Dear NCSY TJJ Lion Pride,

Yesterday was an intense experience from beginning to end!

To try and put our emotions into words in an email would be very difficult. Seeing the history of such a terrible senseless genocide as we toured the museum and memorials was enough to make anyone cry, and the TJJ Lion Pride was no exception. Yet somehow, there were moments of inspiration and light even in the darkest of our times which the teens heard about and sensed.

From Yad Vashem we walked a short way to Har Hertzel where we took in the military cemetery.  We were moved by learning all about the different conflicts that the IDF has fought in and the people who have defended our Jewish State. The Lion Pride visited the graves of many of Israel’s leaders like Yitzchak Rabin as well as many IDF heroes like the Lone Soldier and American citizen Max Steinberg.  We learned about these political and military heros, their lives, and how each of them in their own way gave everything to ensure a Jewish State.

The day wasn’t over. All the emotions and experiences culminated in our first visit to the Kotel!

We finished this rollercoaster of emotions by returning to the holiest site according to our heritage and it couldn’t have been more special. True gratitude and appreciation for our lives and what we have today was achieved – something tough today for the millennial generation.

Our trip to Yad Vashem, Har Hertzl and the Kotel ended with special reflecting sessions with our advisors so we could fully process our feelings and work through this emotional day.

Today was much lighter, learning about and experiencing biblical Jerusalem in the old city itself. We went to the city of David and saw archeological digs that went back centuries. We laughed and sang our way through the pitch black  Hizkiyahu aqueduct as we were splashing and enjoying the water. 

After finishing our tour of the beautiful old city of Jerusalem, we returned to dinner in Yad Binyamin for the 3rd night – we are beginning to get comfortable here!!

Tomorrow is a day in Tel Aviv!!

Look forward to telling you all about it!!

Best regards,

Manu & Avi

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