By Hannah Rapoport
Our first Shabbat in Israel was truly special. On our last traveling day and shabbat quickly approaching, we roamed the streets of Jerusalem. We could feel the Shabbat sprit in the air from the time we left the hotel.
We started out the day visiting the Hasidic neibornook of Ge'ula. I loved getting to see a different side of Judaism that I had never seen up close. We learned about their daily lives and customs. I noticed big advertisements on the streets and asked our tour guide what they were. She said that they served as a communication devise because of the lack of Internet and television.
After our tour, we went to shuk machaneh yehudah. On the busiest day at the shuk, the streets were crowded with people getting ready for Shabbat. I was amazed seeing the shuk for the first time. We shopped around and found a local bakery called marzipan, and ate the most delicious rugalach. I bargained for necklaces and found myself immersed in the culture.
We returned to the hotel to get ready for Shabbat and bundled up for a chilly evening. We were given the option to attend either an orthodox service or reform. I loved my experience in the reform service and was surprised at how many people knew English. After Shabbat services, we gathered together to walk back to the hotel. Despite the cold, it was amazing seeing the city of jurusalem at night and experiencing Shabbat in the amazing city.
On Saturday, we relaxed at the hotel and participated in a program about language. I learned about how our languages are connected and how we connect despite the language barrier. The most amazing part of Shabbat was having havdallah on the roof, overlooking the old city. The overwhelming sense of community is indescribable. I will always the remember my first Shabbat in Israel, and how special our Diller family is.
Community week Day 1
By Benj Lester
Sunday morning was a little out of the ordinary. I woke up in a new home filled with a new family. Thankfully, I felt right at home - thanks to the warm and generous hospitality of the Shimon family. To start off the day, Ganir dropped me off at the station, where I met a few other Los Angeles fellows. We immediately took a bus to the heart of Tel Aviv, where we got split into two groups to take part in a scavengar hunt. The purpose of the scavenger hunt was to get to know Tel Aviv on a more personal level and interact with the people of the city. I had an amazing time because it was my first chance to walk through the streets of the city and to get a chance to talk to various people. My favorite moment of the hunt was when my team, the green team, walked into a convenience store and asked the cashier if he had a tattoo. Luckily, he did have the animal design tattoo that we were looking for but the way he presented it was very funny and even provocative. At the end of the hunt, the judge told both teams that my team, the green team, were the victors. Our prize was an Israeli chocolate bar with filling.
Our next activity was Shuk Shopping. The group went to Shuk HaCarmel. I was especially happy to go shopping because I wanted a chance to buy some presents for people back home. I was very satisfied with the gifts I bought and the process of buying them were just as enjoyable. I liked the experience of bargaining with the merchants and looking at different styles of various jewelry.
After buying jewlery, we immediately left the shuk and headed towards the meeting place of the Tel Aviv fellows. To end the night, we had our opening ceremonies where everyone got the opportunity to meet everyone's family while enjoying dinner.
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