The moment has finally come - our trip is coming to an end and we have to leave this beautiful country. Students spent their last meal before the airport at mini Israel and reflected on their special memories of the past two weeks. For some it was davenning on Masada - for others learning about the modern kibbutz movement by making chocolate at the Deganya chocolate factory. We discussed the themes of revelation, of identity, of independence, and of our own spiritual growth. Students also commented on the diversity of the land and people and were amazed at the feel of the different cities. However, their highlights were not only the places we visited - students reflected on the strengthening of our kehillah, of overcoming fears, of making new friends, and of trying new foods. As trip leader, I was so proud of the intellectual engagement of our students, their respect for each other and their leaders, and their willingness to stretch. Thank you for lending us your children and I hope you have a restful Shabbat hearing all of your children's stories! - Dr. Jennifer Davids

Yad Vashem and the state of Israel

Today was incredibly moving day, as we visited Yad Vashem and revisited the theme of remembrance. One of the most striking things about the museum is that the building is an underground triangle, symbolizing the way the Holocaust caved in on the Jews. When thinking about an elongated triangle, one would think it easy to travel straight through, but the Yad Vashem structure is full of barriers that force visitors to view every room and bypass every artifact.  These barriers are made of various mini-exhibits, such as books banned by the Nazis and other original objects from World War II. Another interesting architectural design is that  all of the flooring is stone except after exiting the last room, reflecting the alleviation of hardship at the end of the war.  In each room, we visited a different chronological portion of the Holocaust, and viewed genuine artifacts such as a letter written by a child on her way to Auschwitz and a Nazi flag used in political rallies. At the end of the triangle are two large glass doors that lead to to a balcony overlooking the Jerusalem landscape, providing a glimpse of the hope that emerged from the Holocaust.   Finally, we went to the children's Memorial - a dark room with many mirrors reflecting a single candle. There were lights twinkling everywhere. As we blindly walked through the room, we heard a voice reciting the names of the innocent children who lost their lives in WWII. Today, we experienced a life changing event and something we will never forget. we then went to hertzel's grave sight. Throughout the year we have been learning about hertzel's dream for a jewish state. After such a tragic  event in our history it was very emotional experience. We started our day off by going back in time to the devastation of the holocaust where many Jews died because there was no Jewish state. Although, we ended our day by seeing Israel, a state for Jewish safety. Jackie F

Monday the 13th and Tuesday the 14th in Israel:

Yesterday we went to the Roman city of Caesaria and the madatech science museum, where we learned about ancient cultures and how far science has progressed. 

At Caeseria we learned about the physical and cultural challenges of creating and maintaining the city, which was built by King Herod to appease the Roman Empire. As Caeseria was modeled after the Romans, the city boasted structures that Jews weren't accustomed to - such as a hippodrome for chariot races.

After our tour of Ceasaria, we visited the science museum where we learned about the interaction between  physics, the human body and the mechanics of athletic activity. To learn about physics we utilized a huge yoyo, where someone would pull down a rope and gravity would help pull you up several feet. We also went to a dark room where we expiremented with the Tesla coil which is electricity (basically lightning) that followed your finger on the glass it was in. Finally, we explored an athletics room where we tested our athletic abilities and mental capacities on various high-tech instruments.

All in all it was amazing to a see the progress Israel has made from engineering projects 2000 years ago,to the technological advancements of today. 

Last night we went to the Reali school to spend the night with our Israeli friends from Haifa. We started the evening with an evening program called Sheketak, featuring two spectacular performers who danced, drummed tapped and beat-boxed. After the presentation, we participated in different ice breakers, scavenger hunts and games with our Reali friends.  It was a great experience to be able to get to learn about our sister school a little better and to tour the campus in an interactive way. Finally, the evening culminated with a delicious falafel dinner, before we split into host families. 

 We spent the night with a gracious Reali family who opened their home to us. They were incredibly sweet, and when we had to say goodbye the next day, we promised to stay in touch! 

Kira S. and Yarden W.

Today was another fun and exciting  day,  but it was also my birthday!

We began our morning touring Kibbutz  Hanaton, which is the only conservative kibbutz in Israel. We Davened and I gave a d'var torah about this week's Parasha, Mishpatim, in which G-d tells the Jews that he will give them Israel. In my D'var Torah, I explained that although we have the opportunity to visit Israel, we should never take it for granted!

The next Kibbutz we visited was Kibbutz Kinneret, where Rachel the poet was buried. It was interesting to see her grave after learning about her and her poems in English class, back at school. At the cemetery, we learned about how Rachel came to Israel with the second wave of immigration and then traveled back to Russia to bring children back to what was then Palestine.  Rachel was temporarily stranded In Russia because of World War One, and then contracted tuberculosis. When she eventually came back to the Kibbutz and wanted to work, she was denied access to work with the children because of her Tuberculosis. Rachel decided to move to Tel Aviv, where she wrote poems that still resonate with us today. 

The next Kibbutz we visited after that was Kibbutz Degania, where we toured a chocolate factory and engaged in a workshop. We watched a movie about where chocolate comes from, and how it travels from the tree to the fermentation to the conching to the final chocolate product that we know and love.

Having my birthday in Israel was really special because I got to celebrate it on a trip that I have been looking forward to for a long time. I feel very lucky to have been able to celebrate with my friends, in another country (and in a chocolate factory!)

Michal W.

Today we visited with some  IDF soldiers, which was pretty damn cool. Meeting the soldiers was also really inspiring, as these are people who devote their lives to something so much greater than just themselves. Armed with tanks and guns, they seems confident and prepared for anything that would come their way.  They were grateful when we presented them with 200 pounds of candy, collected  by our very own 7th grade for a tzedakah project. 

For the past several weeks, the seventh graders brought in Hershey's, Reese's and tonsof other awesome American sugary-savory joy to give to the soldiers. Instead of having the teachers give the candy to the IDF, each 8th grader was given the opportunity to give a bag of candy to each soldier. For me, giving a man a bag of sweetness from America was very special because I realized that these were real people, who, like me, love eating candy. Although it may sound small, this connection was an amazing chance to bond with my Jewish brother, who i didnt even know, but was fighting for the land that we both know and love--Israel.

Side note--these guys rock at giving hugs!

-Coby P

Shabbos Experience This past Shabbat we had the opportunity to visit our friends and family around the country, for a host weekend. I spent my Shabbat with Ben Walker's family in West Jerusalem, along with Noah Holtzer.   Their apartment was located in a Hasidic community, and although I have encountered other Hasidim  in America, this was certainly an eye-opening experience. By living within the community, I was able to see first hand some of the religious practices, traditions and customs that are unique to the Hasidic community.  After arriving and preparing for Shabbat, we walked to a Hasidic synagogue called the Belz which is one of the largest and most beautiful synagogues in the world.  The synagogue was completely full with several thousand people in attendance for Shabbat services. Nearly all of the men in the community were there, dressed in the classic Hassidic uniform. It was overwhelming to see so many people wearing beccashaws (long black coat) and striemels, davening in the same way.   After Kabbalat Shabbat  it is customary for Hasidim to greet the rabbi, and wish him a Shabbat Shalom. After services ended, Ben's uncle suggested we participate in the tradition, and speak with the Rabbi. To my surprise, instead of being able to walk up to the rabbi (as I usually do in my shul) a massive line formed of thousands of the Hasidim, all waiting to see the "Belz Rebbe". Although Noah, Ben and I felt somewhat like outsiders in this close knit community, it was truly an amazing experience and one that most people will never get the opportunity to have. I know all of us felt lucky to have a unique Shabbat experience in Israel. - Michael G

Days 4 and 5 





Dear parents,
Here in the Holy Land we have witnessed so much in such a short amount of time. We have witnessed the miracle of life. Yesterday we saw a sheep giving birth to a lamb. We also planted trees with the JNF. We have witnessed the beautiful sights of Jerusalem. We went to the city of David and we explored the under ground tunnels. But most importantly we also went to the mall - sorry mom and dad but your credit score may be in need of healing! We had kosher McDonald's. It was delicious and it was an experience we will remember for a life time.
-Noah H.



Today, we started our day with davening shacharit and laining at Robinson's Arch, which is near the southern side of the Kotel. Our bnei mitzvah ceremony was really special since most of the grade read at least a line of Torah and everyone had an aliyah. We then walked walked around the Temple mount and learned about the 2nd Temple through a 3-D visualization. It depicted the glory and beauty of the Temple. After lunch, we made our way to the Kotel. It was a very spiritual and peaceful experience for all of us. The boys made a minyan and davened mincha. Touching the ancient stones gave me an undescribable feeling. I felt as if I could stay there kissing and feeling the wall forever. It was also great that I had the opportunity to experience this with my closest friends. Surrounded by soldiers, Jews, and Israeli flags I felt a sense of pride, bravery, and accomplishment. 
-David S.

Dear parents,
Today we went to the Kotel to celebrate our Bnei Mitzvah ceremony, which took place at Robinson's Arch. This is an area bordering the Western wall, but which was separate from the main section of the wall so that we could have our own special, egalitarian ceremony. The ceremony was extremely meaningful and a lot of fun! First, we were able to read from a Sephardic Torah, which is read standing up, and is very beautiful. It was cool to be able to read from a Torah that is different from what we are accustomed to, and to learn about Sephardic traditions. Additionally, the service was particularly meaningful because every student in our "kehillah" was able to participate. I was personally able to lead the davening and read a pasuk of Torah, and every student had the opportunity to come up to it he Torah, whether it be for an Aliyah or a Torah reading. Finally, the Kotel itself was a very meaningful experience. In particular, we learned about the two different parts of the Western Wall, the Orthodox and the Conservative, and were given the opportunity to decide for ourselves which was more meaningful and where we wanted to place our notes. When we finally reached the Orthodox section of the kotel, we could immediately feel the excitement in the air. People were rushing from all sides, and we were looking to find the correct side of the mechitza to pray and place notes. We were also given the opportunity to place notes that were given to us the by the Schechter third graders, who are being kept up to date in our trip. It was an incredible experience, and by far one of my favorite part of the trip!
-Sarah B

Masada


Today was the second/last  full day in the Negev. We woke up, once again, at 6:15 a.m. and we were given the option of either going to Masada or Ein Gedi. I chose to go to Masada. After arriving there, we hiked up the mountain and everyone was completely out of breath. Then, we gathered in the Bet Midrash and prayed as a kehila. During the Amida, there was a sudden feeling of spirituality and connection to God. Up until the silent Amida, there was a nearby tractor making distracting noise.  Right when the Amida started, the noise stopped and there was utter silence.  The only sound heard was the sound of pages turning. There was not even one person who rushed through the Tefilot. It was as if, all of the sudden, there was no longer a sense of tiredness and jet lag-- everyone wanted to relish the presence of God surrounding them. Midway through my personal Tefilah, I felt a gust of wind pass through the Bet Midrash and got the chills creep up my spine. I even observed my fellow classmate shed a tear. One of our chaperones commented that this was the most meaningful Tefilah she has ever experienced in all of her years working at schechter. The history of Masada affected all of us. It is important to know that in our past, there were Jews who fought for their freedom. After retreating from Masada we went to the Dead Sea and endured a fun, yet painful, trip.  The salt water stung and made us aware of any tiny cuts on our bodies! However, despite this minor setback, everyone really enjoyed themselves and had an incredible journey at the Dead Sea.  Overall, this day was very rewarding and spiritually fulfilling, and definitely a day I will always remember. 

-Sarah 

Ein Gedi

Today, I chose to go to Ein Gedi. At first, it was a very difficult hike with a lot of slipping and falling. We started off having a very spiritual Tefilah on sacred ground in the ancient synagogue. It was an amazing sight and I loved to learn about the history of King David, the water falls, and the water. It was the most unbelievable hike I had ever been on. I'm one of those people who is not a big fan of hikes but today I really enjoyed every part of Ein Gedi. After the hike, we moved our way to the Dead Sea. Although parts of it stung, I had a great time and also went in the hot springs which felt undescribable. The hot springs were so nice and stayed in there most of the time. In conclusion, I had an excellent time and got a lot out of this wonderful day.

- Robbie

So, today was our first full day in Israel, and we did SO much!!First we got an early wake up call at 6:15 and were upstairs to pray by 7. Then after breakfast we loaded the buses and went to Kibutz Revivim, which was the first Kibbutz in the desert. There we learned about the water in the desert and how the chslutzim developed dams to save water for agricultural in the desert. Next, we got back on the buses and went to Ein Avdat, where we spent about two hours and experienced a really beautiful setting. Afterwards, we went to another Kibbutz named Sde Boker where the first prime minister, David Ben Gurion, lived and we had a quick lunch. Finally, we drove for a long time and arrived at Bedouin tents, where we rode camels and donkeys. IT WAS SO FUN!!!! We were also able to spend some time in the tents and we were briefly taught about Bedouin life. We then had dinner in the tents, which was yummy and now we are back in the hotel, ready to rest up after a very long day.


- Cali

And this is a great interview with Mr. Camel.

Shalom from Israel!
After many hours on a plane, we finally arrived safely in ארץ ישראל.  When we first arrived at the airport, we were one of the only ones there, and we were able to get through security quickly.  After boarding the plane, and turning off our iPods and phones of course, we relaxed and watched movies, while noshing on our snacks. The movies on the plane were amazing, they had so many great choices! The plane ride went smoothly, and most of us got a chance to sleep.
We arrived at the airport earlier than expected and were finally able to take our first steps in the Holy Land as 8th graders. After getting our luggage and meeting our madrichim (tour leaders), we hopped on the buses and headed over to Latrun, a restaurant next to an army base.  There, we had a delicious meal of shnitzel and chips.  After a brief opening ceremony, we got on the buses and headed over to the hotel for the night. The Israel trip is off to a great start, and we can't wait to write more. Keep checking every day for new posts!
XOXO,


Schechter Westchester 8th graders Hope and Samantha