Tuesday, March 24th

Last day in Jerusalem - Sam and Rosalie Nagler

The last day of the trip included a lecture by Professor Hazan of the Political Science Department at Hebrew University. Professor Hazan spoke about Israeli Politics and its complexities. He explained the importance of a party over an individual. In Israel, you vote for a party only, rather an individual candidate. He felt Netanyahu would be successful in forming a government.

We then visited Zichron Menachem, "in memory of Menachem", the Israeli Association to Support Children with Caner. This past winter, the Religious School worked with the organization, Soaring Words, to create blankets and pillows with inspiring messages for these children. Our group visited this hospital to learn about the organization and to donate these gifts. We learned that Zichron Menachem is a community building faculty with music rooms, game rooms, a garden, and much more in order to encourage both physical, emotional and social healing for these children.

We then visited the Ayalon Institute for a tour if a clandestine munitions factory used during the British Mandate. The site was originally a Kibbutz learning center that turned into a secret ammunition factory under the British Mandate. The pioneers created an underground factory in only 21 days under a bakery and laundry room to cover the sounds of the project. Workers spent hours underground daily to create the bullets that were later used to overcome the British Mandate. These people who did this work contributed greatly to the establishment of Israel in the 1948 war of independance.

We ended the day and the trip with a wrap up discussion and reflection of the trip. The wrap up seminar was a discussion of each person's reactions to the tour. It was very emotional. It was clear that after 10 days together, our group become a true community, sharing in many simchas - bnai mitzvah, birthdays, wedding anniversaries, and many firsts! Following this discussion, we went to Kimmel for a wonderful farewell dinner.