Tuesday: July 27

This week’s tiyul day presented incredible options that sent the NCSYers all around the country. The choices were varied, and the day’s greatest challenge was choosing from amongst the tempting possibilities.

For the truly intrepid, there was the awesome and imposing Nachal Darja. In addition to the stunning beauty and pure excitement of the hike, Darja provides the ultimate in team building and bonding. The precipitous drops and arduous climbs are not easily navigated solo. The NCSYers needed to help each other get through the canyon and rely on each other on each rope and ladder. Darja challenges hikers like no other tiyul we run, and provides unparalleled thrills and feelings of accomplishment.

On the other side of the spectrum, we had a visit to the famed “Dialogue in the Dark” (Blind Museum) experience, followed by a tour of Bnei Brak. This option required none of the physical exertion of Darja, but was equally - if not more - rewarding. At the Blind Museum, visitors join a tour of every day life activities in complete darkness. Their guides are all visually impaired, either completely or partially blind, and the encounter is unforgettable. The museum provides a fresh and striking perspective on people with disabilities, and is one of the more sought after tours in Israel.

Bnai Brak is another must-see venue to appreciate the quality of scholarship and erudition in today’s Torah world. In addition to a general tour, we were able to meet with Rav Kahaneman and Rav Tzuriel. These meaningful sessions made an indelible impression on all.

Our third option started ordinarily enough, with a few morning hours of fun at the beach. From there it was down to Be’er Sheva for a tour of the Israeli Air Force Museum. But the real fun of this trip was in the final stop, the Alpaca Farm deep in the heart of the Negev Desert. Alpaca’s are similar to llamas, and we had group challenges in herding and communicating with them. It was great and unique- and a great end to the day.