By: Zack Marks

The last episode, the season finale, the wrap up, the farewell address, call it what you want but the end is here. While I will detail the events of the day, I'm also using this opportunity to note how this whole trip shaped out to be and how I didn't even fathom the degree to which my expectations and reality would differ.

This entry is being typed at 4am TelAviv time so if my yesterday's, today's, and other tenses of the words I use leads to some confusion you'll know why. We stayed at the Bedouin tents last night. Their delectable delights, which were just the staples of our trip that you were encouraged to eat with your hands (along with the assistance of pita bread), the camp fire, and star gazing made for quite the night to tucker most of us out pretty quickly.

This led to a lovely morning where our heater stopped working in the middle of the desert (irony, ees goöd no?) and we woke up freezing. After everyone had a nice good complain we finally got our act together and went to breakfast. It wasn't as endorphin producing as the barbarian's bazaar for our last meal, but it was edible. I can only be remiss that they did not serve hummus or have any breakfast pasta at the morning's buffet.

We then went to go ride camels. Conveniently they were a 100m walk from our tent, so we sauntered on over. We each grab our own ill fitting helmets from bags that never don't have ill fitting helmets in them, and then pair up with our camel riding buddies. I obviously picked (better) Zach and we had the infamous Zack Attack on Camelback. We decided caramel was to be the name of our camel as she was a particularly feisty mammal. She also was never further than 6 inches from the legs of Shoval (our resident Air Force officer) and this contributed to her glorious moniker.

Many camel selfies were taken, none successfully by me but you win some and you complain about everything else. I was sad we only got to ride the camel for 10 minutes and they had very little free rein in which to be further back or in front of the next camel. These powerful creatures that can travel the desert are awe inspiring. And they also have the ability to give one quite the powerful awe inspiring chafe that makes one scream for ashem the next time they take a shower. So it wasn't so bad we were only on for 10 minutes.

When we completed our camel carousel we got on the ol bus that we all grew to know and loathe counting off on. After almost forgetting a few things, having a sweat inducing jog to retrieve said things, and returning to said bus; we were on the road again. We went to another hike, and as I've written about before all of these "hikes" have been pretty basic and while scenic I realize I didn't need to prepare for them white so heartily as I had been. Rabbi says this is his favorite hike, and says "it might get chilly but don't worry and you can leave your stuff on the bus." So of course I leave my stuff on the bus and it's the most strenuous hike we do, and a camelbak and some snacks would have been the move. This is one of those times where I didn't pick up the W. However, a photographer who had recently lost her phone volunteered to take pictures so she could have them at a later date. This meant that lots of pictures got taken of me, which will make my mom Kvell about how much fun I was having.

The views were spectacular, you could hear the roar of our echoes on the rocky canyon walls, there was a trickling waterfall, immense caves, and a few ladders to climb. One of the few times that physical activities made me break into a sweat on the trip. (Scoring a goal during Macabi Tel Aviv training aside).
I would have liked my bag but being without it and relying on others to share water, or hold things while they take pictures all demonstrates the sense of belonging and community within our birthright tour but also is endemic of the Jewish people and culture as a whole. We rush to the bus to get lunch and embark upon the salad trail! Lunch is a reasonable 40 scheckels (close to 10 US dollars) for a cup of delicious sweet potato soup, a baguette with schnitzel and kebab meatballs, with salad and white sauce.

The salad trail, is not a weird name for another hike, it is instead the designation of the tour of a farming collective where you get to pick clean and eat the fruits (and vegetables) of your labor. Our helpful guide Jay, told us about the numerous different plants and types of growing techniques that they employ. I learned that cherry tomatoes were invented in Israel. Jay told us to stay away from the unripe fruit and that everything else was fair game. I took to taking a few extra and using them to casually toss in the general directions of my compatriots. This quickly escalated but was controlled, and the only casualty was the occasional erupting of a cumquat.

After this we went to a town less than a kilometer away from the Giza strip and saw the bomb shelters everywhere and learned about the culture of people too stubborn and proud (this is not a bad thing) to leave their homes and instead hunker down, fight back, and continue living where they have for millennia.
After this we headed to our last hotel for the whole trip. It was at this point that there were 12 hours left and this magical spell will be lifted. Being in the airport writing this now is quite the experience, I've cried more on this trip than I have in the last 3 years, I've connected to more people more quickly and more meaningfully than I thought possible (within our group and with the locals and guides and such). I can't believe it's over, and when rabbi said I wouldn't know it was happening til we got here I didn't believe him and had to see to believe. The proof is in the pudding.

We got in unpacked our bus for one last time and parted ways with our chimney of a bus driver (Firahs), he got us where we needed to be and the bus only broke down a handful of times each time it was turned on. But ees good, sababa.

We ate dinner and then had a break and met for an activity which was basically our closing ceremonies. We lit candles for Hannukah, and then filled out surveys, and gathered round. We were all told to share with the group 3 things: 1) a person who was an integral part of your trip and had a profound impact on it 2) an experience you connected with the most and 3) a commitment or resolution to continue something that happened on the trip in order to retain some of what you feel. Everyone's answers were touching and all parties got to feel a little good about themselves for all being part of the positive experiences of others whether directly or indirectly.

We then had some KOSHER PIZZA! It was every bit as good as it sounds when we sign our tune in the morning. And then we went to pack, hang out, reminisce and generally be sad about no longer being our big happy family for 10 more days. Rabbi says not all good things come to an end and that is why he had us make a commitment to continue the trip in our own ways. Whether it be keeping in touch with someone, committing to go to temple more, to put on tfillin a few times a week, and it is one thing to say something and another to follow up. I talk a good game, but I'm confident I will follow up on my promise to myself.

I want to take a moment and talk about how much of an impact each soldier had on me. I didn't know what they were gonna be like, soldiers in my head are battle hardened warriors who show no emotion, feel no pain, and are total badasses. While the soldiers were most definitely badasses, it was eye-opening to fully comprehend how "just like us" these soldiers are. I'm older than most of them which to me makes me think I know more, but they have skills and expertise I've never had to train or think about. But at the end of the day, they like laughing at my stupid jokes, learning about the history of our people, having a good time, and they never complained, except when one was in great need of a (hummus) shower.

I got the pleasure to room with 2 different soldiers, and go to a Shabbat lunch with my only company being one of the soldiers. Being a part of those experience with them is something I'll never forget. Every other soldier was equally as important, I loved being told just to say someone's name to see the smile it brought to his and the other soldiers' faces when I pronounced the Hebrew name incorrectly. (They didn't correct me until the 5th day!)
I loved our Israelis and I wouldn't have wanted any other ones.
I wrote a very heartfelt letter to rabbi in a journal we wrote and I don't want to repeat myself (more than I already do) so I'll just say he absolutely lives up to the hype. His energy is infectious, so much so that our circle at the western wall was the largest because we kept attracting more and more Shabbas-goers. Our tour guide Daniel was unbelievably knowledgable and seemed to have a personal connection to almost every historic site we visited and that helped me understand the interconnectedness of Israel and the Jewish people. Ayalet (or omelette as she was affectionately referred to) also had many personal connections and stories and taught us the beginning of our morning routine.

Our staff member Avi, took a little getting used to. Nothing he did wrong but a good friend of mine had recruited me and one of his big selling points was that he was going to be there to help show me around the promised land. When I found out he wasn't going and I truly didn't know anyone I was a little apprehensive. However, I quickly learned my apprehensions were unfounded and that Avi was/is a stand up dude who I'm proud to call my friend. And he has epic beard pictures.

Then we loaded the new bus and we went to the airport.
Saying goodbye to our soldiers, those extending their trip, or headed to more adventures was really hard and cemented the fact that it was all ending.
​
I have a Polaroid picture as an instant souvenir, many articles of clothing and pieces of memorabilia with Macabi Tel Aviv, a shot glass or two, foodgasms, lessons learned, and a lifetime of memories from Mayanot 119. I'll never forget our chants and cheers, or the complaints and jeers. You've all been my friends and family, felt what I've felt, said the stupid rubbish that flies for what I think is funny, and we made a good shirt. Thank you all for being a part of this once in a lifetime experience for me. For those watching at home I salute you, and if you haven't been to the holy land yet all I can say is see you next year in Jerusalem.

- Zack "Z-Mo" Marks

By: Megan Marcus

After a full night of sleep (finally) at Kibbutz Kalia, the group was served a plentiful breakfast and quickly boarded the bus. Our original plans were to venture to the Dead Sea, go on a water hike, and then to visit Mount Masada. However, due to weather complications, our plans were reversed, and we were to visit Mount Masada prior to floating in the Dead Sea. we took a quick bus ride from Kibbutz Kalia to Mount Masada.

We completed our morning routine which includes several songs including the Rabbi's rendition of Modeh Ani, Ayelets Boker Tov song, and the Shema. While we were singing there were several awe inspiring sights out the bus windows. On the left side of the bus, we were able to see the northern portion of the Dead Sea. The water was a shade of turquoise blue and translucent. Additionally, we could see large salt deposits forming on the shores of the small body of water.

On the right side, we were able to see massive desert plateaus with several caves carved into their sides. Daniel, our tour guide, was able to explain to us that in one of these caves, the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Years ago, a young Bedouin had thrown a stone into a cave and instead of hearing the sound of the rock reverberate against the walls of the cave, he heard the unanticipated sound of glass shattering. He then ventured into the cave and discovered several scrolls.

Soon we arrived at mount Masada. In order to expedite the process we decided to take a cable car up to the top of the mountain. When we arrived we all sat on a collection of rocks and were told by Daniel the fascinating story of our Jewish ancestors, who bravely hid atop mount Masada from the Romans, in order to protect and openly practice their religion.

When we arrived at the Dead Sea, it was freezing. Therefore, in fear of contracting pneumonia, I observed, as others floated through the salty sea. However, others were able to kindly provide me with information on their experiences:

"My legs burned". - Whitney Mandel

"The water was very cold, but I had the best time" - Michelle Karp

"Salty." - Janae Newmark

"It was an unreal experience, it's hard to imagine floating in a sea, so actually being able to experience it was crazy, and the views were indescribable." - Denise Cukierman

After our Dead Sea experience, the bus took us to David Ben-Grunion's memorial, which is located at a relatively high altitude. Therefore, it was freezing, and some of us, including myself, were still dressed for the Dead Sea and Mount Masada. It would be an understatement to say I froze. However I persevered and when I arrived at the Memorial, after a short walk, I was able to fully appreciate not only its physical beauty, but the beauty behind all David Ben-Gurions actions that have contributed to providing the Jews with our rightful homeland. The memorial was accompanied by a view of several desert mountains that blew everyone in the group away.

We all hopped on the bus and before we knew it we had arrived at the Bedouin Tents we were staying at for the night. I must admit, I was quite skeptical about this night. I don't particularly enjoy the natural dynamics of camping. However while there my mind was changed. When we arrived, we got off the bus and headed to our tent. Its structure reminded me of a large tent you'd see at a wedding or big event, but with the sides covered. There were two stacks of mattresses located on both sides of the tent, and a pile of sleeping bags. Everyone grabbed one (or more) of each and claimed their space for the night.

As soon as we arrived, we were whisked off to dinner and let me tell you, that shawarma was to die for. We were served shawarma with rice and vegetables, pita, potatoes, hummus, olives and tahini. It was a very tasty meal. I ate until I couldn't anymore. After dinner, we had the privilege of listening to a true Bedouin inform us of his lifestyle. He told us stories of his childhood. We learned that from a very early age Bedouins are taught to raise animals. They raise goats and camels because they don't regularly need to consume water, as cows and horses do. Due to the fact that Bedouins reside in the desert, they need to conserve as much water as they possibly can. His style of life was interesting, but it was most definitely not for me.

I love listening to all of the guest speakers Mayanot has provided us the opportunity of hearing, because they're all incredibly passionate about what they've come to speak to us about. After hearing the Bedouin, Daniel took us on a mini hike up a mountain to go star gazing. Many people, including myself, wondered why it was necessary to hike up a mountain when we had the stars right in front of us. However after our mini hike, up a mini mountain, away from other people and the lights, I understood exactly why he had us hike when we were absolutely exhausted and freezing. I had never seen so many stars in my life. My body temperature and exhaustion soon became a distant concern. Without the lights of the kibbutz, just in the middle of the desert, the stars were not only numerous, but the brightest I've ever seen.

When we were asked to find our own spots atop the mountain and sit in complete silence, I was able to find unimaginable beauty and peace within myself and the world. Looking up at the stars, I saw the same stars our great ancestors saw thousands of years ago. The same stars Abraham was promised numerous children by god underneath.

​Personally, I additionally took into consideration a Jewish concept we were taught by Rabbi on this trip known as divine providence. Under this theory, everything happens to us for a reason. There isn't one thing that occurs in our daily lives by coincidence. According to this providence, I was supposed to be right where I was tonight. In my homeland, the state of Israel, with all of the amazing people I've met over the past 10 days.

By: Brian Schickman

It's very hard to keep track of days during birthright but I know at this point we are about 8 days in of our 10 day trip. If I have learned anything thus far it's that you should expect the unexpected.

We started off the day with a great breakfast at the hotel, loaded the busses, and went to Maccabi Tel Aviv FC (an Israeli professional soccer team). A lot of us heard we were doing this last minute but none of us expected to have a training session and scrimmage with one of their coaches. We split off into two groups where one group went to the pitch (field) and the other half went to the press room and learned about sports in Israel. After a while the groups then switched places. We ended with a pep talk from the press manager of the team as well as eating donuts and getting some merchandise.

Now that a lot of us worked up a nice sweat, we headed inside Tel Aviv and had free time to eat lunch and shop in the Shuk. There was a lot of produce and shops. As a group we then reconvened in front of the Shuk and started a walking tour of the city. We started downtown and saw many tall skyscrapers and beautifully constructed buildings and went all the way out to the graffiti district where we saw the works of many famous street artists. Many of us enjoyed the walking and seeing the sights of such a big city and how it differs from what we are used to.

Shortly after to end our day, we went to the old city of Jaffa where we saw the sunset on the Tel Aviv skyline. It was breathtaking to see the city go from bright out to illuminated in an array of lights along the water. Finally, being exhausted we piled onto the bus went to the Kibbutz we were staying at and had a delicious dinner. We then finished off the day with Chanukkah candle lightings and breakout sessions to discuss our trip thus far. We still had 2 days left, but we all knew the memories of this trip were irreplaceable!

By: Leah Solomon

Its always an awesome feeling to wake up in the Holy City of Jerusalem, and today was no exception. We started our day with a Holocaust preparation program at the hotel. The lights were dim as we entered the multipurpose room and there was soft music playing. After spending a few minutes circling the room looking at Holocaust photos, we all sat down and had a chance to share which photos resonated with us and why. Many people shared their thoughts, often focusing on the loss of life for young innocent children.

This program set the mood for the rest of the day, and upon completion we began our somber walk of Mount Hertzl Cemetery. Named after Theodor Hertzl, who is buried there. On Mount Hertzel we learned about some of the most important political and military leaders and heroes to the state of Israel. This list included Hertzl himself, Golda Mier, and Michael Levin. Michael Levin was an American IDF soldier who died in action when enemy fire found its way through a secured house while fighting in Lebanon. It was really amazing for us to hear about people who died so that we could have our state, and to get to put a stone on their grave as a sign of respect. We left the cemetery once again feeling somber after having noticed how young many of the men and women who served and died were. It was definitely an experience to remember.

After a brief walk to a near by Israeli Mall, many of our spirits were soon lifted as we enjoyed Chinese food lunch on Christmas day (one of my favorite Jewish traditions)!!!! After a bit if free time at the mall, we boarded back onto the bus and soon arrived at Yad Vashem, the Holocuast memorial museum.

At Yad Vashem, we had the privilege of having a local specialized tour guide to offer us further detail as we made our way through the memorial. We finished out Yad Vashem tour with the childrens' memorial, which tied back in with our thoughts on the mornings first Holocaust activity.

After lighting the Hanukkah Candles we were lucky enough to enjoy a beautiful dinner at our new hotel. We then headed out to Tel Aviv for a leasure night out!

By: Brooke Schickman

What a relaxing Shabbat! Saturday morning really was a breeze. We all finally got the chance to sleep in a little instead of a 7 AM Kima (wake up call)! To start our days we all got split up and went to different families homes for shabbas lunch. What an incredible experience it was to be able to go and experience having an authentic shabbas lunch with an Israeli family in the holy land. With just a short walk all of us were apart of a new family for the afternoon. With tons of amazing food, shabbas songs, and prayer, our lunches were definitely amazing!

After all our Shabbos lunches we all met up at the hotel for an afternoon session where we got to sit with rabbi and ask any questions about Judaism that we wanted. This was very interesting to see the kinds of things people wanted to ask and learn about. It turned out to be a very informative and inspiring session.

We then had a beautiful Havdalah ceremony and lit the Menorah together to usher in he first night of Chanukah! (We each got our own Menorah to light)

Following this was a little bit of free time before we had a guest speaker from Gift of Life come and talk to us about joining their registry. Gift of Life is an organization that matches bone marrow and stem cell donors with people who really need transfusions and donations. Lots of students on our bus decided to sign up and swab to help get involved!

​After our gift of life seminar, we went out for a night on Ben Yehuda Street. There was food, shopping, some places to kick back, relax, and get some drinks. Everyone had an amazing time with whatever they did, and loved our night out in Jerusalem!!

By: Denise Cukierman

When I woke up today I had a smile on my face. Not only was I in Israel but I was in Jerusalem on the best day of the week. Our alarm went off at 7 o'clock am and my 2 roommates and I (who had never spoken a word to each other but became best friends within 3 minutes of meeting each other) started running around to be ready in time. We ate breakfast and headed upstairs to watch a video about a fallen Israeli-American named Micheal Levin. Everyone in the room could hear the occasional sniffling and as the movie progressed almost everyone was in tears.

We all loaded the bus and went to visit Ammunition Hill which is where one of the fiercest battles for Jerusalem was fough during the 6 day war. We had a few minutues to walk around and explore the trenches and armored vehicles from the battle. We also watched a film explaining the significance of this battle and its strategic role of pued to reunite Jerusalem.

When the movie finished we headed to the bus and we were on our way to the Shuk! We arrivied and what I saw amazed me. Our tour guide, Daniel, had warned us about the pre-Shabbat hustle that was going to be going on but never in my life would I have imagned what I saw. People were everywhere and vendors were screaming to inform everyone what they had to offer. There were candy shops, falfel stops, donut stores and the obvious tourist stores. Using the little hebrew I knew, I was able to bargain with the vendors to get the best price possible. We all met up and waited for our bus to arrive.

While we waited we observed Hassidic Jew's pack up mastresses in a U-Haul truck and got in the back with them. We all exploded into laughter it was like watching clowns fit into a clown car! The bus finally arrvied and we went to the hotel to prepare for Shabbat. We had more than enough time to get ready so we all sat outside our rooms and bonded. It was time to load the bus and everyone came into the lobby looking their best in their Shabbat attire.

We headed to the wall for what became a life changing experience. We stoped at a home in the old city where we were welcomed with open arms and Soufganyot! We headed up 5 flights of stairs to see a breathtaking view overlooking Jerusalem! We lit Shabbat candles and ushered in Shabbat.

Friday night at the wall is something I think everyone needs to experience! We split up into our perspective sides, males and females. When we entered the girls side we immediatly formed a circle and started singing shabbat songs and dancing. Within moments we had soilders from the IDF join us! After all the singing and dancing we had an opportunity to pray at the wall for a second time. The sense of unity coming from everyone there was spectacular!

Our time at the wall came to an end and we began our 4 mile walk to the hotel. We sat in the dinning hall, made Kiddush and ate a delicious Shabbat meal. Once dinner was done we headed upstairs to do a Jewish Identity activity. We were given a bunch of jewish values and had to place them in order of importance to us. The rabbi led us into a friendly debate between the groups. Once we finished, everyone quickly headed to their rooms to grab a gift for their mystery Maccabi and we all met up to exchange gifts. The gifts were definitely interesting to say the least! Once everyone got a gift, Daniel told us the plan for tomorrow which included lunch at a families house and a night out on Ben Yehuda Street!

​Once the night came to an end, thats when the really party started... Fabrangen with Rabbi! We stayed up all night singing songs and listing to stories. Before I knew it another day was done and it was time for bed.

By: Zach Marks 

More breakfast pasta!
We checked out of the hotel on the Sea of Galilea today. As a side note, this hotel's lobby was on the top floor and all the levels with rooms were below it. This led to much sentence confusion when people would say they're going up to the room and realize they meant going down and then get flustered and realize it didn't matter.

The the #LoadSquad used its best engineering skills to pack up everyone's luggage back into the bus. It took much finagling but in the end we prevailed and fit all the suitcases in once more. We then boarded the bus to visit our 3rd of the 4 holy cities, (having already visited Tiberias and Tzfat) Jerusalem. 

Most of our morning hours were spent on the bus traveling towards Jerusalem. As our guide Daniel pointed out we saw the scenery start to transition from green to more brown as we got closer to Jerusalem. To those not accustomed to Israeli geography we went from the northeast corner down south towards the West Bank of the Jordan where Jerusalem lies, about halfway down the country.

We see our first Bedouin encampment, which look like the way shanty towns are described. They used to be nomadic sheep and goat herders. Now they still had their flock however their settlements are slightly more permanent. The UN (United nothings as the Israeli cowboy from Cleveland called it when we visited the kibbutz) makes and sends materials and constructs their structures for them in some places. We see many flocks, and Daniel points out all those lines we see going up the sandy mountains are made by the flock going up the mountain single file as they're being herded.

After an hour and a half of driving, we arrive at pit stop about 45 minutes from Jerusalem. Where I see my first ever real life camel. It was sitting so still and in the typical camel position I thought it was a statue. Someone was like that camel smells, I was about to make fun of them and then the camel got up and I ate the words that had yet to come out of my mouth. 

We were told to get some snackage because it might be a bit before we got lunch. I decided to forego the usual sodium filled roughage for some dried mango. I completed my first successful haggle when the vendor told me 25 scheckels  and I skillfully outmaneuvered him by doing the classic businessman's lie and telling him I had less money than I did. We eventually met in the middle and I parted with 20 schecks and received a container of candied mango. Needing some savory with my sweet I purchased a falafel and didn't haggle because I was exhausted from my last endeavor. (Also scheckels are about 4:1 to a dollar, like quarters)

I can't be too sure what falafel is because it's chik peas but it's hot, unlike hummus, and its crispy. It's like a fried potato ball, but it's chik peas (or so I'm told). After some iced coffee and fries from a friend's tray (the best kind; other people's fries) we hop back on the bus after Eric takes some sweet pictures of the camel for later use.
We bump some musica on the drive over, with a little Bohemian Rhapsody to get the whole team on the same page. In between discussion of Freddie Mercury's vocals, Daniel explained a little bit about the scenery around us. The road we took was less than a mile from the border road and at its closest about 500 feet. We saw the lush Jordan valley give way to the tan scenery described before (the chronology of these past sentences is askew but you get the gist of it). 

There are scenic views on every bus ride and although it is valuable time that could be spent catching up on much needed sleep, instead I stay up and stare at the window. Sometimes I make notes to make these blog posts easier so I don't have to recall the entire day at the end of the night, and I also write a journal for myself. It gets a little repetitive but it's worth it for future me to be unable to read my handwriting. 

Anywho, we arrive at a "settlement" outside of Jerusalem. Settlement is a misnomer, these cities have more people in them than most places in Florida. Ma'aleh Adumim which translates to the Red Heights. We get to a scenic overlook with some grass and take our pictures and ooo and ahhhh. Our guide for the area Shelly meets is there and in many respects she reminds me of my own mother in some of her mannerisms and I realize it's true what my dad says. "We all marry the same woman and have the same mother" many of my father's words of wisdom seem to make more sense as I get older and experience more. But half the time it's just mishagas. 

She gives us a brief history lesson, and to see if we were paying attention she then asked us questions with Hannukah gilt as an incentive for correct answers. We got all of them right first try, Mayanot 119 represent. We then get on the bus, Shelly takes over as our tour guide as Daniel takes a well deserved break. She shows us around her town, she has 3 children she raised in Israel. Shelley, like many of the people we meet, is a transplant from the US, who moved here shortly after their college years (I wonder if they're trying to tell us something). 

We are going to visit a candy factory where Israelis and Palestinians work side by side and the managers are both Palestinian and Israeli. I forgot the name of the brand but Rabbi Chaim will edit that in (or leave this here for chuckles). They work side by side and there are no problems, but we are told they tend to tiptoe around mentioning geopolitics at work. We get to sample some candy and they give us way too much mint chocolate (the worst kind). We see where all the magic happens, and it's not quite as musical as Willy Wonka but we did sing Abanibi many times. Abanibi is my new favorite song, it's got quite the 70s funk vibe to it. 

Shelley left us as we dropped her off and she invited any of those extending their trip to stay at her house for free if they would like. We then made our way to the holy city of Jerusalem. As you are coming from the north there is a tunnel and when you come out of it the skyline of Jerusalem smacks you right in the eyeballs and it's quite a sight to see what Jews have been praying about returning to for thousands of years right in front of you.  

We've been told this by almost everyone we speak to how Jews have been wandering these parts for millennia and you get to experience it along with the wonders of the 21st century. It reminds me of Milan in the way that the history is so well preserved in the ancient structures, but with even more history. The high rises and light-rail go right alongside the walls of the old city. 

We had some burgers at Rabbi's favorite burger place, burger bar. They were good, overpriced but good and quite filling. Then we made our way to the Kotel, the Western Wall. Rabbi Chaim put it into perspective. When Jews pray they always face towards Jerusalem and there is a reason. Jerusalem is where Jacob's ladder is, the place where Earth meets heaven and our prayers from around the world rise up to G-d.

For me it was especially powerful being at the Wall. My Grandpa who I never got to meet, was on a trip with my Mom and Grandma and they traveled Europe and Israel was on the itinerary. They stopped in Egypt in order to see the pyramids and Sphinx etc. My grandpa became ill of a condition he later died of and after Egypt he decided he could go no further and they never made it to Israel. Akin to Moses leading the Israelites to the promised land, my grandpa got right to the edge and was unable to enter. 

My Mother and Brother went to Israel on a trip with our synagogue 7ish years ago and they said they felt the presence of my Grandpa Ben when they were at the wall and when they met up after being separated they said they both had a sense that they shared the same feeling and experience that Grandpa Ben got to Israel through them. I didn't disbelieve them but I had a hard time buying into this mysticism.

I'm not sure if you are supposed to share your prayer in the wall with the world (like telling someone what you wished for on your birthday means it won't come true) but I'll share it with you. The first thing I wrote was about going to the wall because my grandpa never got the opportunity. Then I wrote about how I was there for my father who has yet to make the trip. For my grandmother who also hasn't been. I was there to connect with what my mother and brother had already experienced. There are many important people in my life but these are the ones that mean the most. 

There is a picture on my grandmother's mantle that has a picture of my grandpa Ben in her den area and it is what I always look at when I'm not directly addressing her. He has his hands in his pocket, turned to his right side with the beginnings of a smirk on his face. We got to the wall and I wrapped Teffilin and put my head and arms against the wall. When I did this after closing my eyes and reciting the Shemach I kept my eyes closed. 

After I said the Shema, that picture of my grandfather came alive in my head and he took his hand out of the pocket, made the smile that always looked like it was about t appear on his lips and I felt it. I can't describe what IT is but, I know I was a part of what Jews and people of all religions (or lack thereof) feel when they visit this holy site. I then had similar thoughts/visions of all the other immediate family members I mentioned reacting to me connecting to this feeling, and it was magical. I took a step back from the wall and stood about 100 yards away and just took it all in. It was a supremely emotional experience and after leaving the area directly in front of the wall I called my mom. She was in the middle of administering a test (she's a AP government and politics teacher, and also economics). She took a step outside and we had quite the emotion filled conversation and she felt what she had felt at the wall again through me. I called my brother and also had a similar experience. 

I haven't called my Dad yet because he hasn't had the experience to connect with it, and if you know the guy you know he's not the type to be easily moved. I also wrote on the prayer that I didn't want my child(ren) to write on their prayer to put in the western wall "for my grandpa who never made it to Israel." I'll have to actually have the conversation to convince him he needs to schlep all the way out here, but this is my way of getting the ball rolling.

After this point we were lucky enough to bar and bat mitzvah some members of our group who had yet to be b'nai mitzvahed. This entailed much celebration, hard candy throwing, and of course chair raising. I was very happy to be able to sing Tsimatov, and Mazel tov more than once! I shared my experience about my grandpa with one of the individuals on my trip and it made them think of their father and I could see the emotion had affected them in a similar way that had affected me. It was a powerful moment to walk away from the western wall feeling, similarly to the mikveh, different and better for it. 

 If there is any doubt from any of those reading whether or not it is worth it to make it to the ancestral homelands, I can not stress enough how powerful the experience CAN be. This brings up another point, I was easily convinced but, you just buy in. Don't act incredulous, don't kvetch and moan, listen to what the tour guides, the natives, the soldiers, and do more than listen, ask questions and WANT to be a part of it. If after an honest effort it isn't for you, I understand. However, you owe it to yourself to try. 

I don't know how many of my peers have had a similar or as powerful feeling as I have had, but I hope I can provide a blueprint for attempting to achieve what might seem unattainable; A connection to our ancestral homeland.

We then had 6 Bar and Bat Mitzhvah's!!! It was an amzing and uplifting moment for the group throwing candy, dancing & lifting the Bar & Bat Mitzvah boys ang girls on charis!!! 

Off to the hotel for some dinner and chill!

By Shelley Davis 

WOW, what a day! We did so much today, I can’t believe we even fit all of it into the schedule. Today was unique and unlike any other day on the trip bus MAYANOT 119 has experienced before. From the Banyas hike to the activities with the Israelis, our day was jam packed with activities, group photos and bonding as a group.
           
The day started out with a late wake up call and everyone rushing to get ready and go to breakfast. I quickly ran out the door with my hotel roommates, Brooke and Shachar, to head to breakfast. Breakfast was interesting, as usual, with the Italian food and jasmine rice for breakfast. After breakfast we moved to the bus and began our journey. Except we forgot one of the Israelis and had to turn around and go get her, but we quickly made our way to the Banyas hike and saw a side of Israel that none of us had seen before. Israel is like this hidden gem with all these secret beauties waiting to be discovered! We also went on a crazy jeep tour, which was messy and really fun. I was pretty nervous and it ended up exceeding my expectations. We then went to Kibbutz Misgav Am on the Lebanese border and heard from a Kibbutznik Aryeh about life living on the kibbutz and the border.
           
The day was filled with lots of activities and sleeping on the bus. Honestly I’m not sure how I am even awake right now but the people on this trip are really amazing. I can’t help but want to stay up and spend more time with them. As a student who doesn’t attend UCF I was really worried I wouldn’t be able to fit in. However as soon as I introduced myself I was welcomed to the group. Even as I write this short bog post everyone is sitting together in a huge group chatting and laughing and inviting those who are sitting alone to join in on the fun. 

Today has been my favorite day for more reasons than I can count but I know that this trip will only get better and I can’t wait to see what comes next.

By: Zach Marks

Started off this morning with a beautiful  sunrise rising over the mountains shining on the sea of Galilea, which is actually the largest body of fresh water in Israel. For all you Floridians following along it's like their lake Okeechobee.

The first difference about Israel from the States other than the language and signage is what they consider a breakfast buffet. The feature of this buffet was spaghetti with marinara sauce. After I forced myself through eating two plates we got our show on the road. Despite a slight hiccup where an inner door was locked preventing a backpack from being retrieved we made our way out.

It was about an hour's trek from our hotel to the base of Mt. Meron with many scenic views along the way. If you came on the trip expecting a vast desert those expectations were quickly dashed. We were greeted with what is to become our morning routine. The Rabbi led us in song and prayer, a mix of Hebrew and English with plenty of laughs thrown in. We learned the Hebrew word for cool (sa-ba-ba) which is the first of (hopefully) many Hebrew words I hope to add to my vernacular by the time the trip ends. 

Our tour guide Daniel as we came upon an overlook of a snow covered mountain, said "normally at this time I would say on a clear day you can see Hermon, but today is clear and you can actually see it." The mountain, Hermon (hair-moan for those that can't pronounce Hebrew words), is actually spread across Syria, Lebanon, and Israel and is where any alpine behavior occurs. This got me curious about how the lift passes for the mountain would work if you went down a slope and ended up in another country. 

We drove past many fields and ventures up further in altitude into the clouds. After what seemed quicker than an hour we had arrived at our destination. Being a seasoned hiker I prepared with a full camelbak, hiking boots, and many layers. I then discovered I had over prepared as we ascended on a gentle trail. We learned some history of the area and were also told a story about the importance of spreading the tenets of Judaism through our deeds and not to look down upon others. Maybe that wasn't the point of the story but it's what I took from it. 

After such a strenuous hike, lunch was all that was on anyone's mind. We were told we were going to be taught about Mikvahs and tour a Mikvah house (I'm not sure that's the correct term but we're rolling with it.) Mikvah means any body of natural water. Natural was stressed by the lovely upbeat Chassidic rabbi Alon (Ah-lone) who was our guide through this part of our trip. Many Chassidic Jews engage in the practice of the mikvah which is the process of dunking one's entire body into a body of natural water in order to purify one's soul. The Mikvah we were about to enter was the Mikvah of a very holy and famous Kabbalist, Rabbi Isaac Luria (1534-1572), universally knows as the Arizal. Who used this Mikva a few centries ago! After the general premise was explained and the stage set for our further learning about the practice we split into two groups based on gender. 

After this we were told we would be embarking upon the #ExtremeMikvehChallenge. To those unfamiliar, as we were, this involved going to the holiest of natural springs in Tzfat (a city known for containing holy sites of mysticism) and participating in a mikvah of our own. I realize at this point I had left out a very important detail. In order to become pure you must enter the mikveh as you came into the world, in one's birthday suit. 

We walked to the spring and were given towels by the man who volunteers his time to watch over the site and we made our way into what can be best described as a natural locker room and at the end inside of an alcove was the holy mikvah. I couldn't point to a specific instance or explain what happened, but emerging from the mikvah, wet, shivering, teeth clacking, you come out with a true sense of rejuvenation, feeling unlike you had before.
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Even though we had all been clamoring for lunch prior to the tour of the mikvah, it was well worth the wait to be a part of such a unique experience. However, we had worked up quite an appetite during the extreme park of the mikvah challenge. This entailed walking back up 20 flights of stairs to the entrance to the women's mikvah where we met the ladies of our group, who had their own tour of a beautiful Womans Mikvah! And leaned about the significance and importance of Women going to Mikvah! We then ascended what felt like 50 more flights of stairs until we came face to face with an authentic schwarma vendor. In my schwarma laffa (lamb burrito), in addition to the main ingredient, there was hummus, a dash of spicy sauce, lettuce, onions, and cucumbers. Just the right amount of vegetables for me to delude myself into thinking I was eating healthy. The food was delicious, unbelievably messy (probably my fault), and quite filling. 

We then went on a walking tour of Tzfat that culminated in a story with a powerful message about the Jewish people and Kaballah told by my Rabbi Chaim, followed by a visit to a temple of the rabbi who basically created the modern day Shabbat celebrations. Meaning the guy who decided Shabbat should be songs leaning towards celebration and not just incantations. 

 Our last stop in the city in the clouds was at an artists studio who was a transplant from Michigan (Go Blue!) who had lived in Israel for 20 years. His art was all symbolic of the teachings of Kaballah, he spoke with us about the importance of Kaballah and how it relates to Judaism and how important it is as a Jew to know that Kaballah exists.
This enlightening experience was the capstone to our first real day in Israel. We hopped back on the bus, and played some Israeli music on the journey home. We just finished dinner, and are preparing to hit the town for our first night out. Time to show Israel how JewCF parties (responsibly).

By: Zach Marks

It is hard to put into words what flying to Israel with a group of 40 of your peers feel like. To start with I didn't think anyone was going to be on time for the mandatory 4 hours before our flight early arrival time. I was flabbergasted to see 30 of my compatriots already in the MIA terminal when I arrived at 1:00pm for our 5:10 flight. The first thing I do when I arrive is survey the group I'll be traveling with, my mother had told me one of her former students was going on his trip so I had to keep an eye out. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention I was surveying the proper male to female ratio for our group, and shortly after I started a game of Jewish geography. 

Prior to going on the trip I didn't think I would know anyone. Upon arriving at the terminal it was clear that's it's hard to get many Jews together from the same place without a few of us knowing each other. 
After pleasantries had been exchanged and we had been given our first group address from the Rabbi we mozied on up to the check in line and our journey to the Holy Land began. Once we had got through security at around 3:00 it was clear why we had arrived 4 hours early. 

We embarked on our journey to make Aliyah on Austria Airlines, the seats were comfy and we had crystal clear tv which came equipped with many movies worth watching. After watching a chick flick at the behest of my seat mate and flicking though movies we didn't really like I attempted to sleep. The operative word is attempted, and while the flight seemed to drag on it also somehow was over before I knew it.

We made a quick switch in Austria and boarded a plane for Tel Aviv. Upon arriving we were subjected to another orientation and a lecture that really resonated with me about the importance of birthright and the meaning of being Jewish. We then boarded a bus to travel 2.5 more hours to our destination on the sea of Galilea. 
For those of us who woke up at 9:00am EDT it was over 24 hours of travel once we got to the hotel.

When we finally got back (8:45) we got dinner right away, a delicious buffet style feast that was quite the step up from airline food, and were told to meet in the lobby at 10. This was met with many groans as we thought we would be able to shower and rest in order to prepare for the rest of the trip. 

Despite the protesting mumblings of our group we met at 10 for another icebreaker, and it actually turned out to be fun and got people involved with one another. Say what you want about ice breakers but it starts the bonding of individuals (even if it is bonding over how much they hate ice breakers).

I'm siting in my lovely hotel room overlooking the sea and I can't wait to see the sunrise tomorrow morning before we truly embark on our Israeli journey.