Hello TJJ Bus 3 Parents, 
 
It’s hard to believe that it’s already been a week that we’ve been in Israel! We safely arrived in Ben Gurion on Thursday evening where we ate dinner and boarded the bus up north to our home for the next week.  
 
Friday, we hit the ground running! We started the day with a trip to the beautiful Sea of Galilee, the Kinneret. The teens split up into groups to build their own rafts on the beach and then raced them in the water. Success required real teamwork to ensure a raft that was strong enough to race. Team 2 was able to pull through and win the race! After raft building, had the amazing opportunity to do some volunteering. We packed care packages for the wives of IDF reservists and got to deliver one to a family in the area. We sang and danced with them and wished them a Shabbat shalom! 

Our first Shabbat was incredible! We sang together, danced, ate a lot, learned and of course bonded with all of our new friends!

On Sunday, we went on a refreshing water hike where we got to walk/swim in a river. We then learned a little bit more about the Israeli army through a simulated bunker challenge. The most delicious part of the day though, was visiting a chocolate factory! Our last stop of the day was a lookout over the Syrian border! 

On Monday, we did our first real hike of the summer, Mt. Arbel. It was a little bit challenging, but everyone gave it their all and did great! After the hike, we got to cool off at Aquakef- an inflatable jungle gym on the Kinneret! We then went to an ancient synagogue where we learned about the Talmud, which was compiled in the area, and about the transmission of our history. We then had some fun singing and dancing on a boat ride on the Kinneret! We ended off this jampacked day by going back in time, dressing up like ancient times and making pita! 

Tuesday, we visited the holy city of Tzfat. We learned about Jewish scribes and got to try writing our own Hebrew names. Next stop was the incredible singing cave! The way our voices blended together in harmony was so special! We then got to tour around the ancient city and spent some time shopping in the artist colony. To end the day, we went to a kibbutz, called Misgav Am, and heard what life had been like in the northern part of Israel since October 7th. 

On Wednesday we woke up early to volunteer for an agricultural farmer. We helped him prune his vineyard so the grapes could grow well! Next, we had a blast rafting on the Jordan river! Finally, for our last stop of the day we went rappelling. Everyone cheered on their friends as they overcame their fears to rappel down the mountain. It was amazing to see!

Thursday, we got to visit the ancient city of Peki’in. There, we learned about the Zinati family and how their family has maintained a presence in Peki’in dating back to the second temple! Also, in Peki’in, we stopped by the cave of Rabbi Shimon Bar Yochai and learned about his incredible impact on the Jewish people. After Peki’in, we went to the Akko prison where we learned about what happened there before the state of Israel was founded. It was a very powerful experience for everyone. From there we went to Rosh Hanikra where we saw the beautiful grottoes!

Lastly, Friday we started the day with a water hike called the majrase. The group had a great time splashing and playing games in the refreshing water!  We then went to a supermaket to prepare for Shabbat!

Everyone is doing well, making friends and having a great time! We are all excited for our second Shabbat together!
 
Looking forward to another great week! 

Best,
Rabbi Jeremy

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