We started off our day with the usual morning routine consisting of 7 AM wake up, teffilah and a breakfast buffet. Preparing mentally for a day filled with emotions, we headed to Yad Vashem. We were split into our learning groups and toured the museum. While many of us were aware of the monstrosities that occurred during the Holocaust, walking through and looking at the exhibits made it easier to connect to. One section of the museum was dedicated to the children whose lives were brutally taken away from them during the Holocaust. Following our tour guide’s lead, we walked in a dark room lit up by 5 candles and many mirrors. This helped put things in perspective for us and helped us realize how fortunate we are to be touring Israel with many friends. The museum ended with a beautiful lookout over Israel. Just thinking about what our ancestors sacrificed for us to be there was an emotional time. After our tour, we headed to Har Herzl to visit some of the many soldiers graves. Hearing stories about their lives and how they fell, also made us appreciate our homeland. After wiping away our tears, we traveled to the lone soldier center. We discussed the types of lone soldiers, made thank you notes, and helped bake cookies to treat the men and women who put their lives on the line for our homeland every single day. Then, we traveled back to the hotel for mincha and dinner. Yom Chanich was announced and we began planning, making up games and activities. We headed to sleep and were excited for another awesome day on Yad B’Yad!

 

Lior Pinchot