I don’t know about the boys, but I am exhausted! We had a great week traveling, hiking and enjoying the Golan. It was a physical tune up for our trip later this month to Gadna, but I don't want to get ahead of myself.

We were without, and missed one of our Rabbeim on the trip, as Rav Knapel spent the entire week in the U.S. visiting schools and having the much anticipated reunion with last year’s alumni at Maryland and NYU. As the Yeshiva continues to grow, Rav Knapel looks forward to making these reunions a more frequent and grander experience.

On Monday, the guys went to see the new Gush Katif Museum in Jerusalem. This museum tells the story of the Gaza area from Biblical times until today. The museum contains many pictures and movies detailing the capture of Gaza during the Six Day War. It also chronicles the founding and growth of the flourishing communities that existed there until their expulsion in the summer of 2005. The climactic moment in the Museum occurred when we viewed a film depicting the story of a family that had settled in Gaza and chronicled their struggles after the expulsion.

Any trip to the Golan Heights is sure to be memorable for multiple reasons. We left Jerusalem Tuesday morning in a rush so that we could arrive at Gamla with enough time to visit there and see the nearby scenic outlook before our boat ride on the Kinneret. Gamla is a 2,000 year-old Jewish city that was destroyed by the Roman Tenth Legion advancing on Jerusalem. Our tour guide, Ami, brought the Roman siege of two thousand years ago to life as we stood on the very spot where the Roman General Vespasian encamped his troops as they prepared to do battle with the 10,00 Jews that defended the city. The Jewish leader was none other than Josephus. We should all know how that battle turned out.

From Gamla, we traveled to a lookout over the Kinneret, near Givat Yoav, which provided one of the most incredible views I've ever seen in Israel. The whole Kinneret lay below us with a commanding view of the surrounding area. The Syrian army had used this beautiful piece of real estate as a forward observation post prior to the Six-Day War.

We then descended into Tiveria and visited the Kever of the Rambam. After paying our respects, we headed down to the Kinneret for a festive cruise. Many of the guys showed off their moves as we danced into the night. By the end of the day, the guys had worked up quite an appetite and were very happy to go to dinner at LaGuna on the Tayelet in Tiveria.

On Wednesday, we hiked the Jilabun trail - a water hike capped off by a magnificent waterfall (nearly 80 feet high) - a spectacular scene of which there are many in the Golan. After that exquisite hike, the Yeshiva traveled to Kesem HaGolan which is a theatre providing an IMax like movie of the Golan with a scale model of the area.

The next two activities on Wednesday were heart wrenching ones. First, we saw a movie about the Battle of the Valley of the Tears during the Six-Day war and then we met with Ilene Hautel, the mother of a terrorist victim who was killed in the Otniel Yeshiva attack a few years ago. Both activities were very moving and brought to life the sacrifices Israelis have made to protect and defend Eretz Yisrael.

The day did end on a high note, however. We had a fantastic meal at Kibbutz Shaar HaGolan - three types of meat were served for every culinary and carnivorous desire. Our meal was followed by a lovely night swim in the Kibbutz's pool

Thursday saw the last day of the tiyul. The boys loved it. We started off by "jeeping" - touring the Golan in Jeeps that were boucing up and down through the dirt (and mud - thanks to the rainstorm that came through) offering beautiful views of the countryside. After we regrouped, we moved onto Misgav Am to hear from actual pioneers (halutzim) about what life was like before the State was created and the trials and tribulations that they encountered.

Despite the long week full of action and a very long bus ride home, there was still a well attended Mishmar Thursday night complete with Cholent!

Shabbat Shalom!
Nate Fein