We have ARRIVED!  We were at Newark 3 hours early, as they requested, and found out why!  Once you go through the regular check-in and security, you go through a completely other set to get inside the secured gate area for the trip.  We did manage to get some lunch and then were on the plane.  The plane was HUGE!  (Remember, it's me, Laura - little girl from Maine writing this)  I have never been on such a big plane!  We were in seats towards the rear of the plane and it was a long walk to get there!!!  The plane was sold-out, not one seat was available.  We had an empty seat between us and as the flight attendants were wrapping up their pre-flight schedules, one said, "Don't worry, that seat will be taken in a minute".  We laughed , the captain shut the doors, and no one ever arrived to take the seat.  My take on it is that it was the seat for God to sit in so I wouldn't freak out about the ride!  (It worked nicely, thank you God!)  At 5:00 pm, the pilot came on and suggested we all change our watches to midnight.  So by the time Paul completed that, it became tomorrow (which is now today! - very cool Harry Potter  - like stuff!)  We arrived without incident at Tel Aviv and right on schedule.  When we came through the gate, there was a man standing their with a placard with  "Whitmore" on it.  I laughed and said to him, (as a joke), you must be here for me and he said, I am if you are Laura!  You could have blown me over with a feather!  I have ALWAYS wanted to be one of those placard people!!  We arrived at our hotel and it is located right on the beach of the Mediterranean Sea.  Our room wasn't ready so they sent us to the Business Lounge on the 9th floor (clearly some kind of secret not meant for the average Joe!)  and then a lovely man named Gustavo Scuppa took pity on us, upgraded our room, and now we are living in the lap of luxury!  We are about to put on bathing suits (I will spare you THOSE photos) and go swimming in the ocean - the weather is about 85 degrees and sunny.  Our love to you all and we are so grateful for this trip of a lifetime!