Reflections from day 1

Our journey to Israel went off with a bang. After the parents departed, we made our way to La Guardia airport via a short and relatively uneventful plane ride. After our eight hour layover at JFK International Airport, we went on our flight to Israel. Slightly exhausted from the plane ride but excited for our journey to truly begin, we took a bus to a tank museum and memorial for fallen soldiers in the IDF. Soon thereafter, we went to Jerusalem, where we were treated to a gorgeous view of the old city and then said prayers for our safe arrival in the form of a short service. A few dozen photos later we went to our hostel, had dinner, and then participated in our evening program. In this program, each of us shared a personal defining Jewish experience in our lives or a memory that makes us feel proud and connected to the Jewish community. Sharing our experiences with the group was a great activity to help us familiarize ourselves with our peers and chaperones, making the first day an excellent beginning to an amazing trip.

Lenore and Max