Keeping busy....and in shape!!

Sunday night "Ball Pilates" presented us
with many new challenges......but
we all tried our best and had a blast.

Bayla doing a great job balancing

Max making it look easy.....it's not!!



Max looking like he's been
doing this for years.



Monday night basketball with
the Kibbutz teenagers.

SWISH........

Yonaton making even more new friends

A big thanks to Max D.'s Grandparents for
 treating us to an amazing pizza dinner!!

Pitot Making & Jam Session



Motzei Shabbos brought pitot making with
Kenny and some of our new friends

                                

     

    

Then a little Jam Session to keep the party going!!

                       

Gan HaShelosha Kangaroo Farm

Friday morning we visited Gan HaShelosha Kangaroo
 Farm only 10 minutes from our Kibbutz.

We had an opportunity to see (and in some cases touch)
 different animals that are native to Australia.



                                  

Ein Gedi

Rare herbs and spices grown at Ein Gedi were famous throughout the ancient world and used to produce the most exotic incense, lotions and perfumes.

An inscription in the mosaic floor warns members of the community not to divulge the "secrets of the town" to outsiders or a curse would be placed upon them.



Kenny teaching the group about this Byzantine-era synagogue which sat desolate for more than 1,000 years. The region was resettled in 1949 by a group of pioneers who planted it with cotton, grapes, vegetables and flowers.



Yonaton and Max help set up for a picnic lunch

Washing before devouring schnitzel sandwiches
 and chips



Sorry Max!! Your still fleishig.

A vigorous hike to get to the waterfalls.

It doesn't get much better than this!

Time to dry off and head home

The Dead Sea and Nahal Prazim

The Dead Sea is so salty, almost ten times saltier than any ocean, that no fish or plant can live in it, which explains why it is called the Dead Sea.  Bordered by Israel and Jordan, the Dead Sea is located 1,300 feet  below sea level, making it the lowest place on earth!  Even if you can't swim, you'll never sink in the Dead Sea because the large amount of salt and other minerals make the water so dense you just bob on the surface like a cork. Many visitors to the Dead Sea rub themselves with the salt or cover their bodies with the black mud, which are said to be good for relieving skin ailments and arthritis.

Nothing like floating in the Dead Sea!

Yonaton preparing for a hike at Nahal Prazim

Bayla and our guide Shaul

Friends helping friends

Which way to 620 Central Ave.?

Masada

Located on an almost inaccessible mountaintop high above the Dead Sea, King Herod built this legendary palace fortress about 2,000 years ago.  About 75 years after Herod's death, it became the final stronghold of the First Revolt against Rome.  Here the last Jews to live under their own rule (until the creation of the State of Israel in 1948) committed suicide on the eve of their conquest by Roman armies.  They unanimously choose death....... over a life of slavery.

On the way up

Oh the beauiful view from up here!

Davening Mincha in the Shul atop Masada

Max conquering his fear of heights

There's no turning back....let's do it!

        

Down.....Down.....Down.....Down

Three enthusiastic thumbs up....Good job Guys!!

Bnei Akiva Celebration

Zachary making new friends

Waving the Israeli flag PROUD

Let the dancing begin!!