Ofek: Tiyul in the Negev

Our final group for Ofek, Naomi, Shosh, Mia, Jack, Ilani and Eli spent five days hiking in the Negev. With the support of Ido, the British workshop madrich, they planned and ran the tiyul almost entirely on their own. During the preparation days, they learned how to navigate, including a practice navigation test throughout Rishon Letzion, planned their menu, planned fun activities, set goals for themselves and learned about safety on tiyulim. They also discussed their relationship to nature and watched the movie "Into the Wild." On Wednesday morning early, they headed down to begin hiking at Sde Boker. Over five days, they hiked over 60 kilometers through the desert. They overcame a lot of challenges, including a rainstorm in the middle of the night, with an amazingly positive attitude  and really enjoyed the time they spent together. The experience levels in the group varied significantly, but they met all of their challenges as a group and supported each other. It was an incredible experience, and for many of them the highlight of the year thus far.