I was leader of the day today which for me was awesome because today was one of the best days I have ever had in Israel. We started our day in Mashabei Sade, the Kibbutz Guest House where we slept. The pleasant sound of the roosters habitual wake-up call made it absolutely necessary for coffee and Tylenol . Meanwhile, as I made my way during the early hours of dawn, we enjoyed an absolutely incredible breakfast.
After our feast of friends, we boarded the bus and hit the road. Our first stop of the day was at The Salad Trail. This remarkable place is Israel's largest flower producer and an excellent place to go if you are hungry. We made our way around by our tour guide, Marian, who made aliyah in 1980 and helped build this place with virtually nothing but acres of raw empty land. Along the trail of greenhouses, we picked cucumbers, tomatoes and many other spices and what not. This place was a favorite destination for all, no doubt about it. 
Afterwards, we made our way to Jerusalem. Along the highway through the valley, we traveled with history. Gazing at the path to Jerusalem, was in its own right, a moment to treasure, especially for those who were entering Jerusalem for the first time. Once we overcame the pre-Shabbat traffic in Jerusalem, we made our way to Machane Yehuda. We paired with a fellow Diller and then made our way into Shuk Machane Yehuda, the market.
The different shops presented a wonderful taste of the diversity of Jerusalem, people of different religions, ethnicities and races. During the time at the market, Eli and I made an activity at the market. We put together a scavenger hunt, the main goal expressed the idea that we all should look closely and enjoy the market on a more meaningful level. As Shabbat became closer, we made our way to the promenade overlooking Jerusalem. Everyone was blindfolded on the way, and as a leader of the day along with Eli, we helped everyone off the bus, where everyone removed their blindfolds to see this outstanding view. Along with the blessing of grape juice, Lior, our tour guide, gave us some information on the general context of the city.
We got our bags from the bus and stayed at a rather excellent hostel with many Jewish kids from around the world. We unpacked our suitcases, took much needed showers, and off we went to Kabbat Shabbat at a Reform Synagogue, Kol Haneshama. For me personally, this religious experience was a rather interesting one. The exuberant singing and the atmosphere in general gave me a really awesome insight into the mindset of Reform Judaism. It was really interesting when some Nuns came in started praying and then got up and left. Well, it was a incredible day and a great start to Shabbat!. I hope everyone in the states are enjoying themselves because I know we are!
- Michael Nimaroff
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