Mon, Mar 18 - Volunteer Service & Free Time

No wake up call was scheduled but some still received a 7 am reminder to be up and make good use of our Free Day. Slightly overcast skies greeted us, but the day turned brought sunshine rather than rain. By 10 am many of us left to join John on the Ramparts Walk around the Old City or to join Patricia and Sharon for volunteer work arranged through ICEJ. Avi dropped Sharon and her group of in the Ultra Orthodox area where we packed food hampers for needy people for Pesach. Our work was carried out at the Ezrat Avot Foundation that was organized by Rabbi Shlomo Gamliel when he was 106 (yes, 106 years of age)!! Today his work is being continued by his granddaughter Naomiwho is now in her 70s. Some of talked of returning to Israel to do a few days of volunteer work a Ezrat Avot before touring more of Israel. Patricia and her group helped prepare and serve lunch at a nearby soup kitchen. What a pleasure it was to "give back" to some of the people of this land. I think every group managed to get in some shopping...... Arrangements were made for an early dinner, and then we were off to a tour of the Western Wall and tunnels. Herod was certainly a great builder!!