Good morning America, 

Dear Friendship Trip followers,

Today was our last day in Jerusalem. But before we left the capital city to travel down south, we made one more stop. We dressed up with aprons, put on our hair nets and gowned our gloves to help package rice for the needy and poor. Needless to say, we were very efficient and managed to help lots of families in need. 

After eating lunch in a beautiful park in Jerusalem, it was time to make our way down south. We sat on the bus for a couple of hours before arriving at our next destination; the salad trail. There we learned how they grow herbs, plants and vegetables in the dessert. We were able to pick and eat fresh herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers and flowers. We also picked carrots from the ground, but not just orange carrots; purple, yellow and white carrots as well! Before we thanked the salad trail for having us, we were also able to see and learn about messenger pigeons.   

We then continued on our bus journey to arrive at the Bedouin tents. Before we were able to settle into our tent, we had the opportunity to go camel riding by sunset. It was beautiful!

We had a traditional Bedouin dinner with Humus, Laffa, meat and salads, and were able to learn a little bit about their musical instruments, culture and tradition. Once we settled down in our tent and made our beds, we headed straight to our bonfire where we all had the opportunity to shine as bright as the moon at the evening’s talent show! We then roasted marshmallows on the fire, tradition of course, and made our way to sleep for a busy day tomorrow...

Good afternoon friends and family,

 

Dear family and friends,

Dear friendship followers,

Thursday morning started off bright and early, as we packed up our bus and said goodbye to northern Israel, heading south for the long ride to Tel Aviv.

 

Hey everyone,

They tell me today is day 3, all I know is today was amazing and coming after such an awesome day 2 makes me wonder what’s coming next.

We woke up for the 2^nd morning with a beautiful view of the Kineret and after breakfast we got our our maps of Israel to see where we had been the past 2 days (we made it all the way near the top).

After getting on the bus we met our 3 new Israeli friends Odelia, Hadas and Hila who are really excited to tell us all about life in Israel and hear about what it’s like for us here and at home.

Tzfat (also known as “the mystical city of…”):
We got to learn all about a Sofer (scribe) and even got to try writing our names with the quill and special ink.  We also got to learn all about writing Torah Scrolls, Mezzuzot and Tefillin (some of the holy things a Sofer writes).
LUNCH TIME and it’s our FIRST Israeli FALAFEL but not even in a pita we got it in a Laffa all wrapped up and ready to go, YUM!
After lunch we went down to the Old City of Tzfat for a little tour and got to visit 2 old synagogues that look nothing like what we have back home.  In these synagogues they all sit around the room with the Bima in the middle (at one it was really high up), one was all blue and the other full of vibrant color.  From the Synagogues we went to the famous Tzfat candle factory where them make all sorts of incredible candles (everything from Havdala candles to Noah’s Ark to superheroes and everything in between.)
From the candle factory we got free time to walk around all the beautiful art galleries and stores where some of us even got to buy a few things we had been excited to get in Israel.

After Tzfat we got back to our hotel for swimming, dinner and a fun night activity with our new Israeli friends (who knew we had so many DJs).

Tomorrow we have an early start as we are heading to Tel Aviv.

Laylah Tov to all,

Mayanot 99

 Dear parents and friends of Mayanot 99,

We began the day with a delicious breakfast buffet of an Israeli style breakfast.

We travelled north on the bus to Tel Dan national park. After putting on our hats and applying sunscreen we were ready to go!  At the beginning of our hike we walked across a beautiful river and took some wonderful photos. Oreet, our tour guide told us that it is the second oldest dirt gateway in the world! The gateway was over 5000 years old, and looked like something out of Indiana Jones.

After lunch at Tel Dan, we got back on the bus and travelled to our next destination…JEEP RIDING!!!! Six of us piled in to each open back jeep, plus and we were on our way. Up and down the dirt roads, we passed through orchards with figs, pomegranates, pears and grape vines. We also saw cows, horses, bee farms and fish in the Jordan river. We ended off with a watermelon snack by the Jordan river, and then got back on the jeeps to return to our air conditioned bus.

Dinner tonight was great. We went to a delicious restaurant on the Tayelet (main prominad) in Tiberia called Cherry. The night ended with a party boat ride with drums and dancing. Everyone had a fantastic time.

Now we are off to bed….

Cant wait for tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jacob P. Blady over and out! #Mayanot99

 Dear Parents and Friends of Mayanot 99,

Our journey has just begun! After a long flight we safely touched down at Ben Gurion International Airport where we were welcomed by our smiling Israeli staff. We started our adventure in the northern coastal city of Ceasarea. Once in Ceasarea we enjoyed breakfast on the beachfront of the national park. With our tour educator, Oreet, we explored and toured the park before making our way to Kfar Kedem. At Kfar Kedem we were taken back to the ancient Hebrew times where we made our own pita bread and rode donkeys. As we were getting tired from our travel our next stop was the King Solomon hotel in Tiberias. At the hotel we were shown to our comfortable accommodations and introduced to our roommates. Once everyone was settled next up on the schedule was time to relax poolside. After some fun in the sun we started group activities and have begun to make new friends that will last a lifetime!

Thank you for following us on our Journey! Please check back for pictures and more posts about the adventures to come in the next few days! 

See you soon!

Mayanot 99!

 A selection of pictures from the 2013 Friendship Circle Birthright trip. We will be updating the blog for this year soon, so keep checking back!

 A selection of pictures from the 2013 Friendship Circle Birthright trip. We will be updating the blog for this year soon, so keep checking back!

A selection of pictures from the 2013 Friendship Circle Birthright trip. We will be updating the blog for this year soon, so keep checking back!

Dear family, friends, participants, staff members, fellow Friendship circle's, supporters, community members, Birthright alumni and readers,

This blog entry comes to you from 34,000 feet  high in an El-Al flight to JFK. As I sit in my seat and watch the little airplane on the Gps screen move closer and closer to the US I can't help but feel it pull further and further away from Israel.  These hours are the hardest hours of the trip as i sit here wishing we could just stay a little longer. Just to spend one more day walking around Jerusalem or to sing on the bus every song imaginable, or to swim in the Kineret or just hanging out....  The emotions that i am feeling right now are so overwhelming That it's hard to put into words this experience.  I just keep reminding myself that this is not the end, this is just the beginning.

Originally when coordinating the trip my goal was to maximize the social opportunities for those with special needs in a judgment free environment. However as I rethink these past 10 days I realize it's much more then that. Social opportunities can be found at home or on a family vacation. Something so much more powerful took place, something that is truly priceless. I look around the plane and see all the exhausted and happy participants and staff clad in bright green Mayanot 279 t-shirts and realize that this trip is not about enhancing social skills or going on hikes but creating a meshpucha, a family. And that is really what we have become. 10 days ago we were all strangers with fears and anxieties about the days ahead and today we head back with 50 new brothers and sisters.

The incredible love and acceptance that you have for each other is really admirable So my dear family where ever you go or what ever challenges life may bring to you just remember that you have family all over the US, Canada and Israel that love you and will be by your side no matter what.

I would like to express my sincerest thank you to Taglit-Birthright, Mayanot (Danny, Chani, Ilana and Raizy) The Friendship Circle-Philadelphia Region South, Masah Yehudi (Talia), the staff at El- Al, Gill Travel and all supporters of Birthright for making this trip possible. Without the joint effort of these organizations the trip would never have happened.

A special thank you goes out to my fellow staff members, Rabbi Zev, Dr. Bruce, Bruce, Tal,  Yaniv, Manny, Penina, Gavriel and Lera, Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

But most of all I would like to thank each of my new brothers and sisters for giving me the opportunity to partake in their personal Israel experience.  I wish you only good, and hope that we keep in touch and you come to visit sometime. Ps- call me maybe?

May each one of us be able to return to Israel with our family and friends and relive these wonderful moments.

Thank you

- Hindy

Ps: if you would like information about this trip or know someone who may be eligible in joining The Friendship Trip 2013 please email me at [email protected]