First night:

We landed at Ben Gurion airport and got into our rental cars. My first time behind the wheel abroad! Thankfully they drive on the right side of the road and signs are in Hebrew, Arabic, and English. We were packed in tight, but it was lots of fun.

Day 1: Tel Aviv

Reuben, Brandon, Spencer, and I started off with a run to the old city of Jaffa (Tel Yafo) to have what we were told ahead of time is some of the best hummus in the world. Then, beach and market and a concert in the evening--even ran into a friend of Rachel and mine--Johanna Press!

PS Never EVER go to Chef Hostel in Tel Aviv!

Day 2: Jerusalem

Hopped into the driver's seat of one of our three clown cars to make the 45 minute drive to Jerusalem. We stayed at the beautiful YMCA, designed by the same firm that designed the Empire State Building. Locals call it the "imka." Barbra Streisand was staying across the street in the King Jordan Hotel!

We visited Yad Vashem, the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem, and then returned to the YMCA for a concert with Micah's chorus, who were phenomenal. It was such a hopeful and joyous sight to see students of Israeli, Palestinian, and other backgrounds all enjoying singing together.

Another day, more Yalies to see--ran into my best friend Steffi and met Shira--both Yalies who happened to be in Jerusalem at the time, and had a great time chatting with them at the patio reception after the concert. Shira is the older sister of Lea, who danced in the OTYC production of Castor and Pollux in the spring.

Day 3: Jerusalem

Today was one of my favorite tour days so far. We visited the old walled city of Jerusalem, led by a fantastic tour guide, who is a friend of Micah's and grew up in the old city. We saw the Dome of the Rock, overlooking the Mount of Olives. 

Then we walked the Via Dolorosa to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. We had an amazing lunch of hummus and pita before making our way to the Western Wall, where I reconnected with our Jewish heritage when one of a group of young Jewish men by the wall offered to put the Tefillin on my wrist and forehead to learn to pray in their tradition. Here are Yisroel and I in front if the wall.

Afterwards, Spencer and I went to seek out the recently excavated south section of the wall, where the south steps still exist. Rumor has it that Jesus walked on these very stones when entering the temple.

In the evening, we had one more performance at the residence of the US Consulate to Jerusalem, where we sang for an audience of all different backgrounds. Many were high school students, and we enjoyed getting to know more about their cultures and hopes and dreams after the concert.

Day 4: Kibbutz Ketura

Behind the wheel again! We rolled out for Kibbutz Ketura with a stop planned at Ein Gedi beach on the Dead Sea. It was a true desert we drove through on our way down to over 300m below sea level.

The Dead Sea was amazing--floating was as effortless as it appears, and the dry heat (42-44 deg C - 110F!) meant we didn't even have to towel off.

Then, it was on to the fascinating Kibbutz Ketura. Founded by mostly Americans in the 1970s, it felt familiar in many ways, but other parts were very new. The date palm farm, camel paddock, and swimming pool (as if lifted from American suburbia) were fascinating when juxtaposed with the surrounding desert and mountains. We stayed in beautiful guest housing and took a tour of the Kibbutz before Shabbat dinner, seeing the dairy farm, solar farm, and algae farm--all crucial to the kibbutz's income and participation in a global market, despite the kibbutz's internal workings that find their origins in the "to each according to need, from each according to ability" philosophy that places more emphasis on needs and welfare than on personal income alone.

We sang a concert after Shabbat dinner, and the residents of the kibbutz asked for 3 encores! We chatted and got to know the residents late into the night until it was time to leave for Jordan in the morning...