#9 - Mifgash in the Beautiful Galilee

It is amazing how such a small country as Israel can host such a diversity of geographic terrain. In the course of our journey, we have experienced the desert, the coastal plain, the lowest spot on earth, the hills of Jerusalem, Tel Aviv’s urban sprawl, and now the breathtakingly beautiful Upper Galilee.

 

We woke up this morning at the Gonen Holiday Village, one of the northernmost points of the Upper Galilee, surrounded by breathtaking views of the lush Hula Valley and the Golan Heights. Our two days in the Galilee are devoted to mifgash. Mifgash is commonly used in Israel education for “meeting” or “encounter,” referring to opportunities for individuals to meet and connect with one another in meaningful, unmediated ways.

 

Here is how our day unfolded:

After breakfast, we gathered in chaperone groups. The topic was appreciation, so each student said few words of appreciation. In our appreciation circles the students went above and beyond sharing their heartfelt thoughts and feelings about one another. We also talked about our last few days on the trip. Afterwards, we packed ourselves into the bus and headed out for a short drive.

The highlight of the day was our arrival at Eynot Yarden, marking the beginning of our homestay and joint two-day programming. These two days create meaningful opportunities for students from both schools— Eynot Yarden and Brandeis—to get to know one another and learn about each other’s worlds in the most authentic way.

 

We emerged from the bus and walked on Eynot Yarden’s beautiful campus. We were greeted by Noga, a wonderful educator who coordinates the Israeli side of the visit. Together with her team of teachers, Noga has every detail organized to ensure a memorable two days.

 

On an expansive stretch of grass, Israeli student hosts eagerly introduced themselves to their San Francisco guests, engaging in conversations and icebreakers led by older teens who, only a few years earlier, had hosted in the very same program.

 

The students played team building games made by a company called Kubeeyot. These are fun, social activities that includes a wide variety of original wooden games. The head of this company is a graduate from Eynot Yarden.

 

The Brandeis chaperones were able to join the Israeli teachers, stepping back and allowing the older students to lead the process. It was remarkable to see how quickly the 8th grade students from both communities gravitated toward one another!

 

After a delicious falafel lunch, we reviewed what to expect during the homestay with Brandeis students and answered any lingering questions. By 3:30 p.m., hosts and students were excitedly headed to the different towns and kibbutzim, looking forward to the new experiences that awaited them.

 

After a brief rest this evening we are looking forward to a day of touring, hiking, and having fun with our friends from Eynot Yarden. We can’t wait to tell you all about it.

 

Lehitraot (see you),

 

Israel Trip Chaperone