The children prepare to leave Israel and I would like to thank Israel Experience for looking after them. I would especially like to thank the madrachim who were with them for the last month and a special thanks to Eyal back at base whose daily e-mails have helped us to feel closer to our children.
Eyal's closing message:
Tomorrow is the last day of tour, and this is the last tour email. This tour was unique from all other years because of the situation in Israel these times. We had to change and adopt it to the reality in order to keep the welfare and safety of the chanichim. With all of those problems we managed to arrange a great tour where the kids learn about Israel, the Jewish world, their history and about their people. When you'll speak with them I convince that you will discover that it was fun and meaningful experience for them, experience that they will never forget. Now, you and the kids have the choice not to leave it as a one time experience. Soon, the kids will have a tour reunion and after it we will offer them a special Leadership programme throughout the year that in the end of it they will become Madrichim (leaders) in the movement and productive members in the Jewish community in England. I hope to see them all.
Today the group completed the Jerusalem part of tour and they closed a circle. They visited the city of David and the Hezekiah tunnels. Also they have been in the southern excavation and in the Kotel. They finished the day with a party and tomorrow they will have feedback sessions and Sikum and then they will go to Ben Gurion Airport say goodbye to some of their friends that stays in Israel and will fly home.
Last words for you the parents. I know it wasn't easy time for you. Although your kids were safe in every second on the tour and although we would never put them in danger and there is a hall system that takes care of them, I still understand your worry to them. As an Israeli it warms my hart to see how you won your fears and allowed your kids to have this important and meaningful experience that strength their connection to Israel and to the Jewish people. As a Shaliach, I'm proud to work in community that contain parents like you.
The final thing is a big thank that I guess we all share, to Israel Experience that works days and nights about this tour and any other. You've met them only once in the parents evening when Charlotte present you the tour but they are doing much more and it will be enough if I'll say that without them there was no such thing like tour or at least it was much harder and much less professional.