Israel Pilgrimage,
Group #11

*The pictures below are links; clicking on them will take you to a larger version of that picture.

Sunday, July 10th:
Group 11 woke up this morning and went to the Dead Sea. They swam for a bit and then hiked in Nachal David. They spend some time in the air conditioning of the Be’er Sheva mall and then went back to Yerucham. This evening they continued building the stations that will be used for the carnival that the group is planning for the kids of Yerucham to teach them English.

Monday, July 11th:
Very early this morning Group 11 hiked through Nahal Gov, a beautiful canyon. They did Shacharit and ate breakfast on the hike, watching the sunrise. It was a tough hike but no one complained! Then they had a rest after their long morning. In the afternoon they did an activity about the impact of transitory helpers to Israel and considered their own visits to Israel and how to make the most of them. Then they went on a treasure hunt of the different cultures in Yerucham and learned about the different types of Jews who live in this area of Israel.

Tuesday, July 12th:
Group 11 learned about David Ben-Gurion today when they went to Sde Boker and walked through his modest home in the middle of the desert. They visited Merchav-Am, a new settlement in the Negev, and learned about creating these types of communities, especially in places far from big cities. Tonight they went to Neve Midbar, a spa in the desert. It was nice for the group to relax together, especially, after a scorching day in the desert.

Wednesday, July 13th:
The USYers of Group 11 had a very exciting day. After days of preparation it was time for their USY Happening, a carnival for the children of Yerucham to teach them English. They took the morning to set up all ten booths, and then at 4:30 this afternoon, tons of children came to participate. The USYers had a great time interacting with the Israeli kids and it was a wonderful culmination of their week in Yerucham.

Thursday, July 14th:
The lovely Etgar Group 11 left Yerucham today. On their way back to Jerusalem they stopped at Latrun to see some of the Israeli tanks used previously in battle. They ate lunch at the Harel Mall where they could eat kosher McDonalds, and went to Mini-Israel, a miniature display of different parts of the country. Upon their return to the Fuchsberg Center, they went to an art fair going on tonight, and resettled into their “home away from home.”

Friday, July 15th:
Group 11 woke up this morning, packed their bags, and began their free weekend. Although they will miss each other, it will be a nice time for them to spend with family and friends in different parts of the country.