We began the day with a delicious breakfast buffet of an Israeli style breakfast.

We travelled north on the bus to Tel Dan national park. After putting on our hats and applying sunscreen we were ready to go!  At the beginning of our hike we walked across a beautiful river and took some wonderful photos. Oreet, our tour guide told us that it is the second oldest dirt gateway in the world! The gateway was over 5000 years old, and looked like something out of Indiana Jones.

After lunch at Tel Dan, we got back on the bus and travelled to our next destination…JEEP RIDING!!!! Six of us piled in to each open back jeep, plus and we were on our way. Up and down the dirt roads, we passed through orchards with figs, pomegranates, pears and grape vines. We also saw cows, horses, bee farms and fish in the Jordan river. We ended off with a watermelon snack by the Jordan river, and then got back on the jeeps to return to our air conditioned bus.

Dinner tonight was great. We went to a delicious restaurant on the Tayelet (main prominad) in Tiberia called Cherry. The night ended with a party boat ride with drums and dancing. Everyone had a fantastic time.

Now we are off to bed….

Cant wait for tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jacob P. Blady over and out! #Mayanot99

Our journey has just begun! After a long flight we safely touched down at Ben Gurion International Airport where we were welcomed by our smiling Israeli staff. We started our adventure in the northern coastal city of Ceasarea. Once in Ceasarea we enjoyed breakfast on the beachfront of the national park. With our tour educator, Oreet, we explored and toured the park before making our way to Kfar Kedem. At Kfar Kedem we were taken back to the ancient Hebrew times where we made our own pita bread and rode donkeys. As we were getting tired from our travel our next stop was the King Solomon hotel in Tiberias. At the hotel we were shown to our comfortable accommodations and introduced to our roommates. Once everyone was settled next up on the schedule was time to relax poolside. After some fun in the sun we started group activities and have begun to make new friends that will last a lifetime!

Thank you for following us on our Journey! Please check back for pictures and more posts about the adventures to come in the next few days!

See you soon!

Mayanot 99!

Here are some photos of the whirlwind trip.

Here is a poem/rap that one of our participants wrote today.
Its about Yad VaShem, Har Herzl, and our Israelis.

Today was a mix of sorrow and grief
The heart is hollow, so the hollow is cheap
Holocaust of yesterday, it’s hard to not weep
Never again is a promise that we promise to keep
It’s necessary to visit the cemetery
where death is paired with the legendary
Soliders whom fought for the country they love
In a grave yards measured by the bodies it dug

Band of brothers and sisters marching to the same beat
we’ll miss a few notes as our Israeli’s leave taglit
Accents may be different but our hearts sound the same
When love is the language
Where our vows will change
Our parts of speech is where
Our hearts will meet
All is sababa when our thoughts are free
They leave, but our history’s seeds can sprout

Same family tree, just our roots branched out
So we leave behind our friends and Jerusalem
Still travel in unison iwth our Jewish kin
Off to masada, time to lose the zen
Bus 522 travels on, we off to the tents

Jon Kagan

They’ll also be visiting the south, Tel Aviv and more!

MAYANOT 93:

MAYANOT 94:
 
 

Jerusalem … The Western Wall…|

South… Bedouin Tents

Camel Riding…

And more…

Travel may have been long and sleep may be minimal but remember, the journey has just begun! 10 action packed days stand ahead. Keep checking your inbox every day for more updates and there’s a good chance you’ll come across a photo of someone you know enjoying the Holy Land!

This morning, after a good nights sleep, they started off the morning with a beautiful hike and saw some spectacular views and had great opportunities for trust building and group bonding. After an amazing hike, everyone then headed to the mystical city of Tzfat!

Mayanot 47084 strolled through the narrow winding alleyways lined with beautiful ancient synagogues and artists’ workshops & galleries of this mystical city, the world’s center of Kabbalah. The group was treated to an entertaining yet enlightening discussion about Kabbalah from a unique Kabbalistic artist, Avraham Leventhal. He explained the meaning behind some of his most interesting and colorful pieces of artwork. The group also discussed the ancient customs of Mikveh and more. They also managed to slip in a quick walking tour of Tzfat where they were guests at a few of the city’s trademark locations. At some of the stops, they took a moment to hear from their staff about the specific roles Kabbalah plays in modern Torah study and Jewish life.