Day 28 - Lehava - Samantha Shub & Sage Katz
Sunday the 15th was an interesting and eventful day as Lehava took on Shvil HaSalat, the Anzac Museum and the Masada light show.
After a very long and tiring bus ride to Shvil HaSalat, everyone was eager to get their taste buds on and try the fresh fruits and vegetables. Shvil HaSalat translates to a salad trail and is a place where they plant fruit and vegetables for the public, without using pesticides, therefore allowing us to eat them straight away. Here are a couple of our highlights: First we started off in the tomatoes and cucumber greenhouse where we tried a variety of different colours and shapes of these vegetables. Here, we also learnt about the importance of bees for the development of fruit and vegetables. This is called pollinating, which is the process in which the bees move the pollen from one plant to another, allowing growth of the fruit and vegetables. This section of the trail had a slight twist, as some of our Lehava members decided to delve into the hidden hot chillies, resulting in many sweats and tears. Quoting Ariel Filler “my lips are burning.” Next we moved on to the strawberry field, where we learnt that it is better to grow the strawberries from above the ground as opposed to growing them on the ground. This is so the bugs do not get inside the strawberries. After, we went to the herb garden, where we finally got some real peppermint for our tea, “I’m taking some for the road” said Marnie Fischl. As everything was edible, everyone ate all the herbs whilst benefiting as some of the herbs removed bacteria, which will hopefully result in less sicknesses on the Lehava side. The setting free of the birds at the end of the trail as a group, was a memorable experience for all, some took away “good luck” for the rest of our journey.
After Shvil HaSalat, we travelled to the Anzac Museum. It was nice to see Australia recognised in Israel, allowing us to remember our home country miles away, whilst commemorating both countries in our Jewish homeland. We learnt about the battle at Beer Sheva, involving the ANZACS and the Turks, through hearing a speaker and watching a short film.
We ended off the day, at the Masada light show. The vivid lights and bright colours within the movie displayed on the mountain, gave us insight into the history of Masada. Although the Jewish people lost this battle against the Romans, we have remained strong. This day taught us that through trying new things and going out of our comfort zone, whether the outcome was good or bad, it will allow us to make the most of the rest of our IST journey and encourage us to always try new things.
Samantha Shub & Sage Katz - 15.12.2019
