IWS Day 3 by Michaela and Ben

23.12.14. What a memorable day! It started as we all gathered around the Rabin Hostel's dining room table for a delightful traditional Israeli breakfast after a long night touring Jerusalem. Eager to start our journey of the day, we all hopped on the bus heading towards Yad Vashem, one of the most renowned and visited holocaust museums in the world.

As the leaders of the day, Ben and myself animated our planned activity during the bus ride. We explored the theme of the Holocaust on a more personal and meaningful level. In fact, since most of the teens were already very familiar with the subject, we thought it would be interesting to listen and share personal experiences, stories and our connection towards the unforgettable genocide of the early 1940's. This brought the group to develop a more serious and suitable mindset for the museum.

As we arrived and walked through the doors of the beautiful, yet somber, complex, we were all immediately fascinated, yet heartbroken by the six million lost souls, Jewish individuals who perished during the war. What amazed us most was the symbolic and meaningful architecture of the museum, as you walk through the entrance of the center, you can look ahead and see the exit which is a lookout jutting out over a cliff and allowing us to see the light at the end of the tunnel. However, you are unable to cross the hall and must walk through all the exhibits. You must witness the history and atrocities before emerging through the other side.

Following our visit, our lunch break was surprisingly quiet which allowed us to reflect as well as share our thoughts on what we had previously seen and experienced. 

Diller organized our day in such a way that our morning sadness only amplified our joyous afternoon which made the mini mega evening seminar so much more meaningful and memorable. 

All the North American and Israeli cohorts were gathered for group discussions, dinner, laughter as well as a typical Israeli concert. Taking us out of our comfort zone, all the cohorts were divided into smaller groups which were filled with fellow teens coming from all over the world. Being leaders of the day was a great experience for us and we hope to have many more.

Written by Michaela Shulman and Ben Rehany