After a relaxing weekend for all the MBIers reunited on Sunday afternoon in Tel Aviv for a few hours of sightseeing. Then they headed to Jerusalem where they joined up with hundreds of other teens on summer programs for the Israel Experience Mega Event. This is a concert sponsored by our program provider for all participating groups. This was very exciting for the MBIers to be surrounded by so many teenagers and to meet up with friends on other programs. They also saw two Israeli supergroups at the event - Hadag Nachash and the Idan Reichel Project - live on stage!
Today MBI headed for their first day in the most historical and spiritual of cities in Israel - Jerusalem. They started their day in the Davidson Center of the old city of Jerusalem, which is situated right next to the Kotel (Western Wall). The Davidson Center is a museum of archaeological finds and discoveries in the area, and also has an excellent interactive exhibit which shows an electronic model of the 2nd temple, and when the MBIers clicked on certain areas, it showed the reality of how it looks today. From the marketplace, to the entrances to the Temple, to the Temple mount itself, the exhibition gave the MBIers a great insight into the life and times of Jerusalem's old city 2000 years ago.
The Davidson Center is also the entrance to the southern excavations of the old city of Jerusalem. These ruins are the remains of the city of David, the first permanent residence over 3,000 years ago, built by King David. In the excavations, the MBIers got a chance to walk around and feel the sense of community and structure that were parts of Jewish life in David's citadel, and the beginnings of the legacy of Jewish settlement in Jerusalem that thrives to this day.
The morning was rounded out with a tour of the Jewish quarter of the old city, starting with the Kotel. The Kotel is part of the surviving outer wall from the 2nd temple period, and is the most spiritual and central location of Judaism today. It was an overwhelming experience for the MBIers to come face to face with such a meaningful and historical place. The MBIers also went on a tour of other well known sites in the Jewish quarter, including the historic Hurva synagogue. Built in the 17th century, the synagogue was destroyed in the war of Independence, except for one arch which stood alone for 6 decades. The synagogue is now in the process of being rebuilt.
After lunch, the MBIers headed to the Time Elevator in Jerusalem. This unique experience gives a visual history of the city of Jerusalem while the viewers stay in their seats, occasionally bring moved around or even having water sprayed on them to heighten the interactive element of the experience. It is an activity which is always enjoyed, and gave the MBIers another fun and unforgettable way of learning about the history and beauty of Jerusalem - in the past and today.
The MBIers then settled onto their buses for a long drive down to one of the most beautiful and peaceful areas of Israel, the Negev Desert. The MBIers arrived at Sde Boker, the desert kibbutz and settlement that was home to David Ben-gurion in his later years, just in time for dinner.
The evening was a time for MBIers to relax with some informal time together, under the bright and tranquil starry sky of the desert. After a number of days of hustle and bustle, a night in the peaceful serenity of the desert was a welcome change!
