Hi everyone,

I had a blast this weekend!

On Friday we flew to Denver, to a NFTY convention, winter chavura, which I anticipated to so much! I couldn’t wait to see again everyone and my Shinshinim friends from Denver!

It felt like a reunion with everyone.

So Friday was more chill with the activities, we had a Shabbat dinner at temple Sinai, Shishi service, had “Shira”, a time to wear funny customs and to dance and sing.

In the end of the day we did “a friendship circle” where we all stand in a circle, hugging and sing songs. I love this friendship circle, it has something so special and fulfilling.

On Saturday we had a day full of activities, we the shinshinim also lead an activity about the difference between secular and religious people in Israel.

We also had had Colorado general attorney and his words were powerful.

In the evening we had socializing time just hang out at the temple.

Sunday we had in the morning “Asefa”, kind of a formal meeting where they voted for things about NFTY. We also had chugim, I went to cooking and art. In the evening we went to the StockShow! It was one of the most American things that I’ve ever done, it was really cool but also had parts that were hard to watch, with the calfs and the roping. Then we went to a high school and had a basketball game, St. Louis against the rest. We lost. But it was fun to watch and the atmosphere was also fun.

On Monday we had breakfast at temple sinai, and then we watched a slideshow of pictures from the convention, and said goodbye. It was really sad saying goodbye because I had such a great time with them and made a lot of friendships. Instead of returning to St. Louis, I stayed there one more night. So the Shinshinim from Denver and I went to the Red Rocks Amphitheater. It is so beautiful. In the afternoon I watched with Dana, theShinshinit a movie and then went out for dinner with her and her host mom.

On Tuesday I joined Dana and Itamar (another Shinshin) to their work. We went to public high schools for the “Jewish Club “. It is something unique to Denver when in public high schools they have a time off in noon they come to a class have lunch there and also get a Jewish content. This week it was about the Jewish connection to MLk. After they finished work Dana drove me to the airport. I had more than a great time in Denver!!

On Wednesday I had Religious School at Shaare Emeth, I did a class about “Tzaar Baaley Chaim” , caring for the animals, and taught the kids about a non profit organization in Israel that’s called “let the animals live” , we read a song that was written by an Israeli poem about the animals’ right and played a survey game from the organization’s website that tries to match you the “perfect animal adoption.”

I also went to the cooking chug, and together we made an Israeli “pizza- pita”. After that I had a PostCon and I did for them kahoot of getting to know Israel.

Thursday I went to the ECC at Kol Rinah and we continued our trip in Israel and this week we visited my kibbutz!! This Tuesday it was the date when my kibbutz was established and every year we celebrate to the kibbutz it’s birthday. So after we saw picture from my kibbutz, we watched videos of people and places from my kibbutz and also a video that shows the school in my kibbutz where I grew up! In the end I gave them medals with the logo of my kibbutz and the number 98, the kibbutz’s age, and together we sang happy birthday to my kibbutz. We, in my kibbutz get stickers like the medals that I gave the kids every year!

Wish you all a wonderful weekend!

Shaked