May 9 - Arielle Hendel

We traveled up to Har Herzl and paid homage to Herzl and all the deceased prime ministers and fallen soldiers from the independence war.  From there we went to caucus.  It was very moving to share our feelings about the trip with each other.  We have become a family, a community of shared experiences.  We shared our hopes for the outcomes from our mission, too.  May they all come true!  From there we traveled to Machane Yehuda, an open air market.  What a balagan!  There were wall to wall people – a good sign for Israel and Jerusalem.  If it's busy, people are feeling safer.  I was thrilled to meet up with my family from a suburb of Jerusalem for their Shabbat shopping.  They maneuver the market like old friends, knowing which stall has the best melons and which has the best price for tomatoes.  After a coffee and a visit, (of course, we had to eat!) – I said my goodbyes and quite determinedly set out to walk about a hour to the hotel.  In my first 10 minutes I came upon a soldier who told me turn back because of a suspicious package.  Well, I decided to get into a cab then.  It was going to be a long walk and well, the drive was interesting too.  I rarely drive in Jerusalem – they are many new roads and tunnels.  I arrived quite safely to my hotel.

Tomorrow we split up and  go to synagogue, Masada or Caesarea; then back to the hotel to pack and leave to go home.  I am looking forward to seeing my family.  I wish they were joining me here.