July 12-July 13

Between 6:30 and 8:00 in the morning, an alarm clock went off in every bedroom of TJJ Bus 11 Montreal participants. An airplane was caught from Montreal to Toronto at noon, and finally the 19 participants from YUL met up in YYZ with the rest of bus 11, as well as the bus 9 participants, from both Vancouver and Toronto, and those from bus 10 which is comprised of exclusively participants from the provincial capital of Ontario.
A rigorous security check executed by Israeli officers made us feel safe as we boarded the plane for our 11-hour flight. This intercontinental journey was brutally long, the food was typical plastic airplane food, and it was difficult to fall asleep on the plane; nonetheless, it was absolutely worth it when we finally landed in the holy land. Even before we stepped out of the terminal, the first element we noticed about Israel was its extreme heat. It is HOT over here!
In the airport, we were served a small lunch which included bagels, fruits, and muffins. We finally boarded our bus and got acquainted with our advisors, tour guide, security guard and bus driver. And of course, Rabbi Zahtz. In fact, on the bus ride up to Rosh Hanikra, we partook in a spontaneous and very stimulating conversation about integrating yesterday’s Jewish laws and values into today’s modernized and ever-evolving society. We took a brief stop at Zikhron Yaakov during which we played icebreaker games and learned a very small fraction of Israel’s history in its northern sections.
We finally got back to the hotel where we ate a very capacious and generous dinner. With full stomachs, we proceeded to our rooms and finally got some time to relax until we had to meet back in the synagogue for orientation.
Overall, this trip has so far provided a lot of excitement and much opportunity for intellectual growth. I cannot express my gratitude towards the NCSY staff and my family for equipping me with the opportunity to go on this trip, nor can I wait to see how much more it has to offer. I am curious to know how much I will grow and learn, and I am definitely super eager to find out!