Today the MBIers woke up and headed off for some hiking through some beautiful and unique parts of the desert. They started off by hiking Mt Saharonim which is a great hike to see the desert and is located near Mitzpe Ramon. It is also near the next unique site of interest which was going to Makhtesh Ramon(Ramon Crater)
There are several amazing things about Makhtesh Ramon. First its incredible to travel in the desert and suddenly reach a ridge where you look out and there is a huge crater that extends very far off into the distance. Being one of and the biggest of Israel craters is another special thing. Arguably the most unique aspect is that is the world biggest naturally formed crater that isn't actually a crater. Makhtesh is a hebrew word translated closely, but not actually meaning, to be crater. The MBIers got spend a good time in area, learning about this fascinating geological site. The MBIers in just a short time have been to the lowest point on earth and to the largest crater, quite a few days!
They returned to Sde Boker to escape the sun and get a little rest from the busyness that occurs during MBI. After having a break the MBIers took part in a peula(activity) with their groups, led by their madrichim(counselors). Then they went to Ben-Gurion's grave where they learned about him and reflected on his great role in the creation of the modern state of Israel. Ben-Gurion had grand visions of the desert and learning about his legacy and reflecting on the places they had been and seen so far in the desert, helped give significance to a lot of what they had seen. After dinner they had a nice, relaxing activity with their smaller bus group. It was a nice chance to reflect and have some fun with their group.
Tomorrow of course begins the free weekend with many people setting off for their destinations. Those continuing to stay on the program will head to Nes Harim, where they will be located for the free weekend. The MBIers will have a chance to relax, get ready for shabbat, and enjoy the traditional and fun parts of Shabbat on MBI.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Wake up! Its time to hike!
At 3:15am this morning in Israel the MBIers awoke to set off on what promised to be a memorable and beautiful hike. Soon after they got up they set off from the Bedouin tents to hike up Masada and see the famous and glorious sunrise they will not soon forget. While some were not excited to be up so early, the cooler temperature and promise of hiking up to an important site and witness an event of great beauty, kept the MBIers going. Having reached the top of Masada the MBIers got to pause, take a rest, and take in the sunrise. They proceeded to walk around and have a guided tour of the ruins and learn more about the backstory of Masada and its role in the Israeli narrative.
Later they went to Ein Gedi and Nachal David to take advantage of some great hikes in the area. These two hikes are great as Ein Gedi is a famous source of water in the desert and both hikes eventually lead to water and some waterfalls. The hikes are not too long and there is a great reward at end to see water flowing in the desert. They are a large part of understanding the beauty and diversity of the desert environment.
Having been up Masada, and seen some important sources of fresh water in the desert, it was only fitting the MBIers another unique part of the Israeli desert. They headed off for the Dead Sea which meant the MBIers had now been to the lowest point of the earth on land. It is truly amazing the one of a kind places that Israel has to offer. For those who forgot about various cuts and scrapes they had gotten earlier in the week the Dead Sea kindly reminded them. Of course floating the highly concentrated water was enjoyed as was utilizing Dead Sea mud rich in minerals. A one of a kind, in many ways a once in a lifetime opportunity was had for all.
After the MBIers had accomplished so much and yet being very far in the day, they headed off for their place of rest, Kibbutz Sde Boker, where they would be staying for the evening. When they arrived they had a few hours to rest, take naps, and recuperate from their amazing and busy day. It was a well received break and did in fact rejuvenate the MBIers. They had a nice meal at Sde Boker and prepared for the evenings activities.
The bus groups took turns taking part in a Scorpion hunt as part of a night hike. The scorpion hunt involved walking through the desert near the Kibbutz with an ultraviolet light to try to find scorpions. The hike and hunt were thrilling explorations of some of the feared creatures of the desert and everyone finished the evening braver than before.
Tomorrow the MBIers will have some more hiking in the desert, including going to Makhtesh(Crater) Ramon among other activities. Can you believe we are almost half way through the program? Times flies....
Later they went to Ein Gedi and Nachal David to take advantage of some great hikes in the area. These two hikes are great as Ein Gedi is a famous source of water in the desert and both hikes eventually lead to water and some waterfalls. The hikes are not too long and there is a great reward at end to see water flowing in the desert. They are a large part of understanding the beauty and diversity of the desert environment.
Having been up Masada, and seen some important sources of fresh water in the desert, it was only fitting the MBIers another unique part of the Israeli desert. They headed off for the Dead Sea which meant the MBIers had now been to the lowest point of the earth on land. It is truly amazing the one of a kind places that Israel has to offer. For those who forgot about various cuts and scrapes they had gotten earlier in the week the Dead Sea kindly reminded them. Of course floating the highly concentrated water was enjoyed as was utilizing Dead Sea mud rich in minerals. A one of a kind, in many ways a once in a lifetime opportunity was had for all.
After the MBIers had accomplished so much and yet being very far in the day, they headed off for their place of rest, Kibbutz Sde Boker, where they would be staying for the evening. When they arrived they had a few hours to rest, take naps, and recuperate from their amazing and busy day. It was a well received break and did in fact rejuvenate the MBIers. They had a nice meal at Sde Boker and prepared for the evenings activities.
The bus groups took turns taking part in a Scorpion hunt as part of a night hike. The scorpion hunt involved walking through the desert near the Kibbutz with an ultraviolet light to try to find scorpions. The hike and hunt were thrilling explorations of some of the feared creatures of the desert and everyone finished the evening braver than before.
Tomorrow the MBIers will have some more hiking in the desert, including going to Makhtesh(Crater) Ramon among other activities. Can you believe we are almost half way through the program? Times flies....
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Jerusalem and then down south
Today the MBIers set out from Ben Shemen to take part in two of Jerusalem's more somber and meaningful aspects. The MBIers headed to Har(Mount) Herzl to get a tour and learn more about many of Israel's great leaders and historical figures buried there. Both Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin are buried there and being Israel's military cemetery, soldiers who fall in combat are buried there as well. It is an important place to see and learn about Israel's past and reflect on the hardships Israel has endured to exist as it does today in 2008.
Then each bus went to Yad Vashem(Israel's Holocaust Museum) where they received a guided tour. The museum which was which was renovated 3 years ago has a unique design being a sort of long triangle that at the end there are windows piping light. In order to reach the light you have to criss-cross through each section of the museum, which spans from before the Holocaust looking at communities, through the end of the war exploring the many difficult topics and some of the more inspirational tales of righteous gentiles and the youth movements role in the war. The tour tries to focus on some of the aspects of the Holocaust without trying to overwhelm everyone too much by the enormity and difficulty inherent.
It was an emotional morning with many tears shed and a real connection was felt by the MBIers to their past and how it now relates to their and Israel's present reality. After being at both places the MBIers had time to sit with their madrichim(counselors) and process everything they had taken in at Yad Vashem and Har Herzl.
They then headed to their buses which took them south to an exciting destination of Mamshit, where they were going to be staying at Bedouin tents there. The first thing the MBIers got to do though was to take a camel ride through the desert. Having had a bumpy, at times smelly and yet overall fun ride, the MBIers headed over the tents were they would be staying. There got to relax and take in some Bedouin hospitality and learn more about Bedouin customs. At first they were served very sweet tea which is a Bedouin custom and eventually, while sitting on mats on the ground, were served the main event of a large meal. The groups got served huge platters of rice and meat(veggies and veggie kabobs for those choosing to not eat meat) as well as plates with humus and eggplant salad among others. It was quite a feast that was enjoyed thoroughly by all.
Having had more then there fill of food, the MBIers finished off their evening with a lovely Kumzitz, where they sangs songs by the fire. They all went to sleep under the large Bedouin tent they found themselves as they needed to get some rest before the events of tomorrow. As I write this(and perhaps as you read this), the MBIers will be waking up shortly as they are getting woken up at 3:15am in order to go hike up Masada to see the sunrise! While there will be grumbling as they are woken up, seeing the sunrise on Masada is a truly glorious thing to behold. Tomorrow they also will be going to Ein Gedi, Nachal David, and the Dead Sea. Their exploration and enjoyment of the desert has commenced!
Lastly, anyone who hasn't sent in the Free Weekend request is putting us in a difficult position since we need to confirm numbers staying behind and making sure there is sufficient space on the buses going to the drop-off points. We are doing our best to accomodate last minute requests, but we cannot guarantee anymore requests since it is so late.
Then each bus went to Yad Vashem(Israel's Holocaust Museum) where they received a guided tour. The museum which was which was renovated 3 years ago has a unique design being a sort of long triangle that at the end there are windows piping light. In order to reach the light you have to criss-cross through each section of the museum, which spans from before the Holocaust looking at communities, through the end of the war exploring the many difficult topics and some of the more inspirational tales of righteous gentiles and the youth movements role in the war. The tour tries to focus on some of the aspects of the Holocaust without trying to overwhelm everyone too much by the enormity and difficulty inherent.
It was an emotional morning with many tears shed and a real connection was felt by the MBIers to their past and how it now relates to their and Israel's present reality. After being at both places the MBIers had time to sit with their madrichim(counselors) and process everything they had taken in at Yad Vashem and Har Herzl.
They then headed to their buses which took them south to an exciting destination of Mamshit, where they were going to be staying at Bedouin tents there. The first thing the MBIers got to do though was to take a camel ride through the desert. Having had a bumpy, at times smelly and yet overall fun ride, the MBIers headed over the tents were they would be staying. There got to relax and take in some Bedouin hospitality and learn more about Bedouin customs. At first they were served very sweet tea which is a Bedouin custom and eventually, while sitting on mats on the ground, were served the main event of a large meal. The groups got served huge platters of rice and meat(veggies and veggie kabobs for those choosing to not eat meat) as well as plates with humus and eggplant salad among others. It was quite a feast that was enjoyed thoroughly by all.
Having had more then there fill of food, the MBIers finished off their evening with a lovely Kumzitz, where they sangs songs by the fire. They all went to sleep under the large Bedouin tent they found themselves as they needed to get some rest before the events of tomorrow. As I write this(and perhaps as you read this), the MBIers will be waking up shortly as they are getting woken up at 3:15am in order to go hike up Masada to see the sunrise! While there will be grumbling as they are woken up, seeing the sunrise on Masada is a truly glorious thing to behold. Tomorrow they also will be going to Ein Gedi, Nachal David, and the Dead Sea. Their exploration and enjoyment of the desert has commenced!
Lastly, anyone who hasn't sent in the Free Weekend request is putting us in a difficult position since we need to confirm numbers staying behind and making sure there is sufficient space on the buses going to the drop-off points. We are doing our best to accomodate last minute requests, but we cannot guarantee anymore requests since it is so late.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Continuing to Explore Jerusalem
The MBIers set off today to continue their exploration of holy and magical city of Jerusalem. In the morning the MBIers spent their time at the City of David which is a sort of archaeological park to walk around and see the history of the city's creation. The MBIers got to walk around and see ruins from the first city of Jerusalem which is pretty incredible to take in the magnitude of that location. They also got to walk through a sort of aqueduct that is a long tunnel that still has water running through and the MBIers had to walk through the water to get out. It was definitely a refreshing walk through history that has existed for over a thousand years. These are just some the incredible and unique experiences through history that being in Israel allows the MBIers to experience.
For lunch the MBIers had what apparently was a treat of Bagel bites type pizzas and was a welcome lunch on the go in Jerusalem. After lunch the MBIers had another special treat which was to have a guided tour though the Kotel Tunnels. The Kotel Tunnels are truly amazing as while the Kotel itself is most famous, most of the wall exists below in the tunnels. During this guided time the MBIers learned more about its creation and the Temples creation and destruction. They also got to see one of the largest stones in the World that is part of the foundation of the Kotel. It is of great speculation how it got there given the technologies(or lack thereof) that existed at the time. Overall being in the tunnels is definitely an awe-inspiring experience.
Having been down in the Kotel Tunnels, it of course was fitting for the MBIers to proceed to have sometime above ground at the Kotel itself. There the MBIers had sometime to take in this special location and feel the special energy that surrounds the area. They all had an opportunity to write notes and place them in the wall as well as find their own ways to take in the meaning of the place. It was a special afternoon that will certainly leave a positive memory for the MBIers.
The MBIers also got to continue to spend sometime in Old City as they went to the Hurva Synagogue which is another historic place. The Synagogue had existed for several hundred years, prior to the Independence War when it was destroyed by the Jordanians. Currently it is being rebuilt, and is actually near completition so the MBIers got to take an early look at what it looks like now and what to expect upon its completion. They of course learned about its history as it relates to Jerusalem and continued their day of seeing and experiencing first-hand some incredible parts of Jewish and Israeli history.
After a busy day the MBIers returned to Ben Shemen for the evening to have an activity with their bus and catch up with their friends. Tomorrow will be a meaningful day that will conclude with some fun. In the morning they will visit Har Herzl and Yad Vashem to learn and be reminded about the pain of our past that has led to the place we are today. In evening they will head down to Mamshit in the desert to stay at a Bedouin tent and take in some Bedouin hospitality. Phew! I almost tired from writing all that!
For lunch the MBIers had what apparently was a treat of Bagel bites type pizzas and was a welcome lunch on the go in Jerusalem. After lunch the MBIers had another special treat which was to have a guided tour though the Kotel Tunnels. The Kotel Tunnels are truly amazing as while the Kotel itself is most famous, most of the wall exists below in the tunnels. During this guided time the MBIers learned more about its creation and the Temples creation and destruction. They also got to see one of the largest stones in the World that is part of the foundation of the Kotel. It is of great speculation how it got there given the technologies(or lack thereof) that existed at the time. Overall being in the tunnels is definitely an awe-inspiring experience.
Having been down in the Kotel Tunnels, it of course was fitting for the MBIers to proceed to have sometime above ground at the Kotel itself. There the MBIers had sometime to take in this special location and feel the special energy that surrounds the area. They all had an opportunity to write notes and place them in the wall as well as find their own ways to take in the meaning of the place. It was a special afternoon that will certainly leave a positive memory for the MBIers.
The MBIers also got to continue to spend sometime in Old City as they went to the Hurva Synagogue which is another historic place. The Synagogue had existed for several hundred years, prior to the Independence War when it was destroyed by the Jordanians. Currently it is being rebuilt, and is actually near completition so the MBIers got to take an early look at what it looks like now and what to expect upon its completion. They of course learned about its history as it relates to Jerusalem and continued their day of seeing and experiencing first-hand some incredible parts of Jewish and Israeli history.
After a busy day the MBIers returned to Ben Shemen for the evening to have an activity with their bus and catch up with their friends. Tomorrow will be a meaningful day that will conclude with some fun. In the morning they will visit Har Herzl and Yad Vashem to learn and be reminded about the pain of our past that has led to the place we are today. In evening they will head down to Mamshit in the desert to stay at a Bedouin tent and take in some Bedouin hospitality. Phew! I almost tired from writing all that!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Shabbat and then off to Jerusalem
Shabbat brought a welcome sleep-in and a day filled with the spirit of rest, relaxation, and reflection that is Shabbat. In the morning they had a joint peula(activity) that related to the idea of collective vision. It was a chance for the MBIers to reflect on the commonalities that they share with the other Habonim Dror countries as sixteen year old Jews and members of Habonim Dror. They had lunch in the chadar ochel(Dining Hall) and proceeded to have to country time and machaneh(camp) time.
Again the machanot split into their groups to have some bonding time and put together something they wanted to communicate with their home machaneh. Afterwards they had Shabbat Chugim(special interest activities) that included various arts and crafts, various learning groups, and tie dye, which many people used their new Machaneh Habonim shirts for this activity. Then the MBIers had Musicale that included many great performances, including some Brits who joined in on what is a North American tradition.
Following dinner they had peaceful end to their shabbat and week with a couple activities. First they of course took part in the beautiful tradition of Havdallah that Habonim Dror members love so dear. Then they had a Beit Cafe(Coffee Shop) where they sat together in a darkly lit with by candle-light and sat with small groups and were given lists of questions to answer to better get to each other. Its a very relaxed and peaceful way to connect and learn more about other participants of the program.
Come Sunday morning the MBIers woke up early and commenced cleaning and packing up their site and saying goodbye to their new friends from across the Atlantic. They set off from Nes Harim with a day in Jerusalem to explore the magical and special city that it is. They started of by heading to Mt. Scopus where they could see well around Jerusalem and learn about its history and place until the 1967 war. It is also famous for being the location of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Hadassah Hospital.
Much of the day involved exploring Jerusalem's history and learning about the differences that existed before the '67 war. They walked near the points where Jerusalem used to border Jordan and saw different sites demarcating the separated city. The MBIers also got a little organized free time and were able to walk around Ben-Yehuda which is a street that is known to be a shopping district with many shops selling anything from Naot, Items of Judaica, to Israeli T-shirts. Some nice gifts and souvenirs were to be had there.
At night MBIers headed to their next stop which is at Ben Shemen that is located near Lod which is between Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem. More excitement and fun to come tomorrow as I sign off writing to you live from Three Rivers, MI at beautiful Camp Tavor! As a reminder I will be back in the office on Tuesday, but rest assured there will be a blog update tomorrow.
Again the machanot split into their groups to have some bonding time and put together something they wanted to communicate with their home machaneh. Afterwards they had Shabbat Chugim(special interest activities) that included various arts and crafts, various learning groups, and tie dye, which many people used their new Machaneh Habonim shirts for this activity. Then the MBIers had Musicale that included many great performances, including some Brits who joined in on what is a North American tradition.
Following dinner they had peaceful end to their shabbat and week with a couple activities. First they of course took part in the beautiful tradition of Havdallah that Habonim Dror members love so dear. Then they had a Beit Cafe(Coffee Shop) where they sat together in a darkly lit with by candle-light and sat with small groups and were given lists of questions to answer to better get to each other. Its a very relaxed and peaceful way to connect and learn more about other participants of the program.
Come Sunday morning the MBIers woke up early and commenced cleaning and packing up their site and saying goodbye to their new friends from across the Atlantic. They set off from Nes Harim with a day in Jerusalem to explore the magical and special city that it is. They started of by heading to Mt. Scopus where they could see well around Jerusalem and learn about its history and place until the 1967 war. It is also famous for being the location of the Hebrew University in Jerusalem and Hadassah Hospital.
Much of the day involved exploring Jerusalem's history and learning about the differences that existed before the '67 war. They walked near the points where Jerusalem used to border Jordan and saw different sites demarcating the separated city. The MBIers also got a little organized free time and were able to walk around Ben-Yehuda which is a street that is known to be a shopping district with many shops selling anything from Naot, Items of Judaica, to Israeli T-shirts. Some nice gifts and souvenirs were to be had there.
At night MBIers headed to their next stop which is at Ben Shemen that is located near Lod which is between Tel-Aviv and Jerusalem. More excitement and fun to come tomorrow as I sign off writing to you live from Three Rivers, MI at beautiful Camp Tavor! As a reminder I will be back in the office on Tuesday, but rest assured there will be a blog update tomorrow.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Shabbat here we come at Machaneh Habonim
Today the MBIers woke up from their night of sleeping outside to take part in another great outdoors at Nes Harim. After breakfast in the chadar ochel(dining room) they took part in peula(activity) that focused on team-building and outdoor activities with their new British and Hungarian friends. Through various trust games and challenges, a good time outdoors was while learning about the cultural differences and backgrounds they come from.
In the afternoon they had another peula(activity) with their smaller group and then took part in Shabbat Chugim(special-interest activities). The idea was to let the MBIers and friends choose an activity they could take part in to prepare for various parts of Shabbat. The activities they took part in and took responsibility for included: Decorating the Chadar(Dining Hall), Brachot(prayers before the candles etc.), Parashat Hashavuah(Torah Portion of the Week), Oneg(play), Meditation for Saturday morning, Chocolate Balls(because they are a delicious treat), and Havdallah among others.
Afterwards the MBIers had time to shower, rest, and prepare for Friday night and their second Shabbat in Israel. They had Mishpachot("family-time") where they got a chance to sit with just members of their home machaneh(camp) and joke around and talk about their week. They took part in Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony led by the MBIers as well as learning about the Parasha of the week. With a lovely dinner in their stomachs they watched a hilarious oneg performed by a joint group of Machaneh Habonim participants. Of course no Shabbat in Israel on MBI would be complete without an energetic night of Rikud(Israeli Dancing). It was a truly special Friday evening and day.
Tomorrow will bring a sleep-in, more relaxed activities and learning, as well as some usual suspects in Musicale, Havdallah, and Medura. It should all in all be a great Shabbat and continue to be a strong and meaningful experience on Machaneh Habonim.
One quick piece of information that I neglected to leave out of the last update. The return time for the free weekend on August 2nd is: 8:30pm. Please make note of that if you need to communicate that with your family or friends. We of course will remind the families of this when they pick up your MBIer.
Shabbat Shalom until Sunday!
In the afternoon they had another peula(activity) with their smaller group and then took part in Shabbat Chugim(special-interest activities). The idea was to let the MBIers and friends choose an activity they could take part in to prepare for various parts of Shabbat. The activities they took part in and took responsibility for included: Decorating the Chadar(Dining Hall), Brachot(prayers before the candles etc.), Parashat Hashavuah(Torah Portion of the Week), Oneg(play), Meditation for Saturday morning, Chocolate Balls(because they are a delicious treat), and Havdallah among others.
Afterwards the MBIers had time to shower, rest, and prepare for Friday night and their second Shabbat in Israel. They had Mishpachot("family-time") where they got a chance to sit with just members of their home machaneh(camp) and joke around and talk about their week. They took part in Kabbalat Shabbat ceremony led by the MBIers as well as learning about the Parasha of the week. With a lovely dinner in their stomachs they watched a hilarious oneg performed by a joint group of Machaneh Habonim participants. Of course no Shabbat in Israel on MBI would be complete without an energetic night of Rikud(Israeli Dancing). It was a truly special Friday evening and day.
Tomorrow will bring a sleep-in, more relaxed activities and learning, as well as some usual suspects in Musicale, Havdallah, and Medura. It should all in all be a great Shabbat and continue to be a strong and meaningful experience on Machaneh Habonim.
One quick piece of information that I neglected to leave out of the last update. The return time for the free weekend on August 2nd is: 8:30pm. Please make note of that if you need to communicate that with your family or friends. We of course will remind the families of this when they pick up your MBIer.
Shabbat Shalom until Sunday!
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Mega Event and Machaneh Habonim
The MBIers awoke today at Nes Harim with some exciting prospects ahead of them. Today would not only be the start of Machaneh Habonim but also the day they got to take part in the Israel Experience Mega Event in Jerusalem. In the morning they started off with a peula(activity) with their bus to start preparing them for Machaneh(camp) Habonim.
Afterwards they started to setup the campsite at Nes Harim where they will be staying for next couple nights. Part of this setup included demarcating the different spots for the groups as during Machaneh Habonim, the MBIers will be in 8 groups that will include members of the British and Hungarian Habonim. It should be a meaningful cultural exchange as they will have an extended time together, beyond Yom Habonim Dror which already took place. They also hopefully will some new friendships and perspectives on being 16 in other countries and what are the unique parts of the lifestyles they all come from.
In the afternoon the Brits started to arrive and they began getting to know their groups for the next few days and play games and icebreakers to start bonding the group. After some fun and laughs the groups headed to the buses to go the evening's activity of the Israel Experience Mega event. The idea of the event is to bring all the program participants of Israel summer programs affiliated with the Israel Experience, which includes us, Young Judea, Ramah, and other Jewish groups.
The event itself took place in the Sultan's Pool in Jerusalem which is a famous location for concerts and there is an annual Israeli Film Festival held there among other events. It was a lot of fun with dancing, singing, fireworks and a special performance by the Israeli group Gaia. They are famous for song Yachad which is sung at many machanot(camps) among other places. It was a rocking good time that was a high energy and a great gathering of Jewish youth. Afterwards they headed back to Nes Harim where they got to sleep under the Israeli stars with their new British and Hungarian friends.
Tomorrow will be a more relaxed day of learning about each other's countries and preparation for Shabbat. They will have activites together and some chugim(special-interest activities) as well as the usual Friday night traditions. A much desired rest is upon the MBIers with Shabbat so near!
Lastly for the free weekend of August 1st and 2nd. The dropoff points and approximate times for August 1st are as follows.
Jerusalem Drop-off point: The Soldiers House/Yad Lebanim which is on Rehov Ben Tzvi(St) and is between Gan Sacher and Binyanei Haomah. 11:00am
Tel-Aviv: Redding Terminal which is by Park Hayarkon on Rokach Rd. 10:30am
Haifa: Lev Hamifratz parking lot. 12:00pm
Afterwards they started to setup the campsite at Nes Harim where they will be staying for next couple nights. Part of this setup included demarcating the different spots for the groups as during Machaneh Habonim, the MBIers will be in 8 groups that will include members of the British and Hungarian Habonim. It should be a meaningful cultural exchange as they will have an extended time together, beyond Yom Habonim Dror which already took place. They also hopefully will some new friendships and perspectives on being 16 in other countries and what are the unique parts of the lifestyles they all come from.
In the afternoon the Brits started to arrive and they began getting to know their groups for the next few days and play games and icebreakers to start bonding the group. After some fun and laughs the groups headed to the buses to go the evening's activity of the Israel Experience Mega event. The idea of the event is to bring all the program participants of Israel summer programs affiliated with the Israel Experience, which includes us, Young Judea, Ramah, and other Jewish groups.
The event itself took place in the Sultan's Pool in Jerusalem which is a famous location for concerts and there is an annual Israeli Film Festival held there among other events. It was a lot of fun with dancing, singing, fireworks and a special performance by the Israeli group Gaia. They are famous for song Yachad which is sung at many machanot(camps) among other places. It was a rocking good time that was a high energy and a great gathering of Jewish youth. Afterwards they headed back to Nes Harim where they got to sleep under the Israeli stars with their new British and Hungarian friends.
Tomorrow will be a more relaxed day of learning about each other's countries and preparation for Shabbat. They will have activites together and some chugim(special-interest activities) as well as the usual Friday night traditions. A much desired rest is upon the MBIers with Shabbat so near!
Lastly for the free weekend of August 1st and 2nd. The dropoff points and approximate times for August 1st are as follows.
Jerusalem Drop-off point: The Soldiers House/Yad Lebanim which is on Rehov Ben Tzvi(St) and is between Gan Sacher and Binyanei Haomah. 11:00am
Tel-Aviv: Redding Terminal which is by Park Hayarkon on Rokach Rd. 10:30am
Haifa: Lev Hamifratz parking lot. 12:00pm
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
