After months of preparation, our chanichim, or participants, have arrived and the summer has finally begun! As NFTY in Israel staff members, we have spent weeks thinking about how meaningful this summer can be for participants as they explore the journey of the Jewish people in the place where it all started.

The day started normally like any other day however, this day was no ordinary day. All staff were ready to meet the teens at the airport to start the summer. This would have to wait. “The teens are going to be getting to the airport at midnight” is what we were told. The day was spent making last minute adjustments as are common with any summer program experience.

The campers emerged victorious from their flight, arriving in Prague at around 4:30 pm, and
were excited and ready to take on the rest of the trip.

Bus 5 enjoying their first day in Prague!

What a day! As a staff, we have thought about and prepared for this day for anywhere between a week and a year. It finally arrived, the start of our trip! Our excitement in the airport was tangible, we couldn’t stop dancing! We needed our missing piece, our participants!

Wow! We finally got to meet our chanichim (participants) after preparing for their arrival all of last week. It was wonderful to see their faces after their long awaited arrival!

Even though their flight was a little delayed, Bus #9 arrived in high spirits today at the airport in Prague.

Bus 1 sees Jerusalem for the first time at the Tayelet: a lookout point over the Old City of Jerusalem.