Tikvah Israel Trip Update — Monday, December 30th!

Tikvah Director Howard Blas’ latest update from our Tikvah trip to Israel!

A kibbutz is an open, airy place and we are feeling very relaxed here. Our rooms are near each other with a grassy, tree-lined courtyard.  Our early-rising group members set up for davening, and we were joined by my friend, Gedalia Keren, from kibbutz ein hanatsiv.  He told us about the plastics factory and horses on his kibbutz, and about their plans to include a group of kibbutz members with disabilities.

Our first stop of the day was the spiritual, mystical town of Safed. We were joined by the 500 year old rabbi Isaac Luria who bears a strong resemblance to the ramah seminar director Rabbi Ed Snitkoff!!  We enjoined the haari shul, the candle factory, lunch and various shops.  All of our kids are doing well in the souvenirs department!

From Safed, we drove to Agmon Hahuleh where we saw many of the 500 million migrating birds which pass through this location. And I got to drive a 16 person golf cart!!

Our final stop of the day was the Galita chocolate workshop at kibbutz Degania Bet. We watched a movie on how chocolate is made and we made chocolate lolliops, decorated cookie wafers and bought chocolates as souvenirs.  Now, we are back at kibbutz Ashdot Yakov and will have dinner soon. We have so many souvenirs to pack!  Tomorrow is a full day of touring before we are off to the airport for our 1 am (wed. El Al) flight. Pretty cool — New Year’s Eve in the El Al terminal!!