We have made it to the Holy Land. While we all live within 15 minutes from one another it took us 4000 miles of travelling to finally meet and get to know each other. We certainly are not at a loss of activity and exhaustion, but we definitely are having the time of our lives. The enthusiasm from the Israelis is something that is not seen often in America. Starting at Ben Guirion airport we dropped our bags and started dancing around the baggage claim. (This is not a joke) Shortly thereafter we boarded our bus and commenced our trip. Eating sandwiches for lunch that came out of plastic bags might not seem like the most glamorous thing, but having lunch on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea surely is.
When we arrived at our kibbutz in Galilee, the accommodations were better than most expected, and we all appreciated a nice, warm shower after residing in airports and airplanes for the previous 20 hours. It was nice to see what everyone actually looked like all cleaned up instead of hot and sweaty. Our dinner was chicken, rice, and of course, hummus. We had an activity where we got to introduce ourselves, but everyone was pretty tired and went to bed early.
Getting 40 college kids to wake up at 7:00am is difficult, and it’s even more of a struggle when you factor in the lack of sleep. But hey, we’re here to explore and learn about Israel, and if you aren’t willing to get out of bed, then you should’ve stayed home. We hiked at Zaviton which provided breathtaking scenery and rocky hills. In the middle of those rocks was this beautiful oasis that allowed us to hop in the cold water and cool down a little bit. This was a much needed break from the dry Middle East heat.
The hike helped us all build up a strong appetite and we went to a food court that provided us some authentic Israeli falafel and shwarma. No one even took notice to the burger and French fries counter. Everyone, however, was fully aware of the Israeli soldier with the automatic weapon eating in the food court with us, but that’s part of the lifestyle here in Israel.
After lunch we went to Mount Bental which is just a mile away from the Syrian border, and we were able to see great views of the Israeli country land as well as the land of Syria. It was incredible, as Mount Bental used to be a bunker for Israeli soldiers during the Yom Kippur War. Things really get put into perspective when you understand that kids our age are in the military fighting for something incredibly meaningful and important. Israeli soldiers are heroes, there’s no doubt about it.
We were able to cool off a little bit while rafting down the Jordan River. The current was steady and required minimal paddling, which was convenient as the exhaustion of the day was starting to come upon us. There were other people on the river rafting with us, which was nice as we got to meet others along the journey, until their children started splashing us with the cold water. It was great to cool off, but enough was enough.
We returned back to our kibbutz and took much needed showers. It’s amazing how the bus driver is able to deal with our stench, but he’s a trooper. We’re starting to get to know each other a little bit better, and everyone is having a phenomenal time.
- Jordan Arbus 5.22
