Weekend in Eilat

     Before arriving in Eilat, we stopped to hear the reading of the Megillah. When we arrived, we found ourselves entering a small room and we were welcomed by a small, reformed community. We were selected to act out the story of Esther. It was a very entertaining version of the Purim story. Later that night we arrived at our hostel, with a view of the Gulf of Eilat. On the other side of the Red Sea is the city of Aqaba, Jordan, who considers the Gulf of Eilat, the Gulf of Aqaba.
     On Thursday morning we hopped on a bus taking us to snorkel in the sea and observe a natural coral reef. At first, I was hesitant about wearing a life jacket, but it didn't make that big of a difference in the end. Even though the snorkeling went by quickly, we were given enough time to enjoy the beach. Many laid out their towels to enjoy the warm sun and many used the time to get ice cream or take pictures of the beautiful water. Our time at the beach was succeeded by an incredible Purim festival, where we were able to indulge in a plethora of activities and festivities. Everywhere I looked there were people, ranging in all ages, dressed up in this year's costume choice. There was a special performance by Moshe Perez in the center of the festival. People gathered to celebrate Purim and dance to his music. The sun beat down on us as we dance, but we were having to much fun to worry about the heat.
    After the festival, we were given free time on the Promenade to get dinner and shop. Towards the end of the Promenade was a flee market with many stands, mostly all selling similar items. The sun set as we ventured through the Promenade and we thought our night was coming to an end. Then we realized we still had more Purim festivities awaiting us back at the hostel. When we arrived back at the hostel, people rushed to get ready for the night ahead. Before our program started, everyone gathered in the courtyard to take pictures with others in their costumes. We were brought to a room with lights and music for a dance party to finish off the night.

     The next morning we headed out to the sand dunes. The bus ride was long and the treck up the hill was strenuous, but it was all worth it once we reached the top. Some only took pictures while some of us wrestled each other, rolled and ran down the dunes, and made sand angels. It was a very messy experience. Before we got back on the bus, we were sprayed with air to clean off the sand that covered us from head to toe. After the dunes, we headed back to the Promenade for lunch and time at the beach. We headed back to the hostel to get ready for Shabbat when we were done at the beach. For Shabbat services, we sat on the balcony that looked over the sea. Nathan and David led an entertaining service that kept everyone engaged. Later that night, for Oneg Shabbat, we were split into groups of five and given a pen. There is a story about a man who started with a paper clip and continuously traded for more valuable things until he ended up with a house. Our goal was to adventure through the Promenade trying to keep trading up, but instead of a paper clip, we started with a pen. Time flew by in an instant because of the all the fun brought by this experience.

    On Saturday morning we packed our stuff for the journey back home. Before leaving, we split into small groups to discuss the important events in Jewish History. On our way back to Tzuba, we stopped at another reform Kibbutz where we learned about ways to use recyclable items and compost in our daily life.
     I know I had Eilat of fun on this trip, but now I have a question for you. What was your favorite experience in Eilat?