By Zoey Rockoff
After waiting for what seemed like a lifetime, I finally made it to Israel. I had never been to Israel before so not being able to go last year was killing me. Hearing the news that my friends and I will have the opportunity in summer 2021 was so exciting! We arrived in Tel Aviv on Friday in the afternoon after a long ten hour flight from Newark. We settled into our hotel and immediately started dressing up for shabbat. The first few days were whirlwinds because I was still processing camp being over but I was still having a blast. I got to hang out with my friends who didn’t come to camp this summer and who I hadn’t seen in over two years. I also got to meet new people who I am excited to get to know even more throughout the trip. Finally on Sunday our trip officially began and our first stop was Jerusalem . The first place we went to in Jerusalem was an amazing viewpoint which our counselors surprised us with by making us close our eyes before (safely) leading us to a cliff; it was beautiful. Next we went to the Jewish quarter of Jerusalem and I had the best food ever. I am now in love with shawarma. We then walked around the markets and the Old City of David where we bought cool souvenirs. Our last stop on Sunday was the water tunnels. We walked through the water tunnels in the dark and sang the Shama and also hallelujah. I had never experienced anything like that before. It will last with me forever. Then, on our last day in Jerusalem, we went to the Temple Model at the Israel Museum, the Davidson Center, and the Western Wall. The second day was just as amazing as the first. Going to the Western Wall was surreal because I never thought I would be able to go. We are now leaving Tel Aviv and are heading to the desert. I am looking forward to riding a camel with my friend Lilah and snorkeling in the Red Sea. I’m having the best time exploring Israel, meeting new people, and eating the best food. I cannot wait for the rest of my trip!
