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Dear NCSY GIVE Parents:
We hope your summer is going well and you are following your child's journey through pictures and blogs on the GIVE website.
Last night we discovered that you have not been receiving the weekly emails from GIVE Director Erin Steibel. We take communication with parents very seriously. As soon as we identified the technical error last night, we worked quickly to resolve it. I'm happy to say that the issue has been fixed and although we cannot make up for the missed emails, we hope you'll you enjoy the new ones in the coming weeks.
Below, please find a copy of the emails from Erin since the beginning of the trip.
Finally, please accept our apology for this error and if you have any questions or concerns you can email us anytime.
Thank you again for choosing to send your child on NCSY GIVE.
Best,
NCSY Summer Team
JULY 17
Dear NCSY GIVE Parents,
Our first full week on GIVE has been incredible. After an amazing start in the North of Israel and a beautiful Shabbos in Tzfat, we were finally ready to head to Jerusalem!
Monday marked the beginning of a crazy intense week of Chessed! The two buses began to have alternating schedules and as smaller groups, got to know each other even better. Over the week we visited some truly amazing institutions and had the opportunity to work with them. Some of the highlights included visiting places like: Yad Lakashish, an organization which teaches trades to elderly immigrants (and has a rockin’ gift shop), Shalva, Chames Israel and Aleh, organizations that provide services for children with special needs, Hod Yerushalayim and Melabev, senior citizen homes, Leket, Pantry Packers and Ohr Meir U’vracha, food packaging organizations, Habayit Shel Suzan, an organization that offers after school services and skills to troubled youth (and also has an awesome gift shop!), the Blind Factory, a factory which employs the blind, deaf, and mute, One Family Fund, an organization that works with victims of terror and probably most importantly, we went to give out snacks and thanks to soldiers at an army base! If that’s not a dream come true, not sure what is! We also had the major privilege of waking up extra early to greet a flight of Nefesh B’Nefesh olim! With waving flags, posters, singing and tears, we welcomed our brothers and sisters HOME! Such an unbelievable experience to be a part of.
This week also included our first visit to the kotel, which for many was their first ever visit to the kotel. We were thrilled to share in this special moment together, as a GIVE family, and spoke of the importance of recognizing that each of us is the next link in the chain, blessed with the opportunity to carry on our wonderful traditions.
Outside of Chessed opportunities, we also had a chance to visit the Blind Museum, which simulates being blind and is led by a blind docent, to hear from Neil Lazarus, who speaks about the situation in Israel, to visit Maaleh, an Israeli film school, and to participate in the closing ceremony of Project Hug, an incredible project raising money to help build a much needed pediatric emergency room in Chaifa’s B’nai Zion Hospital. The coolest part about Project Hug is that it was put on by one of our GIVErs’ sisters in honor of her Bat Mitzvah. What a role model to us all!
Today we packed our bags and headed down south for what should be a very special Shabbos in Arad. On the way, we stopped at a mall in Be’er Sheva to hand out Shabbos candles that we wrapped and wrote notes with, wishing Jewish women all over a beautiful Shabbos, and encouraging them to bring the light of Shabbos into their lives.
As we prepare for our second Shabbos together as a GIVE family, we wish you and yours a beautiful Shabbos and meaningful Nine Days leading up to Tisha Ba’av. May we see the coming of Moshiach speedily in our days!
Erin and the NCSY GIVE Family
JULY 10
Dear NCSY GIVE Parents,
It’s hard to believe that after months of planning, organizing and anticipating, we’ve finally made it to NCSY GIVE 2015!
The program is off to a great start!
After landing on Wednesday afternoon, we headed up North for a delicious dinner and brief orientation. From there we made our way to Tzfat, got settled in our hotel and snuggled up for a good nights rest. The next day, we visited Har Bental, which overlooks Syria, DeKarina Chocolate Factory, where we learned to make (and practiced eating!) delicious chocolate, and then traveled to Taveria where we took a wild and crazy musical boat cruise and enjoyed a fantastic dairy dinner. Upon returning to our hotel, we had the honor of meeting our GIVE Rabbi, Rabbi Baruch Felberman, who drove all the way from Shaalavim to come share some awesome Torah with us during the first of our weekly Thursday night mishmars! Nothing is better than some solid Torah and tasty snacks.
Today was spent supporting the Israeli economy as we shopped it up in Tzfat – souvenir central! We then threw on our water-wear and headed over to kayaking for a very wet and fun experience! We’re now getting ready for what is sure to be a fabulous shabbos filled with bonding, spirituality and some crazy GIVE moments!
Thank you again for sharing your wonderful daughters with us!
Wishing you and your family a beautiful shabbos, wherever you may be!
Erin and the NCSY GIVE Family
JULY 9
Dear NCSY GIVE parents,
We made it! After a really (really!) long plane ride, we loaded the buses and headed North. We stopped for dinner at a delicious, authentic Israeli restaurant where we ate kabobs, played a super fun ice breaker and broke into spontaneous singing and dancing, in honor of one of our Chicago GIVErs birthdays!
We’re now settling into our temporary home in the holy city of Tzfat, where we will have the pleasure of staying for the next few days.
The girls are fantastic, the staff is supremely awesome, the bus drivers love us already… We’re living the life! This is going to be an epic summer.
Can’t wait for all the fun that tomorrow has in store!
Layla Tov from the Holy land!
Erin and the NCSY GIVE Family |
