Shabbat 5 - Netzach - Sasha Becker

It was a liberating feeling to finally wake up past 10am, after several mornings of incessant banging on doors to get us ready for days of activities starting sometimes as early as 6:30.

I got into my frum Shabbat outfit, with my ankle long skirt and knitted crew neck jumper, and got ready for the last IST Shabbat. Although it may sound incredibly cliche, I took the day to reflect on the past four and a half weeks of the program, and consider how much I have gotten out of the trip in relation to my involvement in everything it had to offer.

But before I could relax in the lobby for hours on end, we were all called into the hall to play one big game of speed dating. We were all moved around the room and paired up with a random person, we were asked random questions, and as we progressed further into the game, the questions became more and more intimate, even going so far as to tell a stranger who we would date in the room. I thoroughly enjoyed this game, and loved learning about random peoples’ opinions and interests.

Straight after the game we were sent to the חדר אוכל to eat the same meal we have been fed for the past five weeks - chicken, rice, potatoes and meat, what a feast! But in all seriousness, the food at the Ramada is by far the best food we have been given so far at any accomodation, so a big thank you to the logistics team for that brilliant booking selection.

Once we had concluded lunch it was three hours of free time, which, although can make us feel restless and bored at times, it was a nice time to reflect and chill. Because it was a phone free day I couldn’t scroll through the photos app and look at all the photos and videos I took, but I could think about all the new memories that had been made and connections that had sparked with all sorts of people on the trip (one including my shared fear of vomit with multiple girls on the trip)

We then gathered in the hall at 4pm for a game of stop murderer, a call and response game requiring each family group to work together and respond to a message in time to advance ahead of the other family groups and win the game. Unfortunately Dassi’s family group lacked coordination and Kovi’s kosher koalas brought it home.

As always we had a beautiful Havdallah service, this time with a band playing all the songs, getting everyone into the post Shabbat spirit for some Ruach to end it off, after lighting the candles together in the darkness. A real change in tempo, from passionate singing on the floor to launching ourselves on top of each other and screaming the lyrics to אמ ישראל and various other songs.

We also had a surprise visit from a former Jewish studies teacher of some of ours, THE Rabbi David, which really got a few of us excited.

We finished the night with an incredible tisch. The tisches are always an incredible experience, bringing the entire year group together with people’s vulnerability and bravery to stand up in front of everyone and share something that’s close to them. It taught me that everyone around me is going through something, and although people may not speak about it or communicate how much it gets to them at times, it is important to be patient and supportive towards them if they reach out looking for a shoulder to lean on. It was a very special way to end off a very special Shabbat, and brought everyone together.

Sasha Becker