We did Meatgrinder EN21

On Sunday August 3 we went up the river.... to ride it down the gorge the camp grounds because by now we were pros....

.... yeah right just 1 days of rafting under our belts and we didn't fall out and we were proud of ourselves. Colleen our guide was a great teacher, she even said we were good. We had such a good time that this activity has been moved from being on the Empty Nest List to the Do It Again list...

The Rapids the day before Satans Cesspoos and Hospital Bar were a lot of fun also.

On Tour with Ashleigh and Morgan Aug 5 and you thought it was over

Tuesday, August 5th: Group 8 had a great flight to Prague. Upon arrival they learned that their flight to New York had been cancelled. They were booked on flights for tomorrow, checked into the Tranzit Hotel across the street from the airport, ate dinner and had a Banquet Part 2 with fun songs that Aliza and Tali their staff members wrote, and spent some extra hours together. All USYers and staff are doing well and will try and get some sleep before another day of travel ahead.

We will see them on Thursday ....

On Tour with Ashleigh and Morgan Aug 4

Monday, August 4th:Group 8 spent their final day in Israel at Yad Lakashish, Lifeline for the Old, and on Ben Yehudah Street doing some last minute shopping. They packed, hung out, and then got dressed up in their pajamas for their final banquet. Complete with dinner, t-shirts, and reminiscing, the group spent hours laughing about the summer they had together. Very early tomorrow morning the group will load the bus and head to the airport. They will say L'hitraot to their Israeli staff and head back to the States. We had a great time with Group 8 this summer and hope to see them in Israel again soon!

Notes from the front: the girls have given back their phone and are at the airport...waiting for the first let of their journey home.....they will be back with us very very late tomorrow night but we will be glad to have them back at any time. That also means that we will have more pictures!!!!

This was Barry's first time EN 20

It was a weekend

of firsts

He had never done it before...

imagine that almost

54 years old

and he was still a virgin

A TENT virgin that is

But not any more!!!

Does He Look Ready EN 19

for Satins Cesspool or Hospital Bar...

well he was.

Saturday Aug 2 was a wonderful day full of learning all kinds of new things...

First Joe (in the tie dye shirt) gave us a lesson the proper river raft etiquette

like the proper way to hold and toss a paddle.

Then he instructed us on how to properly put on and use our life vest.










and most important, the proper way to give a River Runner Hug





Here are some of the students that paid attention

On Tour with Ashleigh and Morgan Aug 3

Sunday, August 3rd:Today, Group 8 learned about what USY calls "New Jerusalem," which basically traces the line that was Israel's border with Jordan before 1967. First they went to Gilo to see the Security wall that was built there. Then they went to the Tayelet, an overlook where the entire city can be seen with the Old City in the Center. It is said that this is the place where Abraham stood when he saw the city for the first time. From there they went to Ammunition Hill, where they walked through the trenches that used to be part of a Jordanian bunker that was the center of battle in 1967. They then went to Mount Herzl where they visited the graves of the founders of Zionism, Yitchak Rabin, Hannah Senesh, and Michael Levin z"l, a Nativ and Camp Ramah alum who fell in battle during the 2006 war in Lebanon. This evening they returned to the Fuchsberg Center for some free time and dinner. They then had a talent show!

just a few pictures text to follow EN18

ok so the whole drive is not very interesting as you can tell from my previous blogs about the price of gas but once you get to exit 37 off the 50 things start to change.

all of a suddent you are driving right along the river and as per the instructions after 10 miles and a left turn you arrive at Camp Lotus

now Camp Lotus is great you pull in, check in get a little card for the dash board and then you drive to area "I" they do have the whole alphabet but area I is at the end of the camp ground.

well they are starting breakfast... so I got to go