On Wednesday morning all TCA students joined together for a solemn assembly in commemoration of Yom Hazikaron. During the assembly, students discussed the striking differences between Israel’s Memorial Day, and the United States’ Memorial Day. While in America we mark this day by super sales, barbeques and fireworks, in Israel, all entertainment outlets and most stores are closed, two sirens are heard for two full minutes, and there are emotional ceremonies and prayers throughout the day. To commemorate this meaningful day, Eric Rabbani, the father of current TCA students, spoke to the students about his experience in the Israeli army as a lone soldier. The students were fascinated with Rabbani’s account of his time as a soldier, and were inspired by his dedication and passion for the land of Israel.

The next day, on Yom Israel, students celebrated the privilege of having the holy land of Eretz Yisroel as our land! The day was filled with robust programming and fun. In the morning, students learned about the land of Israel through experiential and special lessons, activities, pictures, art projects and virtual tours. The students then enjoyed an Israeli style lunch and Israeli popsicles (“artikim”). In their Ivrit class they created their own map of Israel, through which they learned about the geography and topography of the Holy Land. During art class, students used mixed media to create artwork depicting either the Negev Desert or the Tel Aviv beach. They learned about the salt watercolor technique to make the sand look realistic, layering and blending watercolors and oil pastels and making a silhouette collage. At the end of the day, students sealed this wonderful day with a serious but fun session of Israeli Boot Camp with Coach Nimi!