BREAKING IT DOWN, SERVING MY COUNTRY, AND GOING TO A FAMILIAR PLACE

So where to start? well how about the beginning hehe! So Tuesday as a big group we all took the ever so exciting 6 am trip via train to Tel-Aviv where we met up with other masa people to go to a kibbutz in the Carmel, where  a professional dance troupe/ballet troupe is based. We had the opportunity to watch them rehearse along with a kinda more modern dance troupe perform. just prior to the performance we had the honorable chance to meet the director/ choreographer Rami be'er for those who do not know who that is and I'm sure you haven't... Rami is a reknown choreographer who take his troupe around the world and also is the choreographer for the israel version of so you think you can dance! t.v. show. afterwords we had the oppertunity to learn some hip hop moves from a different choreographer. Yes i got down i got funky! hehe! after all that excitement and work out we went to a music institute just out side of naharia it was very nice. it was a place where jews and arabs co-exist and are able to perform as one. it was very nice and interesting to see.

     after that i wound up going back to tiberias with that group and stayed there a couple evenings. however weds. I had the honor of doing my service for the country and volunteered on a army base in the golan heights area. I had the fun duty of stuffing padding in the soft shell of the combat helmets of the tank crew. it was a major and tough challenge but i prevailed, and with that done they are a bit closer to real protection!

    today thursday was a day i have been waiting for, for a long time, it was my great return to the small city of Beit Shean after a 6 year absence, I returned. there I met up with Zvia Shelly probably one of the coolest women I've met while in israel. She was in charge of ambassadors for unity when I did it 6 years ago. it was awesome! we talked a bit about the project i'll be working on for my program i'll be working with Ambassadors in the early stages of the process here, and then in cleveland i'd be helping them on their end of things. after we talked about that she took me on a brief run around of the city and took me to see the memorial of Art Neparstek who was a major contributor and reason why we have such a strong connection to beit shean. after that we went to this resteraunt that has become apparently a tradition for them to take the clevelanders to at least once for a meal. i was no exception. we had a wonderful mean along with another person who is taken on the task of putting together the delegation of the israeli ambassadors. after that she wanted to show me a different side of beit shean it was between either archiological or nature. i chose nature. she wound up taking me to places that no one would normaly know about let alone see in beit shean. the first place we went was to the mouth of the stream that turns in to the sachne it was amazing to see the water was so crystal clear and clean you could see all the fish in the water including a little crab crawling around, it was just simply amazing! i couldnt have asked for a more beautiful site! then she took me to this litte park/ water fall which was like in the most unexpected place that is tucked in the back of some fields it was contaminated so wasnt as pretty but nice either way. then it was time for me to make my long trek home! its true what they say if you want anything or want to get anywhere you have to be able to throw your weight around! meaning in order to get through a line dont be affraid to throw some elbow! and bot did i ever have to! dont worry no one was hurt! lol! other than that nothing really else to report for now! hope everyone is happy and healthy and i will see you in a couple mnths!  till next time all. PEACE FROM THE MIDDLE EAST!