We kicked off our week at Hebrew Union College with Havdallah and Israeli dancing alongside the entire Yallah! program. Back at the hotel, we had a fun World Cup watch party, which ended up lasting until 12:30 a.m. Israel time!
After a restful and enjoyable Shabbat, we visited the ancient palace of King David and walked through Jerusalem’s ancient underground tunnels. We then had lunch in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City before saying farewell to our Israeli friends, who had been traveling with us for the past 10 days.
The next day, we explored Mahane Yehuda Shuk in the heart of Jerusalem. Afterward, we reflected on our experience in Poland with a visit to Yad Vashem, Israel’s Holocaust memorial and museum. Following time to process the experience with our counselors, we lightened the mood with a pool party and an ice cream sundae bar.
On Monday, we continued exploring the complexities of Israeli society and politics by speaking with a diverse group of Hebrew University students who shared their unique backgrounds and perspectives. We also met with a Palestinian resident of East Jerusalem and later spoke with a Muslim woman from Ein Rafa, an Arab community outside Jerusalem.
The next day, we dug for ancient artifacts dating back thousands of years and explored underground caves. We also paid our respects at Mount Herzl, where we learned the stories of fallen Israeli heroes. That evening, we marked the beginning of Tisha B’Av by watching the sunset over Jerusalem from a scenic lookout and reflecting on our time in the holy city.
The following day, we said goodbye to Jerusalem and headed south toward the Negev. We visited Kibbutz Yad Mordechai, which was attacked on October 7, where we planted trees to help restore agricultural areas impacted by the war. We then visited the memorial made from vehicles damaged during the attacks, learning the heartbreaking stories behind each one. We ended the day at the Nova Festival memorial, where we paid our respects to those who lost their lives and heard a firsthand account from a festival survivor.
To wrap up our week, we met with members of the Bedouin community and heard from a rabbi from Ethiopia. Finally, we welcomed Shabbat with services led by Camp Harlam and, of course, more Israeli dancing.
We can’t wait for what’s still to come, and we hope you all enjoy Visiting Day!
Always remember to keep the hill alive.
Love,
Olim 25
