Five Towns Chabad takes ‘trip of a lifetime’

Spirituality, education, history, adventure, and charity all combined to Chabad of the Five Town’s Israel mission from Jan. 10-17 a memorable trip.

Chabad Director Rabbi Zalman Wolowik and tour guide Rabbi Mordechai Weiss provided the religious learning. The group visited Masada, the fortress where Jewish rebels fought the Romans and the mystical city of Tzefat.

For the X Games crowd there was zip ling, rock climbing, jeeping through the mud, camel rides, a shooting range and more. Children made chocolates at the De Karina Chocolate Factory and adults tasted wine at the Golan Heights Winery.

A trip highlight was a visit to an army base at the Syrian border, where everyone ate dinner with the soldiers, and climbed through their bunkers. The cosmetic bags filled with necessities were greatly appreciated by the soldiers.

“The most amazing part of the trip was seeing how the Torah was brought to life for the children to learn,” said parent Tamar Pwezner.

Trip participants also learned about bullet manufacturing at the Ayalon Institute, visited Dialogue in the Darkness Museum and Better Place, where they drove the first 100 percent battery operated car.

The group volunteered with Israel’s Project Leket, a national Israeli food bank and picked (even in the rain) 200 kilograms of Clementines that went help to feed more than 100 families that week.

“It was the trip of a lifetime,” Rivky Robinson said. “We did a week’s worth of activities in a day. The group was so cohesive. Everyone loved it, and by the end of the trip everyone was like family.”