Day 1 - Netzach - Joel

Once getting my jumper, IST became that much more real. We started the morning of the 22 of November early with a 3am airport check in. By six, we were on the plane and ready for take off. The 14 hour plane ride was very long, and to add to that, I didn’t get much sleep. Once we landed in Dubai, we made our way to our last leg- the three hour flight to Tel Aviv. The excitement grew as we came closer to landing, and once we had landed we were welcomed with the music from Israeli madrachim.

It was finally time to go to the Kotel. We all danced down the road to the sound of the musicians playing Israeli music. It was a surreal feeling, being a part of something much larger than yourself. I didn’t just represent a Moriah student, I didn’t just represent Australia, I represented all of the Jewish nation.

A close friend of mine had never been to the Kotel and I had the chance to take him there blindfolded. It was an amazing experience for the both of us, and when we took off his blindfold, we both felt an overwhelming sense of Jewish pride and belonging, which resided deep in our hearts. The first day was such an incredible experience for me and I am eagerly looking forward to what awaits me on the rest of the trip!

Joel