Our first stop on Tuesday was to the ancient Roman ruins of Beit Shean, excavated between 1986 and 1996. The town featured a large semicircle theater and streets lined with columns. After Roman control, the town served many other masters, but was abandoned after a large earthquake in the year 749 AD.
Adam Bonder reverses the effects of a large earthquake on the ruins of Beit Shean.
Next we embarked on a family rafting trip down the “mighty” upper Jordan River, which was very similar to canoeing down the Mohican or similar river…more relaxing than adventurous.
A long drive up mountains took us to a kibbutz on the northern border with Lebanon for a lesson from the kibbutz’s security director. He then took us to their outer orchards overlooking the actual borderline, where we stopped a military envoy for a long discussion about their mission and the need for heightened security, considering the war with Lebanon in 2006. Most soldiers are fairly young, since military service is required after high school. (Men serve 3 years and women serve 2 years.) Our conversation was watched by UN observers across the border. Rabbi Caruso read a prayer for the soldiers and literally stood in solidarity with them.
Rabbi Caruso meets IDF troops at the Lebanon border.
United Nations observers keep an eye on our border meeting from the Lebanon border.
Our day ended visiting a Kabbalistic artist studio in the mystical city of Tzfat.
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