I'm Going to Israel!

[av8rmike]

Welcome to the birthright israel family! You are joining over 11,000 participants this summer and over 60,000 alumni from around the world who have also been recipients of the birthright israel gift -- that is over 70,000 over the last five years! The gift of the 10-day trip is being provided by our partners: the people of Israel through the Government of Israel, North American Jewish Federations through the United Jewish Communities (UJC), and leading private philanthropists. Please take a few minutes to learn more about our partners, especially your local Jewish Federation, which is your gateway to community involvement, continued learning and leadership opportunities.

We are very excited to have you along this Spring/Summer and want to help you get ready for your trip. On our website, www.birthrightisrael.com you will find suggested packing lists, a Virtual Tour of Israel and some travel Hebrew lessons to get you started.

I have to say, I'm really nervous about this. I haven't even told my mom yet, and believe me, I'm not looking forward to that conversation! But I'm also excited. I'm 26 now, which as some of you may know, is the cut-off age for this tour. This is, for all intents and purposes, my last chance to go to Israel, at least for free.

postmoderngirl, are you reading? You lived there for a while; what kind of stuff can I expect? I'm leaving in mid-June, for 10 days.

Comments

[gingy.livejournal.com]

COOL!! How exciting!

[aries28.livejournal.com]

WOW! This is going to be such a great experience.

[scout1222.livejournal.com]

You get to go for free? Awesome! What an outstanding opportunity.

[av8rmike.livejournal.com]

Well, relatively free. There's a refundable deposit, and I unfortunately have to pay my way to JFK airport for the flight. But otherwise, it's all-expense-paid.

[violaman.livejournal.com]

You haven't told your brother yet, either, until now. I won't tell Mom.

I can't deny that it's a great opportunity. Even the BBYO Israel tours we opted not to take 10 years ago (in my case, anyway) weren't free. I'm sure that it will be an amazing experience for you, and I'm a little jealous. I'd also tell you to wait to go at a safer time, but then you'd be ineligible for this tour, and I doubt that Israel will be significantly safer for tourists at any point in the next few years. So go, enjoy yourself, and of course be careful.

[postmoderngirl.livejournal.com]

AHH! You're going on Birthright! I tried to get in on that once, but, um, they didn't let me. JERKS! So what if I didn't qualify? I wanted to go!

Uhhh...you eat meat, right? Eat lots of schawarma. Mmm, good stuff. Check the falafal place at the corner of Jaffa and King George in Jerusalem (hamelech falafal v'schawarma). Keep your eye out for the military tower on Har hatzofim, the hill next to the Mount of Olives - that's my school! Tel Aviv is uuuuugly, do swim the Mediterranean, if you have the chance to go to Tzippori, take it. The Bahai Temple in Haifa is beautiful, but don't bother with the actual shrine. Go to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem before you go to the Church of the Nativity in Nazareth (the latter was built in the 1950s...kind of eh). See if you can't hike Masada at sunrise. Probably don't try to go the West Bank. Wear a baseball cap over a kipa in East Jerusalem, except in the Jewish Quarter. Don't even bother bringing shorts, you never know when you might end up at a holy site that you can't get into because you're not dressed appropriately.

Please: bevakasha
thank you: toda
excuse me: slicha (shukran in Arabic)
where is the bathroom: eifo hasherutim?
go to hell!: lech l'azazel!
beer, please: bira, bevakasha
I don't have a problem, what's your problem?: ain li bayya, ma habayya shelach?
I hate Ariel Sharon: ani soneh et Ariel Sharon.