(Composed by ILS Participants) Trying something new is always difficult, especially staying with people you’ve never met. This week in Beit Shean, our group split in half and went to two different Kibbutzim: Kfar Rupin and Reshafim. We’re not sure if it was what we expected, but these last 3 days have shown us what Israel’s community is truly about. 

On the Kfar Rupin kibbutz we had an incredible time getting to know the Israeli teens. We were able to appreciate the strong sense of community and belonging that exists on a kibbutz. We were able to bond with the Israeli teens through different activities like swimming in natural springs and chilling by the pool. We were extremely sad to say goodbye and will never forget our new friends. 

At Kibbutz Reshafim, we also had a great time! We met around a dozen Israeli teens who live on the kibbutz, and they were hosting us in their homes for a couple nights. We also got to do a few water activities to help with the heat here, like water gun tag and swimming in a natural spring. During a relaxing Saturday, we caught up on sleep and even played bubble soccer! We’ll miss everyone, but will do our best to keep in touch online.

After saying goodbye to all the teens on the kibbutzim, we headed off to Haifa! Shalom from ILS!