Day 28: Save a Child’s Heart, Ashdod, and the Talent Show
After picking everyone up from their respective locations, we went to the fields in Leket to pick potatoes for poor families who cant afford food. We picked over 1600 lbs of potatoes which went to feed over 200 families this week! What a chesed everyone did today! Our sweat and hard work went to help so many people attain one of their basic needs: food. Then, we drove to Holon where we had a delicious falafel lunch at the Weitzmann Institute garden of science. There, we got wonderful guided tours by some of the phd students. We got to see how angular momentum, sound waves, and optical mirrors work. After the science garden, we went to Dialogue in the Dark, which is an exhibit where everyone can experience what it's like to be blind. We walked through different rooms where there were simulations of being outside or in a market, and everywhere was pitch black. We had to get through using all of our other senses. It was a very powerful experience for everyone. Then, we went back to the hotel and had our last meat meal before the nine days...eeek! After Chaburas, we went straight to sleep because wakeup tomorrow is very early and the day is extremely busy! Don't forget to tune in tomorrow to see what happens!
Day 29:
Today we were lucky to once again start the day helping people. We went to Save A Child's Heart, an Israeli organization that brings in kids to israel who need heart surgery from countries that don't have surgeons and they also provide funds for the surgery (roughly 10,000 dollars per child). They also bring in doctors from third world countries and train them in complicated surgeries and send them back to their countries. We saw a heartwarming video about a girl who's life was saved by SACH and we met a little girl from ethiopia who was waiting to have a surgery. After hearing from a few full and part time volunteers, we made get well soon cards for the kids who were in the hospital that day.
After SACH, because all of the kids were being so well behaved, we took them to the beautiful beach of Ashdod. After the beach, we spent some time shopping and eating lunch at the Ashdod mall. After the mall, we went to the location where the Sanhedrin used to be and where Rabban Gamliel's grave is. Rabbi Lashak told us about the significance of the place, and then we all went to pray by the kever. After we left Rabban Gamliel's tomb, we got another special surprise: BEN AND JERRY'S!! Everyone got delicious cones with ice cream and tons of whipped cream! It was definitely a taste of America.
After Ben and Jerry's, we went back to the kibbutz, ate dinner, and had our talent show!! The details of the talent show cannot be done justice here, but ask about them when we get back and I'm sure you will see the videos and pictures that everyone took! Finally, after a long day it was time for bed.

