July 15th

        With Shabbat over and the MBIers having regained their energy, this

week started off with visits to two wonderful sites.

        The historic city of Tsfat was first. This city has existed for

hundreds of years on mountain tops in the upper Galilee and was the

home for generations of scholars studying Jewish mysticism and

kabbala. In fact, the idea of kabbalat shabbat (The service for which

includes the prayer Lecha Dodi), has strong origins in Tsfat. As

shabbat was approaching, the mystics of Tsfat, including the fame

Rabbi Isaac Luria, would walk Westward, to the edge of the city, in

white clothing to welcome the Sabbath.

Bus three in Tsfat 

        The MBI-ers got a chance to walk around the old city, through its

stone walkways and corridors, and stopped for for a bit in a park

overlooking the beautiful view available from the city. They also went

and visited a few of the old synagogues which are still there and are

beautifully decorated by followers of different rabbis who lived there

hundreds of years ago. Many of these synagogues are Spanish in style,

as Kabbalah was a product of the Spanish Jewish community (it thrived

in Tsfat in the early 1500's, after the Inquisition). This means that

the pulpit is in the middle of the synagogue, as opposed to the

ashkenazi tradition, in which the pulpit is at the front.

        After touring Tsfat, the MBIers went hiking in the upper Galilee area

around Tel Hai. A small, early Jewish settlement in Mandatory

Palestine, Tel Hai became well known as the site of a battle led by

prominent Zionist figure Joseph Trumpledor in 1920. The battle of Tel

Hai is a part of the long and complicated history of skirmishes

between the growing Jewish settlements and Arab villagers within

Manadatory Palestine and Syria.

        After dinner tonight, the MBIers will have an evening activity with their

kvutsah, the small group of 20 people on their bus with whom they

divide when in smaller groups. The activites by kvutsah were a

different way for the MBIers to make stronger connections within that

small group