Last Motzei Shabbat, 17 Kinloss girls departed for an exciting trip to Paris, lead by Rebbetzen Tali, Rabbi Josh, and Elisheva Stanton, our youth director.
The trip was part of the new Kinloss ID Programme, a project started this year which seeks to give girls in Years 8 & 9 greater opportunities for engagement with the community while furthering their Jewish identities. This is achieved through unique trips within London, thought-provoking speakers, and of course, the trip abroad to Paris.
The goal of the trip to Paris was to explore the idea of self expression within Judaism, and of course to have a fun day bonding as a cohort. After arriving late Motzei Shabbat, the girls settled into the hostel in anticipation of a busy day in the morning. The day began with breakfast and ice breakers followed by a Kosher food and Jewish history tour of the Le Marais area. The girls enjoyed sampling macarons, various pastries, and falafel, while learning about how the Jewish presence in the area through the ages and the way in which Parisian and Jewish culture have fused today. Sites on the tour included the oldest shul in Paris and the ‘Square of the 260 Children’, which remembers the French children of the Holocaust.
We then made our way to the Trocadero Gardens over looking the Eiffel Tower followed by a boat ride along the River Siene. Everyone enjoyed baguette sandwiches on the boat while taking a few minutes to rest their legs and enjoy a break from the cold.
After disembarking from the boat, the group headed towards the luxurious high streets surrounding the Champs-Elyesee were we got to explore the Dior Galleries. The girls were in awe of the beautiful couture galleries and especially enjoyed perusing the gift shop afterwards. We then made our way to our final stop of the day – dinner! The group feasted on pasta, pizza and chips. At this point we also took a few minutes to reflect on the day and have discussions about the Jewish perspective on self expression and finding our own unique paths. Everyone made their way back to the Eurostar exhausted yet invigorated from a thrilling day filled with group bonding.
