Sleeping in the Desert

By Hudson Prunier, Bus 17

One of the worst yet most peaceful experiences one could have is sleeping in the desert. The desperate effort to find the perfect spot with no big or jagged rocks underneath just to finally lay down and feel a sharp pain in your lower back. Aside from the rocks there is another problem that can annoy you in many places – the bugs! Before we went to sleep Omar told the group about an array of bugs. These bugs ranged from scorpions to a type of fly which, when stung by one, leaves a nasty scar. Even though we were warned about these bugs I never got a chance to witness them. Instead, I was annoyed by a common fly that flew by my face every couple minutes. All these distractions made sleeping difficult, but when I had a bit of time away from the bugs and finally moved an inch or two (so I wouldn’t be on rocks), I noticed that the desert at night is beautiful. The constant howl of the wind paired with no other noise makes it a peaceful place to think. Even though restful sleep was hard to come by in the desert, I found that those moments right before falling asleep were special and unforgettable.

Auschwitz II, Birkenau

Auschwitz II, Birkenau

Written by Elijah Kosta, Yallah! Israel 2024 participant  July 2, 2024 Today we visited Auschwitz II, or Birkenau. It was a very different experience from yesterday at Auschwitz I, yet it presented its own challenges. Although the initial shock and anticipation of...

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July 1st in Poland

July 1st in Poland

Written by Ella Nahmiyas, Yallah! Israel 2024 participant  Happy July! Breakfast was another morning of rushing to be on time and getting used to Polish cuisine. Then we got on the bus to truly begin our trip to Auschwitz. The best way for me to describe it is "wow."...

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Poland, Day 3

Poland, Day 3

By Ari Kim-Leavitt, Bus 1 Yallah! Israel 2024 Today was Day Three of our Poland trip. Having arrived at Krakow last night, we had plans to visit many different significant historical places in and near the city. Heading towards the Jewish quarter of the city at the...

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Our Journey Begins

Our Journey Begins

Today our journey begins! We arrived in Warsaw and joined a beautiful Kabbalat Shabbat service with the local Reform Jewish community, touching the Jewish life of the present before we start our journey to the roots of our people this coming month. This Shabbat, we...

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The Hope “HaTikvah” is Freedom

The Hope “HaTikvah” is Freedom

By: Ariel Fogelman, Director of Yallah! Israel For three thousand years the story of Passover has been a story of hope. In the book of Exodus chapter 12, all the details of the holiday are given. The people of Israel are still slaves and cannot celebrate anything in...

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