July 12

We have arrived! After a long 14 hours in the air, the Diller Teen Fellows received a warm Tel Aviv welcome by the very own Tel Aviv Cohort.

Although not too crazy of a day, we were simply exhausted as we jumped on the bus from the Ben Gurion airport and drove up north to an exquisite plateau, Mizpe Ofir, and looked upon the Sea of Galilee (also known as the Kinneret) and the entire northeastern side of Israel. This was our first true site of Israel, and, to me, it was utterly breathtaking: the cool breeze added a very refreshing dimension to such natural beauty.



While at the Mizpe Ofir, we did several prayers, including the Shehecheyanu, which is custom when we see something new and/or something pleasant occurs. As we looked over Israel together as a cohort, it’s appropriate for us to recite this blessing.


Houses at Hukuk



Evening "Jam Session"

 We are now staying at a Kibbutz, the Hukuk Kibbutz, for the next three days. The accommodations are very comforting. The showers—a shower head, a drain, and curtain—provide no barrier to the toilet, so we are learning to spare water…and multi-task!

Elyse

July 13

WOW, WHAT A GREAT NOF!! We visited the Kinneret cemetery— This seaside cemetery is where many of the first pioneers are buried, including the poet, Rachel (Rachel Bluwstein Sela).From there we went on to another historic site: Hatzer Kinneret- one of the "cradles" of Labor Zionism-is one of the early institutions in the area established as a school to teach agriculture, and where many of the early pioneers lived before establishing their Kibbutzim.

Visiting the Kinneret cemetery...in broad daylight!

 

Exploring the shopping opportunities in Tzfat



After the cemetery the group visited Tzfat, which was a center for Judaism for more than 400 years before any violence from Palestine erupted. With cute boutiques and beautiful synagogues, the group had a great time exploring on their own, and finding great deals on 5 shekel iced coffees!

Elyse