gap year in israel

Dear parents,

This week I have decided to give one of our students the opportunity to tell you about the past few days.

Here are some words from Adam Acker:

caves near Beit Shemesh“This past Tuesday we had an incredible tiyul. Our group toured the stalactite and stalagmite caves near Beit Shemesh. We explored the depths of the caves and admired the beauty of the ancient minerals that surrounded us. I couldn’t help but feel like Batman, (partially because Aardvark had taken us out to watch “Batman vs. Superman” the night before.) The atmosphere of the cave was mystifying and unlike anything I’ve experienced before. I’ve never been as enticed by ancient geology as I was on Tuesday and now I hold a greater appreciation for age-old stalactite and stalagmite rocks.

Before our adventure through the ominous caves,we spent the day hiking through nature. The bus dropped us off at the top of a mountain and we were guided down the path while being informed about Israeli history and local geography. Spring in Israel is very scenic and it was amazing to witness the range of colors present in the flowers and trees. I learned that the story of Samson, my favorite biblical tale, took place not far from where we were walking. The weather was beautiful and our group had a great time descending the mountain trail. At the end of the day we were exhausted but the nature-filled experience was definitely worth the trip.

On Tuesday evening the rain returned to Jerusalem and we had to cancel the poyka. Instead we went to see a film at Cinema City – Batman Vs Superman.

Parsha and PizzaFor this week’s Parsha and Pizza Rabbi Marc hosted an Ask the Rabbi session with burgers! The group asked questions about a wide variety of issues including: The reasons for Haman’s hatred of Mordechai, why some Jews judge and look down on those less religious than them, what happens after we die, how come religion seems to encourage so much violence, what does Jewish law say about dating and sex and so on. It really was an interesting evening.

On Wednesday night I and a few friends made our way to the Old City. There was a live music festival going on with performances throughout the area. We walked from venue to venue, listening to awesome music everywhere we went. The scene made me realize how vibrant a city Jerusalem really is and how much I enjoy living here. We ended the eventful night with a peaceful moment at the Kotel and then headed home. Overall this week was filled with adventure and excitement. Now that it’s over I’m ready for a restful Shabbat weekend with my friends. Shavua tov and Shabbat shalom.”

P.S We are so proud of our students who are going for a weekend camping trip up north. It is important for me to let you know they organized everything by themselves. Kol Hakavod!

Gap year in israel - aardvarkisrael