After returning to the hotel to change out of our nicer clothes we boarded our bus for an adventure... We were only the third group to participate in this activity, called Ready, Set, Cook. As I explained it to our travelers, to be honest they did not look too excited... An activity that forced them to cook??? On vacation????? The bus took us in to the wilderness and dropped us off where there were three tables set in front of us loaded with ingredients. The chef split us randomly in to three teams and we were ready to get our instructions for the activity. Here is what he said to our anxious group:
Make whatever you want.
Yes, that was all the instruction we got. We were to create whatever meal we wanted and we would be judged by what we created. We had 45 minutes to cook. The beginning was kind of chaotic, but then something magical started to happen. Our individual travelers began working in teams, building beautiful dishes and building beautiful friendships. It was incredible to watch. I hope you can see this in the pictures below.
The yellow pepper team!
The green cucumber team!
The red tomato team!
And... Go!
The meals we created were creative and delicious! We all enjoyed each other's creation.
The chef did select some people who displayed extra skills with their dishes and awarded them a souvenir apron, and chose the yellow peppers as the winning team.
It was a terrific event, another magical moment in Israel.
Friday night brought a special activity, sharing Shabbat with a local reform congregation and then going in to the homes of the congregants to share a meal. This would give our travelers a truly Israeli Shabbat experience. Services were held with Rabbi Stacey Blank at her community, Kehillat Tzur Hadassah, a community of about 45 member families.
The service was beautiful, the music familiar to us, so familiar that you could hear TAE singing along with the prayers. It was so meaningful to be with our community praying in Israel. Our banot mitzvah were invited to light the Shabbat candles in honor of their accomplishments. Rabbi Stacey was kind enough to print out a copy of her sermon for us in English as she would deliver it in Hebrew. What a powerful sermon that made me think of all that was happening at TAE in regard to our transition. It was a powerful message that we all need to hear. Here is what she said. "All endings are sad, painful and even sometimes complicated. But they all lead to new beginnings which are exciting, refreshing and full of hope." The departure of Rabbi Dubowe is hard, and very sad, and the arrival of Rabbi Straus signifies a new beginning that is full of hope. And feeling that hope and excitement with the arrival of Rabbi Straus does not, in any diminish our sadness as Rabbi Dubowe leaves TAE. What an important and impactful sermon.
After services each family was paired with a family from Kehillat Tzur Hadassah and invited into their homes to share a meal. We had about two hours with our families. Two hours feels like a long time, but I remember from two years ago it flew by. Spending time in Israeli homes, getting to talk about life in Israel is such a gift to help us understand what it like to live there and to be a Reform Jew. As our families left one by one I could see that they were nervous about this meal. And I knew that when I saw them again they would share how they wished they could have more time...
Leasa, Carly, Hayley and I spent the evening in the home of Rabbi Stacey Blank and her family. We were able to participate in many of their Shabbat rituals, like singing z'mirot around the table as we made Shabbat together. In between each song we would share things that are special about each person around the table. First, we focused on the mothers, then the fathers and finally, the children. It was a beautiful ritual, one that reminded me how grateful I am to have my family with me. After a fantastic meal and an even more fantastic time getting to know this beautiful family, it was time to get back to the hotel and get to bed. Shabbat in Israel is unlike anywhere else.
Here are a couple of pictures of our touring group with their Israeli families.
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