Friday, July 1st
The group had a wonderful day in Florence. They began with an overlook of the city, and then went to the Duomo, a beautiful and enormous cathedral. They saw Michelangelo’s famous statue of “David” in the Academia, and then went on a walking tour of the central area of the city. After lunch and some shopping time, the group returned to their hotel to prepare for Shabbat. They will go to davening tonight and tomorrow at the magnificent synagogue in Florence, and after Kiddush eat nearby at the nearby Ruth restaurant. The group is excited to be spending their first Shabbat together. Shabbat Shalom!
Friday, July 1st
The group traveled to the town of Auschwitzem for Shacharit at the Jewish Center. They visited at Auschwitz concentration camp, where they began the tour by walking under the famous sign, “Arbeit Macht Frei,” “Work Will Make You Free.” They entered several buildings and learned about what went on in the everyday life of the camp’s victims. Then they drove to Birkenau death camp, where they began by walking through the infamous guard tower. They went inside barracks, stood at the very place where Joseph Mengele chose which individuals would live and which would die, and saw the former crematoria that were destroyed at the end of the war. At the end of the tour the group gathered for a memorial ceremony. They headed back to Krakow, were they will spend Shabbat. The group is excited to spend its first Shabbat together, singing, learning Pikei Avot and relaxing. Shabbat Shalom!
Friday, July 1st
Today Group 4’s first site was Latrun – The Armored Corps Commemorative Center – dedicated to the thousands of fallen tank corps soldiers who died in Israel’s battles. The USYers visited the “Wall of the Fallen,” and saw an audio-visual presentation along with a tank exhibition. Later, they visited the Sataf springs, crawled through a narrow cave and hiked down the mountain. They then returned to Jerusalem, stopped at Shuk Mahane Yehuda to buy things for Shabbat, and then had time to prepare for their first Shabbat in Israel. Tonight they will daven Kabbalat Shabbat overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem and tomorrow they will have the opportunity to go to different synagogues in the area. The rest of the day will be spent resting, learning Pirkei Avot, and hanging out. Shabbat Shalom!
Friday, July 1st
The group spent the first part of their day learning about the Second Temple period in Jerusalem. They drove to the Old City, walked through the Roman Cardo in the Jewish Quarter, and toured the Herodian Mansion – the remains of a house that once belonged to the high priest in the first century. They went to the Kotel, the Western Wall, where many of the USYers put notes of prayers and thoughts. The group continued to Robinson’s Arch where the marketplace next to the Temple stood and where people would be able to buy food and animals during their stay on Pilgrimage Festivals. They visited the Israel Museum where they saw a large and intricate model of Jerusalem as it appeared before 70 C.E. Group 2 then stopped at Shuk Machane Yehuda to buy things for Shabbat. They then returned to the Fuchsberg center to prepare for their first Shabbat in Israel. Tonight they will daven Kabbalat Shabbat overlooking the Old City of Jerusalem and tomorrow they will have the opportunity to go to different synagogues in the area. The rest of the day will be spent resting, learning Pirkei Avot, and hanging out. Shabbat Shalom!
Friday, July 1st
The Group spent their morning in the mystical city of Tzfat. Among the many people who came from Tzfat are the prominent kabbalists, Isaac Luria and Moshe Kordovero. Besides the kabbalists, Tzfat also attracted numerous other Jewish scholars and spiritualists, including Joseph Caro, the author of the Shulchan Aruch and Shlomo Halevi Alkabetz, composer of the Shabbat hymn Lecha Dodi. The group had a tour of the city and two of the synagogues. They had some free time to walk around. They visited at the Rashbi’s grave in Meron and returned to their Kibbutz Hannaton to prepare for their first Shabbat in Israel. They looked their best for Kabbalat Shabbat and are excited to have a day for rest and relaxation. Tomorrow they will spend the day resting, learning Pirkei Avot, and hanging out. Shabbat Shalom!
Thursday, June 30th
Today, during shacharit, Bus E had their first Torah reading of the summer. The group then continued their time in Boston with a tour of famous Fenway Park, the home of the Boston Red Sox baseball team! The group then enjoyed a lovely picnic outdoors. Then it was off to the Faneuil Hall Marketplace for some free time to check out the shops. Later, the group drove to Salem where they saw the Witch Museum and Pirate Museum and walked around historic Salem. At night, Bus E had a BBQ at a local shul and played a game before meeting with their host families.
Thursday, June 30th
On Thursday morning Bus H drove to Memphis. On the ride, the group watched the movie Remember the Titans. When they arrived, Bus H visited the Gibson Guitar factory and saw how these world-renowned guitars are made. Next, the bus stopped at Elvis Presley’s home, Graceland. At his home they viewed instruments and costumes from his storied career and of course had a chance to pick up some of his music in the gift shop. In the evening, the wheelniks had dinner at a local synagogue and played a get-to-know-your-staff game.
