News-Record.com

The annual journey by eighth-graders from B'nai Shalom Day School to Israel and other ancient sites important to the Jewish faith is designed to help these young Jews never forget - and deepen the appreciation of - their heritage.

The young people's presence in the world's holiest city, where in late May they got the chance to pray before the 2,000-year-old Western Wall and volunteer at a rehabilitation center for people with disabilities, is also meant to inspire the students to take a stand for righteousness and humanity on a worldwide scale.

Excerpts from their journey:

May 13

We took a bus ride today to the Old City of Jerusalem. We davened Shaharit (prayed the morning service) at Robinson's Arch. It was really cool. After that, we went to the Kotel (Western Wall). I can't, in words, describe what it felt like to say a prayer and kiss the stones of the Western Wall. Then, we went through the tunnels under the Kotel.

-Ben Fraifeld, 14

May 18

We went to Yad Lakashish. Yad Lakashish is a place where elderly people in Israel can learn a trade to help support themselves. Yad Lakashish gives them support and hot meals every day. When we went there, we took a quick tour. Then, we volunteered to help the people with their work. For me, it was extra special because my sister has been in Israel for almost a year. What we did today was a mitzvah (a commandment).

-Philip Michael

Segal IV, 14

I could really get to know people there because the language was not a barrier for me. (Inga is a native Russian speaker.) We also helped them make these little square stitches. I went to the rehabilitation center for people with disabilities, but I saw people who were happy with their work and not people who had some kind of problem. It was a great experience, and I had a great time especially because everything had to do with art.

-Inga Mamut, 15

May 20

We hiked up Masada to watch the sunrise. It was definitely one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen - the amazing sun rising over Jordan and the Dead Sea. You actually could see the sun slowly crawling up higher and higher above the mountains. Then later, we got to go into the Dead Sea. I've always wanted to do that. Floating without trying to in water is the coolest thing in the world!

-Phoebe Kaplan, 14

May 21

We toured the outside of Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Museum) and the coolest thing happened when we were in the Valley of the Communities. While we were having a short memorial service, a pure yellow butterfly flew over us. It was one of the most meaningful experiences in my life. The butterfly was so moving because recently we had been studying the Holocaust in school. While studying the Holocaust, we read the poem "I Never Saw Another Butterfly." That poem was written by a young boy in the Terezin Ghetto during WWII.

-Mackenzie Morris, 14

Today was one of the most moving days. In the morning, we went to Yad Vashem (the Holocaust Museum). We were outside for most the time, looking at the memorials. My favorite, and the most moving, was the children's memorial. In the center of the room, there were five hanging candles. There were so many mirrors reflecting the candles that it looked like millions of little lights. While we were walking on the walkways in the dark, a voice kept repeating the names of the 1.5 million children who perished in the Holocaust. We were asked to remember one. Mine was Herbert Green, age 15, born in Austria.

-Justin Shannin, 14

It was really sad. Why would people do this to us? The part that really got me was the children's memorial. I thought about the fact that we were in Israel. I thought about how it was those people's dream to go to Israel. Nowadays, we can just go. I feel like I lived their dream for them.

-Caroline Grandis, 13