Weekly Updates – October 14, 2021

In the evening, the students had a barbecue dinner by the pool and went in for a swim! On the second day of the seminar, the students chose from a variety of activities, including a morning hike in Nachal Ketura, an oil pastel session in the desert, mud building, and a tour of a sustainable village. Just before lunch, workshops and panels were offered, covering different topics, including: Religion and State in Israel – where they heard the story of a female rabbi in Israel, and her ongoing struggle to recieve acknowledgment for her work; Entrepreneurship in the Kibbutz, where they learned about how to create in the most socialist community in Israel. The students asked questions and learned about the sometimes complex life in Israel from people who live and deal with these issues on a daily basis. Later, the students went sliding in Kasui Sand Dunes and took some time for self reflection in the desert. On our last morning at Kibbutz Ketura, students were able to participate in a morning bike ride from the Kibbutz, along part of the Jordanian border, and back. Alex Sandler from the U.K wrote about one of the experiences he had on the seminar: “A lot of people would hate to wake up at 5:30 for a hike through the dessert mountains, but those people have clearly never done it in the mountains near Kibbutz Ketura. Standing at a mountain top and staring at the valley glowing in the rising sun, we felt like the luckiest people alive, surrounded by beautiful landscapes and wonderful people. Every one of us who went finished the hike feeling accomplished, and that we had found a little spot of paradise.”