Shalom from Haifa!

Since we last wrote, we celebrated Shabbat in Jerusalem and enjoyed a much needed day of rest and pool time after our long trek in the desert.

When we arrived in Jerusalem, we got off the bus at a lookout point wearing blindfolds and on the count of three we took them off and looked out over Jerusalem together for the first time. Since then, we’ve been learning about ancient Jewish history, digging up ruins at Beit Guvrin, and exploring the old city of Jerusalem. On Monday we walked through the underground water tunnels of Ir David and finished the afternoon by visiting the Kotel. For many of us, this was a place we’ve been learning about our whole lives and it was a surreal experience to be there in person.

After exploring more of the old city on Tuesday, we drove south to the Dead Sea! Our cuts and scrapes stung in the water but it felt amazing to be totally weightless and float on top of the sea! Afterward we headed to Kfar Hanokdim for our Bedouin experience. We rode camels, ate delicious food and drank tea, and slept in big tents with our friends. And of course we bought some flowey elephant pants! In the morning we woke up way before the sun in order to hike up Masada and see the sunrise from the top. The hike was steep but the view from the top was well worth the sweat.

After Masada we drove north to Haifa and stopped at the beautiful Baha’i Gardens on the way to our hostel. Today we are excited to see the ancient city of Tzipori, head to a Druz house for lunch, and then enjoy an afternoon at the beach!

This week’s Hebrew lesson:

Kama ze ole: How much does this cost? (We have been learning the Israeli way of bargaining)

Afo ha sherutim: Where is the bathroom?

We hope you enjoyed trip day! We miss you all!

Xoxo Olim 18 (lucky to be)