We're here!!!

Day 1:

Well we arrived yesterday at 7:00 Israel time, and shortly afterwards made our way through customs and baggage claim and arrived to the departures exit in which we saw most of our billets (and former Scopus collegian Adi Cohney). At first we were all pretty nervous but after getting to spot and talk to our billets a tad more did we steadily slide into our comfort zones. 

At approximately 9 o'clock we arrived at Jerusalem and made our way through the damp heat of the sun, up the steep hills and finally arrived at the Kotel. Many of us were frantically searching for the Kotel Cam (in which we found out later that it was facing the Western Wall) so that we can wave a hello to our families watching us from back home. Following a few activities involving the throwing of an onion and seeing the reactions of Maddie Lambert, Jordana Sher and Klara Herz's expressions from seeing the Kotel for the first time did we start to pray at our designated sides.

Not much to say afterwards, we made our way to a light breakfast outside a bakery where we ate Rogolach, Pitot with Zatar and Burekas, and again socialized and befriended the Israeli's even more.

The first thing we did when we got off the bus find our homes with our Billets, who some of us met for the first time on Sde Eliyahu due to them being in Year 12 and studying. This was all at 12 in the afternoon and we had no idea where anything was, did we follow our billets to the Cheder Ochel in the school Shaked. After that we had our first introductory Hebrew Lesson, in which we met our two Hebrew teachers, Malyhe and Hila, and the principal. Here we learnt about how to keep the class in check by introducing the idea of 'Toranuts' to us and had an activity involving telling a funny story, something the group didn't know about you, and a flaw that you have.

At four in the afternoon we finished school and somehow made our way to our houses, thanks to the help of our Madrichim Tamar and Peleg, where we all grasped the idea of not only how the Kibbutz was organised and also where eachothers houses were.

After this we all split up and spent some times with our families at home, some later went to the main Cheder Ochel for dinner, some stayed with their families to eat. There was at least an hour in which the majority of us were in the Moadon, and simply relaxing. 

For our final activity of the night we went to the Kikar and had some activities with our Madrichim. We were told that we were going to an army ceremony the following night (Thanks to the Alter Family) and we received a laundry bag with ou names and house numbers as well as our beloved Shaked shirts.

 

Signing Out, Ben and Elli