By: Matt McCoy,
Day 3. It's still lit. Thank Hashem Rabbi is such a cavalier and let us sleep in until 7:30 because we were really tired. Parents you ought to be impressed, we actually woke up early.
After our buffet breakfast, we went to the Mitzpeh Gadot Valley and learned about the geography of Israel. Afterword visiting a second lookout, we went to the Syrian Border. Our tour guide went over the threats of ISIS and the impact of the war in Syria on Israel. It was very informative, and the perspective was far different from what the media typically portrays.
At the Syrian border there were old bunkers that we were able to enter. I went in with a group of ten plus a flashlight. It was tight, dark, and it felt like something out of Scooby-Doo.
Afterword, we took a long bus ride to lunch. However, we totally forgot it was Memorial Day, and that most shops and restaurants were closed. But everything turned out okay, because we found a plaza with several options from shwarma to burgers, and I had some delicious sushi for about 6 dollars or roughly 20 shekles.
Back on the bus! We still had access to our "default" wifi! We drove all the way up a mountain and got to see another lookout against Lebanon and learned about the threats of Hizbollah. We had a leader in a kibbutz by the border of Israel before Syria and Lebanon. He spoke about the situation from his perspective, sharing his views bluntly with no political correctness. The wind was blowing hard and the ceiling tiles were moving throughout the building. His kibbutz had a gorgeous panoramic view of the surrounding land. Being elevated at the border of Israel, the kibbutz has the unique feature of being the only place you can simultaneously see Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea.
Night rolled around and it was nice to celebrate Israel's Independence Day. You know what that means... 🍻! There was a concert in the center of the city, people everywhere spraying silly string and foam. We went to a club at the end of the night, which was reserved for only Birthright-ees.
I'm stoked for what tomorrow has in store!
Day 3. It's still lit. Thank Hashem Rabbi is such a cavalier and let us sleep in until 7:30 because we were really tired. Parents you ought to be impressed, we actually woke up early.
After our buffet breakfast, we went to the Mitzpeh Gadot Valley and learned about the geography of Israel. Afterword visiting a second lookout, we went to the Syrian Border. Our tour guide went over the threats of ISIS and the impact of the war in Syria on Israel. It was very informative, and the perspective was far different from what the media typically portrays.
At the Syrian border there were old bunkers that we were able to enter. I went in with a group of ten plus a flashlight. It was tight, dark, and it felt like something out of Scooby-Doo.
Afterword, we took a long bus ride to lunch. However, we totally forgot it was Memorial Day, and that most shops and restaurants were closed. But everything turned out okay, because we found a plaza with several options from shwarma to burgers, and I had some delicious sushi for about 6 dollars or roughly 20 shekles.
Back on the bus! We still had access to our "default" wifi! We drove all the way up a mountain and got to see another lookout against Lebanon and learned about the threats of Hizbollah. We had a leader in a kibbutz by the border of Israel before Syria and Lebanon. He spoke about the situation from his perspective, sharing his views bluntly with no political correctness. The wind was blowing hard and the ceiling tiles were moving throughout the building. His kibbutz had a gorgeous panoramic view of the surrounding land. Being elevated at the border of Israel, the kibbutz has the unique feature of being the only place you can simultaneously see Lebanon, Syria, Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea.
Night rolled around and it was nice to celebrate Israel's Independence Day. You know what that means... 🍻! There was a concert in the center of the city, people everywhere spraying silly string and foam. We went to a club at the end of the night, which was reserved for only Birthright-ees.
I'm stoked for what tomorrow has in store!