Mazel Tov

By Sykes Radford '14 and Jacob Albano '15

Today, members of the group woke up early to attend conservative Shabbat services in Ashkelon. Afterwards, we went for an afternoon walk on the sandy shores of the Mediterranean Sea. When we returned to the hotel, a beautiful Shabbat lunch had been set up for us as we all enjoyed one of our final meals together as a group. Manishevitz, laughter, full tummies, and friendship filled the air just before we held Bar/Bat-Mitzvahs for four group members! One-by-one, Carly Epstein, Enika Selby, Jacob Albano, and Sykes Radford read Aliyah Blessing and discussed their interpretation of the Ten Commandments and it's relevance to loving, living, and learning. In keeping with tradition, candy was thrown at each of them at the conclusion of their presentation. Candy wasn't the only thing thrown into the air, though. Members of the group played music, danced, ate, and lifted Carly, Enika, Jacob, and Sykes in the air (Horah) for celebration. In the end, we enjoyed a relaxing dinner on the pier before calling it a night. 

There's no demure way to clean a carrot

By Daniel Yellin '15 and Monique Sager '15

Is waking up to Arabian Nights in a Bedouin tent racist? This was the thought that went through our heads at six this morning. After a night sleeping on the ground in the desert on one of the handful of rainy nights that happen each year, we woke to Shany's choice DJ-ing with what can only be described as collective disdain. Everything hurt. Feeling like we hadn't showered since the Second Intifada, we set out to climb Masada.

The 2100 year old mountain castle loomed before us. King Herod built his vacation home far away from anything living to escape a most fearsome people... Some angry Jews. Once on top, we learned about the mountain's history as a palace, fortress, and story of inspiration. We drank plenty of water and wore our semi-mandatory hats despite the overcast skies. We also experienced a most magical echo at one end of the plateau... Sababababa (read as if echoing). 

After scampering down the mountain as nimbly as a Roman soldier or a Jerusalem cat, we headed across the desert to an agricultural farm for the best part of every day, public restrooms. The Salad Trail, as the farm is known, provided us with a lesson on Israel's advanced agricultural techniques and business practices, and also let us eat fruits and veggies off the vine in what can only be described as a vegan Willy Wonka paradise... Come with me and you'll be in a world of giant purple carrots... But actually, it was delicious. We ate cumquats, lemons, strawberries and habanero peppers (a bad, bad idea says Daniel). We also found something called a Prostate Tomato, which apparently helps you in that department. You know the saying, a tomato a day keeps the doctor away. We also ran through a passion fruit maze (like a corn maze, Israel style). Lastly, we got to pick purple, white and orange carrots the size of souvenir baseball bats. There's no good way to clean or eat these carrots, so we did the best we could.

Since it's Shabbat, we arrived at the hotel in Ashkelon early, lit candles, SHOWERED, and had a fantastic dinner. It was so good that we had no room for the dessert that we bought for our Shabbat oneg earlier today at a pit stop along the road (hooray more public bathrooms).

Public restrooms though are a very small price to pay for the immense beauty that we experienced. From the Bedouin camp to Masada to The Salad Trail to Ashkelon, the Negev Desert is truly a magical and diverse place.

Bedou#win

By Kyla Balkan '16 and Joanna Kamhi '15

Today was full of trials and tribulations, but don't worry Jewish mothers, we still managed to hike for less than 20 minutes. We started the day on a somber note, saying goodbye to the soldiers as well as the delicious breakfast buffet we had become accustomed to at kibbutz Ginnosar. But thanks to Facebook, we can continue to keep in touch and share selfies with them, although they still refuse to acknowledge twitter as a viable social media platform. Our count off will never be the same without their heavily accented pronunciation of #37-#44. 

Our first stop was a bougie rest stop en route to the Negev where we ate "Mexican" flavored chips and saw our first camel parked nearby. Back on the bus, the all-knowing Shany continued to outline the Palestinian-Israeli conflict while some of us napped. 

We arrived at the Dead Sea where we covered ourselves in globs of mineral enriched mud and took copious photos. Once it dried, we took a dip and almost drowned! (Just kidding, we floated by pure magic and the high salt concentration of the lowest point in the world.) Then we all complained about our splotchy dry skin and burning blisters and covered ourselves in samples from the tester lotions in the Ahava store. Personally I think the Dead Sea saps the minerals out of the unaware bathing humans and that's why it is so enriched and the rest of us were left so tired.

 

Next we headed to Ein Gedi where our hike was short, sweet, and full of ibex and other unidentified creatures (mongoose? Prairie dog? Either way it was really cute). We wanted to hike higher but Shany claimed to be too out of shape, a thinly veiled excuse as she is a fierce aerobic machine. We ate various fillings in a pita at "in-a-pita."

We then traveled to the Bedouin camp and back in time to ride on on their pet dinosaurs that they call "camels." They are regal creatures with haphazardly attached jaws and a tranquil nature. If we had asked the "camels" if we could ride on them instead of just excitedly jumping into their makeshift saddles, I imagine they would have responded, "Baduk." The ride itself was a roller coaster of gentle swaying and not so gentle double jointed camel knees. 

We were introduced to Bedouin life by Mohammed, who has three wives and twenty-one children with two on the way. He considers both the Jews and the Jordanians "like cousins" but we couldn't help but wonder if this act was a little rehearsed. Also, a little mental math of our own revealed that while he looked 50, the ages he gave for when he started having kids and the age of his oldest child would make him 35. We ate a traditional "Hafla" dinner sans utensils or plates. Lamb meatballs were included so everyone was happy. Next, we braved the camel poop as we trekked into the desert for some individual nighttime reflection in silence. In true Taglit fashion, this was followed by a discussion where we learned about each other's spiritual experiences with reflection and introspection. We are about to go to sleep in a giant heated Bedouin tent aka snugglefest 2014.

Mo' Shekels, Mo' Heckles

By Emma Connolly '16, Travis Mager '14

Today was a magical day. No really, it was. We began the day with some divine intervention at the Arbel Cliffs just north of our kibbutz on the Sea of Galilee. While the views from the top of the cliffs were among our favorites, the real magic was due to the fact that none of us fell off/down the incredibly steep cliffs. It was a bumpy descent, but we all made it through in the highest of spirits.

Our sage tour guide, Shany, demanded that everyone have a hat for the hike. Those who didn't bring a hat or a makeshift fraternity flag babushka had to buy a hat at the top of the mountain. While we were initially skeptical of the options, we came to love our 17 shekel "Big Australian" sun hats (see below). To quote Emma, "it's my favorite forced-purchase EVER. I'm wearing it for Fling." Needless to say, the cliffs rocked our socks. Betches do love rocks after all. 

Next, we drove to one of the four holy cities of Israel - Tzfat - where we ate an unholy amount of falafel after our long hike. Each of these four cities is associated with a different element, and Tzfat's lofty element is, appropriately, air. While the air was fresh and abundant, the public bathrooms were not. After the group finally found one, we gathered around Shany to hear about Tzfat's role in the origins of Kabbala and Jewish mysticism. 

We then followed in Madonna's footsteps to further discover Kabbala's origins at the nearby Sephardic temple. The rabbi instructed us to not eat, drink, or sleep as there is no mezuzah on the temple's door. The struggle was real as we were there for a full ten minutes. We enjoyed the unique decorations of the synagogue (see below). 

Afterwards, we turned up the heat and made our way to a local glass blower's studio, which deepened our mystical experience in Tzfat. She flared our interest by giving us a live demonstration of glass blowing by creating one of her pomegranates, which brighten up her studio. While wielding her torch, she told us her story of making Aliyah from Colorado after she finished college and her enlightening experience of moving to Israel and becoming a glass blower. 

Finally, we visited the market to buy some lovely souvenirs for you folks at home. We haggled with the artists and possible con artists (100 shekels for a string Kabbala bracelet? REALLY?!) of Tzfat for some beautiful jewelry, art, and tchotchkes. We left Tzfat with lighter wallets but a heavier understanding of the origins of Kabbala and the spiritual components of Jewish mysticism.

When we returned to the kibbutz we were treated to an Israeli folk dancing lesson by our secretly talented bus driver, Moti. These intricate, lively dances put the hora to shame. We all enjoyed the cardio-on-cardio day of climbing and dancing after all of our carb-on-carb days here in Eretz Israel. This land was the topic of our discussion tonight as we reflected on our experiences thus far in the Jewish homeland. 

Tomorrow promises to bring more enlightenment to complement today's lessons, and at the very least, some buoyancy.

Shany's 8th Birthday

By Sarah Mann '14 and Ariel Jacobi '16

Shalom! Today was tov meod! We woke up early to drive to Hulda Valley where we met a group of skilled jeep driver tour guides for a very bumpy drive up the Golan Heights. 

Along our way behind the fences there were remaining land mines to which our tour guides joked that the word in Hebrew for a cow stepping on one is Hamburger (read in an Israeli accent). We arrived at a high point where we were able to walk through an old Syrian bunker. The guides provided delicious hot tea. 

After learning about the Six Day War and taking pictures, we drove until we arrived at the Tel Dan Nature Reserve. In the reserve we learned about the plate tectonics of the Syrian African Rift. We also visited "paradise." Next we grabbed lunch at a mall in Kiryat Shemona and got an iced cafe, of course. Then we stopped at the Teva Naot factory where some added a new pair of Israeli shoes to their collection. 

After a long bus ride, we arrived at Har Bental where we could see the borders that Israel shares with Lebanon and Syria. 

Although we were all freezing, we enjoyed exploring the deserted bunkers and watching the sunset from a high altitude. We ate dinner in Tiberias knowing that we had a surprise program created by our Israeli soldiers to look forward to upon returning to the kibbutz. Little did we know, it was our guide Shany's 8th birthday party! The soldiers hosted the festivities starting with toast of Israel's notorious soda Cristal.  Next we played a game like hot potato but with a present wrapped in many layers of newspaper. When the music stopped, the person who had it had to unwrap one layer and do the task that was written on the next layer. Then there were musical chairs, followed by trying to get your tail (candle tied to a string) in a soda liter bottle.  After that, two volunteers competed to see how many marshmallows they could fit in their mouth, setting the record at 22. Next, two others had to sift through flour using only their lips and teeth to find the bazooka bubble gum. Lastly, a number of people raced to see how quickly they could eat 8 chocolate tea biscuits. The winner of each game received some type of IDF paraphernalia. As Shany's 8th birthday came to a close, we can't wait to bring these games back to the States. לילה טוב!

Assimilation Past and Present

By Jake Albano '15 and David Stahl '14

Today we visited Mt. Herzl and the military cemetery located there. The first stop, Herzl's tomb, was a large black box adorned simply with his name in gold. The memorial stood alone in the middle of a large square. Behind, there was a scenic mountain overlook. 

Herzl, whose story we were told in great detail for the past few days, had by far the most space dedicated to his memory. But it was not his grave site, nor Yitzhak Rabin's, nor Golda Meir's that created the biggest impact for me. These people are celebrated heroes with thousands of visitors each year, as illustrated by the mounds of pebbles and rocks placed upon their tombstones. As we moved further into the cemetery, the signs no longer directed you to specific memorials of the nation's heroes. Instead, plaques served as somewhat of an index, like the signs in large parking lots that help you remember where you parked your car. The tombstones were marked in hebrew, which I admittedly cannot read or understand. The only marking I could understand was the number on the bottom row, which I came to understand marked their age at the time of their passing. Unlike any cemetery I had ever visited, these graves did not celebrate the long and fruitful lives of grandparents who were no longer around. The vast majority of these soldiers were between the ages of 18 and 24. These young men and women had lived to my age, but this is all they had. 

We were told that almost every Israeli knows at least one family member or friend buried there. Hearing that, seeing the rows upon rows of graves, and, most strikingly, noticing the lack of stones and pebbles that decorated the vast majority of them was enough to help me fully process how different life is over here.

We then left Jerusalem once and for all and headed north to the Sea of Galilee. Along the way we stopped for lunch and some experienced McDonald's for the first time in Israel. #mcshwarma. We were entertained by the fact that the largest burger on the menu was called "the American."

We got to Tzipori, an old Israeli town that was taken over by the Romans, where Jews were pressured to assimilate into the culture while struggling to maintain their faith. We went into a presumably Jewish home and saw a beautiful floor mosaic depicting the Roman mythology of the god Dionysus, with gaps where the sofas had been. I thought it was really interesting that mosaics could be made of either stones that were painstakingly selected as the right color or could be colored to fit the scene (the latter being cheaper). This one was made from stones used in their original color which was amazing given the details of the many scenes depicted. Also, some of the scenes in the mural were of Dionysus engaged in competitive drinking games, which we college students could relate to. 

In Tzipori, we also visited a roman amphitheater at the top of a mountain, where we acted out what life would be like for a Jew attending a Roman play. Thus one was written by "Carlius Raeus Jepsenus" #callmemaybe. Through this we learned what it would be like to live in two different, sometimes conflicting, cultures. 

This transitioned perfectly to the evening discussion we had after dinner at our new hotel at Kibbutz Ginnosar. We talked about the role of a Jew in modern society with many cultures. Do we want to be considered "normal" or "special," and if we are in fact special, what type of burden does this entail? We also discussed times we had felt like the "other" and how we dealt with assimilation and celebration of our "specialness."

ShabbatStroll and SelfieSunday

By Allison Siegenfeld '16 and Enika Selby '16

On Saturday since it was Shabbat we got the opportunity to sleep in a little. In the morning if we wanted we could go on a walk through Jerusalem. I chose to go on the stroll. The walk was incredible. The streets of the marketplace which the day before had been completely filled were now empty. After we returned, we had a nice relaxing lunch followed by a discussion on what being Jewish means to us. In the evening we got some free time in Jerusalem. I was surprised to see all the vendors with unique and elegant artwork. We even happened upon a game store filled with wooden puzzles. Night life is vibrant. We saw a beat boxer as well as a group of street dancers jamming to Israeli music. 

Sunday began early with a Jewish learning session at the Pardes Institue. We were welcomed by a Penn alum who was a chemistry major but moved to Israel for a year to gain a further understanding of Judaism. Afterwards we traveled to a section of Tel Aviv known as Jaffa where we were introduced to the Israeli defense force soldiers that will be traveling with us. The typical Icebreakers were followed by lunch that gave us an opportunity to really introduce ourselves. I tried shakshuka which is a tomato egg dish for the first time. During this time we discovered some quirky similarities that some of us share with the soldiers like addictions to American reality tv shows, netflix, and an insatiable appetite for all things food. In Tel Aviv we sat in the exact place where Israel's independence was declared over sixty years ago. We then strolled through downtown Tel Aviv. The quiet area that consisted of a small park in the heart of the city turned out to be incredibly peaceful. Israelis who wanted a break from the bustling city life often would go to this area to relax and listen to the soothing music that played in the background.  We got dinner in Tel Aviv and we passed out on the bus on our way back to the hotel. Unfortunately, tonight is our last night in Jerusalem but we are all excited to continue our journey as we head north. 

Here's a quick way to experience the day's journey with us- #SelfieSunday 

Enjoy this video! http://fgr.am/f/iLxNkkn9LT

The Jewish Paradox

By Jonathan Reichsfeld Bursztyn '15

Jews live paradoxical lives: in 1945 the allies liberated many of our grandparents from the concentration camps. However, most Jews today agree that we are still far from feeling free. Our visit to the Yad Vashem memorial today confirmed the aforementioned belief and presented to us the Holocaust in an innovative way. Instead of focusing on numbers, the memorial highlights anecdotes and experiences of people we could easily relate with. This strategy combats the tradition that the Nazis pioneered and many Jews ironically continued of dehumanizing our people.

Our second day in Jerusalem, however, did not end on a solemn note. We just got back from the Jersualem Market, where we experienced how the local citizens live. My friends and I ate Chicken Shwarma on baked pita bread. We accompanied this delicious meal with a freshly squeezed juice of orange and pomegranate. We also welcomed the Shabbat with a sweet delight by purchasing Baklava for dessert.

We are now getting ready to start the Shabbat celebrations. Stay tuned to learn about our first Shabbat in Israel!

Yad Vashem

View of Jerusalem from the end of the museum

On the way to the Jerusalem Mahane Yehuda market

At the Shuk in Mahane Yehuda

Ahava (Love) at first Sight

By Adam Moelis '14 and Todd Albert '14

After an unusual New Year's celebration with our flight attendants at 40,000 feet, we arrived in Jerusalem late on January 1st, ready to get some rest in preparation for our first full day. We departed from the hotel at 8 AM, eager to get started. (To all U2 fans, on the radio we discovered "Ordinary Love" is a good new song)

While overlooking the hilly old city, we started the day by reciting the "shehechiyanu" blessing, which we learned is done before one undertakes a brand new experience. We also had some delicious challah. We spent the rest of the morning at the Israel Museum. 

The museum was much bigger than we expected, with beautiful views and architectural design. We also took in the famous Dead Sea Scrolls, Israeli art, and the new King Herod exhibit, which was particularly cool because it was discovered less than 6 years ago. At the museum, Jake Lasker met his very first Israeli model!

"How are the Israelis supposed to learn how to read good if they can't even fit inside the building?"

While less Bar Rafaeli and more something Derek Zoolander would take issue with, the open-air model depicting the old city of Jerusalem was an amazing sight. Also noteworthy - Adam abided by the shehechiyanu blessing by taking his very first selfie (picture below caption: The shehehiyanu blessing: Baruch atah adonai).

Following a trip over to the old city, we broke for lunch (schwarma was had)

We even ran into another Penn group on an interfaith trip. Shany, our amazing guide, then led us on a tour of the Jewish Quarter, where we visited the Western Wall and the Southern Wall excavation. It was remarkable to see so many people so deep in prayer and thought.

Afterward, we spent free time in the Mamilla pedestrian arcade and had an early dinner (waffles were had) before crashing on the bus after a full and exciting first day..

Things we also learned:

1. Todd Albert can make an uncanny shofar noise with his mouth

2. Jake Albano learned never to use hand sanitizer #ShanyKnowsBest

And finally, the random quote of wisdom from the day: "If you have to have dinner when you're not hungry but you won't have another chance later, sweet is always the way to go because it's just dessert from lunch."

Prepare for #PBR1127

Now that final exams are in, there's just one thing on my mind...
PENN BIRTHRIGHT BUS 1127!

The blog has gone through a major overhaul, and you can be sure that we'll be updating you as we go along, with reflections and stories by our lovely participants.

In the meantime, to the blessed backpackers of Birthright bus 1127, start packing, review those key Hebrew phrases, and sleep sleep sleep.

Also, there will be a lot of social media surrounding this trip, so the keyword is #PBR1127. Use it on Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Instagram, etc. 

Finally, if you have thoughts, ideas, meditations or other words you'd like to share as we prepare for this journey, please pass them this way. The packing list can only prepare us physically. There is a lot more at stake in this journey.

Looking eagerly ahead to New Year's Eve! See you safely at the airport in just over a week!

With love (ahava)

~Ira

Love Statue, Israel Museum, Jerusalem