Reflections from Day 8 - Part 1

As we woke up in our new homes, we finally got to experience the every day lives of Israelis. Breakfast was different than one would expect such as chocolate croissants and cake balls with Nutella. We arrived at the Youth Center and hopped on to the buses, making our way to the Golan Heights. Once we got there, we separated from the Yokneam teens and sat down by a bunker in the shade. Roni told us the story of Eli Cohen, an Israeli who left his life behind to become a spy in Damascus, Syria. He released information to Israel which allowed us to win the war. When the Syrians discovered Cohen, he typed more slowly so they would know he had been captured. Cohen was later hanged, but he is still remembered for his bravery for the land of Israel. What made this story more meaningful, is that while Roni told it to us, we were sitting on land that used to be part of Syria. Next, we went rafting down the jordan river. This rafting trip featured a lot of fighting between our different boats. Rabbi Rau and Mr. Amsler went all in destroying everyone in sight. This fight was highlighted by Max "Kibbutz Water" Adleman soaring across the Jordan river to grab a paddle. Everyone agreed this one of the best activities of the trip. Next we enjoyed a lunch of sandwiches and vegetables out in the sun. From there we went to an amusement park where we took a gondola to the top of a mountain to go ziplining. Upon reaching the zipline station, we all took a few minutes to take in the view. 

Sammy Lettes, Ariel and Brad