ASB Week # 2 Comes to a Close!
Yesterday, after an early breakfast, we headed off down the hill from Sde Boker to the Ein Ovdat National Park. Led by our Shorashim Israeli Madrichim, we hiked through the park and its oasis stream. Bus 4 was entertained by their Madrich's knowledge of the natural vegetation and food sources of the Negev; Bus 5 had a wonderful rendition of the name game; and Bus 3 learned about Ben-Gurion's vision and what it means for them to be in Israel fulfilling that vision. They then enjoyed the beauty of the Negev by hiking through Ein Ovdat.Dirty and sweaty, we returned to Sde Boker for a final meal in the Negev before heading to the North. After a two hour ride, we arrived at our hotel in Neve Ilan, a kibbutz outside of Jerusalem. We had time only for a quick shower before heading to Old City Jerusalem for a quick visit at the Kotel (the Western Wall). For a few it was their first time visiting the holiest of sites in the world, and for others it was a welcomed return to this cherished landmark of the Jewish people.
From the Old City some went to hear the Megillah read as we welcomed Purim. The communities were welcoming and treated us all to a rousing rendition of the Book of Esther and Hamentaschen. Some danced and sang, but most of us were in a rush to get to the city center—Ben Yehudah Street. There, we had free time for shopping and dinner. We met as a group after a few hours and proceeded to the venue for Purim party. We had a great night of dancing, singing, and celebrating before returning to the hotel at around midnight.
This morning, we headed out early to a large farm near Tel Aviv. We were working with the nonprofit organization, Table to Table, which harvests large crops of fruits and vegetables for donation to the poor of Israel. All of the food is picked and distributed exclusively by volunteers, of which we were honored to be a part. We spent most of the morning picking strawberries. We then took a bus ride to Tel Aviv for lunch and shopping downtown.
As Shabbat is about to come in, we are now getting ready for a day of relaxation and learning. This will be our last blog entry from Israel as, as soon as Shabbat is over, we are heading to a farewell dinner and then on to the airport. We have all had a wonderful, meaningful, and fulfilling time in Israel, and are looking forward to continuing our work for our homeland when we return to the U.S. Shabbat Shalom!
RSS Feed
