Pablo Antonio Martinez, age 10, Venezuela
Beatrice Bitone, age 13, France
Avigail Matalon, age 12, Jerusalem
Boys of Odakya Makoya, age 7-11, Japan
Pre-Trip Activity
| "Wherever I walk, my steps turn toward
Eretz Yisrael" (Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav) |
"You're shaking...so am I. It's because
of Jerusalem, isn't it? One doesn't go to Jerusalem, one returns to it.
That's one of it's mysteries." (Elie Wiesel, A Beggar in Jerusalem) |
"It is better to spend the night in
the deserts of the land of Israel than to spend the night in palaces abroad"
(Bereshit Rabba) |
| "Ten measures of beauty descended on the world. Nine were taken by Jerusalem -- and one by the rest of the world" (Talmud, Kiddushin 49b) | "In Jerusalem there are houses, sewage,
buses, lampposts. Yet she is more than a city among cities; she is a city
full of vision, a city with an extrasensory dimension. Her fascination is
not in her age. She is a dwelling place, not a collection of monuments,
shrines... Jerusalem is more than a place in space or a memorial of glories
of the past. Jerusalem is a prelude, anticipation of days to come" . (Abraham Joshua Heschel) |
There is no wisdom like the wisdom of
the Land of Israel. There is no beauty like the beauty of Jerusalem. (Aggadah) |
| When anyone prays in Jerusalem it is as
if he worshipped before the Throne of Glory, for the gate to heaven is there
and wide open for the Lord to hear. (Aggadah) |
The stones of Jerusalem heard the
promise of Isaiah: "In time to come all people shall stream to Jerusalem,
eager to learn of God's ways and to walk in his paths. (Siddur Siddur Sim Shalom ) |
Jerusalem is a witness, an echo of eternity.
(Siddur Sim Shalom) |
Pablo Antonio Martinez, age 10, Venezuela |
Beatrice Bitone, age 13, France |
| Avigail Matalon, age 12, Jerusalem |
Boys of Odakya Makoya, age 7-11, Japan |
Other things to do before your trip (if you have not done them yet):
1. Plan how you will use your time on the flight. We suggest books (about Israel of course), magazines, your Israel packet (with tentative itinerary, map, goals and philosophy, logistical information, etc.) your tourist information packet (which you should receive in the mail) .
2. We highly recommend that you schedule in some sleep time. Otherwise, it will be hard to function at all when you land. Those who need a dark room and quiet in order to sleep, should bring ear plugs, eye masks and a neck pillow.
3. Drink a lot on the plane and upon arrival. People tend to de-hydrate in-flight.
4. Bring along some snacks. Sleep when you can, without worrying about meals. If someone misses a meal, you'll always have your snacks. Even if everyone is awake for all the meals, food often comes in handy when someone gets cranky.
5. Try not to overpack your flight bag, so that you'll have easy access to its contents. There is nothing more frustrating than looking for something in a bag that is overly stuffed.
6. We recommend that each traveler have his/her own flight bag.