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Auschwitz: Exploring History & Trying to Bring Life Back
Auschwitz. We all knew this day was going to be difficult, and for some of us it was exactly what we expected, but for others there was no way to prepare for what we were going to see.
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The Crusades & The City of Kabbalah, Tzfat
Yesterday was a long all-day tiyul to a Crusader fortress and to the city of Tzfat. Our first stop was the Crusader fortress named Kokhav HaYarden (Star of the Jordan), more commonly known as Belvoir, which means beautiful view.
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Rabbi Loren Sykes’s Islam Tiyul Reflection: Meeting the Other
Last week, we had an interaction that is all too rare today in Israel, the US and around the world. We visited the Israeli Arab village of Ein Rafa which sits at the base of the hill below Kibbutz Tzuba.
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Diversity of Jewish Life in Middle Ages (Less Foreign Than You Would Think!)
At the Israel Museum, we focused on the diversity and uniformity of the various Jewish communities throughout the world and Jewish life in the Middle Ages.
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Loving your Fellow as Yourself: Lessons from Heller High & Beyond
For their latest assignment, students had to choose a mitzvah (commandment) from Leviticus 19 and express how they could relate to the mitzvah. Ryan picked “You shall not take vengeance or bear a grudge against your countrymen. Love your fellow as yourself.”
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The Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and the Zealots
Last week we visited the Israel Museum to learn about the Roman Period and the different groups of Jews who lived under Roman rule - the Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and the Zealots.
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Masada: More Than Just a 3AM Hike
URJ Heller High (formerly NFTY-EIE) climbed Masada bright and early using the Snake Path which contains over 700 steps. This path is 1,312 feet or 400 meters from the Dead Sea.
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Rabbi Loren Sykes’s Weekly Reflection: First and Second Temple In Jerusalem
This past week Heller High students focused on the Biblical Era, specifically on the period of the First and Second Temple in Jerusalem. They learned about the construction of Solomon's Temple and its destruction at the hands of the Babylonians in 586 BCE.
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Gadna: An Eye Opening Experience
Gadna was 5-day long thrilling and tiring experience where students get an idea of what it is like to be a soldier in the Israel Defense Forces.
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Exploring Sataf: Agricultural Methods, History of Israelites & More!
We hiked all the way to Sataf. In the beginning of the tiyul it was really foggy, but kind of gave off a majestic look. As we got there, Evan started explaining about the different types of trees that are found at Sataf.
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