Our students reflect on our trip - and share how it changed them

On Saturday night - during our closing party and Havdalah our students were able to share their reflections about the trip to Israel. I share their thoughts with you here. (The students didn't put their names on their notes - so I did my best to match the right student with the right text). If I mislabel your text - please let me know - and I will correct them. I apologize that two texts are missing -they were both outstanding, but they were not given to me. If your text is missing - please check and see if you can find it. One of you gave me your "family talk" - instead of your reflections talk. The other of you - simply didn't give me a text. Please see if you can get ahold of - or reconstruct your talk - and send it to me, so it can be included in the blog.

Reflections - by Jenna

As far as life experiences go, I can say I have not had many. But this incredible trip I have had here in Israel is definitely number one. Although it was a short trip, I feel it was one I much needed and wanted. Since I was in 6th grade, all I ever heard about in my house was how amazing the delegation was. My sister was in this delegation three years ago, and hasn't stopped talking about it since. When i heard her rave on and on about how great it was, I decided that I must take part in it, to experience it for myself. Not only was my sister right, but by participating, I have now found a new home.

Throughout my life, I had been taught that Israel is my homeland and I am always welcome there, but I always thought those were just exaggerated claims. But I was wrong. From the moment I arrived, I was greeted by hugs and presents from the amazing kids in the delegation as well as Shiri and her wonderful family. Everyone in Israel was so kind and patient with me, I now wondered why I was living anywhere else but here. From all of our day trips - to Jerusalem, to Yad V'shem, Shenkin and more, to our overnight to the bedouin tents and camel riding, everything has been a blissfully amazing adventure. Visiting school was fun because I got to see how kids across the world from me learn and are taught. I met so many nice kids that were welcoming and kind to me from the moment they said hello. At home, I go to temple two or three times per year, but don't feel extremely Jewish other than those few times. This trip opened my eyes to a whole new way of living. On Fridays, you see people walking to and from temple and on saturdays, everything is closed until sundown. It is such a different lifestyle than the one we live in Los Angeles. Different, but I enjoyed every minute of it. While I was here, I felt more Jewish than I ever have, and I was truly proud to be a Jew. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to truly have another home for myself in Israel.

Being In Israel - by Zack

When we landed in Israel and I got off the plane, I knew that this was a once in a lifetime opportunity. Not many kids get to do this. Every week in Religious School we learn about this place, Israel, our Jewish homeland, and our teachers and rabbis tell us that this a a place where so much of our history has taken place. So, while I was getting off of the plane I was thinking to myself "I really hope this place is cool. I really hope I can connect with all the landmarks and I hope most of all, that I will have fun." Well, I didn't get that. I got that and so much more.

From this experience I have made a ton of new friends, but not only friends, people who have the same beliefs and religion as me. That made it all so much easier to connect with them, and with Israel as a whole. And, even though they speak Hebrew, and I didn't when I arrived, now, i can somewhat understand what they are saying. But, mainly from this trip I have gotten a lot of independence. I don't usually get this much at home, and I loved having it here.

And now I stand here talking to you about leaving, but in my head, right now, I'm trying to figure out what we are all going to do tomorrow. But, in reality, I won't be here tomorrow. Thinking about this trip, I know it has been one of the best experiences of my entire life.

My experience in Israel - by Maddy

My experience in Israel was indescribable, but I will do my best to put it onto words. This trip has taught me not only how important and difficult the struggle for Israel has been, but also taught me how special Israel is. When everyone stood still to remember the victims of the Holocaust, I realized that Israel is a very unique nation. Knowing that everywhere in Israel, people were standing and remembering just like me, was an incredible feeling that will stay with me forever. Being in a program like this gave me a chance to really learn the culture. Bus rides and the days we spent at school showed me that although they live really far from me, Israeli teenagers are very similar to American teenagers. The open bus really showed how alive the culture of Tel Aviv is. Going to the Kotel is another one of my many experiences here that will stay with me forever. Being at a place that is such a big part of Jewish history made me feel more connected to Judaism. Many of my favorite experiences were when we were all together. Whether we were at a museum or splashing in the water it was always fun. The memories and friendships I made here will stay with me forever. This was a once in a life time experience that opened my eyes to a new culture.

Reflections on Israel - by Katrina

It felt like just yesterday when we were standing at LAX saying our goodbyes to our new friends. We knew it would be months before we would see them again. I remember every week, during religious school, giving everyone the update on how many days were left until Israel. I was so excited to come to Israel. Every morning i would wake up and think one day less until it was April 7th, and I knew I was going to Israel the next day. The whole day at school, I could not concentrate. All I could think was - I am going to Israel tomorrow.

When we finally got here, I was so excited! Our first day of touring we went to Jerusalem and to Yad V'shem. It was very eye opening, and it showed me how thankful and lucky I am to be alive and well. Also, it made me feel connected to every single Holocaust victim. Had i lived at another time - i could have been one of them. To me, this museum was the most important thing we did. It made me feel more Jewish, and gave me a better understand)ing of what they people went through. Then when we left Yad V'shem, we went to the Kotel and I felt totally connected to Jewish history. To pray at the place that has been part of our history for thousands of years was an experience that I will never forget. All in all, this entire Israel experience has opened my eyes to a new world.

What being in Israel Meant to Me - Rachel

This partnership trip to Israel was my first time in teh "Holy Land". And, all I can really say is "Wow!" This place has amazed me with all of it's beauty, it's warm welcoming and wonderful food. Being here in Israel has not only made me feel more connected to being a Jew, but it has also opened my eyes. "How did this trip open your eyes?" you might wonder. But if only it was possible to explain. Being in this incredible country has shown me that there are such things as friends that you want to keep forever, and never let them go. Right now, all I am thinking about is how I am leaving and about how long it will be until I see you again. Truth is, for the last ten days, I see everyone of you as part of my everyday life. It hurts to think that I have to let everyone go for now. I have grown throughout this trip mostly because I now know that being Jewish means more than just our religion. It shapes our beliefs. Because we are all connected through Judaism I now realize how lucky we are to be on this trip, and with one another. I believe that if we try really hard, we can make these friendships last, from Los Angeles all the way to Tel Aviv and if we want it, it will happen. Being in Israel with this delegation is truly a trip that i won't forget, and never want to. Thank you all for being a part of this wonderful experience.

Reflections - by Matthew

This trip to Israel has been a once in a lifetime experience. Being a part of the delegation show me how alike people from all over the world are. I met people not only from Israel, but kids from Brazil and New Zealand. We all enjoyed the same things. I was also able to become closer to everyone in the delegation. Not only did I make life long friendships, but I was also able to connect to Judaism better by going to all the historic sites in Israel, and learning about the history behind them. Overall, this trip to Israel has been amazing. It changed me and I can't wait to come back again - hopefully soon!

L'Hitraot - We will see you soon

Dear parents,

Thank you for allowing us to share Israel with your children. Tonight we are going to M'umana - the Israeli version of Stomp - then we are with families tomorrow during the day. We are meeting tomorrow evening for a goodbye party - and from there going directly to the airport to fly home. There will be no more posts until we leave. We have enjoyed sharing Israel with your children. They have been wonderful, and have had a great experience. Thank you to all of you, to your children, to our host families and to our partners, Idit and Hadas - we couldn't have done it without all of you.

We will see you all at LAX - please check flight tracker - and please don't be late.

Thanks again - U'Lahitraot - Until we meet again,

Bruce and Karen

The Dead Sea - a second perspective - by Matthew

Right now we are on the bus on our way back to Tel Aviv from our trip to the South and I was just woken up from a nap to write for the blog. Even though I’m a bit sleepy, I don’t mind! We arrived at the Dead Sea after a night with the Beduins. We were told the rules and limitation when going in the Dead Sea, such as never putting our face in the water, taking off our silver jewelry so it wouldn’t turn black from the salt, and not drinking the very salty water from the sea. It was so amazing to be able to lay on our back and float. You actually had to use more energy to try to stand then you did to lay down. We then put mud all over our bodies that Karen and Bruce bought. We played with the mud for a while and then rinsed off, leaving our skin soft and smooth. After we changed, some of us ate the the lowest Burger King in the entire world. Now are on the way back to Tel Aviv and I’m going to continue sleeping ...what a great day so far!!!

The Dead Sea - by Jenna

Visiting the Dead Sea was such a surreal and fun experience. Wallking down to the sea on the beach, I figured I would float a little bit and it wouldn’t be that great. As I took five steps in and sat down on the water like Bruce had told me to do, I started to float and had the most amazing sensation. I felt as though I didn’t weight more than a feather! I could swim around without exerting more than a small kick. It was such a wonderful experience to have! When I got out of the water, I was immediately covered in mud from the Dead Sea. It felt very slimy but it resulted in me having skin like butter! All in all, it was a great day and I’d love to do it again soon!

Camel Rides - a second perspective - by Rachel

Today we rode camels…what an amazing experience! I had previously heard the camels are scary when they stand up and sit down, but I managed fine. I rode a camel with Uri and we laughed the entire ride around the dessert. The entire walk lasted about 25 minutes and of course we took tons of pictures…the world can look quite different when looking at it from a camel’s back! The camels are surprisingly gentle animals although they don’t know to stop when they need to go to the bathroom…they just do it as they walk! Once we finished, they all sat down in a row and waited patiently for all of us to get off their backs. It was a lot of fun and I can’t wait to do it again!

Camel Rides - by Brett

Breakfast time at a Bedouin tent is quite an amazing and delicious experience. You walk into another tent with traditional Bedouin furniture, which means you have the option to either sit on the floor on very comfortable cushions or a table with chairs. They have a huge spread of all kids of foods: vegetables, cheeses, sweet spreads, yogurts, break, cereals, etc. After a delicious breakfast in the Bedouin tent, we had another amazing experience. Riding the camels was so much more different than I’d ever imagined. I rode my camel with Jenna and we had a great time. Getting on the camel and once the camel stands up is an experience in it of itself! I named our camel Merryl Streep, like the actress. We later learned some fun facts about camels that I never knew: a camel can go without water for up to 10 ten days, they cost about $2,500, and they are seen as a sing of wealth among the Bedouin people.

Kfar HaNokdim - a Bedouin Village - by Katrina

We went to the camp site called Kfar Hanokdim, located in the Negev (dessert) in the South of Israel. As soon as we arrived, we left all our things in our giant tent, and were immediately invited to sit in another tent to meet the Beduins and for some Beduin hospitality. We learned about their traditions and customs and we even got to taste delicious, sweet tea and very strong and bitter coffee, which they grind themselves. We even had an opportunity to grind coffee beans and to also listen to some traditional Beduin music. Later we had a traditional Beduin dinner, and we got to taste very good salads, beef Kabob, rice, and delicious warm pita bread. We ate on the floor, of course, which was very interesting. We all slept in a huge tent and each of us slept on a very thing mattress, which was surprisingly very comfortable. It was a very interesting experience that I will never forget.

Masada - by Zack

Yesterday we went to Masada. Previously to going there, I only knew that it was pretty much a big rock. But when I got there I was so amazed at not only the size but the stairs that we had to climb to get to the top of the mountain. The hike was a lot shorter than I’d imagined; it only took 20 minutes to get to the top. We were all pretty tired once we got to the top since it gets hot in the dessert in the afternoon, so we sat for a few minutes to re hydrate ourselves and to catch our breath. Roni, our tour guide, took us around the entire mountain telling us the story of the very brave Jews who lived there and had to protect themselves from the Romans. I thought it was very interesting how they built an amazing water system in the middle of nowhere! The story doesn’t have such a fun ending, since the Jews living in Masada decided to end their lives instead of living a life of enslavement. However, our visit had a happy ending since Roni got a phone call from his wife that her water had broken and she was on the way to the hospital to deliver their brand new baby. On the way down the mountain, we were all trying to give him name suggestions (our own names!). I told him he should name his baby Zack!

Tom and Tomer Memorial - by Maddie

Yesterday we went to the Tom and Tomer memorial, located near a town called Kyriat Gat, near the South of Israel. This is a memorial site that was built to remember 73 soldiers that died in a helicopter crash near the border with Lebanon. The friends and family of Tom and Tomer decided to make a beautiful garden in their memory instead of the traditional memorial site. Instead of the memorial site being very sad and all about death, the garden was a symbol of life. They even decorated an electricity tower with 73 doves in their name. The tour was lead by the 10^th grade students of our exchange school Ironi Yud Dalet and they explained to us how important it is to remember soldiers that gave their lives for their country.

off to the south - no blog tonight or tomorrow

Dear Readers, Today we are off to the south - will be climbing Masada and swimming in the Dead Sea, as well as sleeping in a Bedouin tent and riding camels. Unfortunately, there is no wi-fi there - so no pictures - and no blog until at least Friday late afternoon Israel time.
Just trust that we are all having an amazing time. You will see the evidence - and your children - soon enough.

Topless Fun - by Matthew

Today we had by far the best ride any of us has ever had. We went on a topless bus (no roof and no windows), to see the sites of Tel Aviv and Jaffa. We loved the views of the Mediterranean, the wishing bridge, we saw four soon to be brides and grooms (one couple even boarded the bus and took pictures with us) and we even went to the site of the assassination of Prime Minister Rabin. Not only did we see a lot of cool sites, but we had the most amazing bus driver/tour guide. He not only played music - he had us sing along and dance to it. He was such a fun guy - everyone wished he could be our bus driver for the entire trip, and hopefully he will be. The bus ride was a fun, exciting, energizing experience.

Shenkin Street - Shopping - by Rachel

Today I went shopping on Shenkin Street with Hagar, Noam and Yael. We went into a lot of stores before finally finding a nice, but affordable store. After the four of us tried on almost everything in the store, Hagar, Noam and I all bought thing there. I got a shirt. Next, we stopped at Agvaniyah (Tomato) - a pizza restaurant, and we ate an afternoon snack. Then the four of us went to a store named," Twenty four seven". I fell in love with everything, and bought four items. About that time, we needed to be back at our meeting place, so we started walking back, and slowly met up with small groups of people, until finally we had our entire group. Then we boarded a no-roof tour bus, and we were off on our next adventure.

Independence Hall - by Jenna

One of the things we did today on our adventures of fun was we visited Independence Hall. When we arrived, they took us into a room to watch a video on how Israel became a country. They also explained how there was a short (thirty eight minute) meeting, held at the house of the first mayor of Tel Aviv, where the Country of Israel was declared. We then went into a room, where the participants actually sat during the actual announcement of the Declaration of Statehood was announced in May 1948. We also got to hear David Ben Gurion's voice as he delivered the speech. Than the band played, Hatikvah, and we all stood up with the playing of the recording. It was such a moving speech and song to hear, i'm so glad i could be a pat of remembering Israel's wonderful history.

Being where the Independence of Israel was declared was such an amazing and surreal experience because we were sitting right where teh people sat in the meeting sixty two years ago this week.

a Walk Around Tel Aviv - by Katrina

We walked around Tel Aviv with a tour guide in a taste and color look at the city. We got to see the first house in Tel Aviv, and the site of the first high school. We also met the tour guide's mother - who was a Holocaust survivor. Although she knew five languages, English was not one of them, so she only spoke Hebrew to us, and so we didn't know what she was saying (until it was translated for us). As we walked around the city we got to go into lots of different specialty stores, and tasted all kinds of interesting food, from chow mein noodles made of humus, to cookies, to things made out of almonds (different kinds of marzipan) bourekas and candies. It showed me how many different types of food there are in Tel Aviv. It was a great day.

To see all the old buildings was very breathtaking because they were so beautiful. To know that some people came here with nothing and built those beautiful homes. It was amazing. Some of those homes are still lived in today. It is amazing.

a morning at school - by Zack

Today, we taught kids in a tenth grade English Class at Ironi Yud Dalet. Brett read the "Giving Tree" to the class and I talked with the kids about what they think a gift is. First we talked about material items as gifts then then we talked about non-material gifts. they then gave examples of gifts that you can't put a price on - like friendship. After that, we handed out cut out paper apples and told the students to write the name of a gift that is non-material on it. After that, they shared their gifts with us. This was fun because we were pretty much talking to kids our own age. i found this very interesting and I had a lot of fun.