Yashar Yashar Ad HaKikar

Gazing in awe at the wonder which is Glass Blowing

 Today we hiked down to the Old City of  צפת  for a grand afternoon of glass blowing, candle making, and good old fashion touring.

Tunnels, Reflection and Restaurant Recreation

Sunday was packed with trips, tours, and a bit of free time to top off the trip of a life time.

770 replica just outside of The Old City

The Old, the New, and the really really old stuff.

Over shabbos and motzi shabbos we got to see everything ירושלים: From the oldest shuls to the most modern facilities. This city definitely has a lot to offer.

Group Photo overlooking the כותל

Tanks, Trenches, and The Friday Night כותל Experience!!

Standing on a real tank at the ליטרון  tank museum

This  ערב שבת  featured a packed schedule including the tank museum, ammunition hill and of course an inspirational  קבלת שבת  by the  כותל.

Mivtza Torah Extravaganza!!!!!

Group photo on the midge (that's a pretty big group)

 I'm sure you all remember the 2.5 blatt gemara that we had learnt (until Wednesday), that however is not including Mivtza Torah. Anyone who passed the test on 4 blatt gemara (outside seder) was treated to a delicious pizza lunch with an ice coffee. Not bad.

A Regular Day in ישיבת קיץ

So we finally got a view of those normal days that I've been waiting for, and I gotta tell ya that I'm a bit dissapointed. When I think of normal that's exactly what I expect, instead every day has featured something out of the ordinary (not normal) and not only that, but even the "regular" camp days are pretty exhausting.

Bochurim studiously taking a test

MAZAL TOV!!

Baruch Hashem over these past few days we have had a  ריבוי (abundance)  of mazal tovs to celebrate (and an even greater amount of cake to eat), so I would like to take this moment out of my super busy schedule to share them with you:

And the Winner of the Creative Halachic Skit Compition Is...

I know it's a bit late to write about something that happened this past shabbos, its just that at the time it didn't really seem like such a big deal (it kinda felt like another attempt to fill up a long shabbos).

Group photo of the entire team קובץ יגדיל תורה by the scenic overlook 

Basically as part of our ongoing series of educational shabbos activities, our  dedicated  מגידי שיעורים (learning teachers) arranged a competition to act out select halachos. They pretty much chose standard halachic situations and had each team (split according to the sports teams) make a skit depicting that situation. Some of them were pretty interesting actually, like that one about the bracho for rice (I always thought you needed to make 3 brachos for rice, apparently its not so simple).

Motzi Shabbos Activity

This motzi shabbos we played a very unique (embarrassing) game which was coordinated by our tiera counselors. They played recorded conversations with our parents (thankfully not mine) asking them a variety of embarrassing questions, definitely a good laugh.

Meron and The Galil Winery

Friday was more of a relaxing day, we didn't even have to fill up our waterpaks. It started off like a regular day until around noon which is when we departed to Meron.

Showing off their brand new souvenir glasses (apparently they don't come with a free refill)

On the way to Meron we stopped by an Israeli grocery store where we had the opportunity to stock up on our Israeli favorites such as cholov israel ice cream, and chocolate milk in a bag (why can't canteen get that stuff?).

Tractronim, Hiking, and Swimming with a BBQ!!!

Group photo overlooking the scenic Galil. 

So Tuesday comes around and we finally have that day of rest that we were waiting for, a time to get back into schedule and prepare ourselves for a normal week of ישיבת קיץ. Think again. As we were in the middle of a high intensity basketball game, The מנהל פועל (Head Counselor) Leible Hecht comes outside announcing that we must fill up our waterpaks for another trip (obviously to some concealed destination). We immediately ran to the rooms to get the waterpaks, but we still needed to know where we were going (Why cant they tell us? I pashut need to know what shoes to pack!).

מאמרים בעל פה!!!!

Today I am proud to announce that myself along with 48 other  bochurim learnt the maamar titled ולא יכנף עוד מוריך  by heart!! 

That was the educational part of shabbos that I was referring to. I knew it was an optional mivtza, but I was maybe expecting an ice pop or something similar (it wasn't exactly the longest maamar in the book if you know what I mean). Instead we all got surprised by almost 50 personal pies of pizza (and also ice pops) not a bad way to spend a Monday afternoon. Looking forward to learning more maamarim and hopefully building up to the famous Israeli shwarma that everyone always raves about. Have an easy and meaningful fast.

More pictures in extended article...

Har Arbel The Kinneret and Beyond!!!

Finally the moment arrived to go on our first trip, and boy was it worth the (two day ) wait. We set off early (10am CST Chabad Standard Time if you know what I mean) and headed towards the site of our first activity...hiking down Har Arbel. I was dying after 2 hours, can't possibly imagine how the yidden did this for 40 years.. They didn't even have CamelBaks. Thankfully we had a great tour guide who explained all the history behind our hike, it really added alot. My favorite part was definitely the caves (I actually climbed into a cave that was a mikva like a thousand years ago, its no 749 but what can you do.) Afterwards we sat for an authentic American lunch (Tuna and Salami sandwiches), and even had time to watch the lawnmowers of a thousand years ago (goats) do their job to maintain the beauty of ארץ ישראל.

From there it was off to The Kinneret for a relaxing dip by the frum beach. It was like a huge mikva surrounded by a beautiful screen saver, that place is something else. From the Kinneret we went to The קבר רמבם for a quick tefilla and then straight to ישיבה to get ready for shabbos.

Shabbos in ישיבה was one that I don't plan on forgetting any time soon. I was originally skeptical at spending an entire shabbos stuck on our campus, could I have been more wrong. Everything from top to bottom was filled with singing (spontaneous) dancing, fun (educational) activities and great Israeli food (please all I ask is for some basic gefilte fish keep that morrocan stuff). We concluded shabbos with an exciting melave malka where the staff prepared a unique competiton featuring bochurim from each floor. It was actually hilarious, especially when they had those guys sing in front of the whole ישיבת קיץ , it has been a while since I laughed that hard. 

Sounds like a lot of fun right? Maybe even a bit too much, definely enough to let us sink back into shedule but No you guessed it. Sunday comes around and they have us go back to the (Mercedes) coach buses for another trip. This time to a gigantic pool , boy what a splashing fun time. Listen its getting late and if I don't hurry up Ill miss The Grand Draft. Have a good night.

MORE PICTURES IN EXTENDED ARTICLE...

Beautiful panoramic picture of  Har Arbel

days 2 and 3

So you would think that they would give us at least 2 days to get over the jet lag, but it was business as usual at ישיבת קיץ צפת. We started off Wednesday with a gezunte davening followed by a traditional Israeli breakfast. Afterwards we got to hear our dear ראש ישיבה (Learning Director) Eli Chaikin explain the סדר הישיבה and the importance of learning during during the summer (they don't call it ישיבת קיץ for nothing) thank goodness I brought my seforim. Finally after what felt like no time, it was time to play sports (lets teach these ohelei torah'niks what it means to play basketball). After that we got a real lesson on the Israeli mentality, the money changer didn't show (we called him 15 minutes before he supposed to come and he said he was busy).

 Today was pretty similar to yesterday (the changer guy actually came today) the big exception was a special farbrengen in honor of יב תמוז  it was pretty interesting, almost as if I was hearing the story for the first time. We have a trip tomorrow but I have no clue where exactly were going. They made us fill up our water backpaks and bring bathing suits, but they also told us to bring hoodies (I'm lost). Listen its ממש late and I really don't wanna miss time from the trip. See you guys later and have a great night.

I'm telling you; its harder than it looks

MORE PICTURES IN EXTENDED ARTICLE... 

WELCOME TO צפת!

Today we arrived exhausted from a days journey, but nonetheless happy as can be to begin the summer of a lifetime. We had bochurim flying in from as far away as Los Angeles and as close as London. I think a few guys from Crown Heights as well. The Head Counselor, sorry I mean the מנהל פועל gave a really intense speech with like all the rules and stuff. People think he is a mean guy, but I'm pretty sure I saw my learning teacher hide a grin during that part about sending us home. They gave us like a million options for supper, I hope the food is always this good (btw when these israelis say spicy they mean it). I can't wait to go on the first trip, I wonder where we will go. My counselor is like one room away and it is so past lights out. Have a good night looking forward to posting more pics etc...

The מנהל פועל (Head Counselor) Lieble Hecht addresses the entire yeshiva for the welcome to צפת inauguration 

Why is he taking pictures of me? 

The bochurim are excited to finally daven after such a powerful speech