Yesterday was a day where we were given an opporunity to realize how truly lucky we are. We don’t take enough time to really take in and think about how fortunate we are, especially for the small things we have in life. Yesterday was a day full of putting ourselves in others shoes, and seeing the world from a different point of view. With an amazing 6:30 am wake up, we went on our way to an eye opening day. Our first stop was the blind museum. We were split up into groups and taken through a dialogue in the dark which was lead by our either visually impared or blind guide, who we were not able to see until after the tour. We were taken into 7 rooms, each containing a different setting. The tour was finished off in the cafeteria, where we were able to sit with our guides still in the dark and ask them what ever questions we had. Right after, we were finally able to see our guide. This experience was something many of us had never gone through before, and really got us thinking. We weere able to experience the world in a different way, and we also really gained an understanding of how lucky we truly are. Not being able to see our guide really had a huge impact on many of us. “What you picture in your head, isn’t always the reality”- Josh Goldman. We were all taken by suprised and showed how the world can be so different for so many people. Sight is something that is natural to us, but we were given the chance to see what the world would be like without it, and how we should appreciate everythintg we have in life, even if it is just sight. Right after our amazing salad lunch, we were on our way to Shalva. Shalva is a non profit organization for children with disabilities. The feeling we all got right when we walked in was something I know I will personally never forget. We were given a tour of the home and what they have going on there is truly incredible. First hearing about how many families are being helped, and hearing about all of the amazing opportuities the children are given, we got to meet them. The children all had smiles on their faces, and were so welcoming to all of us. They were so happy, and insanely adorable too. We finally got to meet Yossi, whose mom is the one responsible for creating this amazing place. Seeing how much is being done for people with disabilities today is truly amazing, and all of the childrens smiles proved that. After leaving Shalva, we made a stop in the old city for some free shopping time. The night continued with the boys davening club going out for dinner. It was somethig they had been looking forward too since the begining of the trip, “It was a rewarding experience in which only a carnivore could understand”- Cole Resnick , “I had a great time, I ate 4 cows”- Eran the medic. The girls went another way, and had dinner at Cafe Cafe right under the hotel, “Girls night out gets 10x better when you’re in the holy land”- Tamar Gelb. Finally the night came to a conclusion, where we had the opportunity to listen to Rabbi Greenland about his NCSY experience. Overall we had a long and amazing day, filled with experiences and memories that will last a life time.

-Jordyn Rosenberg (minimal help by Alex Blaine)

P.s. I promise I don’t miss school it was just a very good day