Surfs Up! - July 29, 2013

Today was a very exciting day as it was not only full of surprises but it also marks the end of the first half of our "trip of a lifetime" and the last day of community week. This morning we had to get up very, very early to catch our tour bus to Palchim, a private beach on a kibbutz near Rishon. The Dillers thought that a day at the beach was the suprise that Rotem and I had casually mentioned before but in reality our suprise was a day full of surfing, beach games, and fun! When we arrived at the beach we were all anxious because many of us had never been surfing before but soon after we talked to the instructors we were to be working with, all the anxiety melted away and was replaced with complete excitement. There were 4 stations to rotate between: beach volleyball, beach soccer, an intro to surfing on land, and then the real thing. It was so much fun to be out in our surf shirts riding the waves. After the half hour of trying to stand almost the whole group was successful in catching at least one wave. I was not that lucky but they were big waves and I'm a little girl, so riding in on my knees a couple times still felt like success :). After every group went surfing we tanned, had some lunch, and just hung out together on the beach. It was a really amazing experience that I feel privileged to have participated in, even though I'll probably be picking sand out of my hair for a couple weeks.

At around 2 we reluctantly gathered our belongings and headed back to our respective homes for some free time. After very sandy showers, most of the Dillers went shopping in different malls around Rishon to relax before our big farewell dinner with all the Israeli host families. We met again at 7:30 for food, friends, and goodbyes. We left the ceremony spreading gratitude to all the families for their wonderful hospitality as well as some Diller behind the scenes coordinators. It was an amazing week with new relationships that will hopefully last beyond the Israeli Summer Seminar and so many memories we will never forget.

- Lauren Goldman

P.S. Shoutout to the   Tobster, Gershon, Zachy and Grady I miss you guys tons xoxo

Check out the video from the closing ceremony made by out wonderful JCs!

                                 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HAiLFOMLCcU&sns=em