The second and final Shabbat of Birthright was spent in a Kibbutz not far from Jerusalem. By this time, I was coming to the realization that my trip was coming to a conclusion, and that real life was just around the corner. I spent much of the day reflecting what I had learned. Spent other parts preparing myself for the
Day 6 I found myself heading to a place I had long wished to see. The City of Jerusalem beckoned, and I finally came. First I got a chance to explore the Old City. The place was steeped in cultures of the many nations that had risen and fallen within the area of the City. All it really takes is
Day 5 began at the Bedouin Tents, but we did not stay there long. Before the sun had even risen, we were on our way to the next destination. The mountaintop of Masada. Looking for a personal challenge, I ran up the mountain with a backpack that I intentionally put weight inside of. Adding to the challenge was that the
In contrast to the relaxing mood of day 2, day 3 was fast paced and hectic. After leaving our hotel, we headed to Zfat, which I soon discovered is one of the holiest cities in Israel. Among countless historical places, this city was where the first Rabbi taught all his disciples for the same of saving Judaism. Another incredible artifact
I have written about keeping the Shabbat before on my blog, but when in Israel, the day of rest takes on a whole new meaning. In the United States, Friday night through Saturday night is considered the weekend, which for many is still a work day. In Israel, the entire country basically shuts down. All the shops close. All business
Today I spent my first true day in Israel. Already seeing how amazing the country is, I was still not prepared for the splendor of the north. First I went Banyas and got very close to the Lebenon border. The waterfall was a spectacular sight as was the gorge created by the river that eventually becomes part of the Jordan
Today I embark on the journey of a lifetime. Today I will be driving south to Miami to catch a plane to the holy land Israel. My Birthright Trip begins today! I will be doing my best to chronicle my trip on my blog, and in a perfect world I would write a post for each and every day
As a person of faith, I have come to think that few things in the universe (if any at all) are random chance. So of course given the incredible situation I found myself today, I stand with this idea As many of you may or may not know, I will be going to Israel in two days from
Today marks Jerusalem Day. This a commemoration of the reunification of Jerusalem after being split apart by the enemies of the Jewish people for so long. This event occurred at the end of the six day war as the entire City of Jerusalem was once again under Israeli and thus Jewish control. To me this is a significant and
Tonight begins the Jewish Holiday of Purim. Quite frankly this is the greatest Jewish holiday ever. We read a special biblical text called the Magillah and are commanded to get completely intoxicated beforehand. The reason for this is so that as we rad the story of Esther, we cannot tell villain from hero. For those of you unfamiliar with