I may have written this story in a previous post, or not. I know that I have shared this story with several people and I just thought I would share it here as well. I think it has more meaning to me today, considering what is going on in Israel right now.

We arrived in Israel early in the morning on our first day. The actual “trip” wasn’t starting until later on that day. Our group took a bus from Tel Aviv up to the Tiberias to the hotel. It was too early to check into the hotel. We left the hotel, went for lunch and then went to a woman’s only beach area to relax in the Kinneret (the Sea of Galilee).

After going back to the hotel, we were able to go to our room, take a shower and get ready for our first class and then dinner at the famous Deck’s restaurant overlooking the Kinneret. I have already posted about the food from Deck’s and the amazing meal we had.

After the meal, they had a DJ playing music and they officially welcomed us to Israel and the amazing 9 days that we had ahead of us.

They started with the song Halleluyah and then the hora’s started. I was standing and clapping and started to cry. It was the first time that day that I really felt like I had “arrived” in Israel. It was such an incredible feeling it is hard to describe in writing. At some point I found a friend from the group and we just looked at each other and hugged each other. She was crying as well. It was everything, seeing 170 women from 5 different countries dancing together as one, that we felt like we had arrived.

I have been trying to post the actual video from Decks but everytime I try to copy and paste it to this post, it posts another video.

Here are the words to the song…it is such a beautiful song.

Have a peaceful Shabbat everyone!

Hallelujah to the world
הללויה, ישירו כולם

Hallelujah, yashiru kulam
Hallelujah, everyone will sing
במילה אחת בודדה

Bemila achat bodeda
With one single word
הלב מלא בהמון תודה

Halev male bahamon toda
The heart is filled with much gratitude
והולם גם הוא: איזה עולם נפלא

Veholem gam hu: eize olam nifla
And it also pounds: what a wonderful world
הללויה עם השיר

Hallelujah im hashir
Hallelujah with the song
הללויה על יום שמאיר

Hallelujah al yom sheme’ir
Hallelujah for a day that shines
הללויה על מה שהיה

Hallelujah al ma shehaya
Hallelujah for all that has been
ומה שעוד לא היה

Uma she’od lo haya
And all that is yet to come
הללויה

Hallelujah