Today we spent the day in and around Tel Aviv. We started the day at Save a Child’s Heart, an organization devoted to financing and performing heart surgery for children in need. The children that receive these surgeries are from developing countries where there is not enough available technology or doctors. We were able to meet a few of the children living in Israel now. One of the boys was our age, and we also met a few toddlers. From there we spent some time relaxing on the beach and ate some lunch. After lunch we continued our learning by going to a gym complex made for people with physical disabilities. We were able to try wheelchair basketball and learn about all of the different types of sports that people with disabilities are able to do. It was incredible to hear the stories of some of the athletes. For dinner we went back to Jaffa in Tel Aviv, and then went to a play put on by the blind and deaf. The main narrator was born deaf and went blind in his teens. Many of the actors had similar stories. Throughout the day I heard the stories of many people in need and I was so impressed by the fact that every single person we met was happy and thankful to be living. The day was a bit of a reality check, and I think a lot of us realized how much we take for granted. It also gave us the opportunity to see how we can help repair the world, and I know that a lot of us were moved and want to get involved.
Rosalie Pisano, Tel Aviv 7/25
