named Noam, is that her Jewish/Israeli identity can only be complete and fully actualized by understanding the complexities of her society on a personal level, and by learning to acknowledge the life experiences and cultural traditions of others. Noam shared one story: a time when she spoke Arabic to some Palestinian-Israelis. When she told the Palestinian girls that she was Jewish they absolutely did not believe her because they had never heard a Jewish person speak “their” language so well. Neve Shalom/Wahat Al Salaam is an inspiring and challenging place that got everyone thinking about our own identity, the things that are important to us, and the things we don’t want to look at, as well as how our personal journey is impacted by things larger than ourselves (history, politics, etc..).

They also served us a delicious lunch!

From Neve Shalom/Wahat Al Salaam we visited the Israeli Armored Corps memorial/ museum at Latrun. It was definitely a juxtaposition. By the  time we got to Latrun it was stiflingly hot. Latrun doesn’t offer much shade and we all came to appreciate the intense conditions of those brave Israelis who courageously fulfill the duty of operating tanks during times of combat. Latrun has a wall of names, not unlike the Vietnam memorial in Washington D.C. There are some other unique features to the museum that make a strong impression but what really made an impact was the personal connection-- hearing the story and seeing the picture of Morah Bruria Lahav's first cousin, Moshe Karasanti of blessed memory, who was killed defending the State of Israel on the first day of the Yom Kippur War in 1973. As with learning about Morah Orna's father's journey at the Atlit Detention Center, hearing the story of Morah Lahav's brave cousin and their family's tragedy, brought a sense of reality and connection to our students. 

After the intensity of these two visits the kids were very excited for a long bus ride and an ice cream stop. Neither of these disappointed!

This brings us to Kibbutz Kramim. It’s a well-appointed place with a very serene feeling. Some of the kids are staying in little houses complete with hot tubs and lofts! Spirits are high for our ascent to Masada.

There will be another brief post before Shabbat! Thank you for keeping up with our adventures here in Israel!!

Haaretz Daily- Negev Edition

5/16/12

The word of the day is “flexibility.” I’m writing to you now from the beautiful kibbutz of Chafetz Chayim right outside of Jerusalem. Kibbutz? But I thought we were staying in a tent?? What say you??

“Flexibility!!”

Our day started in Eilat. A cool sea breeze greeted us as we schlepped our bags to the lobby. Apparently you haven’t “done Israel” unless you get stuck in at least 1 elevator…

From Eilat we headed south to check out the Egyptian and Jordanian borders. Then we started the journey into the depths of the Negev to one of planet earth’s most spectacular spots: Machtesh Ramon.

For those who are wondering what a “machtesh” is: it’s a “machtesh.” While the word sounds like Hebrew, it’s not. Basically, a machtesh is a rare geological site where you can behold layers of stone that go back millions of years. We learned about the machtesh and then spent a few minutes in silent contemplation.

We lunched in a youth hostel overlooking the machtesh and then travelled on to Sdeh Boker and Ain Avdat. The former is a kibbutz in the middle of the Negev where David ben Gurion, Israel’s first prime minister, spent the final years of his life and was ultimately buried. The view from his gravesite is stunning. Ben Gurion’s grave has three dates: his birth, his death, and the day he made aliyah to Israel. On that topic, one of your kids told me that he/she plans to serve in the IDF one day. They were going to write this on a note and hold it up in a picture for the blog. I suggested that perhaps they would want to think about it a bit more and possibly, just possibly, discuss it with their parents rather than writing it on a piece of paper for a picture on the blog!

Ain Avdat is probably the most famous hike in Israel (besides Masada). It is a hike through a magnificent canyon, complete with Ibex scouring the cliffs. A stream runs through the middle of the canyon and the sounds of birds echo off the canyon walls. It was extremely hot but the kids did great. The conclusion of the hike is a steep ascent that includes a series of ladders built into the side of a cliff. Everyone did great. We also learned the mating practices of the Ibex! These will not be forgotten.

From Ain Avdat we made our way on the journey to our overnight outdoor experience. While the kids were riding the camels and having a blast, our tour provider was making arrangements for new accommodations, as something got lost in communication. We rode the camels, met “Abraham” and “Lot” who welcomed us to their tent for dinner. Dinner was divine: meatballs, chicken, babaganoush, hummus, rice, pita, and other delicacies. By the time we were done, we’d made arrangements to be here at Chafetz Chayim. While some of the kids were sad, they quickly came around to the idea of towels, warm water, beds, and all the other trappings of a beautiful kibbutz. When they found out that they’d be sharing “apartments” (rather than single rooms, by gender OF COURSE) the questionably comfortable “mattresses” of the tent were long forgotten. The fact that it was chillier than expected may have contributed as well!

As adults we know that things happen and that sometimes, “Man plans and God laughs.” The chaperones were surprised by how quickly the kids wrapped their minds around the new plan and we look forward to acknowledging their maturity with a sweet snack tomorrow!

Haaretz Daily- "Eilat of Fun" Edition

5/15/12

Ok, for the purposes of full disclosure, Eilat isn’t Rabbi Micah’s favorite part of Israel. Growing up on the sunny shores of LA I kind of feel like a beach is a beach and that there are beaches in Israel that don't require the long bus trip and so on... But this trip isn’t about me! If it was, we'd stop at every used bookstore in Jerusalem searching for Mordecai Kaplan, Leo Baeck, AJ Heschel, and Yehuda Amichai books! This trip is about THE KIDS! And the kids love Eilat. And Eilat, loves the kids. It’s a perfect synergy, a cosmic balance of nature, kind of like a lunar eclipse coinciding with haley's comet. Actually it's kind of like the synergy of a coral reef.  Speaking of which…

We started our day at Eilat’s Coral Reef (well, technically we started with the omelette station in the hotel dining hall). It’s a beautiful reef on the banks of the Red Sea. From the shore there are views of Jordan and even Saudi Arabia. Some of the kids really wanted to go to Saudi Arabia but we managed to discourage this. As an aside, it’s worth mentioning that Israel is the only country in the Middle East where men and women have equal rights and where women enjoy the same human rights that we expect in America. Enough sermon! This is supposed to be about the coral reef:

After learning how to use the snorkeling gear we broke into groups and headed out to the edge of the reef via a long walkway. The kids were surprised that you are supposed to spit into your mask and rub the spit around before dipping the mask in the salty sea to prevent the mask from fogging up while in the reef. We jumped into the cool water and said the Shehiyanu blessing before setting off to explore. I had the pleasure of accompanying three groups (= snorkeling x3). While each group saw different fish the overall experience of majesty and beauty, the bursting colors, the power of schools of fish swimming together, and the sense of connection to nature, were shared by all. Having said that, the last group got to see an octopus—which is totally awesome. Octopi love Israel because they aren’t kosher and therefore don’t have to worry about being doused in lemon juice or boiled in Portuguese stew.

Our time at the beach was enriched by the fact that there was a very nice group of Israeli 9^th graders from a town near Jerusalem. All those years of Hebrew lessons paid off as our boys and girls made new friends and checked out their Israeli counterparts. When things like this happen the chaperones keep a close eye to make sure it stays appropriate, but we also love to sit back and watch them engage with new people and get to know some of their Israeli brothers and sisters.

For those who weren’t already craving sushi we then headed 200 or so meters down the road to the underwater observatory. I’ve been calling it "the aquarium" but I’ve been corrected. Apparently calling an underwater observatory an aquarium is like calling “The Batchelor” a reality TV show (i.e. a misnomer). The underwater observatory is very large and the premises are full of things to do, buy, and eat. We had lunch, hung out, and mentally prepared ourselves for our first shopping mall. Have I mentioned that Eilat is a tax free city?

The mall was fun. There’s a store called Magnolia. They sell jewelry. Under the watchful eyes of Ms. Kendrick, Mora Evelyn, and Mora Orna the girls did very well for themselves (and probably for others to). Rabbi Loren Filson Lapidus might’ve even gotten something from Magnolia. I don’t know and can’t say for sure. Hadara Lapidus has gotten lots of souvenirs.

We came back to the hotel and demanded that the kids rest. This hotel does something very smart—the lights and AC don’t work if the doors are open. Therefore, the doors are all closed and the kids are either: napping, packing, journaling, or relaxing. We have an early dinner and then off to the disco cruise. At it will be a late night I’m posting the blog now. Pictures will be up later this evening and will include the cruise.

Here are a few generic remarks about the cruise for devoted readers: sunset, red sea, mountains rising from the shore, Mr. Barry’s ipod mix, everyone dressed up, and dancing the night away. Don’t mess with perfection!

Tomorrow we put on our hiking shoes to explore some of Israel’s most majestic spots, all in the Negev desert. We’ll be in touch with an update then.  

Haaretz Daily-- Swimsuit Edition

5/14/12

Theme of the day: Swimming our Way South. We set out from the eastern banks of the Kinneret with the end goal of arriving in Eilat. 30 minutes into our drive we stopped in “paradise.” Sachne is an ancient site where a number of underwater springs converge to form deep pools of pristine blue water. The scene is complete with waterfalls, caves, palm trees, and so on. Some have even speculated that Sachne was a part of the Garden of Eden! Most of our kids would likely agree. The amazing thing about Sachne this year is that we had the place entirely to ourselves. In addition to our group of enthusiastic nature lovers, there were only a handful of other visitors while we were there. The kids splashed, swam, raced, hung out under the waterfalls, played sports, and even let little fish eat the dead skin of their feet!!!! THAT was a new experience.

As if the natural beauty of Sachne wasn’t enough we treated the kids to artikim (popsicles) in honor of Sammy Alterman’s birthday! Israeli popsicles are obviously better than American popsicles! They come in a variety of fun flavors such as melon, pineapple, mishmash, bubble gum, and cola!

We departed Sachne for the next body of water- the Dead Sea. All that needs to be said here is: look at the pictures. Never have your children so willingly and enthusiastically wallowed in mud! Aside from a good amount of stinging and burning sensations, the Dead Sea was very relaxing and a lot of fun. The kids were surprised to learn that the Dead Sea is rapidly evaporating.

From the Dead Sea we began the journey to Eilat. The road passes through the Judean Desert- a landscape unlike any most of the kids have ever seen. Dunes, valleys, mountains of various colors, sand as far as the eye can see, and a variety of different types of plants dot the landscape. We also saw the desert blooming with Date Palms, Pomello, and variety of other fruits. An incredible thing happened while we were driving: it rained. According to both our guides, it NEVER rains in this part of Israel. In fact, Yoav had just finished making this point when it started to rain. It was beautiful and mysterious.

No journey to Eilat is complete without a stop for ice cream at Yotvata. First and foremost, Yotvata is widely recognized as the premier dairy farm/ kibbutz in Israel. This might have something to do with the fact that they raise cows in the Judean desert—no small feat. The ice cream line was very long, but everyone who wanted got to enjoy. The kids also stocked up on a variety of intriguing and exotic snacks like Pringles and Lays potato chips!

Finally we reached Eilat. Eilat is a city full of massive hotels. It sits walking distance from the Jordanian city of Aqaba. Over the years Eilat has become a much celebrated part of the Davis trip as it presents the opportunity to chill out on the beach and also go to the shuk. Unable to deny our kids the utter bliss of the Eilat promenade/shuk we took them there after dinner tonight to let them explore and load up on souvenirs and gifts for family and friends. To say that they were ecstatic is as much of an understatement as saying that Atlanta occasionally has issues with traffic on surface streets and highways.

Tomorrow we’ll spend a good portion of the day underwater—literally, snorkeling and at the Eilat Aquarium. There’s more fun stuff in store for the day, but we’ll dive into it all tomorrow.

Layla Tov!

Haaretz Daily- Kinneret Edition

5/13/12

First and foremost, happy Mother’s Day! See the previous post for a special poem co-written by all your kids!

Today we woke up in Haifa, and headed north east to Tzefat. Along the way we passed through a grove of several thousand olive trees, their twisted, gnarled trunks stretching as far as any of us could see. The olive branch is a well-known sign of peace. Along the way we saw a bumper sticker that the kids know from the “Sticker Song”: Dor Shalem, Doresh Shalom (“An entire generation demands peace.”) It seemed like a fitting commentary for our ride. This ended up being a theme across the day.

Today we had our first rebellion. A number of the kids approached Ms. Kendrick asking if they could please fail all their classes so they could remain at Davis. Morah Evelyn seemed to like the idea, but we were able to talk her down!!

Tzefat is a magical city high on top of a mountain. It’s definitely “different” and is considered one of the four holy cities of the land of Israel according to the Talmud. We visited 600-700 year old synagogues that were the birth places of Kabbalah (real, not Madonna-balah) and had an interesting experience saying the Shema there. Some of us walked along Mashiach Alley, a narrow alley were, it is taught, the Messiah, will pass on his/her way to Jerusalem. Rumor has it that if you are not a righteous person the walls will cave in on you when you walk there. Fortunately we all made it through though some were nervous! Tzefat is famous for its mystical art and candles. Be prepared to see examples of varying levels of quality upon your child’s return!

From Tzefat we went to K’far Blum to kayak down the Jordan River. For many this was the highlight of the trip thus far. The Jordan is a peaceful and modest river despite its famousness. The sun was shining, there was a cool breeze, and the paddling was easy, but not too easy. We shared the river with a large group of Arab women who rode along side us. We were singing, they were singing, and when our boats bumped into each other everyone smiled.  After rafting we gave a huge group hug to Mr. Kudlats who headed off the airport. Everyone will miss him and he’s promised to hear every story (twice) when we get back.

From the Jordan we headed to Mt. Bental, a military outpost on top of a mountain that offers a view of Syria. We heard amazing personal stories about the Yom Kippur War of 1973. Ask your children how Menashe (our tour guide) got his last name: Menashe Golan. It’s a powerful story. Apparently Mt. Bental is always very cold because it is 900 meters above sea level. By the way, we only deal with the metric system now so be prepared!!

From Mt. Bental we came to a beautiful kibbutz: Kibbutz Ha’on. It is LITERALLY on the banks of the Kinneret. The dining room, where we enjoyed a variety of traditional Israeli dishes including fried rice (ok, maybe not so traditional), chicken, hummus, roasted veggies, etc… gave us an incredible view of the sunset and the lights rising on Tiberias.

After dinner we had an optional song session (with 100% attendance). Gathering in the courtyard of our Kibbutz, with the gentle breeze and sound of the sea behind us, we learned a melody to the phrase from the Psalms: “By Your light we see light.” Using the melody and words “By Your light we see light” (in Hebrew) as the chorus, kids had an opportunity to share how and when they have experienced spiritual light through their friends, on their own, in relation to Israel, and beyond. Mr. O’Dell framed the whole conversation in the context of the creation story, where God created light. Not only does light help our eyes see, but also helps our hearts and our minds see.

By now you may have noticed that this trip is rich with reflective moments, chances to share and connect with self and others, and the space to grow, explore, challenge, reveal, and learn… As chaperones we have been blessed to witness breathtaking maturity, integrity, and vulnerability and view it as our job to protect and nurture this sense of holy community and safe space. Thank you for giving us this chance to get to know your children. 

The song session concluded with Shaina and Nicole leading us in a variety of popular songs including, you guessed it, “We Are Young.” Rabbi got the last word though, bringing us together with the bedtime Shema.

Now the chaperones are having a bit of tea and nosh while the kids are “sleeping.” (But really, we are encouraging rest as a virtue.) We’re getting ready to wake up early for another “optional” experience: tefilah or nature walk. As you go to sleep tonight imagine us standing on the banks of the Kinneret, seeing our reflections ripple in the cool clean water all around us.

We’ll ship out early to head to Sachne (if you’ve never heard of it, just wait!!), then to the Dead Sea, and beyond!

Haaretz Daily- Special Mother's Day Edition

The following poem is a compilation of adjectives your children used to describe you! See if you can guess who said what! Know that you are all very loved and can be very proud of your children. They've been awesome today and the entire trip! Everyone is well-rested and excited to arrive at the kibbutz we're staying at tonight. We'll be there soon and post pictures/send a blog for our day. In the meantime...

Mom

Magnificent

Special

Simple

Dazzling

Awesome

Unbelievable

Irreplaceable

Incredible

Caring

Lovable

Supportive

Exceptional

Fantastic

Wonderful

Helpful

Always there for me

Creative

Gorgeous

Amazing

Hard working

Beautiful

Trustworthy

Fantabulous

One of a kind

Unique

Compassionate

Selfless

Loving

The best

Protective

Nurturing

Canadian

Effervescent

Ka-kaw Ka-kaw

Gentle

Motherly

Witty

Sweet

Charismatic

The Boss

Helpful

Role Model

One of a kind

Understanding

Forgiving

Beautiful

Teacher

Cherished

Friend

Perfect

BFF

Generous

Amazingly beautiful

Stylish

Considerate

Best

Warming

Top notch

Glorious

Inviting

Hilarious

Warm and fuzzy

Hard working

Protective

Knowledgeable

Super woman

Love,

Your Children

Haaretz Daily- Haifa/Shabbat Edition

5/12/12

The courtyard of our hotel in Haifa is filled with the sounds of happy children! We’ve just completed Havdallah in the presence of many guests including Paulina and Lior, two of ORT students, and their teacher, Tammy! We were in the middle of a deep philosophical discussion (really!) when they arrived. Let’s just say that the reunion proved to be more compelling. There were shouts and lots of hugging. It’s a miracle that no one got knocked over!

Our Shabbat experience was truly memorable. Everyone took Mr. Kudlat’s challenge seriously: To make the most of our first Shabbat in Israel. We focused on three different aspects of Shabbat: oneg, kedusha, and menucha.

Oneg: Oneg means “joy” as in “oneg Shabbat.” Well last night we were welcomed to Ohel Avraham, a Reform synagogue connected to the Leo Baeck school in Haifa. Many students reported that it was the most spirited Shabbat they’ve ever experienced. What they don’t know is that this has as much to do with them (their engagement, enthusiasm, and willingness to participate) as it had to do with being in Israel. The service had lots of music, including guitar, and some special moments including some of our students going to the bimah to light Shabbat candles, as well as the rabbi publicly thanking us for being there. Lastly, the bar mitzvah boy invited all 75 of us to his service on Saturday morning! Unfortunately we were unable to attend but wished him and his family “mazal tov!” After the service we stayed for the oneg.

But the oneg continued from there. We returned to the most intensely lavish Shabbat dinner imaginable. I’m pretty sure that every vegetable within a 5 mile radius of Haifa was roasted, seasoned, and presented on platter. Imagine entire cloves of roasted garlic, red and yellow peppers, eggplant, hummus, salad, spicy carrots, beets, cabbage and so on… And this was just the appetizer. There was chicken, beef, stew, soup, and at least 1,000 kinds of desserts.

After dinner we returned to the courtyard by our rooms and sat on the “magical stairs.” The stairs are magical because they bring out the spiritual side of our kids. Which brings me to kedusha.

Kedusha: Kedusha means holiness. There was plenty of this to go around this Shabbat. Truth be told, while there was a different atmosphere in Haifa, as well as Rosh HaNikra, most of the kedusha we experienced came from within our students. We started the morning with an optional discussion based on a plastic bag full of prompts such as: “What is one part of this trip you wish you could’ve experienced with your parents?” “What is there too much of in Israel? What is there not enough of?” “Having seen some of the places described in the Torah, does this change your relationship to it?” and so on… 

We also experienced Kedusha this afternoon at a beautiful beach north of Haifa. At one point every kid was in the water at the same time—the pristine Mediterranean Sea no less. We said the blessing for large bodies of water and then everyone ended up singing our favorite two songs, “We Are Young” and “Lean on Me.” Then there was lots of sun tanning and ice cream—also holy!

Menucha: Menucha means rest. We’ve been running up and down the country all week and “rest” is an essential part of the equation for a successful trip. We let the kids go to be early last night and also encouraged them to sleep in a bit. This afternoon, we returned from the beach and had an hour or so to just chill out. Then, before dinner, the entire grade gathered for another optional discussion using the same questions referenced earlier (they love to share their feelings!). One of the questions invited students to share a spiritual moment from the trip. It took about 45 minutes for this one as more than 75% of the kids wanted a chance to share and Rabbi Micah didn’t have the heart to cut them off—thus we were late for dinner (aka Israeli standard time).

Tomorrow we’re off to Tzfat, rafting down the Jordan, and up to Mt. Bental to visit a very moving site. We’ll end up at a kibbutz by the Kinneret. “See” you then! In the meantime, Shavua Tov!!

Haaretz Daily- Caesarea Edition

5/11/12

Today we said l’hitraot to Jerusalem and set out for the beautiful city of Haifa. Along the way we hugged the Mediterranean coastline and made two special stops—Atlit and Caesarea.

At Atlit we visited a detention camp from the era of the British Mandate. The detention camp was established to detain Jews who attempted to immigrate to Palestine/ Israel illegally between 1917-1948. For a variety of reasons the British set strict limits on the amount of Jews that could immigrate annually during this time period amounting to no more than 1,500 per month. Given the events of World War II and the Holocaust this number proved to have tragic repercussions. The students were amazed to learn that after a long sea or land voyage on an overcrowded ship, trapped beneath deck whenever the sun was shining and, often times having escaped the camps of Europe: Jews were placed in another detention camp here in Israel complete with watchtowers, barbed wire, and barracks.

As with Har Hertzl we made a personal connection at Atlit. It turns out that Morah Orna Willis’ father, Tzvi, was detained at Atlit after fleeing Europe as a child in 1946. Atlit has a database with the profiles of about 20,000 of the 140,000 people who immigrated or attempted to immigrate (many ships sunk or were turned back along the way). Tzvi Neuman was among those who had a completed profile. Looking at his childhood pictures in the database, everyone was struck by the family resemblance. It turns out that being Jewish means living history, especially in the 20^th century.

At Atlit we enjoyed a delicious lunch! If your child still doesn’t recognize pastrami after this trip then they must’ve not been paying attention! Though pastrami here comes only in the turkey variety.

From Atlit we then headed south to Caesaria to visit the incredible ruins of the coastal harbor city that King Herod built in approximately 100 BCE. We were treated to a special live performance by a number of our kids who sang from the stage of the theater (a stage that has been shared by many great performers, ancient and modern, including Bob Dylan). From there we visited the palace situated right on the ocean (and including a fresh water pool in the middle of the ocean!). We also visited the hippodrome where we learned that the VIP seats were those closest to the bend in the racetrack as they provided the best view of the gore and bone crunching sound effects of charioteers being trampled by horses. We also learned that Jews were not allowed to attend gladiatorial events based on a Talmudic prohibition. Apparently a Talmudic prohibition was typically instituted to keep people from doing things that they really wanted to do—like attend gladiatorial games. This definitely resonated with some of our students!

Also at Caesarea we learned that in ancient Roman times the bathrooms were much like they are today, but with no separation between the stalls. If you see pictures of kids sitting in a row amongst the ruins know that they are sitting on the ancient toilets (which come in a variety of different sizes to accommodate tucheses of all shapes and sizes). This was deemed hysterical and gives new meaning to the term “potty humor.”

Lastly, at Caesarea we took some time to hang out and eat ice cream. As you can imagine, this deeply upset the kids.

I’m writing to you know from our techno-bus, aka tour bus 2.0. We’re headed to Haifa where we’ll have a chance to check-in, clean up, and head out to welcome Shabbat at one of Haifa’s Reform synagogues: Ohel Avraham (Abraham’s Tent), located on the campus of Leo Baeck High School. It promises to be a memorable and spiritual Shabbat full of singing. We’ll have a Shabbas meal at the hotel and sleep in tomorrow morning!

The next blog post will come once we’ve done Havdallah tomorrow night. Shabbat in Israel (and elsewhere) is a “palace in time” and we look forward to helping our kids and one another embrace this concept. As you all enjoy this Shabbat back home in Atlanta, or elsewhere around the world, know that we are singing the same prayers, sleeping under the same sky, and sending our love to all of you from Haifa, a city on a hill overlooking the sea.

Jerusalem Post- Yad VaShem Edition

5/10/12

Last night at the Meline’s was truly amazing. You’ve never seen a view like the view from their garden and you’ve never had Israeli hospitality like they provide. The even ended with a song session in honor of Lag Ba’Omer. The song ended with a teary eyed rendition of “We Are (were???) Young”. There were a lot of tears of joy and tears of realization that the journey only moves forward and that the years at Davis are a special treasure.

We’ve just returned to the hotel for a brief reprieve from an otherwise very intense day.

After breakfast we set out into the already warm Jerusalem morning to make our way to Yad VaShem, Israel’s Holocaust Memorial. Yad VaShem is a very challenging experience whether you’re there for the 1^st time or the 50^th.  Every aspect of Yad VaShem is symbolic and overflowing with meaning, from the architecture to the landscaping to the exhibit itself.

In recent years, to address the fact that most Holocaust survivors are aging and/or dying, Yad VaShem began making films to share survivor testimony. What makes the Yad VaShem films unique is that they take the survivor back to the places where their story unfolded. All of us were deeply moved by the film we saw, which told the story of Ovadiah Baruch, whose life began in Salonika, Greece. His was a remarkable story of defiance and survival, and also a love story that brought many of us to tears.

There are two things that make Yad VaShem work for our kids: 1) the tour guide and 2) the overarching message of hope. This year we had the absolute best tour guides we’ve ever had. If you’ve heard us say this before, it may be because we’ve had each of these tour guides in past years as well. They calibrate the tour to the level that the kids are able to handle. They push, but gently. When we emerge from the darkness of the exhibit to look out over the Jerusalem landscape, the message is one of hope and appreciation. In reflecting on the children’s memorial our kids decided that the children need a separate memorial in addition to the main exhibit because their lives were so tragically cut short.

Lunch at Yad VaShem is always a bit strange because of the juxtaposition between the starvation of the Holocaust and the abundance in our own lives. Having said that, we were quite surprised that many of our kids had never heard of pastrami. This was pretty shocking and, scratching our heads, we can only attribute this to the fact that we live in a city void of exceptional deli. If Davis was in Brooklyn we’re pretty sure the kids would know from pastrami!

After lunch we walked from Yad VaShem to Har Hertzel, Israel’s military cemetery. There we paid our respects to Theodore Hertzl, the founder of modern Zionism who said the words, “If you will it, it is no dream.” We also visited the graves of many of Israel’s presidents and prime ministers including Yitzhak and Leah Rabin. Nicole Webb and Anna Rosing did a fabulous job reading from Rabin’s last speech and from the moving eulogy delivered by his granddaughter at his funeral.

Every year we visit Har Hertzl, but this year we had a truly unique experience.

This year, for Yom HaZikaron, the Atlanta Jewish community mourned the death and celebrated the life of Major Haggai Bibi, who died in the line of duty. His two younger sisters came to Atlanta to speak at the community wide event that many of our students attended and then paid a special visit to Davis to speak with our students. To build on this connection Morah Sigal invited Major Bibi’s family to meet us at his gravesite on Har Hertzl. His mother, Tzvia, and his sister, Moran, met us there, shared a few words about Haggai, and we then joined together in the Mourner’s Kaddish. This definitely made the profound sacrifice real for all of us and is something we’ll never forget.

From the intensity of Har Hertzl we made our way to a different kind of intensity: Mahane Yehuda (Jerusalem’s famous marketplace). Thursday is a fabulous time to shop at Mahane Yehuda as the whole place smells like fresh baked Challah. Our kids were eager to explore the marketplace and ended up with all sorts of treats from smoothies to dresses and scarves, to whole watermelons that were devoured by teams of ravenous young people on the spot (see today’s photos). There was so much activity and excitement that one of our young men wandered into a ladies shoe store only to learn that there wasn’t anything in his size there! Morah Evelyn arranged to buy a cake for Zoe Light who is celebrating her birthday today. There are no words to describe Mahane Yehuda so we won’t even try. Just imagine everyone in Jerusalem buying everything under the sun, all for Shabbat. Wallah!

We’re back at the hotel showering and getting ready for dinner. Tonight we head to the David Citadel Laser Light Show. If you’re thinking Pink Floyd or Stone Mountain, think again, this is something really unique. Our kids have no idea what to expect, but they’re going to LOVE it.

Jerusalem Post- Ben Yehuda Edition

5/9/12

Shalom Y’all,

Today has been a day of celebrating beauty—the beauty within, the beauty of art, and the beauty of nature. Folks were, candidly, a little groggy at breakfast. The reality of being half-way around the world seemed to have sunken in. But we perked up as we enjoyed the traditional Israeli spread—fresh baked pastries, various cheeses, eggs, hot chocolate, nes café, and so on. After reminding the kids that Israeli hotel room doors don’t swing shut automatically like their American counterparts we boarded to bus for an incredibly short ride to the Israel Museum.

At the Israel Museum we participated in all the usual activities. We studied the incredible 2^nd Temple Era depiction of Jerusalem (which is much cooler than it may sound) and learned about the Dead Sea Scrolls. Then, something truly unique and truly Davis took place—our first “spiritual check-in.”

A huge part of this trip involves reflection, dialogue, exploration, and growth.  While these things invariably happen just by virtue of being in an amazing place like Israel, we’ve found that it’s good to be “intentional” about creating opportunities for this kind of “self-work.” Over the years the chaperones have created a series of spiritual check-ins. A spiritual check-in is basically a structured conversation that uses a Jewish text as its foundation and reflective questions as a platform for dialogue. For example, today’s spiritual check-in was based on the teaching of Rabbi Hillel, “If I not for myself who will be for me? If I am only for myself, what am i? If not now, when?” Sample discussion questions include: “How have you ‘been there’ for yourself and others lately? How might you have let yourself or others down?” Mr. O’Dell and Ms. Kendrick modeled appropriate dialogue for the kids and then we all broke into “chevruta” (groups of two) for discussion with the guidelines of: respect, confidentiality, listening, and “silence is okay.” When we came back to share it was clear that this was a profound experience for most of the kids. A number of students and chaperones were literally in tears, and 95% were eager to know when the next check-in would be.

When you look at the traditional picture of all the kids at the “ahava” sculpture at the Israel Museum know that this picture was taken immediately after the check-in. One student remarked, “When we go to take the ahava picture let’s make sure that the “ahava” (Hebrew for “love”) is more than just a sculpture but a real value in our lives and in our grade.”  After the picture we explored the remodeled Israel Museum and then headed off to a delicious lunch.

After lunch we explored the beauty of nature by heading to the Sataf Springs hike. Imagine your child climbing down a huge mountain in the Jerusalem hills! On the way we saw the ancient cistern that supplied water to the entire area and noticed many budding plants including: pomegranate, almond, olive, raspberry, wheat, barley, figs, carob, and others. There was definitely a sense of accomplishment upon completing the hike! Everyone was disappointed that we didn’t stop at the perfectly placed ice cream truck at the bottom of the hill, but they know that Ben Yehuda Street will definitely satisfy their ice cream needs! After pausing to learn about the Kinesset (Israeli parliament) and view it’s famous “menorah” sculpture we made this “pilgrimage within a pilgrimage.”

Ben Yehuda Street is now lacking in the following items: watches, shofars, kippot, crepes with chocolate and coconut, T-shirts of all shapes and sizes, CDs, stickers, mezuzot, hats, necklaces, bracelets, hamsas, drums, ice cream, and various other keepsakes. Check out the pictures (hopefully posted in the next couple of hours) to see our kids embracing the time honored tradition of bargaining. Know that within minutes of our arrival several of the stores had signs saying, “Welcome Davis Academy, Special Prices Here.”By the way, today's pictures are courtesy of the photographically gifted Max Harris and Larry Yanovich. They took their responsibility with the utmost seriousness and professionalism.

Israel is indeed a technologically advanced society as I am writing to you from our tour bus, which is both driving across the city and connected to the internet. We’re headed to the beautiful home of the Meline family (Becca’s grandparents) who will be hosting at least their  3^rd Davis Academy group that I know of (possibly more!). We are excited to be guests in their home overlooking the old city and will continue to use our best manners to make a good impression. They are incredibly generous hosts and we are honored by the invitation. Of course, who wouldn't want to see Becca and all her classmates???

Tomorrow will be a very profound and challenging day as we begin our travels with a visit to Yad VaShem (Israel’s Holocaust Memorial) and then to Har Hertzel (Israel’s military cemetery). By the end of the day our spirits will be lifted, but we know that our people’s story is a complex and sometimes very painful one. Tomorrow we explore the cost and the reward of being a part of this incredible Jewish world.

Shalom and thank you for entrusting us with the care of your amazing children. Seeing Israel through their eyes is truly a gi