There is a tradition on our Israel missions to spin an integrative thread of narrative and pictures around something light and fun as the trip goes on. It balances the more serious demands of the program. This year the light and fun takes the form of “Saba and Froggy Visit Eretz Yisrael. “
The Saba part: that’s me, Jeffrey. I’m likely the oldest madrich to go on this trip. Old enough to be a Saba/grandpa. Below is a picture of my three grandchildren Ilan (5), Tali (3), and Aryeh (2 months).
They are curious about “where in the world is Saba” and Ilan who is about to enter Jewish day school is particularly curious.
The froggy part: A frog has become both a serious symbol and a mascot of our group. The frog represents the “amphibious Jews” who can both immerse themselves like a fish entirely in the water of Judaism in Israel and can also consciously move like a bear to find his Jewish water and food sources at synagogues and sites of Jewish culture. Froggy is also an awfully cute puppet of the group. Also, my grandchildren think its very funny when I imitate the frog from the old Buster Brown Television show who would begin the show by saying “Plunk your magic twanger Froggy…hiya kids, hiya, hiya.”
The eretz yisrael part: well, that’s where we will be the next ten days.
Look for Froggy to appear in the most interesting and unusual places as he and one of our teens relate something interesting and different (even outrageous) about our trip each day.
We invite the AFUWOFI parents to vote for the best Saba and Froggy picture of the trip!!!!