It was Wednesday night when we found out that we will be going on a 4 day trip to the holy city of Yerushalaim. That night we could barely fall asleep, for many of us it is going be our first time at the Kosel Hamahravi.
At 7 A.M we woke up went to mikva, davend Shacharis and ate breakfast. And so with Choku Besakit and danishes in our hands we jumped onto the busses and off we went.
Stop one day one; the armored corps museum and Memorial site at laturn, it is the largest tank museum in Israel, boasting 110 tanks, including the Merkava and T-74 tanks as well as a M4 Sherman tank mounted atop a former British water tower. We then watched a heart wrenching film about our dear brothers that we lost at war. Our tour guide Yoram then told us how when he was in the army they were using old Israeli tanks from the 1980's which made him a bit nervous. However when he saw that his friend's tank was being shelled from all sides and yet no one was injured he calmed down, demonstrating to us how from Israel's inception they're primary concern was the safety and protection of its soldiers. After feasting on a scrumptious lunch we boarded the busses heading to the famous Bar Kochba caves. Gili our new tour guide took us through some facanating tunnels, crawling on our stomaches in the dark we really felt like we were reliving the lives of our ancesters. Afterwards we finally headed to our beloved Mamma Rochel in Beis Lechem. At Kever Rachel we all davend a heartfelt Mincha, and then said Tehilim for the dire situation in Eretz Yisroel in general and Har Habayis in particular. We then arrived at the Diaspora Yeshiva and unpacked into our deluxe and splendid accommodation's. Our rooms were a moments walk from Shaar Tzion and Kever Dovid also overlooking the glorious and holy city of Yerushalaim.
An elaborate and elegant rooftop buffet dinner was then served, we had laffas stuffed with salad and shwarma. Afterwards we went down to the Diaspora hall and we're greeted by the well known shliach and illusionist Rabbi Victor Atiyah, entertaing us with his unbelievable tricks and great sense of humor. He then shared with an emotional story of how his daughter died in a fire just for wanting to be tzinus. After Marriv and Krias shema, we were more than ready for a good night sleep. It was an awesome start to our grand Yerushalim Shabbaton!!!
