Exploring Akko

The 8th grade started off the day with our last meal at the hotel. After a nice breakfast and Tifilah in the amphitheater, we gathered our bags and loaded the bus. We arrived at a super cool international school that hosts high schoolers from Israel, Palestine, and tons of other places all round the world! A few teachers led an activity where they asked the 8th grade to create a way to educate the students about the situation in Israel. Each group discussed their plans and predicted challenges. Later on students from the school came in and talked to Gesher about their experiences in such a mixed environment. The teachers explained that the school’s goal was to have people from other countries coexist and build connections. It was truly a beautiful message and the students were all big supporters of it. Next we sat down for lunch in their campus and met even more students, hearing their stories and sharing ours.

After we left the international school we took the bus to Akko and arrived at a fortress of the crusader knights. This fortress has taken part in history all the way from the Crusades to Napoleon’s attempted conquering of the city to being used as a prison during the British mandate. We then split into groups and explored the age old history of the fortress. We played games that were played back then that ranged from strategy games to games of strength. We walked through the catacombs of the fortress reading and listening about all of the artifacts, paintings, even the ancient stairs that survived the centuries of wars and history that happened within the very same walls that we walked through taking in every single detail. Then we all took a small break outside taking in the sun and the beauty that surrounded us. Shortly afterwards we took a walking tour of the city of Akko walking through the shuk and the tunnels coming out at the other side to find the walls that surrounded the city of Akko. Exploring the very same place where Napoleon was defeated. We played some games and even created some games. Then we took a short stroll following the wall on our way back to the hotel. After we got our rooms and went to get ready for dinner. After everybody finished we went to go run around the field outside of the hotel until we were so tired we went back to the hotel and everybody hit the hay and we all had a great day. 

-Elyana and Nomi