Last day at Kibbutz Sasa

July 12

Sorry for the delay in posting. The kibbutz turned off the internet connection because of a private party--- though no one could explain why that is necessary. Tonight, we leave the kibbutz. Some of us will miss the meals there. There is a lot of variety and always fresh vegetables. But the kids are looking forward to having pizza tonight. However, there are only two choices for the pizza--- cheese with olives and cheese without olives.

Kellin, Naom, Yahron, Misa and Shai

Shaina, Rianna, Dan, Menar and Menal

The Arches have found the kibbutz store. The favorite purchases are Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal and chocolate bars. There is a kind of chocolate bar here that has Pop Rocks in it.
We spend the first part of the morning emptying our rooms. This is a resort, after all, and they have been rented for the weekend.

Shaina and Temar

Partner Acro act

Iking and Channi

Ellie and Ali

Menar on trapeze

Elliana and Shar-El

Misa, Iking, Michel, Menar, Lemond, Shar-El, Channi, Amit, Menal
After we have moved everything out of the rooms, we go down to the gym and get in some practice time. We work some more on the partner acrobatics, , trapeze and staff acts. Maybe we will put together a contortion act. Break for lunch, some minitramp basketball and a last dip in the kibbutz pool.

Irena, the Russian circus teacher, comes and works on adding Elliana to the wire act. We give the girls some conditioning work on the web and trapeze and practice the rolla and some other acts.

Then, we run the whole show, pack everything up and go for our first taste of Israeli pizza! The kids are missing their pepperoni but they eat the pizza. We load up the bus and go to the Jordan River campground. When we get there, it is dark. Lemond spots a peacock.

We get thin tatami mats and there are umbrellas. People pitch their sleeping bags. We will sleep under the stars--- or under the umbrellas. Some of the Arches have never camped out before. One of the Israeli girls, Channi, gets off the bus and tells the organizers that they are crazy: there is NO WAY she is sleeping here. Rianna calls her over and gets her involved in the set up of the girls' area. Kellin builds his own elaborate little encampment and invites Yahron to join him. The others swing on a swinging bench, fake fight with the staffs, play cards and eat the snack food that has been brought.

Kellin and Yahron

A campfire is built. The Israeli custom is to roast potatoes but there are marshmallows, too, although they are strawberry flavored. The Arches do somersaults over the fire.

Matt

Deon

I find a huge outdoor trapeze rigging with a trapeze attached. Why is it there?

They eventually settle down in groups but do not go to sleep until way after 2. `