On Sunday morning, Bus 925 woke up to what was knowingly going to be an emotionally meaningful day.  After breakfast, the group sat down to discuss what we were3 going to see later in the day: Yad Vashem and Mt. Hertzl.  Many members of the group shared stories of Holocaust survivors while others listened intently.  Afterwards, with our 8 soldiers dressed in uniform, we took the thirty minute walk from our hotel to Yad Vashem.  There we learned about the Holocaust in ways many had never learned before. 

The exhibitions in the museum were in chronological order, beginning with Hitler’s rise to power and ending with the declaration of Israel as an independent state.  Many agreed that the most moving exhibit was the childrens’ memorial.  In a dark room, there were 5 candles, but the reflection of mirrors around the room made it seem as if there were an infinite number to represent the million and a half children killed during the Holocaust. 

After lunch, we walked over to Mt Hertzl, home to the graves of many important leaders in Israel’s history including Theodore Hertzl, Golda Meir and Yitzhak Rabin.  We then made our way to the IDF cemetery.  Just as Americans generally go to college after they finish high school, Israelis join the Israeli Defense Force and defend their country.  We heard stories from our soldiers and our staff about people they know who gave their lives for Israel.  It is difficult to convey in a blog the atmosphere as these stories were told, but the sense of pride3 that each and every soldier felt for their country was evident. 

After a discussion about the sites we saw during the day and dinner, we had a light evening as we drove to an Israeli film school and watched two short films in Hebrew (with English subtitles – of course!)  We all tried to get to bed early because Monday we were waking up at 5am to drive to the dead sea!

Our busy days together in Israel have come to an end as we find ourselves headed for New York. For many, it is hard to believe it is already time to return home. Although it will be hard to part from this beautiful land that we were fortunate to spend ten days exploring, I am sure that it is not the end of our relationship with Israel.

However, before I get to all that, let’s do a little backtracking. Our last day started out with an early, yet slow morning (which I appreciated as I was given a chance to regain the energy that was spent on the dance floor the previous night). We first found ourselves in the historical site of Independence Hall, where we sat in the room in which David Ben Gurion’s proclamation of the state of Israel was heard in May 1948.

Things quickly picked up as we were then exploring the city streets of the beautiful Tel Aviv. We passed windows filled with fabrics of all colors and patterns, stores selling various fruits, small restaurants and several other stores in which we all thoroughly enjoyed searching through. We certainly found a wonderful place to make the most of our remaining shekels, as many of us came away with even more gifts for friends and family, and even a treat or two for ourselves. Personally, a “shopaholic” side of myself that I never knew existed before made an appearance as I came across stylish bags and unique pieces of jewelry that were attached to reasonable price tags not so easily found back home. Everyone was happy with their purchases and many of us couldn’t wait to start dawning the scarves, jewelry, or sweaters we bought, so suddenly there were new additions to the outfits we walked out with that morning.

We later walked down to the beach, where we soaked up the sun in the perfect winter weather of Israel and forgot about the snow that awaits us in Binghamton. When we came across a playground, you would have never guessed that we were a group of forty college students, as we wasted no time climbing the large swings that overlooked the Mediterranean Sea.

We continued our walk through stone walkways in which we heard stories of France, Greece, and Egypt. While walking we happened to run into three separate groups of brides and grooms that were taking advantage of the scenic location as a backdrop to their wedding photos. Little did the brides expect that by the end of the day they would have all received congratulations from bus 925, or that one of the brides would end up joining us for a group-photo.

Later that evening, we enjoyed a night out at a restaurant before returning to the hotel where we would have our final conversation as a group. We had a chance to express how we have grown from the trip and words of thanks to each other for making this trip as fun and amazing as it was.

Now our journey on Birthright has come to an end, yet the relationships that have been built between the people of bus 925, as well as with the land of Israel, are sure to continue blooming within all of us. We have all been so fortunate to have had the chance to be a part of this special trip, and I know it is an experience that will stay with all of us for the rest of our lives.

By: Jennifer Haimowitz

What a day! After the most emotionally draining day of the trip, followed by the most physically draining day of the trip, I for one thought we would be in for a bit of a break today.  However, I was proven quite wrong when we were awoken in our Bedouin tents this morning around 5:15 AM by our Israeli soldiers for our first taste of Basic Training.   We were all exhausted from being up late the night before singing around the campfire, however the soldiers woke us all up with shouts, push ups, and timed tasks, all before sunrise.  I found it to be an interesting and really great experience because it really helped us see into the lives of our new friends.  However, I don’t think the other Birthright groups appreciated being woken up by our shouts so early in the day.  After marching IDF style across the camp as the sun began to rise, our Basic Training ended, and our camel experience began. 

We all were instructed to pick a camel riding partner, and pair by pair we boarded our camels.  While many were excited, I was quite nervous. Never the less, Sarah and I boarded our camel, and I gripped on tight as it stood up.  It turned out to be an amazing experience.  Being guided through the desert at dawn with beautiful sand dunes surrounding us made us really appreciate the Bedouin way of life.  And mothers, don’t worry, the camels were all very friendly and safe!

After that we ate breakfast, and went back to our tent to pack up the rest of our things and straighten up.  It was then back onto the bus, for an hour bus ride to  Shivil Hasalat, the Salad Path, which is an amazing farm in the Negev.  We all had a great time, we got to pick and eat our own carrots, and eat fresh tomatoes, peppers, strawberries, and passion fruit, all of which were delicious! We also got to make our own pita, and see where all of these things were grown.  Then it was off to another park in the area, where we learned the story of the original settlement and about carrier pigeons, and some of us even got to release our own!  Then it was back on the bus once again to go to a grove where we got to eat fresh oranges, and make necklaces of lemons and kumquats.  However, after all the fun we had been having, it was time for the saddest part of the day to begin. 

Still in the grove and wearing our necklaces, we all got in a circle to say goodbye to our soldiers.  It was a very bittersweet moment for both the Birthrighters and soldiers, as we looked back on all of the great times and wonderful friendships that had been formed over the past few days.  After everyone had said what they wanted, we got back on the bus, this time to go to a mall to eat and a bus stop to drop off the soldiers.  However, before we got there we had to say goodbye to Noam, who lived nearby.  After a sentimental bus ride, we reached the mall, and although we only had a short amount of time to eat, most of us stayed outside and said our goodbyes to our new friends.  It was a tearful moment for many, but also one that looked to the future, when hopefully we will visit each other.

After all our goodbyes were said, we headed into the mall for a quick lunch at the food court, which was separated into a meat and dairy section based on the color of the chairs, and then headed back onto the bus for a short ride to the Beit Guvrin Caves.  Here, we got dirtier as we participated in an active dig, where we helped unearth artifacts of ancient settlements.  After we had sifted through everything we had dug up, it was time for my part of the day, spelunking! This involved climbing through a cave that had yet to be dug out like the one we had been in earlier.  While a challenge at times, more so for the tall people who had to fit through the tiny crawl spaces,  it was a great experience, and everyone came out even dirtier than before, but with big smiles on our faces.  We then walked to a tent, where Phil talked to us about what some of the things that had been unearthed were, and what they represented and meant for history.  After some oohs and ahhs, we made our way back to the bus, after some people purchased t-shirts and picked up some free pieces of artifacts from the caves. 

After a quick stop at a gas station, we finally made it to our new hotel, the Dan Hotel in Ashkelon.  However, we did not get to rest yet, as we only had an hour to get our luggage up to our rooms, take much needed showers, and eat dinner, before our night out! But we all made it outside in time, and we took a walk to a pier with the other Birthright groups under the gorgeous night sky.  Everyone had a great time out, dancing, talking, laughing, and fully enjoying one of our final nights together in Israel!  We’re now all safely back at the hotel, getting ready to go to sleep before our final day of the trip.  I cannot believe that we only have one day left together; this experience has been incredible, and I am sad to see it end, but happy for all the memories, great friends, and amazing and life-changing experiences that have been had.  See you soon!

By Ilana Solomon

                After an emotionally exhausting Sunday in Jerusalem, we were once again woken up with the coocoo reekoo (the sound a rooster makes in Hebrew, credit given to our very own Israeli soldier Ron Gross) as the sun rose early over the holy city.   Monday, January 17^th held in store many of the pinnacle events of our Taglit Birthright experience that we had looked forward to since the day we were first informed we were on our way to Israel. 

                Once again it was my pleasure loading everyone’s luggage onto our bus, even without the services of our beloved driver Omnon.  It was bittersweet to depart Jerusalem.  We shared tears, personal insights, and I will personally forever cherish my first visit to the holy city for it was the place where I finally became a man in the Jewish community.

                Despite all of our moans and groans about having to wake up with the rising sun, a recurring theme on this trip, our complaints were appeased by our arrival at the Ein Gad Spa at the Dead Sea.  We were all pleased when Phil told us we had over three hours to do slap on some mud and soak in the sights.  As I walked off the bus I couldn’t help but comment that the surroundings were nothing short of absolutely breathtaking.   For all of our Jewish mothers who follow this blog pseudo-religiously and have never been to the Dead Sea, it is a stagnant yet pristinely blue body of water.  On both sides it’s surrounded by majestic treeless mountains that gave me the feel that I was on an entirely different planet.    Even though the Dead Sea is the lowest place in the entire world, many of us had never felt higher.  The sensation of being able to effortlessly float in the salty waters was said to be “absolutely wild”, according to the words of our own Ben Kantor.  And where else on Earth is it socially acceptable but encouraged to rub mud all over not only yourself but your peers?  We all looked like characters out of Avatar and in the moment we didn’t have a cumulative care in the world.

                Three hours of rest and relaxation was the prelude to the most physically daunting experience of our trip, climbing Masada.  Upon our arrival at Masada National Park, I looked up at the peak we were about to ascend and the only thought that really came to mind was “damn, that’s a tall mountain.”  Arielle told me I looked like an over-prepared Boy Scout at one point during the Trek.  Whether more or less prepared than I was, all 50 present members of our Binghamton family reached the summit.  Practically everybody simultaneously pulled out their cameras as we were once again mesmerized by the indescribable view.  The descent back down the mountain was a hurried 20 minute scurry as we were rushed out of the park by security.  Mrs. Shlomo, Jennifer is fine after a minor stumble at the top of the mountain.

                We’re currently sitting around a campfire at a Bedouin settlement in the middle of the Negev.  I don’t know exactly where we are, but we are all together with our Israeli soldier detail, all eight of whom have become truly life-long friends.  It’s funny the way life brings people together.  Maybe it is simply by chance or an act of a higher power but for one reason or another we, Taglit Bus 925, have come to form a strong bond.

To friendship, to faith, and to life.

Ben Zwierzchowski

What ended up being the most fun day of the trip got off to an interesting start.

As a food junky, I feel compelled to talk about what we have been eating.  And at no point since we arrived in Israel has the “difference in tastes” been more evident than this morning at breakfast.  While we in the States are used to eggs over easy, on the buffet line at our new hotel in Jerusalem we were greeted by a nice big tray of eggs over a marinara sauce.  Fruit salad would be a great choice for breakfast for us birthrighters at home, but the Israelis prefer an actual salad – lettuce, tomatoes, dressing, etc., to start off their day.  The choices were interesting, to say the least.

However, soon after breakfast, something took place that would change the scope of the rest of our trip.  We got on the bus, giddy as school kids, and drove to pick up eight new members of our Winter Birthright Bus 925 family.  They go by the names of Mor, Alex, Thai, Inbal, Naama, Joy, Noam, and Ron, and they came equipped with outfits that might as well have read “Professional Butt-kicker.”  That’s right, today is the day the Israeli soldiers joined us.

Once they got on the bus we visited a local park and did some obligatory “ice breaking.”  It was fascinating to talk to the soldiers and find out what life is like for them.  Probably the number one thing that I took away from the park was that just because they are soldiers does not mean that they are killing machines.  They were all very nice, and held positions that ranged from working in the control center to enforcing rules within the army, such as ensuring all uniforms are tidy and worn correctly.

The soldiers are not joining us so much for protection (none of them are armed) as they are to even further immerse us in the country’s culture.  They are a great group and I can tell already they will all seamlessly integrate into our already close-knit Bus 925 crew.  I am rooming with Mor, who has already made it quite clear he is willing to prank anyone, anywhere, at any time.  I’ll be sleeping with one eye open for sure – waking up to hummus in my ear, or whatever an Israeli soldier does to prank his roommate, is something I’d like to avoid.

Though we already did enough to call in a productive day, we were far from done.  We still had a landmark to visit that is both literally and figuratively one of the biggest in Israel.  One which, as the story goes, we could have our thoughts and prayers read by God Himself.

Since our birthright orientation we had all been thinking of what to write down on a small sheet of paper to put in the Western Wall.  Today was our day.  The power and atmosphere in the area surrounding the wall was overwhelming.  After I put my note in the wall and backed away from it, never turning my back on it as is the custom, I waited on my peers to finish their business.  Some of them returned to the waiting area in tears.  Some returned looking somewhat complacent, if not in a trance.  I am having difficulty describing what a different effect the wall had on us, and just how powerful it was to some of us, but it was unlike anything I had ever experienced.

After the Western Wall we visited a marketplace, “machne yehuda,” that would put busiest part of Manhattan to shame.  Fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses, snacks, clothes, wines, and, of course, people were aplenty.  We were set on a mission, led by our soldiers, to find some Israeli treats in the marketplace to bring to a party we were having later in the night with another group of Americans in Israel.  I must say, shopping without my group leader Joy, who is one of the Israeli soldiers who joined us, would have been impossible.  She led us courageously through the crowded streets and helped us make sense of the different prices of the goods.  Shopping in the market was a lot of fun and we will be enjoying what we bought – especially the “best rugelach on earth” later tonight.

Forgive the late post, but we will not able to get this up before Shabbat.  For tonight, options range from orthodox services to yoga, followed by Shabbat dinner and presentations on sex and relationships, politics, and Yiddish.  Now I must go and celebrate the Sabbath Israeli style.  Shabbat Shalom everybody!

Hi! Today was kind of a slow day here in Israel because it was Shabbat.

But let me start with a quick mention of last night. After our own Shabbat services at our hotel, we went over to the hotel that the Binghamton students on the JNF service trip to Israel are staying at. I really liked this because a few of my really good friends are on that trip, and seeing them in Israel was a really fun and unique experience. We got to share our different emotions from being here and talk about all of the different things we’ve done on our respective trips.

Anyway, back to today… We started off with optional services, but most people (including me..and Shana) wound up sleeping through everything and waking up between 11 and 12 with a shocking 11 hours of sleep.  Seeing as we have had completely jam packed days and late nights hanging out with our new friends, this sleep was much needed and enjoyed.

We had a really exciting ceremony after lunch today, because two members of our trip got Bar and Bat Mitzvah’d!  Ben Z. and Sarah made the choice to become Bar and Bat Mitzvah today. It was really a cool experience to see two of our new friends have such a special day and especially to have it in Jerusalem. There was a really nice service, and they both gave great speeches about what this day meant to them individually. 

After the Bar/Bat Mitzvah ceremony, we took a leisurely stroll around the neighborhood our hotel was in. We got to really experience what people here to do keep and celebrate Shabbat, and it was really interesting.  This was much better than our walk last night to visit the Binghamton students on the JNF service trip- because that walk wound up being in the pouring rain. Who says it doesn’t rain in Israel?

Following the Havdallah ceremony this afternoon, we listened to Professor Ruven Hazan from the Hebrew University talk about the political situation in Israel.  Although we’ve all heard about the political issues here, there is something different about listening while sitting within the country.  Professor Hazan was a great speaker, and I really enjoyed hearing a brief history of the political problems in Israel in more simple terms than I am used to. 

Finally, we got to go to Ben Yehuda Street and the Nachalat Shiva Pedestrian Mall. We had dinner on our own there, and of course, I had to have falafel.  I know we have falafel in the US but let me tell you, it is definitely not the same.  I’m convinced that I could live off of falafel for days and not get sick of it.  As we ate our dinner on the go, we got to look into and shop at a lot of little stores and I learned a very important tip: if possible, shop with an Israeli with you.  Having Eshcar (our Israel Fellow) with me got me better prices on more than one of my purchases.  It isn’t so easy to rip off a poor pathetic American college student when they have someone with them who speaks the language and actually understands how much a shekel is really worth. I’m not sure if I’ll ever totally catch on to that in the time that we are here, it’s a good thing we have Esh and the soldiers to help us along.

I can’t believe tomorrow is already day eight of our trip! It seems like every day is flying by and we’re doing so much, but we’re all having the time of our lives.  Tomorrow is going to be a very emotional day; we’re going to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Museum and Mt. Herzl, the military cemetery.

I can’t believe it’s already technically Day 5 of the trip! We got to enjoy our last breakfast at the Nof Ginosar Kibbutz at the tender time of 8 a.m., which if you didn’t know, is considered “sleeping in” for us nowadays.  After checking out of our first home in Israel, we headed to the Kinneret Cemetery, where we learned about the heroes buried here and took in the beautiful views of the Sea of Galilee (and also got to absorb tour-guide-Phil’s extensive knowledge of absolutely everything).

Though lunch time is usually the one meal of the day that we spend off on our own, our spectacular and extremely generous bus driver prepared us a delicious barbeque! We spent most of our lunch relaxing and over-looking Israel’s valleys, which is an image I wish I was able to portray through this blog. I really cannot speak enough about the gorgeous views we get to experience from the higher regions of Israel. Pictures don’t even do the scenery justice!

The next part of our day was my personal favorite. We took a long drive through the West Bank, which is a region unlike anything we have seen thus far. The only scenery we have been surrounded by in the last few days were green grass, mountains and seemingly endless rows of orange trees. The West Bank, however, showed a completely different way of life. The area was extremely dry, and instead of hills covered in green grass, there were mountains of sand and dust. Living communities were spread far apart, and their ways of life were so clearly different than the cities we had visited before. It was eye-opening for me, because I always thought that scenes like this were only for movies. I never imagined that Israel’s land could change so drastically from only driving one hour farther south, but I’m glad we got to see it.

After finally arriving in Jerusalem, we united at Mount Scopus with other universities to have our Shehechiyanu Ceremony, which celebrated our first time in the holy city. The ceremony consisted of a few speeches from our peers (including an especially touching one from Binghamton’s very own Ben Zwierzchowski). We finished our celebration with tons of music and dancing, and surprisingly witnessed some fancy dance moves from our (extremely handsome) Israeli guard! Everyone agreed that the ceremony was really fun, and we all left feeling good about being in Jerusalem. We are also all very excited to incorporate our 8 new Israeli soldiers into our Binghamton family tomorrow!

Shalom from Tzfat, Israel!  This morning, after a delicious breakfast of fresh veggies, eggs, pancakes, and more, we headed over to Mount Meron.  Our adventure included a walk along the Peak Path, where we admired the incredible view of the Upper Galilee, and posed for lots of photos! 

Next, we drove over to Tzfat, a center of Jewish mysticism, where Phil, our amazing Israeli tour guide, discussed the different “levels” of Judaism, and the interplay of ethics and religious tradition.  We visited an Ashkenazi temple and learned about the history and meaning of this temple (as well as the Sephardic one beside it).  Afterwards, we enjoyed lunch at one of the cafes along a street in Tzfat.  I got a schwarma laffa… It was delicious!

Once we finished lunch, we headed to the Tzfat Fortress for my favorite activity today: a community service project with Livnot Ulehibanot (To Build and be Built).  We all worked together to construct a wall of rocks, which will be part of a large community park.  We all pitched in to dig, mix, lay, and construct the wall.  Two hours later, after lots of laughs and great teamwork, we settled on the grass to talk about environmental issues and how we can contribute to the Jewish community.   The event organizer used the metaphor of “a rock in a wall” to discuss our involvement in the Jewish community, and how we can continue to volunteer and give “Tzedakah” after our Birthright trip.

From the community park, we walked over to the nearby artists’ district, where vendors sold various paintings, Judaica, clothing, a wide assortment of jewelry, and much more.  We all rushed from vendor to vendor, hoping to find the perfect gift for Mom, Dad, siblings, and friends!  I would tell you what I bought for my family, but I want to surprise them! =)

After finishing the day in Tzfat, we headed back to the hotel to relax and have dinner.  Then, we headed out for a night on the town in Tiberias.  It’s been a great day here in Israel… We’re having a blast and thinking of everyone back home!

To all worried parents and other interested readers:  Our first full day in Israel is complete and Bus 925 had an incredible introduction to the Holy Land!

Hey, it’s Helaine, and I’m writing to you straight from the Nof Ginosar Hotel, where we slept last night and will be sleeping the next two nights. However, we haven’t spent much time at all in our rooms because we’ve constantly been on the go, beginning with breakfast this morning. Yea, there were your normal  breakfast foods, i.e. pancakes and cereal. BUT, there was also fish and cheese, salad and borekas- a typical Israeli breakfast. And it  Was. DE-licious!

After a few more get-to-know-you games, we boarded the bus and drove north to the Tel
Dan Nature Reserve- which is home to the Dan River, one of the three main water sources of the Kinneret. It reminded some of us of the Binghamton Nature Preserve, except the weather was GORGEOUS (some people even stuck their feet in a wading pool), and well, we’re in Israel.

At the end of our walk through the nature reserve, we were greeted by a group of Jeeps, ready to drive us over the bumpy, muddy, flooded roads up to the Golan Heights. At the top, we learned about Israel’s gains in the Six Day War, which included the Golan Heights from Syria.

The jeeps dropped us off at a shopping center:  Lunch time! While a few opted for the kosher McDonalds, most of the group enjoyed either falafel or schwarma. For many , it was the first time they were tasting these Israeli favorites, but nobody regreted their decision to try something new.

Once we got back on the bus, we headed up long and winding roads to one of the highest point in Israel- Mt. Bental. From there, we were able to look across at Syria, and we even got to go inside an old bunker! (Don’t worry, it was completely safe- we’re all back at the hotel!) Although a bit chillier at such a high elevation, Mt. Bental was a beautiful site.  

When we got back to our hotel, we were greeted by our luggage- FINALLY- straight from Ukraine! At dinner, we sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to Marissa! What better way to spend your 21^st birthday in Israel?! After dinner we had our first “Hillel Discussion” and spoke about whether or not it feels different to be Jewish in Israel than we do in the United States. Now we’re all hanging out and getting to know one another better before we go to bed—another full day ahead tomorrow!!