Today everyone woke up around 7:40 and ate breakfast. We went to visit a Druze village, Beit Jann, and met some kids from one of the best schools in Israel. We learned a lot about Druze culture. For example, Druze society has strict rules: marrying someone who isn’t Druze is frowned upon, and there is no gay marriage. You can’t convert to be a Druze – you must be born one. Girls must dress modestly and are not permitted to wear short clothes. It was interesting to learn that if a boy wants to date a girl, he must visit her parents house with his parents first in order to discuss their dating – it’s a small community so everybody would find out very quickly. We went to eat at a restaurant in a neighboring Druze village, Peki’in, and ate this amazing chocolate bread. We ate, talked to the locals and learned about the history of their village. We also visited women there who produce natural cosmetics. Afterward, we saw a very old synagogue. At the end of the day we hung out with our mishpachtons and got to present them our gifts! It was so great to see how excited the children were to receive the gifts!
