Date: July 21, 2016
Author: Nicole Smith
Theme: Congress, Day 4


Today was the last day of Congress! In the morning we learned all about the many opportunities in Diller after we finish our fellowship. It was very inspiring and enlightening to know we can continue in such an amazing program. We also talked to past participants and asked them questions and learned about the amazing things they are doing now. 

After lunch, we had a very thought provoking program on our Impact Projects. I p,ersonally, was inspired and got a general idea of what I want to do for my project. I now feel ready and excited to go back home and work on my project. After this we went back to our hotel and got ready for the closing ceremony and party! It was very bittersweet. It was so much fun to dance with all the friends from around I made during congress, but very sad to say goodbye to them. Overall, congress was a once in a lifetime experience that I will never forget.

Date: July 20, 2016
Author: Arielle Shannon
Theme: Congress, Day 3

After eating a delicious breakfast, made divine by the presence of chocolate milk and coffee, the cohort embarked on a journey to Tel Hai Memorial site, where we were to watch a meaningful presentation and be sorted into our groups for the next part of our day. Each of the tribes was partnered with another, and together we went on seperate buses, every bus to its own unique activity. The tribe in which I was a member went to see a news reporter and a spokesperson, both experts on the issues present in the Golan. They described some of the difficulties faced by reporters, their jobs made more challenging by the rise of social media, forced to balance the importance of confirming the accuracy of information and being the first to publish a report. They also outlined how one can look for different angles in a potential story, and use them to engage people in bringing change. When the hour of lunch began to draw near, we departed on our bus to return to the campus wherein resides the most amazing machine in existence: the hot drinks vending machine. Now, some may dispute this point, asserting that the outputs of this marvelous contraption lack the quality that they desire, however, having personally examined these drinks in great detail, I can attest to the inaccuracy of these accusations. Upon arrival at the campus, we consumed our meals of sandwiches with water and chocolate wafers, accompanied by the heart shaped chunks of ice cream that we called dessert. We were also given the opportunity to interact with members of other cohorts before heading to our next program. We had a total of two programs, that afternoon, the first, a discourse on the relationship between Israel and jews abroad, and the second consisting of "inspiration dates". The "inspiration dates" were meetings with current jewish leaders, where they led discussions on topics they considered relevant. Afterwards, we returned to our hostels for our nightly menu of ma'agal and networking space, before heading off to our rooms for our journey into sleep.

Date: July 19, 2016
Author: Rachel Himmel
Theme: Congress, Day 2


Today was the first full day of Congress and it was full of amazing activities. Once we got to Tel Hai University, our home base, we began our day with Opening Ceremony. Afterwards, we split into our tribes (groups that have 1 fellow from each cohort) and got a tour of the beautiful Tel Hai campus. Before lunch we heard a lecture from Avraham Infeld who gave us an introduction to Jewish Peoplehood. The lecture was both informative and hilarious. People in our cohort have been quoting his words ever since! We then had lunch and afterwards did an activity on Jewish language with our tribes. We saw how Hebrew is different from English in the way that if you change one hebrew word it will not have the same meaning. We also looked at a song called the Hebrewman trying to figure out why most of the song was written in English if it's called the Hebrewman. 

We returned to our hostel where we had dinner followed by networking time (when we got to talk with the other cohorts that were staying at our hostel). Throughout the day we all met different people from around the world and made strong connections that will last a lifetime. Overall it was a great first full day at Congress!

Date: July 18, 2016
Author: Adina Benia
Theme: Congress, Day 1

Today we finally made our way to Congress!
When we got off the bus we were welcomed by Tzama (Diller's Past Participant logistics team) and other cohorts who were just as excited as we were! Upon arrival, we received more Diller swag - BUCKET HATS!! When all of the cohorts arrived, we were divided into groups called "Tribes". For the next hour and a bit we participated in ice breakers in order to get to know our new friends from around the world! Tribes were lead by a Coordinator from another Diller community, JCs and Tzama leaders. When we got to Kfar Giladi (the sleeping accommodations during Congress), we all got dressed up and made our way to Gan Gomeh were dinner was served and the opening ceremony for Congress began. 

Opening Ceremony gave us a huge opportunity to mingle and meet new friends and reunite with the friends we made at Keness! Overall, today was an amazing transition into congress!

I can't wait for the next few days ahead! Adina

Date: July 17, 2016
Author: Hartley Gelkopf
Theme: Community Week, Partnership Day B


Today was the last and final day of Community Week. The group responsible for planning today was Partnership B, and as part of Partnership B, it was exciting to see my day come to life.
In the morning, we started off with a visit to a kibbutz called Grofit. This kibbutz is a home to one of the Eilat-Eilot fellows; Itay. This kibbutz specializes in therapeutic horse back riding for individuals with emotional, physical and mental disabilities. It was really meaningful for me to see the work that they do. 

The next stop was to another kibbutz is called Ketura. This kibbutz specializes in renewable energy and the development of third world country aid. It was really fascinating to see the cool projects that go on in this kibbutz. They have methods for farming in the desert, cooking with recyclable energy, keeping cool in the heat, and so many other innovative ideas. This kibbutz taught me to be more appreciative of what I have, and how easy I have it. I now have a deeper appreciation for Israel and other countries that provide technological innovations for clean drinking water worldwide. 

The last stop was to the city of Sderot, which is one of the cities bordering Gaza. This community has been torn apart and put back together. This city is often targeted by the terrorist organization known as Hamas. Most buildings are bomb shelters. For the people on the street when the alarm sounds, there shelters every 20 meters. Since operation Protective Edge, Hamas has not been as active and the threat is not as severe as it once was. Hamas has been acknowledging the cease-fire. One of the most impacting parts of the day was when we met with teens our age that live in Sderot. They shared their stories, experiences, and the reality that they live. They are incredibly normal, which was very unexpected because they live in a "war zone". They live a normal lifestyle. They are prepared for the worst with a positive attitude. We got to ask any questions we wanted, and they were happy to answer. Many people want to physically try and help this community, but really, this community just needs metnal support. They are stronger than any of us could imagine. I'd like to end this blog post by thanking the other members of Partnership B; Nitzan, Itay, and Sarah. This was definitely the best way to end Community Week. -Hartley Gelkopf

Date: Saturday, July 16
Author: Kayla Saul
Theme: Shabbat and Arts/Culture

After a beautiful Friday night dinner and much needed sleep-in, we were all exposed to a unique Shabbat experience- Eilat style! Each pair of fellows chose how they wanted to celebrate Shabbat, making it a meaningful and enjoyable experience for us all! Shaked and I wanted to soak in as much of the Eilat sun as possible, so we spent most of our day on the water. We started off the day on a yacht, overlooking the breathtaking Gulf of Aquaba. We then went to the Rif Raf beach to swim and tan (with SPF 100 sunscreen of course)! Coincidentally, we got slightly sun burned... After a few hours, we returned home to prepare for the "Lehitraot Eilat"/farewell party. With the help of the fellows and staff, we decorated the backyard and set up a spread of classic Israeli foods and drinks! 

After Shabbat ended, the host families and Eilonto fellows were all reunited for the last time at our closing ceremony. We watched a beautiful video that perfectly captured our experience as an Eilonto family, including JCM, community week, etc. After the parents left, we continued to have fun and seize our last night in Eilat- we swam, danced and listened to music!Overall, today was a great way to end a fantastic week! Thank you to everyone for making this a special week!

x
Kayla

Date: Friday, July 15
Author: Toni Spilfogel
Theme: Community Week, Environment & Nature

Hey Everyone! Sorry this blog entry took so long to get to you all but I've just been having so much fun on this trip I haven't had the time to write! Friday was Nature Day. We started the day at the Under Water Observatory. We went to the Rare Fish Museum and learned about different fish and other aquatic animals. We learned about symbiotic relationships between different sea creatures. We also went to sea the sea turtles. After we got to see many different types of sharks, fish and sting rays. I think all the Dillers can agree that the best part of the day was the under water observatory itself. We were able to freely observe and learn about the ways of the sea. It was cool be the ones in the tank for once. At lunch Haim and I lead a debrief and talked about the importance of community as well as how special our Diller cohort is. After lunch Max and Amit lead an amazing program about reducing our carbon foot prints. We ended the day at the botanical gardens of Elat. It was amazing to see how vibrant the staff members made the garden. I found it personally inspiring to see how lively something could become with proper nurturing. At the botanical gardens we received the secret letters our parents wrote us prior to the trip. We felt our Toronto community all the way from Elat. We needed the day with a beautiful debriefing program by Tayla and Josh. After that tiring day we were sent home to get ready to spend Shabbat with our host families. It was incredibly meaningful to spend Shabbat with Shai's family. Friday was such an incredible day. I have found a new passion for the environment specifically the sea.
Thanks for reading! Toni

Date: Thursday, July 14
Author: Elyanna Wenner
Theme: Tikkun Olam


Today was the Tikkun Olam committee's day of Community Week, and it was so much fun as well as extremely meaningful. 

We started off the day by going to the Youth Future House, where we got to spend time with children who have difficult home lives. With the kids we drew pictures and packaged food for lone soldiers. It was amazing to see the smiles on the kids' faces when we were dancing and talking with them, and interesting to hear their views about the IDF. 

After the Youth Future House, we headed to Almog Beach, to snorkel among many beautiful fish and sea life. We also did unique activities at the beach to learn about how we can keep the beach clean. There is a group of teens who are a part of a youth group specifically about keeping the beach clean!

To end off the day, we went on a yacht and had a delicious barbecue as well as a well-

earned dance party. It was an event filled, fun-packed, meaningful day!


*photo credit - Uri Ron Photography

Date: July 13, 2016
Author: Oliver Daniel
Theme: Community Week, IDF Day

IDF Day was the second full day of Community Week, and was jam-packed with excitement! First, forty bleary-eyed fellows woke up an hour earlier than yesterday to account for the hour-long bus ride to Ovda Military Base. A base, mind you, which happens to be the home of our very own Naama. Along the way, committee membersexplained the IDF's values and procedures and handed out hand-made goodies like an Eilonto Unit badge and dog-tag (disk), as well as an IDF-style Diller Code of Conduct.  Upon arrival, Naama's welcomed us to the base with a brief video, and the tour began. Our many stops included an up-close view of a fighter jet which could scramble from hangar to air in under five minutes, playing dress-up in fire suits at the fire station, and an air control tower. The tower was especially fascinating: my group got to see a plane land live, and the pilot even agreed to speak to ground control in English for us. Finally, the group visited the base's pluralistic synagogue, which contains both Ashkenazi and Sephardic Torahs. The resident rabbi answered our many questions and helped us understand life on base more intimately.

After a short break in a (thankfully air conditioned) classroom, Yuval G. -or, as her badge read, Captain Yuval - began a small-group discussion activity revolving around donating to or supporting Israel in the Diaspora. Questions like "Why does Toronto have the Walk with Israel? Why not just donate?" were discussed.The discussion culminated with every fellow helping to complete a puzzle that depicted the Israeli flag. This represents the fact that every contribution, big or small, made to Israel helps it become what it is today.

After all the hubbub, Sam S. and I were all too happy to help run a brief meditation exercise to help the fellows relax and focus on the day ahead of them. After whooshing Naama's family, it was time for every Torontonian's favourite part of the day - lunch! Then, it was back on the bus for an hour to a location just outside Eilat. There, it was time for some IDF-style combat training -- err, paintball -- at TOP94! Using their experience, fellows discussed the difficulty of obeying moral code while under pressure.

The final event of the day was a panel with Gad, Idan and Dor's grandfather; Peleg, Suf's sister; and our beloved Richard Summers. In turn, the three veterans spoke about their experiences in the army, each having participated in a different war. Additionally, Richard was able to speak from the perspective of an ole chadash (new immigrant), which gave the Canadians something special to relate to. Afterward, there was time for several questions, all of which elicited interesting discussions.

The closing ma'agal for the day concluded with something special: every fellow wrote down a value close to them and wrote it on their dog tag, so that they can always wear what's important to them and their identity. All in all, IDF Day was a fantastic day, never mind the fact that I assisted in its planning and execution. Everyone on the committee, especially Naama, worked indefatigably and made this day truly unforgettable. The committee, in no particular order and excluding myself: Sam S., Idan I., Naama L., Yuval G., and Shai Z. All of these wonderful people should be commended for their excellent work. I can't wait to see how all the pictures we took turn out!Cheers!Oliver

Date: July 12, 2016
Author: Theadora Draper
Theme: Community Week, Leadership


What a day!!! For starters, it's important to note that we have officially been in Israel for one whole week!! Today was one of the best days we've had so far. We started our day with an amazing JEEP tour of the desert. While we were there, we got to see an old copper mine that was used by the Egyptians thousands of years ago, and got to see the border between Israel and Egypt. 

Then from there we went to the Birdwatching Park and met with Dani Amar, the father of a soldier who died in combat. He told us the story of his son and how when he died, Danny built a classroom in the middle of the sanctuary in honour of his son. I know that I speak for all of us when I say that everyone was touched by his story. 

By this part of the day, everyone was really hot and hungry, so we went to a community pool to eat lunch and swim. It was definitely a great way to cool off!!! After swimming for awhile, we had a very fun program, run by Einav and Matan. By 4:00pm everyone was still really hot, and very tired. So we had a 3 hour break. After that we all reconvened at the first culture centre in Eilat. 

The Arts and Culture Committee did an amazing job organizing the evening. They us a literal taste of what the different Jewish holidays are like for them. Let's just say, no one left hungry!  We also played a fun trivia game about Israel. Josh (Super Jew) came out on top. 

All in all this was definitely one of my favourite days yet!!! I can't wait to see what the rest of ISS has in store for all of us. Mom, I will try to send some pictures as soon as possible. If not, it means that I'm having too much fun.

See you in however many days are left (I lost count after Saturday),
Theadora

Date: July 11, 2016
Author: Yuval Ashkenazi
Theme: Past, Present, Future

Today, Monday the 11th, our cohort departed Ramet Rachel, after a long and meaningful few days of Kennes. We started off the morning on a serious note - visiting Yad Vashem memorial museum, as well as a tour of mount Herzl. Yad Vashem was truly a significant experience. We began the tour discussing the name of the museum and institute:Yad Vashem. The group was informed that the name highlights the mission of this educational organization, which is not only to provide the world with statistical information about the tragedies of the Holocaust, (hence the Yad, which when translated is monument) but to also provide a center where personal stories of those that we have lost can be shared and spread to the public (Vashem is name, a name is personal in comparison to a monument)
As leader of the day, I decided to provide each fellow with a testimony page of an individual who perished in the Holocaust. I did this to provide each fellow with a more personal perspective when visiting the museum. The tour was overall informative and emotional. Following Yad Vashem, we headed out to Mount Herzel. We first visited the Herzel museum. As a group, we collectively agreed the musuem's technical way of displaying information was innovative and provided an interesting and artistic approach to teaching of Herzel's life. This museum innovation was an excellent example that illustrated how Herzel's dream of the Jews having a modern and successful country became a reality. After the museum we visited the Herzel cemetery, a cemetery where all fallen IDF soldiers and Jewish leaders, such as Herzel, are buried. It was emotional and difficult to hear about the stories of these soldiers who sacrificed their life For the sake of a Jewish stats and for the safety of the Jewish nation. We transitioned to a happier note when we depredated to Eilat to attend the welcome ceremony. We were reunited with our buddies from Eilat and introduced to their families. Overall this day was emotional and significant. We learned the importance that by remembering the past, we can shape the future as young leaders that are involved both in our community and in Israel.

Date: July 10, 2016
Author: Sam Shepherd
Theme: Kennes

Today was our last day of Kennes,and just like our first and second day, it was highly eventful and exciting. After breakfast, we all headed down to the auditorium for a very thought-provoking group discussion about Jewish history and life for Jews around the world today. Together, as a multi-national Diller group, we discussed the six major exiles of the Jews throughout our history. It was fascinating to see a group of energetic, optimistic Jewish teens recount some of the worst acts of persecution and discrimination in our long and eventful history. Directly afterwards, the cohorts played a fun, interactive game in which we had to guess which countries had the highest Jewish population. The energy in the room was palpable as we argued which countries belonged where on the list of the Top 11 Countries with the Highest Jewish Populations. 
The rest of the day was devoted primarily to bus tours, in which the Toronto Diller cohort was spread across the city of Jerusalem learning about the city and its culture through a variety of distinct, unique tours. The bus tours ranged from exploring places of worship for other faiths to venturing to the Knesset to learn about Israeli government. I had the fortunate disposition of having the opportunity to explore a Jerusalem Shook on a food-centric tour. I tasted the famous Marzipan rugelach, hummus, ice cream and juices (all wonderful), and afterwards, we were treated to a fascinating conversation about gentrification and how the market has changed over the years. Jerusalem is a fascinating city because it has one of the most illustrious histories of any city in the world and is a cornerstone to all three of the major monotheistic religions. All of the tours helped us see the city from a different angle, experience the culture first-hand, and teach us how we can better our community.
Finally, the night ended with a closing ceremony, which was full of laughter, excitement and joy from Diller Teen Fellows, JCs and staff alike. Even though we were only together for a few short days, the growing unity amongst the group was outstanding. If this is what it's like when half of us are together, Congress is bound to be even more incredible! Tomorrow we are going to see our Eilat buddies for Community Week. So exciting!

Date: Saturday, July 9
Author: Zev Winegust
Theme: Jewish Communities Kennes

Today was shabbat in the holy city of Jerusalem. The weather was 30°C and there was not a cloud in the sky. The day started off with breakfast and shabbat services. I decided to go to the theatre/drama service. It involved acting out the parsha of the week (Korach), and required us to make a skit and put a different spin on it. We were split up into 2 groups and each group needed to act out a certain amount of aliyot. My group did the last 4 aliyot in the style of a rap musical. I was involved with creating the beat for our group while Sam rapped the narraration and other members acted out what he was saying. After we were done with that, we played some improv games. I enjoyed that service. It was different and I appreciate that. 

When we split off into our colour groups, we discussed the parsha in more depth where we discussed responsibility, leadership, and Donald Trump. When we got to the old city later in the day, I felt amazing. I haven't been there since February of last year, I didn't want to leave then and I don't want to leave now. We did havdalah at the Kotel and I was so happy and grateful to be at the holiest city in the world with some of my best friends. When I touched the wall I felt relaxed and at peace, so glad just to be standing there again. My friend, Max found a part of the wall which almost was a perfect imprint of a hand. Just imagining that someone thousands of years ago possibly touched the same place as I was touching was so moving it almost brought me to tears. At Ben Yehuda St, I went up and down the street with my friends Max, Oliver, and Josh. We all had a good time tonight, and I can't wait to have more fun the rest of this week!

Date: July 8, 2016
Author: Sarah Levy
Theme: Present Day Changemakers

Today we had an early start as we packed up on our way out of Tel Aviv and into Jerusalem! We began our day in the up and coming neighborhood of Florentine in Tel Aviv, where we met Ashley Fairfield, our amazing tour guide on our graffiti tour of the area. We learned how to take the perfect picture, and toured the neighborhood, looking deeper into the meaning behind some of the street art. We learned how Tel Aviv's graffiti provides a snap shot into the city and country's history of leadership. We even got in on the action and spray painted on the walls ourselves! 

From there we travelled to Jerusalem, where we met Roee Ben , an inspirational speaker. Roee was a warrior in an elite unit of the IDF, and was unfortunately in a serious accident, causing him to become paralyzed from the waist down, leaving him permanently in a wheelchair. Roee shared with us the struggles of living in a wheelchair, and how he has overcome it. For example, he plays wheelchair basketball on the national team! We then travelled to Ramat Rachel, Jerusalem, where we were introduced to all of the international Diller Teen Fellows from North America, South Africa, and Australia! We then enjoyed an immersive Shabbat experience. It was an incredible day!

Date: July 7, 2016
Author: Josh Arbess
Theme: Leadership

Learning, experiencing, having fun: the list could go on. Today was an epic day. Diller Toronto Cohort 4 learned about our place in the past, present and future.

We started off the day with a visit to Beit Hatfutsot, The Museum of Jewish Peoplehood. Here, we engaged in a leadership seminar where we had the chance to identify ourselves as Jews. We began with watching a viral video called "I Am That Jew", discussing the wide spectrum of attributes that make us Jewish. It was an amazing workshop!

Following this, Ellinore, our Museum Guide took us around the museum. We examined models of famous synagogues, watched videos on the pluralism found in Jewish life, and looked at trends in Jewish History.
After the museum, we boarded the bus for Shuk HaCarmel, also known as the Carmel Market. We were given an hour and a half to roam, experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of the bustling market. From all of the delicious food to bargaining for classic Israeli clothing, The Shuk is a central component of Israeli culture and lifestyle.

Next on our schedule came the Rabin Centre. We were guided through the museum, which focused on the history of the State of Israel through the lens of Yitzchak Rabin's life. This was an amazing view of Israeli History. We also had the opportunity to participate in a leadership workshop at this museum as well, in which we discussed conflict points in Israeli society. It was so interesting to discover these cultural and political rifts. This reminds me of the classic Israeli folk song "Al Kol Eleh", which reminds us to look at both the sweet and bitter parts of Israel together.

Following the Rabin Centre, we visited the site of Rabin's murder. Our guide, Maor, told us the story of Rabin's death in 1995, and the aftershock it left on Israeli society. Continuing with the theme of narratives, we sat and discussed the politics of polarization - incitement which lead up to the murder of Rabin. We discussed what it meant to "cross a line", and what is considered an appropriate protest. Everyone was flush with emotions, and we worked to develop opinions on acceptable protest and freedom of speech.

We then retuned to the hotel, ate dinner and then had a meaningful Ma'agal Lilah. All in all, it was an amazing day! I can't wait for tomorrow.

Date: July 7, 2016
Author: Josh Arbess
Theme: Leadership

Learning, experiencing, having fun: the list could go on. Today was an epic day. Diller Toronto Cohort 4 learned about our place in the past, present and future.

We started off the day with a visit to Beit Hatfutsot, The Museum of Jewish Peoplehood. Here, we engaged in a leadership seminar where we had the chance to identify ourselves as Jews. We began with watching a viral video called "I Am That Jew", discussing the wide spectrum of attributes that make us Jewish. It was an amazing workshop!

Following this, Ellinore, our Museum Guide took us around the museum. We examined models of famous synagogues, watched videos on the pluralism found in Jewish life, and looked at trends in Jewish History.
After the museum, we boarded the bus for Shuk HaCarmel, also known as the Carmel Market. We were given an hour and a half to roam, experiencing the sights, sounds and smells of the bustling market. From all of the delicious food to bargaining for classic Israeli clothing, The Shuk is a central component of Israeli culture and lifestyle.

Next on our schedule came the Rabin Centre. We were guided through the museum, which focused on the history of the State of Israel through the lens of Yitzchak Rabin's life. This was an amazing view of Israeli History. We also had the opportunity to participate in a leadership workshop at this museum as well, in which we discussed conflict points in Israeli society. It was so interesting to discover these cultural and political rifts. This reminds me of the classic Israeli folk song "Al Kol Eleh", which reminds us to look at both the sweet and bitter parts of Israel together.

Following the Rabin Centre, we visited the site of Rabin's murder. Our guide, Maor, told us the story of Rabin's death in 1995, and the aftershock it left on Israeli society. Continuing with the theme of narratives, we sat and discussed the politics of polarization - incitement which lead up to the murder of Rabin. We discussed what it meant to "cross a line", and what is considered an appropriate protest. Everyone was flush with emotions, and we worked to develop opinions on acceptable protest and freedom of speech.

We then retuned to the hotel, ate dinner and then had a meaningful Ma'agal Lilah. All in all, it was an amazing day! I can't wait for tomorrow.

Date: July 6, 2016
Author: Andrew Bloomstone
Theme: Cultivating Community


Today was a jam packed day. Starting with an amazing walking tour of Jaffa where we got to experience first hand thousands of years of history. 

We walked to a point where we got to see the development from Jaffa to Tel Aviv. After we went to learn about the establishment of Tel Aviv. Something that really resonated woth me from that experience was that it only took 66 people to create a "startup" Israeli city complete with all the modern technology. From the building with the history of Tel Aviv Later we went to independance hall. Later we had the incredible experiance of sitting in the same room Israel was drclared independant in. We sat down and heard Ben Gurion's speach of independace. We went to Rabin Sqaure where we started an amazing race espue experience. We traveled through Tel Aviv and got to fully experience the city.

The day was absolutely incredible. For my first time in Israel I could not have had a more fun first day. Being able to explore the city was so exciting for me. The whole day was amazing to me as I have been learning about some of the things we experienced and then I got to see it for my self for the first time.

Date: July 5, 2016
Author: Max Bacher
Theme: From Land to Leaders

Today we landed in Israel!! Our group had a lovely 12 hour flight with El Al and got SOME sleep. When we got our bags and cleaned up. We met our tour guide, Maor, and had our first taste of real Israeli Aroma. 

Our first stop of our tour was a hike of The Sataf. It was beautiful! To see the life around us in all types of citrus trees and just general greenery was amazing. We went through a tight, dark tunnel into an amazing wide open cave spring inside the mountain. I loved the point where we turned off all of our flashlights and just told there all there together in the dark listening to the sounds of the water running down the spring. After we went to an incredible dinner in Jaffa, we had our evening ma'agal where we got to talk about all that we had done in the past 24 hours. Eventually, we made it to the hotel where everyone got a good nights rest, excited for the day ahead.

ISS 2016 Begins!

Date: July 4, 2016
Author: Kayla Saul
Theme of the day: Let's go to Israel!

After arriving at the airport, checking our bags in and going through tough Israeli security, the Diller fellows then proceeded to buy overpriced food at the airport and eventually board the plane! During the wait-time between passing through security and boarding the plane, we did what resourceful and impatient teenagers would normally do: played games on iPads at an airport restaurant (which resulted in some free food as a reward for reaching a certain level in the game)! At the airport, we bumped into a teacher from CHAT, which added another incredible level to the flight to Israel. My "Leader of the Day" role consisted mostly of assisting with the airport procedures. It was a long day, but really important! After a long 11 hour flight, we were welcomed home by more Israeli security, Diller staff and our wonderful "tour team", consisting of our bus driver, tour guide & security guard/medic. At this time, I passed on Dylan, our Diller mascot Max- a creative way the we declare the new Leader of the Day!

Without wasting any time, we immediately changed, ate lunch and began our journey to the first destination- the Sataf trails. Stay tuned for more from Max!