Finally, we were allowed to sleep in until 9:45. It was a well deserved wake up as everyone was exhausted from the busy week. Before shabbat I decided to challenge myself to keep shabbas for the first time in Israel. I felt excited to keep shabbat as being in Israel with the Jewish atmosphere combined with my friends helped me experience a meaningful Shabbas. We davened quickly and then split into family groups. We had a chebura where we learnt about being a good person and then played fun icebreaker game to conclude. As the chebura ended I could hear the grumbling stomachs from across the room, knowing that it was finally time for lunch. My cravings were satisfied when i picked the pasta dish from a huge variety of food. We were given three options. The game Parliament, a walk on the Kinneret or to have free time. Feeling a burst of energy I decided to face my fears and trek to the Kinneret.
Once we were been rounded up we took a detour towards the Jordan River. We experienced watching a priest baptise a group of Christians from the Ivory Coast. It was amazing to see the reactions of the peoples faces after being dunked into the water. The priest called out to us, and although we couldn't really understand what he was saying, he was thanking us for being Jews. All of us were in complete shock. Whilst in deep discussion we stumbled across the first Kibbutz ever established, Kibbutz Degania. It felt special to walk past an historic place which had the roots of Israeli history embedded in it. Upon arrival at the Kinneret, adventurous Michi decided it would be a good idea to jump onto a water pipe leading into the water. Anxiously, we all followed him, kicking off our shoes and running onto the sand bank, giving us an explicit view of the magnificent landscape. The journey threw many unexpected curve balls including one where my foot led me to nearly face planting into the water. Willingly we walked back to the hotel for Seudat schlichit. We sat in concentric circles eating snacks as the muds all took turns telling us funny stories. In a chirpy mood we congregated into a large circle, filling the room with song and joy to conclude our first shabbat in Israel.
Hungry once again we jumped onto the bus, heading towards the delicious meal awaiting us. The food was amazing. Amazing chicken, chips and pita breads left us salivating. Leaving the restaurant we had an unexpected awaking by the sound of fireworks. Pumped, we were now ready for the party cruise ahead. Already dancing, we hopped onto the boat and created a great atmosphere. After not seeing the other side for "ages" we were jumping with joy to finally be reunited. The dance floor was crazy from teachers dancing to boys falling and yet everyone still managed to have a fantastic time. Towards the end everyone shed a tear when saying goodbye to the other side, realising that we would only be seeing each other in three days.
Mia
