Kate & Zach’s Top 50! “Things we loved about our Israel Trip” – spoiler alert, they had a blast!

Zach and Kate and their parents joined the Cincinnati Jewish Federation Mission to Israel. After their incredible adventure, they managed to narrow down their top 50 favorite experiences on the trip*. From exploring the markets to dancing together to just being with family – they had a blast!

  1. Being with family
  2. Ice Cream!!!
  3. Making New Friends
  4. Going on the Archeological Dig (Temple Mount Sifting Operation)
  5. Finding jewelry at the Dig
    1. (Zach found an Arabic pendant, probably modern day but they still tagged it and took Zach’s picture)
  6. Water Tunnels, especially the first one (Park Alona)
  7. Nisan (our awesome bus driver)
  8. Our hotels
  9. The room snacks at the hotel, especially the kibbutz, they gave the best treats.
  10. Having our beds next to each other
  11. Going on the cable car to Masada
  12. Going down the cable car early with just Rabbi Kamrass
  13. Breakfast with the family
  14. Jeep ride (off-road tour through Golan Heights)
  15. Feeling at home
  16. Buying our very own first piece of art in the market (Nachalat Binyamin arts fair)
  17. The waterfall (Nahal David in the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve)
  18. The Lightshow (Night Spectacular at the Tower of David)
  19. Staying up late every night!
  20. Taking pictures of Rabbi Karen
    1. (Zach insisted on taking daily pictures of Rabbi Karen. Fortunately, she obliged and found the unflattering angles taken from below humorous)
  21. Dancing on stage in Netanya
    1. (that was Kate as Zach was dead asleep in his mom’s lap)
  22. Going in the Dead Sea with Daddy (just Zach)
  23. Having the fish suck our feet at the Dead Sea place
    1. (fish pedicure where the garra ruffa fish remove dead skin)
  24. Falafel
  25. Scavenger hunt in Tel Aviv
  26. Exploring food markets
  27. Long overnight plane rides
    1. (Definitely NOT their parent’s favorite!)
  28. Dancing at the Jerusalem train station
  29. Playing with those nice ladies at the airport on the way to Israel
    1. (They are referring to Ms. Beth, Ms. Suzette and Ms. Danielle at JFK)
  30. The cool playground at Sarona
  31. The Kibbutz playgrounds
  32. Rafting down the Jordan River
  33. Daddy almost falling out of the raft.   That was sooooo funny!
  34. Seeing the art in Tsfat
  35. Beautiful buildings in Jerusalem
  36. Saying prayers together when entering Jerusalem & the yummy challah there.
    1. Wise Temple at Mt. Scopus
  37. Awesome hotel and Kibbutz pools
  38. Shabbat with family and friends in the glass building
    1. (Wise Temple at HUC Blaustien Hall)
  39. Scavenger Hunt at the Tower of David
  40. Seeing the city while walking the ramparts
  41. Not being scared like our mom while walking the ramparts.
    1. (Kate was very encouraging and patient with her mother’s glacial pace in the more open sections)
  42. Trying new fruits like dates, guavas and the red prickly thingy that tastes like a large grape (a pitaya)
  43. Visiting the Western Wall and its tunnels
  44. Uri  (our guide)
  45. Zoo
  46. Playing in the Mediterranean Sea (in Netanya)
  47. Riding some crazy donkeys & dressing up in costume (Kfar Kedem)
  48. The Children’s Museum at the Israel Museum (Youth Wing)
  49. Being Jewish
  50. Ice Cream

a.  (Reminded them that it was said already but they wanted to keep it in as they usually had it 2x a day there!)

* Items listed in the order as dictated to their Mom.   Parentheticals are parental explanations/edits.

 

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