Hi! Long time no speak!
Wow, so much has happened since you last heard from us. We have been all the way up to the North, to Pki`in and back (a few minutes ago).
So it all began on Thursday morning, we had to be all ready by 7am after being woken up at the unearthly hour of 6am by Hed. We picked up all the girls from Givol at 7:30 and started the three hour jouney up to the Galilee.
Somewhere along the way we picked up Michal Tal, our tour guide for the next two days. She is a German, Israeli, Sephardi Jew and was an amazing storyteller! The bus started the hike to our next stop, called as far we know just 'Viewpoint'. Our lovely bus truly gave a new meaning to 'slowcoach' and we climbed the hills. We saw the entire Galilee from the second highest mountain in Israel after Mt Hermon, it was beautiful.
Then we had another harrowing bus journey to our next hike, down Har Meron to the Yehudia Stream. We had a delicious lunch before the 4 hour hike down and up the hill. It was filled with singing (from Linor), dvar torahs (from Michelle), and deep discussions (Michelle, Michal, Sacha, everyone around them). By the time we back to the top, we were hot and sweaty and tired and hungry. We were greeted by Ruti and Abby who had forgotten to turn on the air conditioning! After changing clothes we piled back on the coach for our next trip.
Then we had a vote about if we wanted to go to Meron to visit Reb Shimon Bar Yochai's kever (Rashbi). We scraped by with a yes which turned out to be he best decision any of us ever made. Upon arrival Michal got up and said that we had to be Tzniut to go in. Most of the Israeli girls were not at all but really wanted to go in. Sapir borrowed Yosepha's long sleeve pink top and white skirt and Koral borrowed Michelles t-shirt and put on a skirt, Lihi put on Hed's skirt and a towel around her shoulders. Sapir looked beautiful and we all had a picture before we went in.
Please look at the pictures because my description doesnt do justice to the beauty of the sight of Michelle teaching Koral how to daven Shemona Esrei for the first time and of Sapir and Lhi struggling through the prayers that they were seeing for the first time since primary school. Koral said afterwards that she felt that the words she was saying was 'Emet' the truth and Sapir announced that she wanted to keep the skirt. Emanu said she wanted to try being religious all next week after Michelle teaching her the Brachos to say on food and Avital begged us all to give her a skirt too!
At dinner Emanu said each bracha with Kavana and wouldnt eat until she had said each one and Koral said Amen to her Brachos. We then had a Tochnit arranged by Koral after being sung to by Emanu and Noa' guitar accompanying her beautiful voice. We then had a social which involved fruit and chocolate fondue prepared by our great Madricha - Rotem. Then we had to write a question and put it in a bottle and we came with things like 'Why does Linor call Abby - Ebbi??' and others. We then had a beautiful Kumzitz with the music of a village wedding in the backround.
Shattered we all took showers and fell into bed.
The next morning we all piled onto the coach at 8:30 and had a tour of Pki'in. We first went to the cave where the Rashbi hid for 13 years over 2000 years ago. We sat under the Carob tree and listened intently to Michal's fascinating stories and Divrei Torah about the Rashbi and the miracles taht occured in his time. She has amazing respect for him and loves the stories. She tod us a beautiful mashal about why Hashem gave the Jews mann every day instead of once a lifetime and compared it to a king who gave his son an allowance every day so tat his son would visit him often and not forget him or who the allowance was coming from.
Then we saw the spring that the Rashbi and his son would drink from and walked past the only jewish school in Pki'in that is not even used now. We then saw the old, 1000 yr old shul which is maintained by the only Jew left in the Druze Village. It has two stones that were brought from the ruins of the second Beth Hamikdash and is outlined in blue (as is the other jewish buildings) to protect from Ayin Hara. Lastly we visited the shop and source of the famous Safta Gamila soaps and oils and heard the original story. It was in Safta Gamila's house! We all bought tons of soaps and oils from there as it is sold in Harrods for $45 and was 20NIS for us!
Then we went on a beautiful ride to our lunch spot which had an incredible view. We had a fascinating discussion about what Shabbos means to each of us and what we want to gain from this Shabbos. Among the things that came up what was most obvious was that Shabbos, for the English and Israeli girls, was a time of peace, quiet and seperation from the rest of the week.
After another three hour drive we arrived at the hotel and now must go for a shower and get ready for Shabbos!
Good Shabbos!
Love, Ruti
