Saturday, July 5, 2014

Haifa, Caesarea & Host Family Weekend

After some much needed time all back together, we were up early and ready for another busy day.  We started off by leaving Akko and heading to the beautiful city of Haifa!  One of the big highlights of this city are the Ba'hai Gardens.  The area is immaculately kept and such a serene and tranquil place to visit.  We walked through the gardens and finished off at the temple at the bottom. The Ba'hai religion is a fascinating and fascinating one - www.bahai.org

We left the gardens and ventured to a local mall for lunch.  Not only did we have the chance to grab a bite, but we heard from an incredible man.  Zev Kedem is a Holocaust survivor and was on Schindler's List and an amazing person to listen to. He met us in a quiet room and told us his story and his passions.  This 80-year old is a true inspiration and everyone took advantage of this moment meeting with a survivor.  They know that their children will never get to meet a survivor so they will be the last generation to do so before they are no longer with us.  Zev spoke with the group with a smile on his face the entire time and you cannot help but love and look up to this amazing man.

We finished the day touring a bit around Caesarea and learning about this city.  We were there for a short time before parting ways heading all around the country for our Host Family Weekends.  Hearing from many students that they are LOVING their time during this weekend and have connected with their friends, families and incredible Israelis.  We will be getting back tomorrow for a few days in Ramat HaNegev and know that the group is excited to spend their final week on IST all together!!

Ba'hai Gardens












Zev Kedem - Holocaust Survivor




Caesarea