Monday 7/3/12

Mayanot 279’s day started at an assisted living home outside of Jerusalem. We joined the members in songs which we had prepared on Shabbat.  Through this experience we stayed upbeat, which was reflected in the faces of the residents at the facility.

Later in the day we switched gears to the heaviest part of our trip. We entered Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum as one large group. A lot of questions were answered and after we left the Children’s Memorial, we tied the experience together with a group discussion. This gave everyone an opportunity to reflect and express our thoughts about everything we saw. This was the last day which we were accompanied by our soldiers. On their way out, they left us with a token of their appreciation for us to remember our experiences and bonding with them.

From there, we lightened up the mood with some shopping on Ben Yehuda Street in Jerusalem. This was our best opportunity to buy souvenirs and gifts, and two hours was not nearly enough time.  We returned to the bus with lots of Chamsas and Magen Davids as we departed from the hills of Jerusalem to the coastal town of Netanya. 

The Blue Bay hotel in Netanya was incredible! It is right on the beach and we each have a balcony with an amazing view of the sunset over the ocean. Wish we had more time to spend here and play at the pool, but further South we go early in the morning tomorrow!