The Nachshon Project has gotten off to a fantastic start! Our Fellows arrived safely on Thursday and jumped right in making new friends and rekindling old friendships. They participated in ice-breaker games, did puzzles while blind-folded, and decorated enormous chocolate chip cookies! Despite the long day of travel for many of them, they stayed up late into the night playing guitars, singing, and hanging out with one another.
Friday morning the group was split into two and competed against one another in ODT (Outdoor Training) which we moved indoors due to inclement weather. Using life-size models of brain teaser games, they were tested in logic puzzles and games as a group to learn how to work together and hear the voices of the other people in their groups. They were challenged and had a great time being pushed against the clock and the other group (the yellow team won by 3 points in the end!).
Before Shabbat our in-house educational guide Jamie Saulter helped the Fellows explore the nature of Jewish identity through traditional and secular texts. It was a great bridge between the morning and celebrating Shabbat together.
The Fellows created a Shabbat service that incorporated the feeling and presence that is familiar to them from their camp experience. There was singing, Fellow-led discussions about the Torah portion and leadership, and time for resting and relaxation. We took a leisurely hike from our hotel on the kibbutz to the cliff and the beach of the Mediterranean Sea. The Fellows learned with Rabbi Zeff about mission statements and goal setting, and with Rabbi Cohen about imagination, creativity, and innovation.
After a moving Havdallah ceremony, the Fellows participated in a drum circle and song celebration on the beach, complete with hotdogs, s'mores, and banana boats.
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