Jerusalem and Tel Aviv

On Tuesday morning MBI headed out to a trail close to their accommodations in the Judean Hills, called the Sataf. The trail is made of up several man made terraces which provide stunning panoramic views of the entire area. The beautiful site is especially interesting since it focuses on reviving the ancient methods of terrace farming. It is fascinating to watch water from 2 springs being channeled to different crops planted on these terraced fields. This was a nice easy hike to start off the day.

The group then made their way into Jerusalem where they visited the Biblical Zoo. Here they had time to walk around the expansive zoo which hosts animals from all over the world. They also had an activity during their time in the zoo to learn the Hebrew names of the animals.

They then continued their relaxed day with chugim in Gan Ha'atzmaut (Liberty Park). Here the madrichim ran chugim revolving around the theme of Jewish history and Jewish identity. One of the more notable title was Jewish leaders and facial hair.

After what I am sure was an enlightening chugim session the MBIers headed over for an interactive history lesson about Jerusalem at the Time Elevator. The Time Elevator is a journey through the rich 3,000 year history of Jerusalem. Star of “Fiddler on the Roof,” Chaim Topol plays the lead character who amid crashing ceilings, splashing water, and other special effects, lead the group through an unforgettable journey moving through Jerusalem’s historic turning points; beginning with the City of David and ending in the 1967 Six-Day War. All in all an enjoyable and educational experience.

Later in the evening the chanichim got some free time to walk around the famous Ben Yehuda street in Jerusalem. Here there is an assortment of food vendors and souvenir shops for the chanichim to peruse.

Wednesday was a bit of a busier day. In the morning the MBIers got an amazing opportunity to visit the deaf museum in Holon. It is a fascinating glimpse into the world and challenges faced by those who are hearing impaired. Participants were given headphones that block out noise in order to become more fully immersed in the experience. Small groups of chanichim took their turns getting led through the exhibit. In the exhibit each group had different tasks such as expressing emotion with facial expressions and trying to ask qeustions and have a conversation without talking. Then each group had a chance to sit with their guide who is hearing impaired and ask them questions. The experience is truly captivating and inspiring.

The group then started their tour of Tel Aviv. The first stop was the Hertzeliya Hebrew Gymnasium. The chanichim started to learn about the history of Tel Aviv. The gymnasium was used as the first Hebrew High School in Israel as well as the cultural center of the Tel Aviv community at the time. Then they headed over to Independence Hall where they saw a video explaining the history of Tel Aviv and how it became the booming metropolis it is today. Then they sat in the very room that the Declaration of Independence was signed and heard snippets from David Ben Gurion's speech from the day of the signing declaring the end of the British Mandate.

The MBIers then went to Kikar Rabin (Rabin Square) where Yitzhak Rabin gave his last speech and was shot and killed. Here they discussed his impact on Israel and the peace process. They learned about the strides he had made and how he had re instilled hope in the people of Israel that peace was possible as well as the difficulties the country has faced since his death.

This evening the chanichim had a peulah with their madrichim in which they discussed the connection between Jewish history and Zionism, tying in all of the history they have learned and experienced over the past 2 days.