Youth Group Goes To Universal 2010 by Gabi Hersch Orlando could not believe it. The city did not know what hit them! It was our synagogue, of course! The annual ‘youth group trip’ this year was a big success. A fairly large group this year, a van driven by your very own Rabbi, and a car driven the world-renowned Randi McAlpine were required to get all of the excited, rowdy teenagers to Orlando where they would embark on an incredible journey through the Universal and Islands of Adventure theme parks! A huge thanks goes out to Betty Massie for her huge help in providing a place to sleep for the night! As if travelling through strange cities on the way to the hotel was not enough adventure, upon arrival, the youth group members ran around the whole place to find where the rooms were with luggage strapped to their backs. Time flew by and before they knew it, all of the trip participants were gathered in one of the rooms playing an exciting game of cards and awed by Rabbi Barras and his one of a kind card magic tricks. The next morning, everybody bolted out of the hotel, eager to get to what they were all waiting for. As usual, there were a few problems purchasing the tickets, but our amazing, mind-boggling Rabbi somehow managed to surpass these issues and each of the grateful youth group members were given tickets. Not just ordinary tickets, however, but fast-pass! These tickets enable the holder a special right to wait in a completely different line then the ordinary ticket-holder and to sum it all up, fast-pass ticket holders do not have to wait long whatsoever. With such a large group, there were concerns that it would be split up. Not to fear, though, everybody stuck to each other like peanut butter and jelly and had a blast. All in all, the trip was an incredible, memorable experience filled with many roller-coasters, awesome rides, and a get-to-know-you-better moments. There was not a complaint, and the whole youth group drove back home sleepy, but happy. It will be just as spectacular next year, so new youth group members definitely have something big to look forward to! Thank you to Rabbi, Mrs. Randi McAlpine, and to all who went and their parents for helping to make this year’s youth group trip the best it could be. Temple Beth El youth group is like no other! Hope to see you next year!

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