After our third, wonderful Shabbos on GIVE we enjoyed our sunday around the Tveria area. We started our day off by splitting the girls into four groups. Two groups went to nursing homes, and two groups went to hospitals to put smiles on the patients faces. Each group had the chance to chat, sing, dance, and just listen to the people of the Israel. The girls had a wonderful time bringing smiles to all of their faces. Afterwards, GIVE enjoyed a delicious lunch right outside the ice skating rink that they thoroughly enjoyed on a hot day. We then ventured off to the Ma’alot mall where they had the opportunity to hang out with their friends, buy food, and shop around. We came back to the hotel, had dinner, and enjoyed an awesome night activity that Alexa Ratner prepared. Today was a great, relaxing day, and we are all looking forward to the upcoming week.

Our third friday on GIVE consisted of a day full of Naot, Pizza, and planting. The buses split up and while one bus went to go help plant trees on an organic farm up north the second bus went to the Naot factory. Girls were allowed to walk around and purchase Israeli Naot if they so desired. They hung out with each other and then the buses swapped activities. When the other bus got to the organic farm they learned all about farming the land of Israel and the special connection Jewish people have to it. Girls were taught how to dig holes and properly place olive trees into the ground. Afterwards, we made our way to a park where pizza was being made for us on the grill. The girls enjoyed their delicious lunch and then we set off to Kibbutz Lavi, where we will be staying for the weekend. NCSY GIVE is looking forward to another exciting shabbos together!

Today was the day,
Campers wait for all year.
The day we come together,
To compete and to cheer.

Intense apache races,
Crazy Costumes right and left,
Scavenger Hunt around Tzefat,
And Tzedakkah for the IDF!

Beautiful singing, creative stomps,
Unbelievable art and dance.
Such amazing presentations,
You’d think they planned weeks in advance!

They made the judges cry,
All the hidden talents coming out,
Their passionate Divrei Torah,
That’s what this summers all about.

The happiness was palpable
Everyones enthusiasm was clear
I know they’ll take this leadership
And bring it into next year!

We’re excited for Shabbat,
Heading over to Lavi.
To take our growth and connection,
To the next degree!

NCSY GIVE is entering our third week in Israel, but we still never stop having the adventure of our lives. This morning from Tzfat we traveled to the Kineret to go Banana boating. The girls enjoyed boating, swimming, and relaxing in the refreshing waters of the Kineret. We dried off and had our lunch as we prepped for our carnivals. Today the GIVE girls had a privilege to create their own carnival for children that come from broken homes. They had a chance to take the kids out of their normal setting and interact with happy, young girls who entertained them for the afternoon. Each bus made there way to their respected locations and ran a two incredible carnivals for these children. The thanks that we heard from the head staff wasn’t enough, and the girls gained from the children as much as the children gained from the GIVE girls. We ended our day with a delicious dinner in Tveria, right next to the Kineret. We can’t wait for our adventure to continue!

Today marks the second week since NCSY GIVE has started. Not only has all our days been special, but today’s activities were truly remarkable. The beginning of the day started where we were located in Tzfat. The girls created  what was called “A Happening,” very similar to a carnival. The girls got dressed up in bright colors and costumes. Families from the south of Israel have either traveled up north to stay in safety or came up for a daily activity in a place called Beit Yigal. The girls were incredible at bringing simcha to all the children’s faces. They ran freeze dances, sports games, tie dying, and necklace making. Children, teens, and even mothers enjoyed being around the GIVE girls. The smiles brought to the children’s faces were indescribable. A mother approached the group afterwards and spoke to us about the amazing work they had done today for all the children. We traveled back to our hotel where the girls had an opportunity to make packages for soldiers in Gaza. The moment we were done packaging a truck picked up our stuff and headed straight down to our soldiers in Gaza. After a well deserved lunch the girls had some free time at the Tzfat market place. We had the privilege of going to a water park for night activity with all the girls from other NCSYsummer programs as well. The girls had a great time socializing and seeing their friends. It has been another successful day on NCSY GIVE!

Today’s day started off with a really exciting chessed project. A school near Tzfat for under privileged children needed help preparing their building for the upcoming school year. There were various jobs that needed to be done, such as remaking billboards, organizing the library, helping out in the principals office, making packages for the children, and even baking cookies for the first day of school! The GIVE girl’s help was much appreciated by everyone from the school. With each job they were able to accomplish so much because of the amount of work each ad evert girl put in. After a delicous lunch we headed on the bus to go bike riding. Right near the Kineret each girl took her bike and ventured off with the beautiful veiws of the north around them. We davened mincha, and then headed on the bus back to our hotel. After dinner, NCSY GIVE was privledged to hear from Neil Lazarus. His presentation on Israel was educating, motivaing, and challenging. He spoke about current affairs with the girls and even gave them some time to ask questions that were on their mind. After a jam packed day, NCSY GIVE had a very relaxing night activity, movie night! The girls were encouraged to come dressed comfy as we watched the popular film Frozen. The girls positive attitude and excitement for adventure always makes our days on GIVE awesome! Looking forward to another great day.

Our jam packed day was filled with chessed, ancient times, and boat rides. The beginning of our adventure started right outside our hotel in Tzfat. The girls gathered together in their chaburahs and painted individual signs. When all the groups got together we took a huge group photo with the signs spelling out, “Our hearts are with you.” This was our chance to show NCSY GIVE’s support to our brothers out in the battlefield. We hope to have every girl post this picture on their own social media accounts, so that it can reach more a wide range of people. We believe that one way to make a statement is through social media, so by incorporating this, the NCSY GIVE family decided to take a stand. GIVE then made their way to Kfar Kedem. The girls had a chance to dress as they did in the ancient world, eat lunch like they did, and even ride donkeys to see how people used animals as transportation. We ended off our experience with pita making on an iron grill. Afterwards, We headed towards the Kineret for the end of our day. As the girls boarded to boat on the Kineret we were privileged to have a family from the south join us. NCSY GIVE invited a family from Ashkelon to take a break from all the trauma they go through daily. The girls had a chance to get to know the family, where they came from, and even dance with them. I’m sure this experience gave the family happiness as well as gave the girls the privilege to share their special opportunity of being on a summer program. We headed to dinner and afterwards the girls had some time to walk around the board walk and shop around. The day had many elements to it, and we know not only was it a fun and informative day, but a meaningful one as well. We should only know of peace in Israel, and all our brothers fighting should come home safely.

We had a wonderful and uplifting Shabbos in Tzfat with our GIVE family. We enjoyed beautiful singing, dancing, learning, and making more memories together. One of the most memorable moments for the girls this Shabbos our special havdallah. We walked together with linked arms to a beautifully light cave. Each girl took the person next to her and slowly walked down into the cave, which mad our voices raise to the heavens. We made one of the most memorable havdallahs that NCSY GIVE has ever seen. Afterwards, we had a Melava Malka with pizza, and the girls were allowed to shop around Tzfat’s main center. Another successful shabbos on NCSY GIVE and we are looking forward to the great week ahead.

Friday before we went to Tzfat for Shabbos we stopped off at the yummy De Karina Chocolate Factory. The girls had an opportunity to learn about the history and creation of chocolate. Afterwards, each girl was able to make there own chocolate bar! Then they enjoyed the beautiful Tzfat Art Gallery, which homes the shops of all different artists in Tzfat. Each girl was given thirty shek to buy their own lunch, while they had the privilege to shop around the ancient city of Tzfat. We have just arrived at our destination for Shabbos and looking forward to a spiritual and uplifting Shabbos together! Shabbat Shalom