The Final Shabbat

First off as some of you may or may not have heard a shooting took place in Jerusalem in the Old City. The details of the attack are still being figured out but nobody from MBI was near the attack and everyone is safe and sound at the Neve Ilan hotel outside Jerusalem. The site of the attack was also at a location that is forbidden for us to take groups so the MBIers would never have been there in the first place.

That being said the MBIers did have a splendid day in Jerusalem. They started in the morning at the Biblical Zoo. The Zoo has animals that are mentioned in the bible and at each animal's habitat the biblical quotes are denoted as well. The Zoo is also home to some beautiful gardens which in combination with the unique animals at Zoo made it a fun morning.

Then they headed to Jerusalem's biggest kenyon(mall) where they got to have their choice of lunch and had sometime to do some shopping for those last minute goodies and gifts. Afterwards they headed back to Neve Ilan to start the process of wrapping up MBI. Each bus had its activities to reflect on what and where they had been and recognizing how far the group and the individuals had come from the beginning of MBI. Then they had time to clean up and get ready for the final Shabbat.

They had Mishpachot with their home machaneh(camp) followed by a final rousing, Rosh Story told by the illustrious Leon in his distinctive Australian accent. Kabbalat Shabbat and Shabbat dinner followed. The final oneg(play) was performed by Bus 1 who did their best to get the most and last laughs in front of the whole group.

Tomorrow they will have a short sleep-in and have two peulot(activities) to continue the sikkum(wrap-up) process. They will of course finish up packing, receive their official MBI sweatshirts which the MBIers designed and voted on themselves, and will have a closing tekes(ceremony) to mark the end of MBI Tet Zayin, the 16th and largest MBI that Habonim Dror North America has run. Then off to the airport they go to start their journeys back home to North America. I will be posting an update to the blog confirming the flights have taken off once I get the word from Leon.

The Miriam bus to Seattle will be chaperoned by Elana Shippen, mother of Nellie Shippen, who has graciously agreed to ride from Seattle to Vancouver. Also the travel plan listed below spells specific plans for regions with unique plans and everyone else whether from the Midwest, West Coast, or Toronto, or elsewhere will have their flights just as they did on the way to New York and will be escorted to their flights by the Habonim Dror staff. Lastly I will be in the office for a few hours tomorrow afternoon but can be most reliably reached by my cellphone if you have any pressing questions to ask me.

Shabbat Shalom le kulam(to everyone!)