Wandering in the Desert

First off, Shanah Tova!
It's been a while since the last post, but there's a good reason, I promise. School keeps me busy and regular life is jam packed, but for the last 5 days, we have been in the south of Israel around Eilat and the Jordanian border for our desert experience. On Shabbat we spent the night in a Beduin tent after spending the day at various agricultural sites learning how the desert has been tamed to support farms and villages. On Saturday, we began with camel rides and services led by yours truly, and then it was off to learn about bee-keeping, another thriving industry in the desert. The day ended with a brief swim in the Red Sea and then we spent the night in a youth hostel overlooking Eilat. Monday morning began with the sunrise and a hike up Mount Tzfachot. Then came snorkeling in the Red Sea and relaxation and Erev Rosh Hashanah services at Kibbutz Yahel, south of Eilat. Monday brought the holiday and a completely free day at Yahel, which was a blessing. Today, we woke up early to hear a seminar about the relatively new emergence of Judaism in West Africa, which you can learn more about by looking up William Miles, proffessor of political-science at Northeastern University, and what he has to say on the topic. We spent the rest of the day learning about agriculture and how to be environmentally sustainable in the desert at Kibbutz Lotan. Finally, I am writing this from the bus back to Kibbutz Tzuba. We spent 3 hours driving through a sandstorm/thunderstorm/lightning/rainstorm and I cannot be happier to be going back to Jerusalem.
Chag Sameach and Shanah Tova to everyone!