By: Bee Lipson- Bus 15
The life and times of a Yallah! Israel camper. My day starts with a knock on the door from a counselor which signals to me that breakfast is starting soon. I then get dressed and prepare myself for the action-packed day ahead! On this day, I went shul hopping, which is best described as info-tainment experience. I learned a lot about the nuances within different types of temples, while still having fun exploring and singing songs, some old, some new. After the shul hopping came to an end, I then made my way to the JCC to learn about what they do and why they do it. It was quite interesting to hear about how people are taking measures in preserving Jewish life in Poland. Then, I had some free time to explore the town a little bit and get some lunch. I ended up wandering in and out of shops with some friends, and having some unexpectedly profound conversations along the way. After making my way back to our meeting spot, I took the short walk with everyone to Schindler’s Factory to learn about his significance. If you didn’t already know, Oskar Schindler was a factory owner in a Jewish ghetto and saved over 1000 Jews from going to concentration camps. Following the bus ride back to the hotel, Shabbat prep begins! Everyone is getting dressed in their Friday best, showering, putting on makeup, and taking pictures until services start. This particular service was quite meaningful because even though Harlam is hours away by plane, the people and the prayers remain close to me on the trip. Dinner is next on the docket ,I had a great time!. After a nice meal, I headed outside with everyone for our first Shabbat song session of the trip (spoiler: it was awesome). I then played some cards with a friend who I hadn’t seen in a while and ended up having a really nice time catching up with them, and closed out my first Shabbat with a nice talk with my roomie before brushing my teeth and heading to bed, excited for what Saturday has in store.
