Today was one of the highlights of our trip as 4 of our Lakeside students became B'nai Mitzvah at the Kotel, at Robinson's Arch. They all had extended family with them, 2 of them with 4 grandparents. They did a great job and yes I am biased but really they were all outstanding. To see Dor L'Dor, from generation to generation in Jerusalem was the culmination of much planning, studying and working together. Our ceremony was at the Robinson Arch just down from the part of the Kotel which you see in pictures. Just past where at the Kotel you not only can not pray with men and women together but if a woman wore a Tallit while praying she would be arrested. All 4 of B'nai Mitzvah had beautiful tallitot and the girls all bought theirs in our stop in Tzfat last week. 
After a quick stop in the Cardo to refresh and shop a bit we were on to the serious business of visiting Yad V'shem; which is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust, established in 1953. If you have not been to Yad V'Shem since 2006 it has been totally revamped. It is a moving tribute to the 6 Million who perished in the Holocaust including a tribute the 1 Million children who died. The use of modern technology including videos, music, and other techniques is at its best.
While the rest of the group was at Yad V'shem Max, who is too young for the museum, and I went the Biblical Zoo. We had a good time and found all of Max's favorite animals at the zoo.
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| Just one of the cool birds we saw at the Biblical Zoo |
After we reunited with the rest of the group we stopped at the Knesset to take another group picture with the symbol of Israel, the Menorah. It was a full day from the morning of our B'nai Mitzvah to learning about the Holocaust at Yad V'shem and then for one more picture of the group together. Tomorrow we hit Masada and the Dead Sea. Can't wait.
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