Friday, June 21

After a free night in Jerusalem, today we woke up with renewed energy after a very long first day. Our group visited a few of the older communities outside the Old City. A scavenger hunt around these communities led us through the Israeli Shuk- the outdoor market. The Shuk was busy with people preparing for Shabbat. Rows and rows of vendors selling meats, fish, cheeses, candy, and pastries...it is such a typical part of living in Jerusalem, it was so fun to take part.

After the hunt and a little shopping, we headed a bit out of Jerusalem to Laturn, IDF center and a memorial for fallen Israeli soldiers. We got to see (and climb on) a few of the tanks and learn about the struggle Israel has been through to be our Jewish homeland. Then, we headed back for a free afternoon in Jerusalem. Some ended up at Ben Yehuda for more shopping and lunch, others spent the afternoon relaxing by the pool.

Shabbat begins in just a few hours so more to come. We can't wait to celebrate our 12 b'nei mitzvah on this special Shabbat in Israel.