Shalom from the Kinneret!

Since we last wrote, we enjoyed a restful Shabbat in Haifa and had a visiting day where many of us were able to see relatives in Israel. The next day we went to the city of Akko where we learned about Islam and visited a mosque. Afterwards, we split up into groups for our four days of Chavaya.

One group spent four days doing Yam l’Yam which means sea to sea. They camped outside for 3 nights and spent their days hiking from the Sea of Galilee to the Mediterranean Sea, cooked their own food, and learned how to navigate trails.

One group did Tikkun Olam which means repairing the world. They traveled around Jerusalem volunteering at gardens, senior centers and food pantries and really got to know the local communities there.

One group chose Archeology. They learned about the ancient civilizations outside Jerusalem and spent their days digging up the past. The discovered fully-intact oil lamps and ceramic jars at a real archeological dig.

Finally the last group chose Gadna which is army training. They stayed at an army base and were overseen by a commander for the week. They learned about the IDF, practiced drills, and learned how to safely shoot at a target.

After four days apart, we were so glad to reunite at a beautiful hotel right on the Kinneret and share our experiences with each other. This morning we hiked the steep cliffs of Mount Arbel, learned about early Zionist pioneers at the Kinneret cemetery and then had a quick but delicious stop at a chocolate factory. We’re spending this afternoon at a pool and then we are SO excited to welcome seven Israeli teens to our family tomorrow! We can’t wait to meet them and spend the next week experiencing Israel together with them.

This week’s Hebrew lesson:

Chavaya: experience

Chalutzim: pioneers

Glida: ice cream

We miss you lots and lots!!

Xoxo Olim 18 (lucky to be)