Fun Excursions with Eynot Yarden

This morning, our students gathered with their newfound friends on the lawn of Eynot Yarden, well rested and invigorated after their first evening at their hosts’ homes. As soon as everyone was gathered and we had checked in, we headed out together for a day of hiking and fun.

 

We started the day on a high lookout point just above Metullah, from which we could see the border with Lebanon. Although the morning haze prevented us from seeing beyond the Golan Heights and all the way to Syria, our students came away with a keen and sober sense of how short the distances were between many of the kibbutzim, towns, and villages and these neighboring countries.

 

We moved on from the lookout point to our next destination: Tel Dan Nature Reserve. There, we set out for a lovely 1.5-hour hike (more like a stroll) along the Dan River, one of the Jordan River’s beautiful tributaries. As we walked, students from both communities had ample time to share experience, fool around, and generally have a good time together. After spending some rest time by a pristine (and freezing) wading pool we returned to the picnic area and to our lunch, which consisted of meat and veggie burgers (with all the toppings) and chips.

 

After lunch, we drove north to the town of Metullah, the northern most town in Israel and home to Mercaz Canada (the Canada Center). This is a large recreation center in which our students had an opportunity to ice skate and go bowling. It was great to see students helping one another on the ice, posing for pictures, and generally having a great time. The bowling alley was a true teen scene, with all the lanes filled with mixed groups from our two communities.

 

After a couple of hours of recreation and socializing, our students boarded buses for the last time, heading back to the kibbutzim and small towns of the Upper Galillee to spend time with their host families. I think these past two days have given us all a better understanding and appreciation for the history and beauty of the Upper Galilee. These two days have also confirmed that we have so much in common with our Israeli friends, both students and adults. We promise to keep in touch with Eynot Yarden School and to create more opportunities for collaboration and joint projects in the future.

 

We are all thankful for the adventures we have had with our new friends.

Tomorrow we head back to Tel Aviv where we will celebrate Shabbat together before returning home. 

 

Laila tov.