On Friday we went tie dying. We all got plain, white t- shirts and were able to design them using a variety of colors. We then ate lunch in a little park and had some free time to walk around in the shopping area surrounding it. Next, we went back to our hotel and we had an activity. During the activity, we passed around papers with peoples names on them and everyone wrote something nice about the girl that’s name was on the paper. It was a very good activity because we realized the good that other people see in us and it made us feel better about ourselves. Finally, we had some free time to get ready for an amazing shabbos with Give Roots!
Mikki Eisenberg

This morning we went to an organization called Yad eliezer. They provide different supplies to those in need such as food and other household items. The organization also has a “big brother and little brother” program where a kid who doesn’t have a father is assigned to a “big brother” and the “big brother” provides assistance to their “little brother”. Afterwards, we ate lunch on a hill top area which overlooks The Kinesset. We then went to Rosh Hanikra And saw beautiful, scenic views on the water. We ended the day with an amazing Mishmar which really pumped us up for shabbat in Hispin. 

Batsheva Gubin 

The girls of GIVE Nation spent a mere two nights on kibbutz Alumim, yet covered so much while there. Day one featured many chesseds running simultaneously, with each girl placed in one of five groups: for example doing agricultural work, painting, or taking care of kids on the the kibbutz- all of which were followed with a delicious falafel lunch. Later that day, GIVE walked to the old water tower of the kibbutz and learned about the history of the area, and of Beerot Yitzchak, the original kibbutz of the location. Day two meant more chessed for the morning- again in groups- and for the afternoon a trip to the Salad Trail- a farm in the Negev where we tasted just about everything. Lastly, after returning to Jerusalem, we had the amazing opportunity to have an open Q and A session with Rabbi Katz of MMY. We are looking forward to traveling up North next!
Ellie Zisblatt

Sunday 7/23

This morning we all came back from our off Shabbat. The weekend was so fun and relaxing, but it was also so great to be back together as one GIVE Nation family. We headed to Mao’hr for lunch, and then we all got ready for our second carnival, this time at One Family. One Family is an organization which helps and supports people whose families have been affected by terror. We volunteered by running a carnival for the kids’ summer camp which takes place for one week in the summer. The camp helps the kids cope with what they are going through, and it gives the parents more time to themselves. The kids enjoyed dancing and singing and going around to different booths such as Pie in the Face, Pickle Eating Contests, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, Balloon Shaving, and much more. It was so nice to bring smiles to these kid’s faces who have been through such hardships. After the carnival, we had the privilege of hearing from the person who started the organization, and we also heard from the daughter of Daphna Meir z”l. We watched a movie, hearing the stories of people who joined One Family after losing a family member from a terror attack. We then all headed to Ben Yehuda for a few hours to get dinner and to have some free time. We ended off the day by discussing the important Halachot of the 9 days, and then we packed for our exciting trip tomorrow to Kibbutz Alumim!
Ayelet Topp

Monday 7/17

Today was a super fun full day of chesed! We started off the day by going to yad lakashish which is a place where retired men and women have the opportunity to work despite their age. The things they were making there were so beautiful! Next we went to shekel which is a place that gives people with special needs a place to work. It was so beautiful to see them working and seeing how capable they are to do normal work. After all this, we took a break from chesed and went to the mall for some time to hangout with our friends. After we finished at the mall we went to a food packaging pantry, where we packaged cucumbers and peppers for people who cannot afford to buy food and are in need of fresh produce. When we got back from our busy day of chessed, Dr. Lukins the assistant dean of Touro College and his wife Vivian, sponsored a Burgers Bar dinner and also gave us an amazing gift; The Thinking Teenagers Guide to Life by Rabbi Akiva Tatz. After the amazing Burgers Bar dinner he spoke to us about Touro college and the amazing opportunities they have in their program. Today was such a fun day and I cannot wait for another day on GIVE and in Israel!!

-Tali Shabbat 

Monday 7/17

Today was a super fun full day of chesed! We started off the day by going to yad lakashish which is a place where retired men and women have the opportunity to work despite their age. The things they were making there were so beautiful! Next we went to shekel which is a place that gives people with special needs a place to work. It was so beautiful to see them working and seeing how capable they are to do normal work. After all this, we took a break from chesed and went to the mall for some time to hangout with our friends. After we finished at the mall we went to a food packaging pantry, where we packaged cucumbers and peppers for people who cannot afford to buy food and are in need of fresh produce. When we got back from our busy day of chessed, Dr. Lukins the assistant dean of Touro College and his wife Vivian, sponsored a Burgers Bar dinner and also gave us an amazing gift; The Thinking Teenagers Guide to Life by Rabbi Akiva Tatz. After the amazing Burgers Bar dinner he spoke to us about Touro college and the amazing opportunities they have in their program. Today was such a fun day and I cannot wait for another day on GIVE and in Israel!!

-Tali Shabbat 

Sunday 7/16 

We started off our day with a fun water hike just outside Tiberius. We had tons of fun getting our madrechot soaked. Afterward, we had some free time to shop in tzvat. Some people bought jewelry, some bought candles, and some bought snacks. We then went to the Ethiopian absorption center. This is an organization that helps Ethiopians immigrate to Israel. While we were there, we got to hang out with the kids and painted rocks with them. After a packed day, we drove back to Yerushalayim, had a yummy dinner, and headed to bed.

-Shayna Stroll

The second shabbat was off to a great start when we sang Kaballat Shabbat overseeing the beauty of Tzfat. We were joined by a founding couple of NCSY Summer for dinner, Dr. and Mrs. Lukins. Before we began dinner, we started playing word assassin that will continue throughout the summer. After dinner, we had a tisch and a gramen about week two. Shabbat morning, we started off our day by davening and hearing from Dr. Lukins speak about who’s putting the pressure for peace on Israel. We had an exciting lunch singing the corn song and heading off to a tour of the old city of Tzfat afterwards. When we came back, we ended off a great and inspiring Shabbat with Seudat Shlishit, ebbing, and havdalah. 

-Sarah Levinson 

The morning started with an early wake up. We were all ready and packed for a Shabbat in tzfat. We headed to the bus for a long ride through the true deserts of Israel heading for the Jordan river. We then got to the boating place where we enjoyed our yummy schnitzel sandwich getting full before our hour long ride down the Jordan. Life jackets on, oar in our hands, and one push and we’re off. Some swam and others just enjoyed an actual lazy river. Our day continued with the bus heading to the Ron hotel. We unpacked and continued with a beautiful kabbalat shabbat on a hill looking over at the beautiful view of Israel. The weeks are getting better and the second Shabbat was even better than the first as we all come closer and closer in the most beautiful country ever.

-Alyelet Brown (NCSYer)

Today, we went to a museum in Chevron that taught us about how the Jews won over some parts of the city. The guide also taught us about our forefathers. We then walked to maarat hamachpaila (where abraham, sarah, yitzchak, rivka, yaakov, and leah are buried). After the girls all finished davening, we went to Gush Hatzion which was a kibbutz with a very inspiring story behind it. As night activity last night we baked cookies and cakes to bring to the soldiers at Pina Chama and they enjoyed them! As a last day activity we traveled to Nivei Daniel viewing tower where we could see all of yerushalyim and the beautiful mountains around it. For night activity the advisors hid different colored strings all around the garden and each group had to find as many of their color and tie them together. Whichever team had the largest string line won the game!

By Shira Goldmeier