My Time in Israel So Far

By Jonah Jaffe, Bus 7 Participant

Going into this trip I was incredibly excited to experience Israel’s nature. I’ve been here twice before, but I’ve always been in big cities. The desert here did not disappoint. The hikes were stunning with incredible views, and at night you could see entire galaxies of stars. It was very different from the forests and the waterfalls I’ve hiked around before. The place seems so devoid of life and sound, so when we saw a family of gazelles it was unbelievable.

My first time in Israel I went to the Dead Sea, so I wasn’t expecting to be surprised by its unusual properties. Once I got in however, the water was warm and I just floated on top. It was really peaceful. It was also fun to paddle around with my friends on top of the water. Later we got to put on Dead Sea mud and some kids got very into it.

Some of my favorite times come during pizur, which is our time to go shopping and to buy food. The falafel and hummus here are delicious and it puts American copy’s to shame. Also, during pizur we often bargain in stores. Bargaining in Israel while sometimes challenging can be very rewarding. I was in shop and I wanted to buy a chess set. I got the seller down from 280 to 130 shekels. My friends got a seller from 360 to 70. Overall, I’m really enjoying myself on this trip so far.

Highlights from July 10th- 13th in Israel

Highlights from July 10th- 13th in Israel

Written by  Sophia Ehrenberg, Yallah! 2024 Participant  Welcome to Eilat! The southernmost point of our homeland, where you can see Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt all at the same time. This hot corner of the country gives us a true perspective on where we are in this...

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A Conversation with Rabbi Rick Jacobs

A Conversation with Rabbi Rick Jacobs

Our campers were lucky enough to spend a Shabbat with Rabbi Rick Jacobs on Kibbutz Mashaabei Sadeh in the Negev. "Many had just arrived in Israel from Poland where they experienced the soul shattering sites of the Holocaust. Our Shabbat service was spirited, our...

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July 8th, Ein Avdat and Sde Boker

July 8th, Ein Avdat and Sde Boker

Written by Leo Kushnir and Nathan Liebman, Yallah! 2024 Participants We started with an early morning in the kibbutz, which was actually our last day waking up here before heading off to Eilat. As usual, we woke up relatively early and got together with friends to...

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Experiencing Auschwitz after 10/7

Experiencing Auschwitz after 10/7

  Written by Eitan Klieger, Yallah! 2024 Participant *This article originally appeared in The Times of Israel Today I walked through Auschwitz. Our teen group went through the gates and saw the camp with our own eyes. We walked the same path that one million Jews...

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First full day in Israel

First full day in Israel

Written by: Lily Gartenlaub, Daria Blyveis and Alex Gutman, Yallah! 2024 Participants Hi all! It’s Lily, Daria, and Alex writing the first teen blog of the summer! We woke up bright and early in our kibbutz rooms and got breakfast together. Then we bussed to...

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