Let's Swim, Dig, and Ride a Camel!

Monday July 26, 2010 - Day 6 (as observed by Malia Lewis and Margot Damaser)

The day began with loading the bus at 7:30am before breakfast at the Kibbutz Tirat Tzvi dining hall. A wonderful Israeli-American breakfast with fresh salads, fried eggs, cheeses, tuna, and granola. We boarded the bus and Steve took over the microphone for a few minutes to announce his suggestion of the word of the day: “liberal.” He even provided his own creative translation in Hebrew.



































We then headed to the natural pools at Sachneh National Park in the Beit Shean Valley, not far from the kibbutz. We swam in fresh water so clear you could see the bottom even in the deep parts. There was a natural cave to swim into, a waterfall to stand under, shallow parts, and deep parts. It was a welcoming spot for a variety of Israeli families to escape the heat of summer, including Muslim families with the women wearing full body swim suits, Orthodox Jewish families, and secular families of all sorts. The water was cool but not cold and just about everyone went for a dip.


After driving off we made our way northwest to pick up Highway 6, Israel’s only toll road, to head south for our archeological dig. It is the fastest road in the country and took us within a few hundred feet of the West Bank, including the city of Qalkilya and the Jewish settlement just next to it. David explained to us about the wall alongside the highway, separating the highway from the West Bank. The drive to the archeological dig was long, giving us all time to relax and nap and get to know each other some more.





















































We had brought bag lunches along and so needed only a short stop for lunch and bathrooms near the site of Tel Maresha where Archeological Seminars runs their program for amateur archeologists such as us. Arriving at Tel Maresha, we were met by our guide, Avi, who proceeded to use several baseball caps placed on top of each other on Benjamin’s head to explain that a Tel is the mound that results from several different civilizations building on top of each other. Avi continued his entertaining style of guiding throughout our visit to Tel Maresha, ensuring that even the most skeptical and the most distracted among us both had fun and learned something.


The most significant civilization at this site were Edomites at the time of the Chanukah story, approximately 2500 years go. The ground is made of soft rock covered by a shell of a hard rock. So, the Edomites dug through the hard rock and dug out the soft rock to create caverns that they used for work and storage. They even kept doves and pigeons underground by digging out crevices in the wall for them to build their nests and providing holes to bring light in. We got to see the graffiti they left behind on the cavern walls but were strictly advised not to leave our own. When the Edomites fled the Maccabean army, they destroyed the houses they had built on top of the caverns and shoved the debris into the caverns to destroy those as well. Archeological Seminars is funded by groups such as ours who come in to experience an afternoon of archeological work and occasionally find something of importance.
We began by digging in the dirt in one of the rooms of a cavern and found shards of pottery, shells, and animal bones. Avi estimated they need to dig through about 10 feet of dirt and artifacts to get to bedrock and that this takes approximately 10 years. After a half hour or so, the schlepping part of the afternoon began, during which we each brought a bucket of dirt up the steps. We then sifted the dirt to find smaller finds than we were able to identify while digging. All the finds we made today will be cleaned and processed to determine if they are significant. If not, they will be given to future visitors to Archeological Seminars.


After we had gone through all the dirt, we had the choice of seeing a new cavern just as it is when first discovered or seeing a cavern that is fully dug out, down to bedrock. Most of us chose to experience the new cavern and proceeded to lower ourselves through grain silo holes and squeeze through nearly filled up passageways on our knees and our backs, lit only by Shabbat candles placed along the route. At the end Avi described the best finds they had discovered at Tel Maresha and allowed us to take a few processed pottery shards home as souvenirs from the time of Judah Maccabee.














































Afterward we got back on the bus for a couple of hours to go to Kfar HaNokdim Bedouin Ranch for a camel ride and Bedouin dinner. The camel rides were very exciting, especially while the camel gets up and down. Some also rode donkeys. After the ride and a little wash we had Bedouin tea and coffee with our guide who told us about Bedouin culture, both traditional and modern. Each Bedouin man is allowed, by Bedouin tradition, to have up to 4 wives! This was followed by a Bedouin style dinner with communal dishes for the table that everyone takes from. It was not so different from an Ethiopian dinner in which the food is served on top of Injira bread. In this case the food was served on a flat pita bread.

After our dinner and family photos with the sun setting behind the desert dunes, we got back on the bus to go to Arad and our hotel for a brief rest before our early rise tomorrow to climb Masada.

Tel Dan, IDF Soldiers, and Kibbutz Life

Day 5 (as observed by the Fineberg Family)

We were on our way! With Tzfat in the rear view mirror, Shlomo, our amazing driver had us on our way to our next adventures.

First, we headed to the Tel Dan Nature Reserve for a walk where we saw olive trees, the headwaters of the ‘mighty” Jordan River and amazing ruins. City gates that once marked the entrance to a Canaanite city were discovered in the 1990’s and unearthed for all to visit . It is incredible to see these 3000 year old structures and be able to walk through them. Our family walked where our ancestors once did.

Next, we met with a man named Eitan from Kibbutz Malkiya that is right on the border with Lebanon! We saw the remnants of a rocket lobbed at the kibbutz in 2006! It was a real attention-getter! While at the kibbutz, we were taken to a kiwi orchard and recent b’nai mitzvah kids on the trip planted a kiwi plant in the ground. All together, we stood in the orchard, in a show of solidarity and spoke the words of our ancestors for all to hear! From the kibbutz, we went to an IDF post and met the incredibly brave and charming soldiers stationed there. They were so happy to see us and vice-versa. They were embraced and showered with gifts and we thanked them for their service. Several of them signed Benjamin’s IDF cap! It was “way cool”!

And there was more…

From the border with Lebanon, we headed to Beit Shean, our Partnership 2000 city. We walked the Roman ruins that were unearthed in the 1990’s. As one of the group said, it was like being in Pompeii!. Only 10% has been uncovered and it is enormous! We sat in the ancient theater and walked the colonnade where shops once stood. There were mosaics in the floor. History is alive in a setting like that!

On to our kibbutz experience. We were invited to spend time with a young couple who are “renters”. They live on the kibbutz with their young daughter. The husband, Eitan, works there and Sarah is a nurse and works at a hospital. It seemed to me that they had the best of both worlds; Family, friends, a sense of community as well as things that they own. They were very modern, which was different from what I anticipated. Community dinner was very “Hamish” and the soup was delicious. Then to bed with dreams of ruins and sounds of peacocks in our heads!

July 14, 2010 - Day 4 (as observed by Brett and Liz Krantz)


Shabbat greetings! Today was a relaxing day when each family (and each person within a family) could choose to spend the day in whatever manner they believed appropriate. For one group the day began with an outdoor Torah study led by Rabbi Caruso. An awesome place to have such a talk.















When everyone finished their breakfasts, a group of intrepid explorers made their ways up the hills of Tzfat (or Safed if you prefer) to the ruins of the Crusader Citadel that sits on top of the mountain around which the city has grown. The Citadel was over 10 acres and is generally believed to have been the largest Eastern Crusader Citadel. At the top of the Citadel stood a monument to the Jews of the city who fought for their freedom after independence was declared. Though the streets of the city were mainly empty, except those praying outside or apparently heading to pray, at the monument was a group of soldiers (or as we call them teenagers). The soldiers were fully armed, looking out over the Golan Heights towards Syria and were being told the story of the struggle for Tzfat during the war of independence. So what was happening was a group of Jewish soldiers were standing in a Christian Citadel, which the Muslims leaders had allowed the Crusaders to build as part of a treaty, followed by another group of Muslim leaders who chased the Crusaders from the Citadel and then pulled it down. In a way, this was a tiny microcosm of the history, dilemma and struggle that has pervaded this part of the world for 2000 years.

In the afternoon the group could choose to do whatever they fancied. Remember though, all the stores are closed today. Coffee shops and ice cream stores will open at 9 P.M. for the "evening". Many decided that a perfect place to recharge in the hot sun was the beautiful pool "underneath" the hill where the hotel sits. Adults and kids all enjoyed the respite and got a wonderful chance to know each other better. Others figured that a trip to the spa for a massage was a perfect solution to the sore back which happened rafting down the mighty Jordan yesterday. And finally, certain teenagers choose to take the "day of rest" to heart and managed to wake-up only for mealtimes.

This evening we will have a discussion and a Havdalah service. Altogether a truly pleasant day for all of us to look at the way Shabbat is spent by some Israelis and to spend it ourselves with family as well as friends - both old and new.

Sefat and Rafting on the Jordan River

Day 3 - As Reported by Rick Leibovich and Ellen Halfon















We began day 3 in Israel in Tzfat, one of the four holy cities in Israel, famous for ancient Jewish mysticism (Kabbalah) and a modern-day art colony. We began the day with a delicious buffet breakfast of smoked fish, omelets, breads, yogurts, oatmeal, cereal, grilled tomatoes, olives, and homous. We then strolled the streets of Tzfat passing dozens of beautiful art galleries with the constant refrain from David Solomon (our guide) saying "Don't worry, we'll have lots of time later to explore the art galleries at your leisure."







































We saw the ancient synagogue of Rabbi Joseph Caro, the author of the famous Shulchan Aruch (which translates to "The Set Table") the definitive resource book that serves as a "how-to manual" for performing mitzvot. Both this synagogue and another we visited were very colorfully decorated and welcoming, with the traditional style of the bima in the center rather than on a stage, with seating all around. David explained that this creates a very communal feeling since the people can look up and see faces instead of the backs of the other congregants.

David told us about the battles that were fought in Tzfat just before and during the '48 war. We saw the holes in a building from the mortar shells. David does a wonderful job of recreating the history and helping us to picture and experience all that has happened here. Tzfat is also very colorful and much of the city is painted sky blue. The four holy cities, Jerusalem, Hebron, Tiberius and Tzfat represent the four element, and Tzfat is "air". So, the blue is supposed to create the feeling of being in the heavens.




















































The winding streets and beautiful galleries made for a wonderful experience. Everyone seemed to find something they loved. Jill found an amazing ring, several of us bought prints from a special artist, Sondra Weiss, Rabbi Caruso's mother, found a very original bracelet that "spoke to her." Rick's mom found some great earrings, and many of us bought kippot and other judaica. All of us would have loved a little more time (sigh), but every family took away a little bit of Tzfat, both in the material and spiritual. We went to one gallery where the owner is 18th generation in Tzfat (!); his children are 19th generation. How many places in the worlds can one say that?








































After the streets of Tzvat, we got on the bus and drove to the Jordan River. Not so "mighty" anymore, it is still beautiful. We all slathered on sunscreen and donned our hats and hopped into rafts and kayaks to go down the river. What a lazy, wonderful day. It is just so amazing to be on the river we have all read about in the Bible! A group of cows grazing and drinking by the water watched as we floated by. Everyone made it, some a little more or less gracefully than others, and then we headed back to the hotel to freshen up and prepare for Shabbat. Some of the men went to the traditional and historical mikvah, while the rest of us rinsed off the river water and mud.

We are headed off to two synagogues to enjoy a Tzfat Shabbat with lots of singing and dancing, that often literally spills into the streets with joyous "ruach" (spirit) and then we'll return to our hotel for a leisurely Shabbat feast.

Shabbat Shalom!

The Halfon Leibovich family (Rick, Ellen, Shaina, Adin, and Mira)

Tel Aviv, Haifa, and Tzfat

Day 2 Anshe Chesed Israel Trip, July 22, 2010 by Theresa and Mitchell Lapin















After being rudely awakened by a mandatory 6:30 a.m. wake-up call, we were mollified with a breakfast buffet that could probably feed an entire Bedouin tribe and their camels. I don’t even know what to call this “spread”—it was breakfast, brunch, lunch, snacks, dessert and dinner all in one. This made me very happy as one of the main tenets of any of my travels is to be nourished often and well; after all, world travel takes a lot out of a person.
































We all boarded the bus at the designated time to make our way to our appointment at the Palmach Museum which depicts the development of the State of Israel as an independent nation and homeland for the Jewish people in the most extraordinary way. It focuses on the enormous efforts and sacrifices made by the military starting with assisting the British forces during World War II with the development of the Haganah and the creation of the special forces, the Palmach, after the war. It showed not only the struggle for independence, but the harrowing crusade to bring all of the refugees from the Holocaust to their new home. The museum took us through different rooms and told the story through the eyes of an actual Haganah troop interactively through sights, sounds and even smells. It is amazing what these young volunteers accomplished with the very limited weaponry and resources, often sharing one rifle between the 12 men and women in the troop.
The museum was powerful and, for me, brought all the bits and pieces of information that I had heard about into one comprehensive story. There was everything from action to romance to drama; something for everyone. I got caught up in the comraderie and passion for a united cause, and it had me wondering if I would have been brave enough to sign up had I lived during that time.


Time to eat again! Falafel, shwarma, salads, oh my! After lunch, the group had two options of what to do in Haifa.













































In our family, Nathan and I visited the Wadi Nis Nas neighborhood and the Beit Hagefen Arab Jewish center. We learned about the center’s efforts to promote partnership and understanding between Jews, Arabs and Christians and the different cultural and political conflicts that make the cooperation so difficult. The center uses the arts—music, plays, writings—to cross some of the boundaries. As we strolled through the narrow, meandering streets, our guide pointed out beautiful works of art that were randomly installed right onto the buildings and homes, many carrying meaningful messages about this struggle to live better together.















My other half chose Option B, a tour of the Technion. Technion could be considered the MIT or CalTech of Israel. A sophisticated, high energy school devoted to electrical engineering and aerospace, process and industrial design, architecture and civil engineering. The quick tour was reminiscent (for any of you who have done the college circuit) of a campus tour although without the dorm or food questions invariably asked. Technion also has a separate section of the school called “Rafael” that concentrates on government defense and security issues, designs and planning. In the Yom Kippur war, with missiles raining down on Israel, this group went onto the battle field, collected parts of exploded rockets, figured out how they were guided and developed jamming systems to stop the enemy from using the rockets with any accuracy. At this point, the adults and kids split up and while we went on a short tour, the kids played games with Reut and Sruli…definitely a good choice! We walked through one of the computer “farms” with cubicles set up and students working on all sorts of…G-d only knows what. Fortunately for them, Steve saw a flaw in one of the more complex formulas. Fortunately for us, he kept quiet about it until we left! When attempting to leave the cubicle area, we were locked in since no one’s key card would unlock the door. Go figure, we are in a high tech, secure area devoted to engineering and electronics and the electronic lock doesn’t work. Later, we noticed that they had a high tech door hold open (otherwise known as a chair) which had been pushed out of the way. Fortunately someone came from the outside and opened the door to let us out. It could not have been the design in such a high tech space, blame it on the contractor!








































We all joined as one and relaxed on the bus ride from Haifa to Tzfat witnessing the changing scenery from the coast, through farmland and up into the mountains. This is one of the most amazing things about Israel. One can see ocean, dessert, forests, mountains and seas in a span of about nine hours from North to South. Heck, it takes five hours just to drive across Ohio. On our first evening in Tzfat, we visited with an artist who taught us a little bit about Kabbalism and his spiritual journey. It was an awwwww-sommme day.














Even rabbis have to nap sometimes!

And now....Lev Aryeh Caruso's Thought of the Day:
if you are ever in Israel and you get to choose one attraction in Tel Aviv, choose the Palmach museum.

Tel Aviv

Day 1 Blog Post by Christine Weiss

After the necessary “sleep-less” night flight into Ben Gurion, Tel Aviv we were happy to be greeted by traditional sunny hot Israeli weather. We spent just a few moments orienting, freshening up, changing money and boarding our bus for the quick trip to Old Jaffe where we stood on the tel to toast our freedom and the fact that we can just hop on a plane and come here. We remembered that was not always the case and still is not for some. We had a glimpse of Tel Aviv, down the coast line, and learned the beginning of its history.

We joined together again to observe the place that Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated on November 4, 1995 and continued on to Rabin Square.

Sprite in Hebrew

Then the search for falafel began in earnest on the streets of Tel Aviv where we found everything from Shwarma, to falafel to Buddah Burgers, and even pizza for a few pickier eaters!

The weather was hot and jet lag was prevalent but we managed a short stop at Independence Hall to learn a more complete history of Tel Aviv. We sat in the very room where Ben Gurion declared Israel a state on 1948.

Soon we headed to the hotel for a much needed rejuvenating swim in the clear and very warm Mediterranean Sea. The day ended with a welcome meal in the Yemenite Quarter of Tel Aviv where we were served, among other things, falafel!