2022 Israel Study Tour: Day #13

Hiking, Rafting, and Chocolate

t was a day of fun and learning. We began the day by celebrating Tal's birthday and then headed off to the Tel Dan in the northernmost part of Israel for a nature hike. Our hike included visits to ancient Canaanite and Israelite fortifications, wading through pools, and glimpses into Lebanon and Syria.

Our next event was rafting down the Jordan River. In boats of five or six people each, students and teachers paddled, drifted, spun, and bumped their way down the river. The river was very shallow and not at all dangerous.

After lunch, we drove to the top of the Golan Heights to catch some amazing views into Syria and Lebanon and then stopped off to sample Israeli chocolate at the De Karina chocolate company.

Dinner and shopping in Tveria, a visit from the Piccolo Man back at the hotel, and our penultimate day in Israel was completed.

Ben S.

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Tal and Aleko's Summary

Today was the second to last day of the trip.

We began with an early hike in Tel Dan. During the hike, we enjoyed many beautiful sights and a brief description of the Canaanite and Israelite fortifications and civilizations. While on the peak of the hill we climbed, we saw the front lines of the Israeli Independence War of 1948, which included views of Lebanon and Syria.

Once we completed our hike and had some time to rest, we spent roughly two hours paddling on inflatable rafts down the Jordan River and eating lunch at Kfar Blum.

After rafting, we spent the next few hours viewing incredible scenery during a relaxing bus ride.

We then stopped at near the Syrian border, at Har Ben Tal, and viewed multiple historical points around the area, such as the trees Eli Cohen planted.

Our next stop was at a chocolate store, De Karina, in which we learned a bit about Karina, the shop’s founder, and the history of chocolate, and finally consumed some of the store’s hand-crafted and original creations.

For dinner, we ate in Tiberias and had a short walk back to the bus. Finally, we ended the day with a special guest and played a game called "piccolo."

Tal L. and Aleko K.

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[Editor's Note: Due to a very bad Wifi connection, we are unable to upload photos at this time. We will have to do so after we return to the U.S.]