Day 4

              HELLO! Day 4 here in Israel! Today the class woke up early in the holy city of Jerusalem. We rushed to Robinson’s Arch where a meaningful tefillah was led by Josh, Zach, and Eitan. Using a Sephardi sefer Torah. Zach, Julia, Rachel and Jennifer once again read the Rosh Hodesh Torah readings.  We then learned about the Temple, and how and why Herod the Great decided to create such a huge structure.

We then went to the Kotel. We explored the caves underneath it and all said a prayer at the closest place to the Holy of Holies. When we came back up we all went to the Western Wall and had an opportunity to put a note in it.  We traveled into the City of David; in which we learned its history and how it was attacked from outer forces. We learned how the people of the city survived these multiple sieges. They did so by building tunnels to protect their water supply from those who were besieging them.

The class went exploring in the water tunnels. The conditions were not great, as many students would tell you. The caves were extremely claustrophobic and in some places the water came up to Josh’s waist.  However, we were able to splash our way through the freezing water and sing our way through the cramped space. But after Ben started singing it didn’t seem too bad; that is, until we had to go through an old sewage pipe. 

After we dragged ourselves out of the pipe we went back to the hotel to clean up for the mall in which some of us met our friends and family.  At the mall we split into groups: everyone with a visitor went with their visitors, while the rest of us stayed with Morah Amalya and Dudu.  When we all got back together after dinner, we went back to the hotel for a good night sleep.