In the late hours of the night to the wee hours of the morning of June 13, 10 Hillel of Colorado students met their Birthright family in LAX ready to depart for Ben Gurion. The chitter-chatter and excitement of getting to know each other juxtaposed our students snuggling with their luggage in slumber. When we were finally all together we waited in the Air Canada line one by one students getting through to begin their Journey! A layover in Montreal and 14+ hours on the plane later, we arrived! “AM ISRAEL CHAI” was our greeting as we met the greatest tour guide of all time: our very own Noam Dahary! On to our bus we went into the holy land.
We went up north to Ceasaria’s aqueducts. Staying in Tiberius we had great access to hiking the next day on Mt. Bental to learn about Israel’s neighbors and borders and through the Banyas to see the rushing waters that bring beauty to the north.
In the north, we got the chance to visit Sindayana of the Galilee to learn about Palistinian people, land, and how agriculture and economics can be a tool for peace building – and got to make our own zatar in the process! Stopping at a winery that was a side project of a Kibbutz, we not only got to taste some delicious fruits of Israel but got to understand what the life of a Kibbutz looks like. We drove higher to the city of Tzfat the walk the cobblestone streets and breathe in the energized air.
South we went to Jerusalem! Song, dance and Shechechiyanu welcomed us to the holy city. As well as our 6 Israeli friends who would join us for a portion of our trip. We walked the streets of the old city winding our way to different holy sites, falafel, and eventually the Kotel. Students got to explore the shuk for dinner and see a little bit of Jerusalem at night.
Friday was spent exploring our modern Jewish history at Har Herzl and Yad Vashem. An emotional day before bringing in the rest that Shabbat would bring.
We brought in Shabbat in the Judean Hills with singing and prayer. Students on Shabbat day declared their Jewish Identity with a “B” Mitzvah ceremony reading the translation of the Torah for the week and choosing a Hebrew name.
Tel Aviv ya Habibi Tel Aviv! Off we went to the Mediterranean sea the city of fun and modernity. Students surfed and explored the shuk. We walked the allies full of art learning about issues in Israel expressed through graffiti. Goodbye to our Israeli friends were hard but meaningful as they gave students insight to what Israel means to them, the places to go the things to eat and the issues from their perspectives.
Further south we journeyed to the desert. We got to enjoy the hospitality of the bedouin tents for an evening and see what life might have been like for our wandering ancestors as we learned about one of the minority cultures living in Israel. Camel riding, feasting, and coffee drinking gave us a taste of this life as we gazed at the stars above us and warmed our toes by the fireside.
Up Masada we went in the morning, climbing the red rock to the fortress in the heat we learned the stories of our fighting ancestors. Down we went to the lowest point on earth to float in the Dead Sea!
Saying goodbye to each other, to the connections made and to the land of Israel was hard for us all. But this just means it was that meaningful of a trip! Seeing the steps of our ancestors, seeing the language we use in prayer on street signs and menus, and listening to the modern stories of our Jewish brothers and sisters brought Judaism to life for our students. Birthright trips like these allow students to live their Judaism in ways they didn’t even know existed! Birthright is an important role in our Hillel and we cannot wait to take the next group of students!!!!
