Exploring Southern Israel

This past week was full of educational and relaxing trips, and lots of time to spend with friends. We went to Ir David in Jerusalem and learned about the old city, and the next day went down to the Negev to spend a relaxing Shabbat in the desert. We did some Bible study looking out at the Ramon Crater and had plenty of time to breathe and reset for the week ahead. We also went stargazing at night and although there were some clouds, we were still able to see the moon and even Jupiter which was super cool.

My favorite part of these trips, and even on normal school days, is sitting around with my friends and talking about whatever we want, and it is really special how close I was able to get with the people here in only two weeks; they all truly feel like family. This week, we learned about Ethiopian Jews and their culture; we put on traditional clothing, danced, and had a great time. We rode on camels and slept in Bedouin tents, and met kids from Australia, and of course went on the infamous Masada sunrise walk and floated in the Dead Sea, which was all an unforgettable experience and something I have been looking forward to for a long time.

Overall, we had an amazing week full of new jokes being made and long bus rides, lots of learning and experiences in the holy land, and of course soaking in the sun or getting soaking wet from heavy rains, depending on the weather.

Adi Sinay is a 17-year-old student attending Newton North High School in the Greater Boston area.