On the morning after arrival, we started the tour with a viewpoint on the Old City of Jerusalem where we performed an exciting She’hecheyanu ceremony, a blessing to offer thanks for new and unusual experiences. We spent the next few days exploring Jerusalem’s Old and New City, visiting Yad Vashem, the museum and memorial for the 6 million Jews murdered in the Holocaust, Machane Yehuda Market for a unique culinary tour with a food specialist, and taking a day-trip to the gorgeous Ella Valley, for a visit and wine tasting at a beautiful winery, and an adventurous safari truck ride.

The next part of the tour took place in the Western Galilee, where the group had a fascinating meeting with Kivunim, an organization that assists youth and young adults with disabilities in dealing with challenges of independent living and community integration. From there, another meaningful visit at the Galilee Medical Center (GMC), the most northern medical center in the country, and only a few kilometers from Lebanese border. As part of the tour, we visited the underground hospital and the new fortified emergency department. We drove to the Lebanon border accompanied by the Director of Security and Emergency Services of the Matte Asher Council, a retired Lieutenant Colonel and former deputy commander of the Western Brigade on the Lebanese border.