Simcat Torah and the rest of break!

When we got back from Eilat, we went with my classmates the next day to Kibbutz Gezer to celebrate Simcat Torah. 

Hanging out on the Kibbutz: 

3 of my classmates 

The next day we ended our vacation in Tel Aviv: 

Amazing Mexican food - felt just like Seattle!

breakfast on the beach!

last day of vacation ice cream! 

Eilat of fun

The best part of our sukkoy adventures was traveling to Eilat, a resort town in the south of Israel. here is a photo journey of our trip:

On the beach 

Amazing to hang out on the Red Sea

 The best part of the trip was visiting a dolphin habbitat, where the dophins swim and play all around you! 

We also got to hang out with my friends from school, Adam and Melissa

 

on the beach before going home

the best part of the 5 hour bus ride were the amazing desert views!

Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea... Ein no better place!

Our sukkot adventures also took us to the dead sea and the nature reserve next to it, Ein Gedi. Here are some fun facts about the Dead Sea:

* earth's lowest elevation on land
* almost 10x as salty as the ocean
* deepest of the "salt lakes"
* the road the runs alongside the dead sea, highway 90 is the world's lowest road.
* it is so so salty you can float due to the natural buoyancy

Hiking in Ein Gedi

Amazing waterfall! 

Floating!!!

Dead sea mud at mineral beach 

A holy day, in the holy city, whilst in the holy land

Yom Kippur in Jerusalem was an experience that I'm not sure I will be able to perfectly put into words. A peaceful and meditative mood stirs the city into an alluring calm. there is nothing like walking the streets of Jerusalem on the way to Synagouge with this feeling in the air. Equally meaningful was visiting the Western Wall following Kol Nidre. Although it was fairly busy, it was serene to be be united in prayer with all different Jews. 

On Yom Kippur in Israel, people refrain from driving. Many secular Israelis refer to it as Yom offnayim (bike day) because children ride their bikes in the street. 

The beautiful Blaustein Hall, with services overlooking the old city. 

Sweet as honey

Rosh Hashana was made extra special by Megan's arrival in Israel! I am so excited to share this experience with one of my oldest friends! 

For Erev Roshana, we attended the services at school in the Murstein Synagouge at school. The rabbi spoke about making each moment count and it was a great reminder that my time here is short and to take advantage of each opportunity. 

Megan and I outside of school 

After services, Megan and I hosted dinner for some friends from school. Since some of us were feeling pretty homesick we tried hard to make it special! We made chicken soup, Moroccan chicken and noodle kugel. Yum! 

Our holiday table!

Two of our uspizin (guests) Maya and Jenn. 

The next morning we attended services at Kehillat Har El, a reform congregation in Jerusalem. After services we had a dessert picnic with honey and apple cakes. 

Megan and I at the picnic! 

A cheesy shabbat

For Shabbat, I invited friends over for a make your own pizza dinner. I had made the crust in advance, super easy recipe here, and asked everyone to bring a topping. It was a ton of fun!

Throwing my dough in the air

Lyz, Tamara and I with our pizza's 

My cookie cake that read "Shabbat Shalom!" 

keeping it fresh at the Kinneret

Our first Israel seminar tiyul (overnight field trip) was to the Gallilee. We learned about the origins of the pioneering and kibbutz movements in Israel and visited a Kibbutz farm, Tel Hai stayed on a Kibbutz hotel on the kinneret. The next day we had the opportunity to meet with Moki Tsur, a leader of the kibbutz movement and then meet with social activists in a community in the north. We rounded out our visit by visiting the Lebanon border in the north and then having a barbecue on the kinneret on our way back to Jerusalem. The trip was a great opportunity to learn about the foundations of Israel, as well as the challenges its citizens face in daily life. Here are some of my favorite pictures: 

Jenn and at the hotel

Lebanon border

Sunset on the Kineret: 

Our year in Israel class!