Anice Stark of Toronto, Canada is a participant on the CAARI (Canadian American Active Retirees in Israel) program that began in Israel earlier this month. She says that everyone is having a great time learning about the history of the country, hearing from leading journalists, and most of all -- feeling like they are making a difference being in Israel. So far participants have helped children in schools, helped patients in hospitals, and assisted in the community organization, Koach L'Tet. Below, she recalls some trip highlights from last week:

January 24 - We visited the Minkov Museum, located in Rehovet, which was the site of the first orchard planted in Eretz Yisrael in 1904. The Museum has been restored by the Society for the Preservation of Israel Heritage Sites (SPIHS) and JNF is one of the supporters of this organization. Afterwards, we went on a tour of the exquisite grounds of the Chaim Weizman Institute. Very impressive! Our day ended at the Reshion Winery where we enjoyed a lovely dinner and sampled the wines of Israel!

January 25 - Business as usual -- we did community service work in the morning. It was a sunny, warm day which makes it comfortable for us North Americans. We had a free afternoon to look around, shop, or rest. In the evening a great speaker, Avi Issacharoff -- Haaretz Newspaper correspondent and Gaza expert -- spoke to the group and brought us up to date on the situation there.

January 26 - We traveled to Zichron Yaacov to visit the Arhonson House. The house has been restored with ancient furniture and has been made into a very interesting museum with the intriguing story of the NILI Spies that assisted the British in World War I. The town itself is as pretty as a picture -- high up in the Carmel Mountains. The main street is a pedestrian walkway with lots of shops and charming cafes. Our second stop was the First Aliya Museum, with a great history involving the early pioneers and their experiences.