Tel Aviv is a city full of energy, excitement, many great places to eat, and lots of noisy people. Today we had the chance to experience them all while running through the bustling streets on a scavenger hunt. Although the high was 91 degrees Fahrenheit, we still enjoyed getting to know the city of Tel Aviv, meeting many diverse Israelis, and spending time with our teams. Each WOFI-ite had his or her own memorable moments from today. Here I will share the best moments, the most difficult moments, and the most revealing moments.
Most Revealing:
Israelis are very hesitant to sign petitions even if we said it was for a scavenger hunt. -Maya Levine
Israelis are up for any surprise. -Didi Shiloh
Many Israelis don’t like when you ask them to take a picture. -Benji Oif
I realized the modernity of Israel when we went through Dizengoff mall and saw a very popular mall that included American basics like Nike and American Eagle outlets. -Andrew Bennett
There is no such thing as a typical Israeli because every Israeli has his or her own unique sense of style and personality. -Camille Rekhson
Most Difficult:
It was a difficult yet amazing experience to have the guts to speak with Israelis because it forced us to step outside of our comfort zones and get to know some really great people. -Jannah Laserson
Being independent in Israel with no mentor or guide. -Danielle Frankel
Best Moments:
Proving to myself that I could successfully navigate around Israel independently. I also completed a Sudoku puzzle without my mom’s help and was able to bring my team to victory. Ps. Thanks mom for making me do Sodoku with you. I never thought it would be such a helpful talent. -Danielle Frankel
Getting to see different parts of Tel Aviv. -Nadav Pecha
Maps are my jam. The most exhilarating part of this scavenger hunt was reading a map, asking questions in Hebrew, pretending I was a real Israeli even though I was wearing a bright tye-die shirt and a silly looking, sweat drenched, bandana around my head. -Tamar Fleshler
Being able to bond with other WOFI-ites while getting to know the people of Israel. -Sarah Katz
Bonding with the people in my group while trying to persuade Israelis on the streets to do weird things. -Tamar Shiller
The best part was winning. -Ari Ross
Learning how to navigate the city with my awesome team and talking to Israelis. -Ilana Siegal
Getting people to sign the petition. -Austin Oberfeld
Just learned straight up how to look for stuff in Israel…and how to actually make conversation with the natives. -Eli Diamond
Getting to know Yuval and the people in my group. -Jillian Rosales
Exploring a wonderful city with my friends and observing the different kinds of people and places it has to offer. -David Immerman
The pink team gels nicely, works together, has a great time, and wins scavenger hunts. -Russell Cohen
Getting closer to my fellow WOFI-ites and successfully navigating through the city of Tel Aviv. #winning -Rachel Marek
Meeting female Israeli soldiers who are the most attractive women in the world. I hope to marry one someday. -Dani Socher
Talking with the natives from all social classes and bonding with my cohort members. -Nik Levinsohn
Talking to Israeli people because they supported our gay rights petition, cool! #Israel -Jack Nemeth
Getting to experience Tel Aviv and bonding with my team. -Sonja Greenfield
Helping a street vendor pass out fliers and newspapers while having to talk in Hebrew. -Lindsey Jackson