Day 13 - Lehava - Alex and Geena
Today started off with an early wake up to prepare for a long bus ride ahead. We all did our usual routines, ate breakfast, did tefillah and got onto the buses. The buses were full of good vibes and excitement as we were all very keen for the new and inspiring journey ahead.
After a long four hours on the bus, we had finally reached our destination and our madrichim took our phones to ensure that we had the best chances of connecting with the land and each other. As we got off the bus, we started our hike through the gorgeous scenery in the Negev which gave us the time to truly appreciate this ever growing and beautiful place that isn’t explored very often. Without our phones we were not distracted and took in the beautiful sunset, mountains and little caves that we spotted along the way. As we completed the hike, we started to make our way to the grave of David Ben Gurion at which we got to pay our respects and learn about all he did for Israel, like encouraging the nation to make use of such a large area.
After a long day of travelling and activities, everyone made their way to our accommodation for the night and got to settle in. We went to dinner, which unfortunately was slightly disappointing, but we pushed through and were rewarded with a lovely bonfire with the whole of Lehava. We all sat by the fire making s’mores and roasting marshmallows whilst enjoying each others company and listening to upbeat music. As the fire burnt out, everybody headed off to bed to get sleep for the new adventures of tomorrow.
At 6:50am, everybody was woken up from possibly the best sleeps they have had on all of IST despite the thin blankets and hard mattresses. Once again everyone performs their usual routines which was met with another disappointing meal and tefillah, this time with both girls and boys. Everyone made their way to the buses, and we headed towards an agricultural area. Here, we helped out the farmers with their crops and cut away the weeds on the floor which were taking away from the produce. Through this activity, everybody got to learn more about farming and the land which also gave us an opportunity to understand and connect with the environment. It was a very fulfilling and enjoyable activity whilst it lasted but unfortunately we had to move onto our next activity.
After another short bus ride we made it to camel riding where we got our phones back and stopped to eat a quick lunch. Following lunch, we made our way to the camels which was a very fun, strange, and new experience which everybody enjoyed. While being on the camels and walking through the Negev, we were able to capture a sense of authenticity and feel like true Israelis in the desert. Although we would have loved the camels to ride us to our new hotel, the buses were patiently waiting and drove us to our new accommodation. Everyone’s jaws dropped as we approached our new hotel and squeals of excitement were heard as we settled into our rooms. We were greeted with a delicious dinner and spent the rest of the night making ourselves at home and preparing for tomorrow.
Overall, spending time away from our phones was a blessing in disguise as it gave everyone an incredible chance to really look around and appreciate the nature surrounding us which we usually ignore while being trapped in the world of social media. It really allowed everybody to have a sense of freedom (although it may have not seemed like it) and truly connect with the land, everybody around us, and the Negev lifestyle. This was such an incredible experience and we cannot wait to see what else IST will bring for us in the coming weeks.
Alex Greenstein and Geena Singer