Day 25 - Stand With Us, Bowling and Yonina (Netzach)

After a long comfortable sleep, that for many of us was the first sleep in a bed for a few days after our options, we were ushered into a hall to listen to speakers from Stand With Us. Stand With Us is an organisation that promotes Israel advocacy and teaches people how to stand up for Israel to uneducated people in different situations. We heard from two speakers which were both really amazing, empowering us with the tools, information to defend Israel and recalling past experiences to manage engaging and captivating the audience of 80 exhausted 16 year olds. Following this we heard from a Palestinian man, explaining the Middle East conflict from his point of view and how it affects him and his family. It shocked us to learn about the trouble he experiences, not being able to live with the ones he loves the most and nearly not witnessing the birth of his second child. We learnt about the complex nature of the conflict and how it is important to really get to the facts rather than to believe what the media is trying to portray.

After lunch we reunited with our buses and went bowling in Petah Tikva which was lots of fun. In the end we walked out with more than 3 bowling balls left in the lanes and multiple empty hot chips plates left all over.

Following bowling we were reunited with friends as IST all came together for dinner, which was accompanied by a beautiful concert. The amazing voices of Yoni and Nina a married couple who met on IST a few years ago put a smile on everyone's faces. Singing, laughing, clapping all together as 160 IST students was a special way to end an amazing day. 

Jenna