Travel Log    Israel 2011  ***updated 4-12-11*** scroll down for latest entries

April 3 - 4, 2011

THE FLIGHT

The flight was fun. We switched our seats because it was an almost empty flight so we could sit with our friends. We were talking and laughing and fell asleep at midnight New York time somewhere over the ocean.  Layla Tov,                                                                                      - Yael Pinto

The flight was awesome. They showed the movie Catch me if You Can with Leonardo DiCaprio. It was the best. The time passed by quickly.                                        – Daniella Yakubov

I think I already gained 5 pounds in the almost two days I've been here. They are feeding us like crazy. It has barely been two hours since we had breakfast and we're having lunch. We are all going to come back obese. The food is sooo good.                                                        – Ori Bitter

The food is unbelievable. It's a buffet for every meal. I love food; I love Israel; I love Israeli food.

- Daniella Yakubov

Ron is a very jolly fun tour guide. I love how he is so energetic. He always makes us laugh. He is un...believa...able. He is always smiling and in a good mood. He knows everything about everything, and he loves to laugh. The school should hire him every year. He is the best. In his words, he is "super-ultra-cool-sababa". I <3 his sababa-cool personality. Ron is such an energetic person. I love that he cares about the trip and knows so much about Israel and gets excited about it. This makes us excited about what we are going to learn.                                                            - Sherrie , Sigal, Vered, Hannah, Jonathan

BEIT GUVRIN

Editorial note: Straight off the bus, battling an unseasonably torrential downpour, we took refuge in the caves of Beit Guvrin and learned how the ancient Edomites carved out bell-shaped caves for use as water cisterns. The tour guide was impressed with the children's level of knowledge of different periods and conquerors in the history of the Land of Israel which we discussed in reference to the different empires that controlled this region outside of Jerusalem over a span of a thousand years. The following are the children's descriptions of crawling through he caves:

We crawled through caves in Beit Guvrin. It was a fun experience with our friends. The mud was disgusting and a lot of fun.                                                                      – Sherrie Feldman

The caves were crazy. We had to crawl through small caves in the ground and it is a little hard when the person behind you is freaking out because they went in backwards or the person behind you is singing nervously. We managed as a group and had a good time.                – Yvonne Zagzag

TZAHAL MUSUEM

Editorial comment: Continuing to overcome the forces of nature, we barricaded ourselves at an unscheduled stop at the Tzahal museum. It was actually a new site for our itinerary and a worthwhile one to include permanently, exhibits ranged from displays of weapons and artillery captured from terrorist groups, descriptions of clandestine weapons manufacturing before the establishment of the State of Israel, sophisticated Israeli technology used in tanks and weapon systems, and, remarkably, a display of the actual cars that were used to transport former Israeli Presidents and Prime Ministers, a real vintage collection of old "American automobiles". After dinner, games on the beach and 36 hours without sleep, we finally settled down in our comfortable hotel.

Last minute reports from Monday, April 4, 2011....

The Caves: Super intense Sababa time... Haleluya!!!           - David Vemes and Ori Bitter

April 5, 2011

The day started with a visit to the Rabin Memorial Square. As it was still raining, we were cut short in the middle....

The sun decided to peek out again so we continued on our way through Nachalat Binyamin, the Tel Aviv marketplace.

Next stop Independence Hall to hear about the founding of Tel Aviv and the State of Israel.

We had a sumptuous lunch at a great little restaurant in Tel Aviv - schwarma, kababs, shnitzel, and salads.

We continued the day at Palmach Museum which is always a hit with the kids.

In the late afternoon Momo, the Executive Director of Oranim came to meet the kids and talk to them.

Dinner was at the hotel.

The children write:

Yvonne and I (Ori Bitter) were walking through the market when we saw the boys running up to tell us: "We found chocolate in a sack!"

They knew how I had been searching for it. I screamed; Where??!!  Before they could answer Yvonne cried out SHOKO SHOKO, and tripped over a suitcase on the road. I of course could not be outdone so I tripped over Yvonne. But we found the Shoko, bought it and enjoyed it which made it all worth it.                                                                               – Ori Bitter

We were walking through the market where there was a lot of bargaining. All I bought was a Prigat (juice) without bargaining!!!! (Anonymous!)

The Palmach Museum is the coolest museum ever. It was interactive - things exploded and moved. We went from room to room and it became more interesting and crazier each time. I learned so much. I did not really understand before what the Palmach was.  It felt like we were actually there at the campfire and battlefield.                                                 – Ori Bitter

My third cousin twice removed (something like that) came to visit me, and it turns out she is related to Mr. Mushiev!!!! They brought a present - but that is a private story!! - Daniella Yakuvov

Momo is a calm, charismatic good speaker He is very experienced and I was interested in what he said. He was very outgoing and I really felt like he was family.         – Yael Pinto

Momo is such a cool person. I hope he agrees to be my friend on Facebook. He is so involved in children's lives who want to connect to Israel.                                      – Sherrie Feldman

April 6, 2011

Had to cancel the Community Service project due to wet fields.

Went to Machon Ayalon - a secret hidden bullet making factory from Palmach times

Lunch was at Kibbutz Shiller

Nearby we made an unplanned stop at a citrus packaging plant and the children picked fruit and made their own orange juice.

We then climbed the bus for a long ride to the Negev, and made another unplanned stop to visit Ben Gurion's grave site.

Upon arrival at the Bedouin tent we had a camel ride, a Bedouin dinner, a description of Bedouin life from a local sheikh, and very short sleep until 2:30 AM wake up to board buses for Massada.

The children write:

Ron (our tour guide) found the cutest lizard at the citrus plant. I massaged her tummy. We were given an explanation about the history of the citrus industry in Israel. We heard about oranges, tangerines, mandarins, kumquats, grapefruit, lemonquats, limequats, and bloody oranges!  We went around picking fruit while this adorable furry baby dog named Rita followed us along, and squeezed the fruit into juice.                                                      - Ori Bitter and David Vermes

We are currently on our journey to the Negev. It is a great ride with great views. The view was Un - Believe - Able!!!!                                                                        - Yael Pinto

I slept the entire bus ride but the sun gave me an intense sabbaba mood when I woke up.

 - Daniella Yakubov

We stopped at Ben Gurion's grave.

April 7, 2011

Massada

Swimming in the Dead Sea