Greetings,Can you believe that this was the last day of the CAARI 2011? Where did the time go? Our tour continued this last day with some exciting and interesting places and some time for last minute shopping. The first stop was to the Menachem Begin Museum. For those of us that have been there before, it is still a fascinating place to visit. We were all impressed with Israel’s museums – each has unique audio visual presentations. And..the Begin is no exception. On went the headsets and off we went with our guide through a maze of rooms, each describing Prime Minister Begin from childhood until his death. What could top this? Well, a visit to the newly renovated Israel Museum which just reopened last summer. Beautiful and well done! Neil gave a short tour of the Judaica and Archeology sections and then we were on our own to select are favorite exhibits.
So, ends CAARI 2011 – it was an amazing time – the participants (you were terrific) , the tours, the community service and the speakers, even the weather – all made this an exceptional program. And – let’s not forget the lasting friendships that were made.
We traveled from the Mt. Adir (on the northern border), to the Negev deserts and the Dead Sea. We climbed mountains, valleys, rode camels, trains and buses – oh – and taxis! We felt the spirit of the country and learned about the current issues as we heard from a variety of speakers from academics to government leaders, artists and ordinary citizens. We worked alongside Israelis helping in schools, hospitals and a food bank. We visited over 60 sites from throughout the country. What an memorable experience we had.
Neil and I want to thank YOU who made this program a success. We are sad to see you go, but so happy that you enjoyed your time on CAARI. We hope to see you next year in Israel!
Lehi’triot and safe travels,
Susan and Neil