Ten students in the Global Studies and World Languages Academy at Tallwood High School have been selected as Youth Ambassadors in an exchange program organized by the American Israel Friendship League (AIFL). After a week in Virginia Beach, the Youth Ambassadors from Israel and Tallwood met other Youth Ambassadors from across the country in Washington, D.C. and traveled to New York City and then back to Israel, to stay with host families and experience their culture and customs.Two Tallwood Youth Ambassadors, Katelyn Gallagher and Zoe Hollander, have been documenting their time on this trip. This is the third in a series of posts from them. Follow along and read about their journey of a lifetime.
The first day in Jerusalem was amazing. First, we went to one of the markets in the city where we got hands on experience of the culture. Many of us bought iconic items for our families that represented Israel. After the market, we traveled to the Western Wall where we watched the prayers for Shabbat. It was a very moving experience for people of all religions. After the Western Wall, we went back to the hotel where we had Hebrew class and everyone learned to spell their names.
On the second day, the American delegations traveled to Masada, En Gedi and the Dead Sea. Masada was gorgeous. We were so high in the sky and we could even see the Dead Sea in the distance. We got to see the Northern Palace and the bath house of King Herod and learned about the rebels who lived on the mountain thousands of years ago. After Masada, we went to En Gedi where we got to take a dip in the beautiful springs. It was so much fun! Finally, we went to the Dead Sea where we were able to cover our skin in special mud from the sea that made it very soft. It was so much fun floating in a body of water but not being able to swim. Personally, the Dead Sea was my favorite part of the trip so far. It was definitely an experience I will always remember.
The last full day of our trip in Jerusalem we went to the Old City. In the old city we visited many historical sites such as The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, The Western Wall, and the Dome of the Rock. After visiting the many spiritual and holy sites of the Old City, we got to experience the culture in a few of the markets in the area. It was very interesting to see the different foods and products Israel had to offer. Finally, we packed our bags and headed to Tel Aviv for the second part of our adventure.