We spent a few hours on top of Masada learning about the history of the ancient fortress with such a tragic past. Sam Miller, Hyla, and Zach Gingold acted out history, bringing Masada to life despite the heat.
Then we took the cable car down the opposite side of the mount for a trip to the gift store and some delicious Israeli ice cafe.
Around 10 we checked in to the youth hostel we would be
spending the night in and ate breakfast. Then we hit the road again for Ein
Gedi, a natural oasis in the middle of the Judah desert. We witnessed a
simulated- irax mating ritual thanks to both Zachs, Hyla, and Tiana. Then we
splashed around in a refreshing natural pool, moss fight included. The whole
scene was so surreal, bathing in a cool pond in the middle of a desert in
Israel. And by this point it was only 11 on our first day in Israel!
Then we set off for the Dead Sea! Shoshana bought us mud to
make our skin as soft as a baby’s bottom, the benefits of the Dead Sea products
according to our tour guide Gigi, and we
floated around in the salty water. As someone who has heard about the Dead Sea
but had never experienced its wonders until Wednesday, I was surprised with how
hot the water was. Especially compared to the cool spring at Ein Gedi, the Dead
Sea was an awesome and strange experience, but not a refreshing one.
We next headed back to our hostel for lunch (more schnitzel!)
and a much needed break. In our free time, people showered, relaxed, and
napped. Waking up from the break was definitely difficult. We ate dinner after
our break and then we went on a night hike. Much to our disappointment, the
weather hadn’t cooled off at all.
Still sweating, we headed into the hills behind our hostel
for some stargazing. Gigi pointed out the Big Dipper and other constellations
and then we had a chance to reflect with ourselves. We each took isolated spots
on a path in the dark hills to think about our expectations for this trip,
ourselves, and whatever else our minds chose to focus on. While some thought
the meditation boring, others saw the exercise as fulfilling and very
rewarding. As a bunch of city kids, I think we all appreciated being able to
see so many stars in the night sky.
Maagal lilah, or closing circle, involved evaluating the day
and passing on the toranim duties to the next day’s bearers. For those who don’t
know about our chanichim toranim, they are two people who are leaders for the
entire day, responsible for making sure everyone shows up on time, has their necessary
supplies, and other small but significant tasks. We were also surprised with
the new ritual of the toranim presenting the Most Valuable Diller (MVD) awards
of the day! Erin and Sam Miller, who were excellent toranim for an insanely
busy day, presented their awards to Sam Page (me!) and Zach Getelman for our
dedication and upbeat attitudes. Such an honor! Plus, the MVD awards added some
enticement to being a better Diller.
After such a packed day, everyone passed out at the end of
the night. First full day in Israel: so successful!
Stay tuned for more blog updates! We’re trying to catch up
on the days we’ve missed.
Also, you may be wondering about our blog titles. After a
super creative brainstorming session, Rachael, Betty, Jody and I have come up
with a mass of punny names involving the word “sass”. This had to be done due
to the overwhelming amount of sass in circulation with our cohort. No one should
be particularly surprised that nineteen hungry and exhausted teenagers would be
sassy, but it’s still a little startling and hilarious to hear the pure sass
that passes between us. Mostly well-intended sarcasm with a hint of straight-up
snark, so far the sass hasn’t seriously wounded anyone’s pride. And I doubt that
it will; we all know how the next person feels and we can take each other’s
sass in stride. Just be prepared for some wild and terrible puns for our blog
titles!
‘Til the next time! L’shalom,
Sam Page
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