Ani Zocher:
Pilgrims' Stories

Poland Seminar 2003,
by Jess Feiwus, Hagalil

Last summer, I traveled to Israel with USY Poland Israel Pilgrimage - Group 2. We spent five weeks exploring Israel from its northern borders of Lebanon to its southern tip by the Red Sea. Every day had been filled with a whirlwind of activities. We hiked up the Arbel in the Golan Heights, repelled down a mountain in the Negev Desert, and snorkeled in Eilat. We also spent a night outdoors in the desert under an endless sea of stars. We had the chance to ride camels, go swimming, and experience everything Israel had to offer. To choose just one memory from a summer filled with countless incredible memories is very difficult.

If I had to choose, I would start with the very first day that we arrived. After landing at Ben Gurion airport and realizing that I had finally reached this wonderful destination, a destination that I had been waiting to visit for so many years, the excitement overwhelmed me. Reaching down and actually touching the ground and then being able to kiss it was very emotional. I gathered all my belongings as our group started to make our way towards Jerusalem. With the sun beginning to rise, we drove to the Tayelet, a scenic landmark that overlooks Jerusalem. We took pictures, sang Yerushalayim Shel Zahav and recited Shehecheyanu.

After we got settled at our base in Jerusalem, Beit Nativ, and had a few hours of rest, we set out on our first excursion. The excursion was basically to get acquainted with the area. It consisted of a walking tour of the local neighborhoods like Yemin Moshe, the first Jewish neighborhood that was built outside of the Old City Walls. Since it was my first time traveling to Israel, I wanted to absorb everything.

Yemin Moshe with its famous windmill had become my new favorite place. It was very serene and peaceful against the backdrop of the old city walls that could be seen through the breaks of the trees. We returned to Yemin Moshe on several occasions during this trip and like my first experience there, I was struck with its tranquility. In fact, I was in awe of all of Israel. I could not believe after so many years of studying Israel, I was actually experiencing it first hand. It was just as beautiful as I could have imagined. The first day was so special and it set the tone for my entire experience in Israel.

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