New Years Eve!

Hey Everyone!

It is New Year’s Eve in Israel and we are preparing some fun games and activities which will take place in the Galeria, our common room on Kibbutz Gadot.  We will have some special snacks as well.  On our bus ride this evening, we learned that there are traditionally four New Years on the Jewish Calendar (three are much less well known than Rosh Hashana, though many participants were familiar with Tu B’shvat—all are mentioned in the Mishna—the oral law). 

We wanted to share a few interesting and beautiful moments from today.  We started our day in the mystical, spiritual city of Safed.  We walked through the narrow streets and went to the gallery of Kabbalah artist, David Friedman.  David made Aliyah in 1979 and has incorporated science, gematria, quantum mechanics, geometry and more in to his art.  The group was taken by his work and he was blown away by their questions which touched on cosmology and Isaac Newton!  In many ways, this was the perfect activity for our group!  Many purchased small pieces of his art and post cards.

We wound our way to the HaAri Synagogue of the famous Rabbi Isaac Luria.  Ori explained to the group that Lecha Dodi was written.  Our group members knew FIVE tunes for Lech Dodi.  We shared a beautiful moment with an elderly, secular Israeli tour group who joined us in sang as they also toured the shul! 

The Safed Candle Factory was next on our tour of Safed.  We enjoyed a demonstration of how Shabbat and Havdalah candles are made and observed some elaborate candles in the shape of biblical scenes like Noah’s Ark, as well as the Temple in Jerusalem.  Some participants purchased candles.  Many bought t-shirts, kipot (yarmulkes) with logos of sports teams and names of universities.  One participant really loved the shofar he bought.  And the fresh squeezed pomegranate and apple juice was a true highlight!

Everyone took in the sights and sounds of Safed on our way to falafel lunch at California falafel.  There are many Judaica shops, galleries and people of all backgrounds and religious affiliations.  Felafel was new to some and enjoyed by nearly everyone.  We lucked out that the rain held off all day, despite the forecast for rain.

We drove 45 minutes to Har Bental, the famous mountain overlook in to Syria on the Golan Heights.  We walked through the bunkers used in the past by Israeli soldiers, tried to peak through the thick clouds in to Syria, and snapped photos of the signs which noted that we are actually closer to Damascus than we are to the Prime Minister’s office in Jerusalem.

The final stop of the day was the famous De Karina Chocolate company in Ein Zivan.  We viewed a short movie on the history of chocolate, witnessed a master chocolatier making the famous Mikpelet chocolate, and sampled 5 types of chocolate, and had a chance to purchase souvenirs and sip hot chocolate and coffee. 

We are proud that a group of participants have volunteered to make a minyan for our driver whose mother passed away two weeks ago.  Some offered words of comfort as well.

Everyone headed back to the kibbutz for a few quick moments of down time before dinner and our special New Year’s Eve party, consisting of three small groups playing charades, writing reflections and resolutions, and listening to music and sampling a variety of Israeli snacks. 

Tomorrow, we are off to a jeep ride and a drive back to Jerusalem for another couple days of touring.  Everyone is in good health and good spirits.  It is hard to believe this amazing trip will come to an end late Thursday night at Ben Gurion Airport, and that we will see our families sometime THIS Friday!

Happy New Year to all!