The marketplace was bustling with people and activity, everyone trying to get everything they needed ready before sundown. As crazy and foreign as it felt to us, this was just a typical Friday afternoon in Israel, my group was told. Women were trying to get their families and homes ready to celebrate the Shabbat that evening.

They needed to buy all the groceries, prepare all the food, and clean the house before the sun went down, because until sundown the next day, they cannot do any of that work. I found it ironic that this much work goes into preparing for the day of rest. But this hectic lead up is well-worth the Shabbat experience of winding down and spending quality time with your family, appreciating the small things in life.

The other members of my Birthright group and I learned to live like the locals on the trip, not taking the elevator, cutting food, or traveling in vehicles during the Shabbat. Instead, we reveled in each other’s company, enjoyed free time, and napped, which is a mitzvah (good deed) on Shabbat. Some people organized a soccer game with the local Israelis while others watched and cheered. Every time one of us would pass another during this time, we would smile and say, “Shabbat shalom.”

I learned to love celebrating Shabbat, especially because I so rarely take the time to just sit and relax. The focus on Shabbat is on being, not doing. You’re supposed to chew your food more times than usual, savoring every flavor in each bite. You’re supposed to truly appreciate life’s treasures, not succumb to the man-made world. After only celebrating one Shabbat, I woke up day after day throughout the week looking forward to the next weekend, when I would have time to unwind and escape from everyday stressors.

I vowed to take these traditions with me when I left Israel. Granted, I knew I wasn’t going to be able to spend weekends without traveling in vehicles or turning on lights, but I wanted to be sure to take the time to sit and be. Unfortunately, as I readjusted to life in the United States, where none of my friends celebrate Shabbat, it was only a matter of time until I slipped back into my old habits. But occasionally I do manage to squeeze in a little time for myself and I try to bring my mind back to Israel, where it’s okay to just celebrate life.