On Sunday morning I took the bus to Raanana to visit my cousins. They put up a really nice succah which I got to eat in. I learned more about what it means to live in an Orthodox home. I enjoyed getting to know my family better and look forward to other visits. On Tuesday, my friend Orly picked me up and we drove up to the Lebanese border. Went on a boat ride and visited the grottos that are right on the border. On Wednesday Orly and I drove around the border with the Gaza Strip. Saw Kibbutz Keten Shalom, the closest kibbutz to the Rafiah crossing on the border with Egypt and Gaza. We walked on a hanging bridge over the River Bsor, the largest river in the Negev. It actually had water in it. Ate lunch in Sderot which is the town that is mostly targeted by Hamas and went to the beach directly north of Gaza so we can get a few of the Strip. Also saw an Iron Dome installation which was impressive. We read all about this stuff but it is something else to actually be there. These towns and kibbutzim are thriving in spite of the threat. There was alot of new construction going on in Sderot. There was extensive farming though Orly said the kibbutzim struggle financially if they rely only on agriculture. Many of the kibbutzim were founded by liberal Jews who were hoping to build relationships with their Arab neighbors. It is really sad to see these kibbutzim surrounded by barb wired fences and soldiers guarding the gates. Will be taking two tours over the next two days into the West Bank.