Hello there! Aviva and Hannah here, letting you know about our first Shabbat in Israel as part of Diller! We were the leaders of the day, and we chose for the theme of the day to be Reflection and Relaxation. We do a lot every day, so we wanted to give everyone a chance to step back and look back at everything we’ve been doing.
First thing in the morning, some members of the group walked to a neighborhood Orthodox synagogue for services, while the rest of the group participated in a morning circle and a liberal service. After, most of the group went to Jerusalem’s biblical zoo, where we saw many beautiful animals and had a great time. Following a delicious lunch and some intense games, the two of us led a program designed to help everyone reflect on their experience thus far and to encourage people to continue their deepening friendships. We started with a Hasidic story with a pretty ningun and continued with a Shabbat appreciation circle. Then we split the group into pairs for Sichot (conversations), requesting that people take advantage of the opportunity to have a discussion with someone they’d like to get to know better. Participants had 20 minutes to reflect on questions ranging from “ How do you see Israel’s role in modern Judaism after being here for nearly a week?” to “What is the most hilarious encounter you’ve had with an Israeli?” While talking, everyone enjoyed some sweet Shabbat treats!
Following the reflection activity, our National Education Director, Tal, arrived at our hotel to lead an hour of text study and discussion on the concepts of Peoplehood. We studied a biblical text that dealt with the issue of diaspora in its earliest form, and our discussion gave us a little taste of the exciting programs that await us at the Diller Kennes and Congress this week!
Dinner and a beautiful Havdallah led by Tzvi and Danielle were followed by a trip to Jerusalem’s one and only Ben Yehuda street. Not only did we get the chance to shop and meet up with Israeli friends and family, but there was an added surprise: Every North American Diller cohort was on Ben Yehuda Street simultaneously! It was exhilarating to experience the energy of being surrounded by Dillers from all over the U.S.A (and Canada)!
Happy but exhausted, we fell into our beds, looking forward to seeing our partner Israeli cohort and camping out with them in the Negev. Shabbat gave us a chance to collect ourselves, and to experience the uniqueness of Shabbat in Israel. We thoroughly enjoyed it and found it refreshing.
We hope you are all having a wonderful week. You’ll be hearing from the San Francisco Dillers soon!
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