In israel

Hey everyone! I'm here in Tel-Aviv for Shabbat. This is the first time I have been able to connect to the internet and the trip is almost over! I have SO much to tell you all, but right now time is very limited. I have to meet up with the group for kabbalat Shabbat (welcoming the sabbath) in about an hour and then have dinner. And it's only 9 am in America! In the meantime, I still have to shower off the smell of camels! That's right kiddies, today I rode on a real, live camel! It was so much fun i can't even tell you, but a little scary going down steep hills. Last night we stayed in a bedouin tent, which was chilly, but some of the most fun I have ever had. We had a wonderful show of percussion and rythym by the bedouins and a FANTASTIC meal, all sitting on mats on the floor. Lifestyle change may be in the works...

I promise once I settle in Ramla after Monday I will give a full update of everything, but in the meatime i a)haven't had internet and b) haven't had time. It's been a crazy whirlwind and to say that I've been all over is an understatement. So, just letting you all know I'm here safely and thinking of you and I am not forgetting to update!!

Also, I don't know if I made it clear before, but there is a website for my group. The staff takes a ton of pictures of us all day everyday and then they put them on this site for all to see. They update every day but shabbat, so You should definitly check it out if you want to at least see in pictures what I'm up to. Since I haven't had internet, I haven't even seen them yet, but my parents have been informing me that they are enjoyable. Also, you are able to e-mail me through the website, but only until monday. All of this can be done by going to www.israelfree.com, clicking on "group center" and going to "BR-497" which is my group. The e-mails get handed out every night. I can't respond, but it's nice to hear from you. I know I'm saying this late, but I didn't realize it until after I was in Israel. It happens.

Anyway, I wish you all the best. Happy weekend. L'hitraot! (see you later)