Jerusalem for Shabbat

From the reports, it sounds like the kids had a nice time either with their families or having the true Israeli experience of Yom Ha'atzmaut on the beach. This morning we left Tel Aviv to visit Rishon LeZion's Gan HaManhigim, to Rehovot to visit Machon Ayalon, and back to Jerusalem to Machne Yehuda, Har Herzl, and the Kotel for kabbalat Shabbat.

While the shopping doesn't really fit in, the day's activities created a theme of leadership and learning about what it means to sacrifice for Israel and the Jewish people. Yoel challenged them with the question "would there be a state of Israel without the Holocaust?" and let them know how impressed he was with their responses. He told us a moving story about a man he had worked with who died in the Second Lebanon War at his graveside.

There are several kids who are going to come home and announce they want to join the IDF. I told them about some programs like Gadna and Marva, and that they don't have to make final decisions right now.

Shabbat at the kotel was very lively, and we were even joined by Mor which was a lovely surprise. Then we walked back to the hotel and..... ate.

But why not have a really long day right before Shabbat? Tomorrow will be very relaxed, people are planning to sleep in quite a bit. Shabbat shalom!