Next Big Adventure!

Hello All,

I realized I haven't been on an adventure in a long time. So, I booked a flight to visit my unofficial brother and sister living in Tel Aviv! I'll be experiencing new adventures while in Israel. Of course, I'll be visiting my favorites:

• The Shuks
• The Beach
• The Malls
• Ha Yarkon Park
• Haifa

And Much Much More!

I'll also be eating at some of my favorite restaurants:

• Kanki Sushi
• Gusto
• Pasta Basta
• Moses Burgers

Plus hanging out with my besties!

Keep an eye out for more adventures!

Where Am I Now?

Long time since I've posted. So, with that being said, I decided to tell y'all what I've been up to.


After I got back from Israel, I decided to go to a Career Fair at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. That was a year ago. From the fair, I learned what it takes to go into different agencies around the US. After the job fair, I visited my cousin Ilene for the remainder of the weekend. I decided that in order to get a good head start in the counter-terrorism field, I need to get a starting job doing something similar. So, I applied to multiple places.

May 31st, 2016. That was the day I started my job at Walt Disney World. It's an amazing job with great benefits. My co-workers are all so nice and likable; which makes the job worth it. I also love those moments when kids come up and hug you or thank you. When you can make someone smile, it makes you smile. Although I cannot say too much about my job, I can say that I work at EPCOT aka where Elsa and Anna are (and no I'm not in Entertainment lol).

May! My 24th Birthday! Mom and I went to Gaitlynburg, TN for my birthday!

September 2016. Mom and I went to DragonCon for one night and it was a blast! I love doing trips with her!
My cousin also got married in September. The wedding was so beautiful! They got married on a farm! Like how cool! Here are some pictures:

Dad and I 

The location

Already married? apparently I am

With my Cousins

Getting Married

Let it go!

Bride and Groom Dancing

First Cousins

The wedding was so much fun!! 

A Day Spent At Museums in Jerusalem

Walking into the building knowing that at some point tears would be flowing down my face. I've been to Yad Vashem twice before. But this time, I was alone. I was surrounded by a whole bunch of Taglit Birthright groups and all I wanted to do was break down and cry. As a Jew, growing up, we were taught to never forget the Holocaust. In 10th grade, I did a project for my confirmation into Judaism on the Holocaust. I was even entered to show off my project at the community's Jewish Heritage Festival. Although they never gave my project back to me, the knowledge I have gained from doing it helped me realize that my heritage and culture was more important than ever.

Reading about what had happened to the children was the worst. That part in the museum made me cry so much. I still cannot believe that someone had the nerve to kill innocent children. But as I read the news today, such acts are still happening. Recently, Boko Haram, a radical Islamic group, killed at least 86 people, including people. Mass murders are still happening today and innocent children are still being killed. It just breaks my heart to read that holocaust type activities are still happening today.

After going to the depressing Yad Vashem: Holocaust Museum, I went to the Israel Museum. I've been the the museum before but didn't actually spend time there. I loved going through the museum and seeing all the art work, historical findings, and other museum items. I was amazed at how big the museum was. I have to admit that I did get lost a few times. But overall, I loved the museum!

My favorite part of the museum was seeing the Dead Sea Scrolls. The Dead See Scrolls were found between 1946 and 1956. There are roughly 981 different texts that were found. The scrolls were found in about 11 different caves located in the West Bank of the Jordan River in Israel. In the museum, you aren't allowed to take pictures of the scrolls. However, I was able to take pictures in the rest of the museum.

Below are a few pictures I took at the two museums:

Children's Memorial

Another Memorial at Yad Vashem

Artifacts in The Israel Museum

Painting in the Israel Museum

Artifacts

Menorah's from around the world

Painting

Ahava-Love

Sitting by the sculpture

Sculpture

Sculpture and me

My December 2015 in Israel

Going to the Scariest Place on Earth: Sderot

With less than 15 seconds to find the nearest shelter, Sderot is the scariest place on Earth. Sderot also has the most amount of shelters in the world. During my program, I had the opportunity to visit Sderot, along with a neighboring kibbutz of Sderot that is on the border of Gaza, and another neighboring community.

This is the wall that divides Israel from Gaza. 

This is a picture of a secondary wall and a security post on the Israeli side of the border.

The Israeli side of the border wants to show Gaza that they want peace.

Goldi's group in front of the secondary wall

Career Israel 19 in front of the secondary wall.

A group of ladies from Career Israel 19 talking as they walk to a lookout point to see Gaza from Israel.

A menorah made out of rockets in Sderot.

Itzik, one of my Madrichim, picking up an old and dead rocket that had fallen to Sderot from Gaza. The rocket could have been from Hamas or the Islamic State.

The sunset in Sderot.

The community of Gush Katif relocated from Gaza to Israel. Most of the community was shoved around from hotel to hotel until they ended up in temporary settlements like this one. 

A mural that most likely represents the community of Gush Katif.

While there were no rockets fired towards Sderot that day, a few days after we left, a rocket was launched from Gaza. Luckily it landed in an open field and there were no injures. Other times, they weren't so lucky. Kids as young as 2 have been killed from rocket fire. They never know when the next rocket will be launched, that is why I named it the most scariest place on Earth. Glad to know that Israel was an amazing defense system against rockets called the Iron Dome. :)

Hanukkah in Israel!

Shalom Y'all!

Hanukkah's story is similar to most of our Jewish holidays. Someone tried to kill us, we won, we eat! The Romans tried to kill the Maccabees. The temple was destroyed and the Maccabees found a vause with enough oil that should have lasted only one night. But to their surprise, the oil lasted 8 nights! That is why Hanukkah is celebrated for 8 nights and is called the Festival of Lights! 

This year I got to experience Hanukkah in Israel! Presents aren't a big thing here like in the states and other countries. Instead, they share love and laughter. I got to go on a Hanukkah tour through Jerusalem. 

Here are a few pictures from my Hanukkah experience:

It was really cool to see how much love and kindness that the people of Jerusalem had for us. 

Also, doughnuts here are so creative! One bakery had caramel corn on it! In case you don't already know, Hanukkah is a time where Jews love to eat fried food! So, we make doughnuts, fried dough, and potato pancakes or latkes. I love latkes! They are the best! 

In my family, we give a few gifts and my mom makes brisket and latkes. It's a fun time for all of us to get together and just enjoy each others company! Wish they were here with me this year!

Let me know your Hanukkah or Christmas traditions! Either leave a comment or email me at Haley.Brianne.Scherr@gmail.com! 

XOXO

-Haley

For The Foodie In All OF Us!

Shalom Y'all! Here is a short blog of all the yummy food I have encountered so far! Some of it is Israeli, some not so much! Enjoy!

**disclaimer: Chanah Schnoll sent me a few of these pics, so thank her please for being a foodie!**

Chinese Food 

I made Challah, a traditional Jewish bread

My Cappuccino 

Aroma: Israel's Starbucks

Chicken with half of a tomato

Tacos

Matzo Ball Soup I Made

Sushi

Shawarama and Falafel in Pita 

Melon Shake at my favorite spot

Rachel comparing the schnitzel to her head

Tuna sandwich

Fun drink

Challah with an Israeli flag

Kit Kat flavored chocolate milk in a bag

Apples, Honey, and Honey Bread for Rosh Hashanna

Thanksgiving Meal

Look at the yummy healthy food

Falafel in a salad

Belgian Waffle

Pizza

Soup

Another waffle

Hummus

Ramen 

Shashuka: Made with egg and tomato sauce

Doesn't everything look amazing???? I bet you are hungry just looking at it! Let me know if you would like to know more information on any of the food items!

XOXO
-Haley :)