We just gathered to talk about our trip and the kids shared how this experience is like none other they have ever had and many feel that they are different people that the ones who left the school on our way to Israel. The kids have created new bonds with each other and with their Israeli friends and many are sad to leave Israel. We have been so proud of them as they have worked through living together in such an intense way and have hiked, learned, prayed, laughed, seen, experienced, questioned, and breathed in Eretz Yisrael. We just had a Shabbat that was so peaceful in the beautiful Kibbutz Nachsholim. From the moment we welcomed Shabbat, we became the teachers of our Ironi Gimmel friends who wholeheartedly entered the Shabbat journey. We ended Shabbat with the Mediterranean behind us as we created our own circle for Havdalah. Then came the good-bye to our Ironi Gimmel...or l'hitraot, until we see them in June in Boston.
Right now, as I am writing this, our kids are packing. We will wake up early and get on a bus at 5:30 am. It is our hope that the kids will be tired enough to sleep on the plane... (well, we can still hope...)
I want to take this opportunity to thank the chaperones, Michael Agus, Andy Pankin, Rabbi David, Nancy Anderson, and Dr. Resnick. This trip takes a lot of work to coordinate and implement and it was very smooth because we were all in it together. Dr. Resnick and Nancy do a tremendous amount of work in advance and each year it becomes better and better.
And thank you parents for sending your kids to Israel. As I told them, we hope they will come back many, many times.
See you tomorrow night!
Shavua Tov.
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