Israel Tour 2008
To view photos from Tour click here
Thursday, August 7th
Shalom (almost for the last time) to all of you,
This morning the group woke up and drove to Maccabi Tzair summer camp in the woods of ‘Pardes Hanna’ (next to Caesarea). A setting of an outdoor camp is very new to everybody. Everyone in camp sleeps under the stars and lives in the forest. Because the group is there for one day only they are not going to have the opportunity to do that, but they are
going to have a taster of camp life in the woods. They are not doing
this alone as they have some new Israeli friends now that they already know from home hospitality, so I believe that they are going to enjoy this day of camp. During the day the group will also take part in some outdoor activities, including camping, survival and Maccabi Tzair values etc.
This day is also very special to the camp itself as it is the last day of camp for them as well. After 10 days of living in the woods the Israeli participants and the Madrichim are going to have a closing ceremony and our group is going to be a part of it.
Maccabi Tzair (Hebrew for young maccabi); Maccabi Tzair is an educational and sporting national youth movement based on Jewish & Zionist values. 1929 was a year of exceptional significance in Maccabi history. A worldwide Maccabi Conference was held, and approved preparation of the 1st Maccabiah which took place in 1932, and the establishment of a youth group, Maccabi Tzair (“Young Maccabi”), in each sports association, to thoroughly integrate things like scouting, camp craft and culture with sports activities, as the Maccabi Movement’s informal education branch to school Jewish youth in the Movement’s values. Maccabi Tzair in Israel was however, set up only in 1933, spreading across the country, to places like Metulla, Rosh Pina, Rishon Lezion, Petach Tikva, Yesod Hama’ala and Atlit, attracting thousands of youths and children. Maccabi Tzair members played a substantial part in the struggle for Israel’s independence, forming into groups that joined the Palmach, some of which later established settlements such as Kfar HaMaccabi and Kibbutz Solelim. Due to the lack of a supporting settlement body for Maccabi Tzair, (unlike other more movements), the Maccabi nature of these settlements faded away and they joined the United Kibbutz Movement. Over the years, Maccabi Tzair continued as the Maccabi Movement’s main educational branch and the training ground and largest source of future leaders. Naturally, over the years many changes were made in the Movement's institutions and in its various roles and ways of implementing its goals, but at all times Maccabi Tzair was distinguished from other youth movements in its use of sport as an educational tool, like MWU, teaching Jewish values and Zionism, accepting the fact that its members have various personal inclinations and views, and eschewing a particular political approach.
Then the group is going to have their goodbye party which will run well into the early hours of the morning! I’m sure it will be hard on them to start saying their goodbyes after a month together full of adventure and experiences.
In our Maccabi GB tour brochure we said; “Maccabi GB promises you a unique experience never to be forgotten. By touring with us you can also enjoy a future in the movement where you can give back and make a difference to other people’s lives.”
We were trying to keep up to our word and almost certain we did a very good job. Your kids will come home tomorrow different; more mature, more knowledgeable, more connected to Maccabi GB and to the land of Israel.
Also, let’s not forget they will be coming home with new life long friends.
Have a great day,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Wednesday, August 6th
Shalom everyone,
Tonight and tomorrow it is time for the group to say their goodbyes; but before they actually start to say goodbye, the group went for a bike ride in the Ben Shemen forest until lunch time. On the way they stopped in different places and learnt about the history of the forest, its significance to the history of the land and the environment of Israel.
This evening the group is going to have a Sikkum. What is Sikkum? Sikkum in Hebrew means to talk and summarise about the tour; their feelings, things to keep for next year's tour and things to improve on. They will speak about how they are going to move on and become more involved with Maccabi GB and talk about howthey will keep Israel in their future and how they will bring the Maccabi GB Israel tour experience to their homes, family and friends.
After talking about tour and the the memories they will hold of this entire fabulous month, the group will be going for dinner in a restaurant in Tel Aviv! The last night before the goodbye party tomorrow is going to very exciting, I am sure.
Today the update is short, but the groups' day is very long and full as they prepare for their last night together and the big farewell party. It will be a long goodnight and very early morning before the flight back to the UK.
Have a great day,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Tuesday, August 5th
Shalom to all,
It is almost the end of tour and the group is tired but very happy. After a nice breakfast at the hotel, the group took a short trip to Ben Shemen, a forest not far from Modi’in where they had a morning of outdoor training that included rope walking and different team building exercises and leadership games; e.g. every one trying to walk together on two planks of wood. The morning was capped off with the most fantastic picnic lunch that everyone enjoyed.
The area of Modi’in and Ben Shemen forest is also connected to the history of the Maccabees. It is where the Maccabees tombs are (according to history records) and it is where the family of Judah the Maccabi was from… this is where the entire story of the Maccabees started.
The Ben Shemen Forest consider being one of the largest forests in Israel, it is also the Green spot of Tel Aviv area. The Ben Shemen forest was the first one to be planted on lands purchased by Keren Kayemeth Le’Israel - Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) in 1905. In 1908, olive trees were planted at the"Herzl Forest" in Ben Shemen in memory of Benjamin Ze’ev Herzl. This forest, together with the "Herzl Forest" planted later at Hulda, are the oldest KKL-JNF forests in Israel. The first Jewish settlement in the in the Ben Shemen area covered 100 dunam (1 dunam is about ¼ acre) in the heart of which an olive oil factory was founded. The Hebrew word "Shemen" means oil, and in fact the Ben Shemen forests owe their name to this olive oil factory which was unfortunately destroyed by fire in 1915. In the Fifties, afforestation efforts received a new impetus with the settlement of new immigrants employed in tree planting in the area. At this time, the Ben Shemen area, which was known as the Modi'in Region, developed rapidly. New settlements such as Gimzu, Kfar Daniel, Bet Arif, Bet Nehemia and Hadid were established and access roads were built. In the Sixties, KKL-JNF blazed along the Modi'in riverbed a "patrol road" which was used by the Israel Defense Forces until the Six Day War. A main road to the Modi'in region was also built and the foundations which have enabled the development of tourism in the area were laid. The Modi'in Fire Observation Tower and amphitheater, as well as and numerous recreation areas were established in the Ben Shemen area. Later on, memorial sites, as well as a KKL-JNF tree planting center, were established within the Ben Shemen forests. The interesting site of "Neot Kedumim" in which Biblical plants are grown and nurtured was built at the edge of the Ben Shemen Forests.
The group then went back to the hotel for a quick change and rest and then left for Jerusalem. Every time you go to Jerusalem there is something new to see and to do as Jerusalem have so much history, depth and knowledge in it.
So the group went to ‘Bait Hakneset Ha’Gadol’ (Hebrew for; the Great synagogue).
The Great Synagogue of Jerusalem is located at 58 King George Street, Jerusalem. As early as 1923 the Chief Rabbis of Israel (Abraham Kook and Jacob Meir) mooted plans for a large central synagogue in Jerusalem. It was over 30 years later in 1958 when Heichal (palace) Shlomo, seat of the Israeli Rabbinate, was founded, that a small synagogue was established within the building. As time progressed and the need for more space grew, services were moved and held in the foyer of Heichal Shlomo. Soon afterwards, when the premises could not hold the number of worshippers attending, it was decided that a new, much larger synagogue be built. The plot of land next to Heichal Shlomo was purchased with the efforts of Dr Moshe Avrohom Yaffe, chairman of the Board of Management of Heichal Shlomo. The main sponsor for construction of the new synagogue was Sir Isaac Wolfson, a Jewish philanthropist form Britain. The Wolfson family consecrated the synagogue in the memory of the six million Jews who perished in the holocaust and to the fallen soldiers of Israel Defense Forces. The style of the building was modeled on the Jewish Temple which once stood in Jerusalem. The inauguration took place on Tu B'Av 1982. Naftali Hershtik was appointed the chief cantor of the synagogue, a position he holds to this day. The sanctuary seats 850 men and 550 women. A comprehensive private collection of mezuzah cases is on show inside the entrance hall.
At the center of the world, between East and West, where the past flirts with the present; Jerusalem awaits you. Colorful, exciting Jerusalem is the cornerstone of the three great religions and now the symbol of the modern State of Israel.
So after a visit to the Synagogue the group went to the Mamila-Alrove area to see how old and new mix together. The Mamilla-Alrov quarter offers a unique lifestyle, tranquility, culture and more – all within walking distance of the Western Wall.
In the last few evenings the group has been preparing their own evening activities for tonight. I am sure they all enjoy it as they did last few evenings.
Have a great day,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Monday, August 4th
Shalom everybody,
Today the group had a very significant day as they went to Yad’ Vashem and visited MountHerzel cemetery whilst learning about the subject of heroism, Jewish heroes and leadership.
They started with visiting Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority, and hearing a live testimony from a holocaust survivor.
Yad Va’Shem the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority was established in 1953 by an act of the Israeli government. Since its inception, Yad Vashem has been entrusted with documenting the history of the Jewish people during the Holocaust period, preserving the memory and story of each of the six million victims, and imparting the legacy of the Holocaust for generations to come through its archives, library, school, museums and recognition of the Righteous among the Nations. Located on Har Hazikaron, the Mount of Remembrance, in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem is a vast, sprawling complex of tree-studded walkways leading to museums, exhibits, archives, monuments, sculptures, and memorials.
The group also learnt about the Holocaust and the Maccabi movement through the story of Fredy Hirsh.
The name of Fredy Hirsch goes hand in hand with the education of children and youth in the Terezin Ghetto and later in the Birkenau “Family Camp”. Established, thanks to Hirsch’s initiative at Section BIIb of the Brikenau camp, the “Children’s Block” in particular became an extraordinary attempt to create an “oasis” in the midst of a death camp. The main objective of the Block was to create a slightly more sufferable environment for the smallest Auschwitz prisoners, where they could get away, if only for some time, from the surrounding tragic reality .Fredy Hirsch’s strong attachment to the ideals of scouting and Zionism has been forming since his early childhood spent in Aachen. Fredy was, as a boy, one of the leader’s pf the Jewish Scouting Movement of Germany, which maintained close relations to the ‘Makkabi Hacair’ sporting organisation. Fredy was a well-built handsome young man, an athlete standing tall with elegant pomade in his hair. He put much effort into working with the youth, teaching sports and preparing pioneers for Aliya in the "Promised Land".
After visiting Yad Vashem the group went to Mt.Herzel; a high hilltop in Jerusalem named after Theodore Herzel, the founder of modern political Zionism. Herzel's tomb lies at the top of the hill. In 1903, Theodor Herzel wrote in his will: "I wish to be buried in a metal coffin next to my father, and to remain there until the Jewish people will transfer my remains to Eretz Israel. The coffins of my father, my sister Pauline, and of my close relatives who will have died until then will also be transferred there."
Mount Herzel; It is also the burial place of three of Israel's prime ministers: Levi Eshkol who led Israel during its Six Day War victory in 1967, Israel's only woman Prime Minister, Golda Meir, Israel's only assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (and his wife Leah Rabin, a peace activist in her own right). Israeli presidents are also buried on Mt.Herzel, as are other prominent Jewish and Zionist leaders. Every Yom Ha’Atzmaut (Israel’s independent day) the opening ceremony of the national holidays happens on Mt.Herzel with a lot of participants from all over Israel and the world. More about Mt.Herzel;http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mount_Herzl
After this long intensive day, the group will be going to the city center to relax and have a free structured evening as they need time to digest everything they have learnt about and rest.
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Sunday, August 3rd
Shalom all,
What a great Shabbat it was!
It was the groups last Shabbat in Israel; they had a Shabbat committee who planned a Friday night programme, they had some relaxation time, time to talk and share their feeling towards the end of tour.
Last night they went to the city of Tiberius, where they walked by the water, did some shopping and finished with a disco party on a boat, sailing on the Kinneret. To sail on the Kinneret at night, with the warm breeze in your face, dancing with your friends and looking at the lights that are reflecting on the water from all around the Kinneret is just an amazing experience!
Tiberius; is a town on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee, Lower Galilee, Israel. It was named in honor of the emperor Tiberius. Tiberius was built at about AD 20 by Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great on the site of the destroyed village of Rakkat, and it became the capital of his realm in Galilee. The Sanhedrin, the Jewish court, fled to Tiberius. It was in fact its final meeting place before its disbandment. Following the expulsion of all Jews from Jerusalem after 135, Tiberius and its neighbor Sapphires became the major centers of Jewish culture. The Mishnah, which grew into the Jerusalem Talmud, may have begun to have been written here. In 613 it was the site where the Jewish revolt started coming into aid of the Persian invaders. Today, Tiberius is Israel's most popular holiday resort in the northern half of the country.
This is our last day in the north of Israel and we thought that a nice way to say goodbye to the north and to give back to Israel, would be by volunteering.
Maccabi GB has developed a strong relationship with the UJIA in England. UJIA invests in young people and education in Israel and the UK. UJIA's strategy is designed to help guarantee a sustainable and positive future for the people of the Galil and the Jewish community of the UK. UJIA’s programme is built around young people and education, which they see as the key to securing our future. The UJIA believes that the future of Israel and the Jewish Diaspora are dependent upon each other and that UJIA creates the 'living bridge' between our communities. This is why the group went to volunteer in one of the UJIA projects in the north, an absorption center in the city of Nahriyah, working with new immigrants.
What is an absorption center? Immigration has always been a serious Israeli concern, as evidenced by the ministerial rank given to the chief official in charge of immigration and the absorption of immigrants. Various institutions and programs have helped integrate immigrants into Israeli society. The most ubiquitous is the ulpan (pl., ulpanim), or intensive Hebrew language school. The merkaz klita, or absorption center, was developed in the late 1960s to accommodate the increased immigration that occurred between 1969 and 1975. These centers combined the ulpan with long-term (often exceeding one year) accommodation for families. With representatives of all the major ministries ideally on hand or on call, these centers were supposed to cushion the entry of the new immigrant (Olim, in Hebrew) into Israeli society. They were a far cry from the often squalid transition camps of the 1950s, a fact that did not go unnoticed by many Oriental Jews. In the late 1970s, at the height of immigration from the United States, there were more than twenty-five absorption centers housing almost 4,000 new immigrants. Taking all the forms of such immigrant-absorption institutions together- centers, hostels (for families without children) and residential ulpanim-almost 10,000 people were living in some form of them in early 1976. As of 1988 the occupancy had declined, as had Western immigration to Israel.
Some facts about Aliya to Israel; (from the ministry of immigrant absorption statistics):
- Since the beginning of 2008, 6586 new Olim (immigrants) made Aliya to Israel, from all over the world.
- In 2007 there were 19,856 new Olim.
- Since Israel was founded almost 3 million people made Aliya to Israel.
- Aliya from Russia in decline – Aliya from the UK increasing J
After the volunteering the group started its way to the mountains of Jerusalem where they are going to stay until Tuesday.
Tomorrow the group is going to visit Yad Va’Shem, which is the Holocaust Martyrs' and Heroes' Remembrance Authority. So tonight they will have an activity to prepare them for this, led by their Madrichim (Josh, Achva and Daniel), as tomorrow will be very meaningful day for all of them.
The group is going to stay in Ma’ale Ha’Chamisha hotel (which is in Kibbutz Ma’ale Ha’Chamisha).
Ma’ale Hachamisha Hotel has a magical and relaxing natural setting that combines a nature experience with the convenience of a quality hotel. Ma’ale Hachamisha Hotel is the perfect starting point for regional tours, national parks and jewels of nature with hiking and bicycling paths, local monasteries and wineries that are open to visitors. Intoxicating scent of pine and cypress trees, the clear fresh mountain air, the enchanting forests and breathtaking scenery of the Jerusalem Mountains
Have a great day,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Friday, August 1st
Shalom everybody,
Can you believe it is the group’s last Shabbat in Israel? I am sure that they are in shock as well. Time moves so fast especially when you’re having fun!
After winning the football match yesterday against the Arab Village and relaxing in the hot springs of Hamat Gader, this morning started with going to see a beautiful overview from Mount Ben-Tal;
The Mount Ben-Tal overlook is beautiful and provides stunning views of Mount Hermon and the Golan Heights. In a region where much is inaccessible to tourists due to restrictions on non-military traffic and poor roads, Mount Ben-Tal offers a rare and rewarding sight. The overlook is managed by Kibbutz Merom Golan, the first Kibbutz established in this region after the 1967 war. From the overlook one can see Mount Hermon (3,000 meters above sea level), several Druze villages as well as a network of old bunkers and trenches. Just to the east of Mount Bental is Syria, with Damascus lying just 60km away. In the Yom Kippur War of 1973, Mount Bental was the site of one of the largest tank battles in history.
Mount Bental is a key strategic point for Israel due to its advantageous observation point. Israel knew it can’t risk losing this mountain, nor any of the Golan Heights. The Syrians attacked the Golan with 1,500 tanks and 1,000 artillery pieces. Israel countered with only 160 tanks and 60 artillery pieces. The long stretch of valley in between Mount Bental and Mount Hermon became known as the ‘Valley of Tears’. The 100 Israeli tanks were reduced to seven under extreme enemy fire. However, the Israelis managed to take down 600 Syrian tanks in the process. The Syrians eventually retreated, but not without inflicting heavy casualties on Israel.
Looking at such a peaceful view was a perfect way to start Shabbat.
After this relaxing beautiful start the group went to visit a very special place today; Moshav Avney Eitan. Here they have an animal farm that teaches life skills through taking care of animals. Animal therapy is provided on this farm for main stream young people and also for people with special needs.
The group worked with the farm animals; feeding goats and young cows, weighing (just fetching them and bringing them to scale took so much time), taking care of horses etc.
Avnei Eitan (Hebrew: Strong Rocks), is an Israeli moshav (village) on the Golan Heights founded after the 1973 Yom Kippur War in honor of six Israeli soldiers who had been killed in battle. It is a largely religiously observant agricultural community located in a region sometimes referred to as the Hispin bloc, of religious communities in the southern Golan Heights. About eighty families live on Avnei Eitan, including twenty families who had been expelled from Gush Katif in the south of Israel. The community is host to the pre-military yeshiva, or mechina, named "Leadership Yeshiva Academy" or commonly referred to as Mechinat Avnei Eitan. This particular mechina caters to English speaking students from outside of Israel interested in the army.
After working with the farmers and having lunch and shopping time in the village of Katzerin, The group went back to the hotel and started planning their last Shabbat in Israel.
Shabbat Shalom to you all,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Thursday, July 31st
As I write this email the group are having lunch, following this they will head to the Kinneret cemetery where the 2 most important Israeli poets; Rachel the poet & Naomi Shemer, are buried (and not by chance). The group will read and listen to their songs, learn how to sing them (hopefully they will sound great even though they are singing in Hebrew!) and will explore how the songs and poems reflected and influenced the Israeli culture then and still do so today.
Rachel Bluwstein Sela (September 20, 1890 - April 16, 1931); was a Hebrew lyric poet of the Zionist settlement years, generally referred to by her pseudonym, Rachel the poet. At the age of 19, Rachel visited Eretz-Israel (the Ottoman province of Palestine) with her sister. The two were en route to Italy, where they were to study art and philosophy, but decided to make Aliyah and stay with the small Jewish settlement in Palestine. They settled in the settlement Rehovot and worked in its orchards; during this time, Rachel learned to speak Hebrew. Rachel later moved to the settlement of Kinneret on the shores of the Sea of Galilee, where she studied and worked in a women's agricultural school. At Kinneret, she met the Zionist leader A. D. Gordon who was to be a great influence on her life, and to whom she dedicated her first Hebrew poem. During this time, she also met and had an affair with Zalman Rubshov - object of many of her love poems - who later became known as Zalman Shazar and was the third president of the State of Israel. Rachel died on April 16, 1931, at the age of 41. She is buried in the Kinneret cemetery in a grave overlooking the Sea of Galilee, following her wishes as expressed in her poem If Fate Decrees. Alongside her are buried many of the socialist ideologues and pioneers of the second and third waves of immigration to Eretz-Israel. In recent years, Naomi Shemer's wish to be buried near Rachel was honored. (To read more about Rahel; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rachel_Bluwstein )
Naomi Shemer (July 13, 1930 – June 26, 2004); was one of Israel's most important and prolific song writers, considered by some "the First Lady of Israeli Song". Shemer wrote both words and lyrics to her own songs, composed music to words by others (such as the poet Rachel), and set Hebrew words to internationally known tunes (such as "Hey Jude" by the Beatles); she has probably made more lasting contributions to Israeli song than any other single songwriter. Due to her virtuosic use of language, Shemer has also been called a poet, though her published writing was always set to music. Naomi Shemer was born and raised in Kinneret, a kibbutz on the shore of Sea of Galilee (where Rachel the poet lived), of which her parents were founders. In the 1950's she served in the Israeli Defense Force's Nahal entertainment troupe, studied music at the Rubin Academy in Jerusalem, and returned to Kinneret to teach and write songs for preschool children, before ultimately moving to Tel Aviv. In 1983 she received the Israel Prize for her contribution to Israeli culture. Several of Naomi Shemer's songs have the quality of anthems, striking deep national and emotional chords in the hearts of Israelis. Her most famous song of this vein is "Yerushalayim shel zahav" ("Jerusalem of gold"). She wrote this in 1967, some days before the start of the Six Day War, when Israel captured the eastern part of Jerusalem and the Western Wall became accessible again for Jews. In 1968 an Israeli Member of Parliament presented a bill to the Knesset speaker, nominating this song for the anthem of Israel; the nomination was ultimately rejected, but this incident speaks to the power of Shemer's songs. (To read more about Naomi Shemer; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naomi_Shemer )
After learning about Israeli music they went on to hear about the very sensitive issue of Israeli and Arab co-existence in Israel. The issues and challenges this co-existence brings were discussed in a long and enriching debate. Following this, the group traveled to an Arab village called Gish to play a game of football! In the region of the Galilee (where the group are staying at the moment) there is a project called Football for Peace (F4P);
Football 4 peace is a sport-based co-existence project for Jewish and Arab children that have been running in towns and villages of the Galilee region of Northern Israel since 2001. The work of F4P builds upon the experiences of South Africa and Northern Ireland in that it seeks to make grass-roots interventions into the sport culture of Israel and Palestine while at the same time making a contribution to political debates and policy development around sport in the region.
When the Gish kids heard that there was a Maccabi GB group visiting their village to play football they were very excited, especially since the Maccabi name in Israel is very big in sport (especially in football). So the Gish group dressed up with football kit and brought with them a whole host of their friends and fans to the field. The match ended 5-3 to the Gish group.
After the game they group spent some time at the hot springs of ‘Hamat Gader’; The name means "hot springs of Gadara", referring to the mineral springs with temperatures up to 50°C. Israeli control over Hamat Gader was secured during the Six-Day War in 1967, when the Israeli army captured the surrounding Golan Heights, allowing free access to Hamat Gader for Israelis. Since then, it has been under Israeli sovereignty and has been developed as a tourist attraction and health resort. The health resort opened in 1977.
After relaxing and chilling the group arrived back at their hotel at "El Mul Golan" (in kibbutz ‘Sha’ar Hagolan’) tired but happy and relaxed ready for their last Shabbat in Israel…
Have a great day,
Dana & Valerie
Wednesday, July 30th
Shalom all,
After a great night on the shores of the Kinneret, breakfast on the water and some mosquitoes bites from the night the group was ready to go on one of their hardest challenges; hiking one of the most famous and beautiful water hikes in Israel; the Yahudiya!
Yehudiya Forest Nature Reserve; the 16,500-acre reserve is located in the heart of the Golan Heights. The reserve is shaped like an outstretched hand: the palm is Beit Zaida Valley, and each finger represents a river with rushing water and waterfalls. The five most important rivers that flow through the reserve and down into Beit Zaida Valley are Meshoshim, Zavitan, Yehudiya, Gamla, and Daliyot. The rivers are fed by scores of springs, which drain into a network of rivulets.
The rivers get deeper and carve out extraordinary canyons in the basalt rocks, with waterfalls toppling from above. In the flat plains of the Beit Zaida Valley, the streams form lagoons and marshes, waterscapes which cannot be seen elsewhere in Israel. Trails span the gamut from easy paths for the entire family to challenging routes which involve going down ladders or rappelling (which most of them did bravely).
Since the hike is not an easy one and the group had not much sleep last night, they are going to their Hotel and have an activity and then an early night.
The group is going to spend the next few nights in The Country lodging "El Mul Golan" which is located in kibbutz ‘Sha’ar Hagolan’.
Sha'ar HaGolan (Hebrew: Gate of the Golan) is a kibbutz situated at the foot of the Golan Heights in the Jordan Valley area of north-eastern Israel. The Kibbutz was founded on 21 March 1937 by members of the ‘Hashomer Hatzair’ youth movement from Czechoslovakia and Poland. Today, the main source of income is a plastics engineering factory. Other sources include agriculture like the raising of bananas, avocado, water melons, dairy cows, and tourism. Sha'ar HaGolan has a museum with pre-historic Neolithic findings uncovered on the banks of the Yarmuk River.
Have a great day,
Dana & Valerie
Tuesday, July 29th
Shalom Everybody,
Hope you are all well and don't miss everybody too much.
Today and tomorrow are all about the Kinneret and its surroundings. The best way to explore the Kinneret (Sea of Galili) is by going into it.
So after a nice Israeli breakfast the group went to the Kinneret and played some team building games on the beach, they did some sport and then came the fun part; WATER SPORT!!!
They went banana boating as well as going on big tubes tied to a race boat. They were then supposed to go pedal boating and kayaking, but because of stronger winds than usual this was canceled. Still, it did not spoil the fun as they had some chill out time on the shores of the Kinneret.
The Sea of Galilee, (Yam Kinneret in Hebrew), is Israel's largest freshwater lake, being approximately 53 km (33 miles) in circumference, about 21 km (13 miles) long, and 13 km (8 miles) wide. At 209 meters below sea level, it is the lowest freshwater lake on Earth and the second - lowest lake in the world after the Dead Sea, a saltwater lake. The name may originate from the Hebrew word kinnor ("harp" or "lyre") in view of the shape of the lake. Christian religious texts call it Lake of Gennesaret or Sea of Gennesaret, after a small fertile plain that lies on its western side. The Arabic name for the lake is 'Buhairet Tabariyya' which means Lake Tiberius. Much of the ministry of Jesus occurred on the shores of Lake Galilee. One of Jesus' famous teaching episodes, the Sermon on the Mount, was given on a hill overlooking the lake while many of his miracles were also recorded to occur here including his walking on water, calming a storm, and his feeding five thousand people. In 1909 Jewish pioneers built their first kibbutz (cooperative farming village), 'Kvutzat Kinneret' which trained Jewish immigrants in farming and agriculture. Later, Kinneret pioneers established Kibbutz Degania. It was fitting, therefore, that the Kinneret was the cradle of the Kibbutz culture of early Zionism and the birthplace of Naomi Shemer and the burial site of Rachel - two of the most prominent Israeli woman poets. More about the Kinneret; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_of_Galilee
Hiking in Israel during the summer is not that easy. Most places are too hot for real hikes. So, most Israelis will look for places with water for the summer and so is the group! So, they went to do one of the most fun water hikes in the Kinneret area; The Majrase'! Indeed, of the best places is the north-east corner of the Kinneret. There are two streams flowing into the lake in that area, The Majrase' (also known as Nachal, stream, Daliyot) and Nachal Meshushim.
These streams go all the way from the Golan Heights to the lake. This is the perfect hike for summer. It's quite an easy walk, there are plenty of trees and shade and most of the walk is in the water. In some parts some swimming is required.
After the group finished the hike they went back to the shore of the Kinneret. On the beach tonight there is an 'Al Ha'Esh' dinner (Hebrew for B-B-Q party) ready for them followed by a big disco by the shores of the Kinneret. So they can dance and party while watching the sunset and enjoying the warm Breeza (Breeze in Hebrew).
Tonight the group is going to spend the night under the stars, on Dugal beach, where the party will take place. It is very popular among a lot of Israelis; sleeping in tents with sleeping bags on the shores of the Kinneret, partying and eating so our group, by the end of the day will have
had a very Israeli experience.
As you know by now; here are few web sites were you can find pictures and write e-mails to your children; http://www.israelingo.com/ you can also go to;
http://www.ujia.org/israel-experience/snap/photo-gallery/ For security updates you can go to; http://www.summertour.org.uk/ On the Maccabi GB website you can also see pictures from the tour orientation and a link to the website above; www.maccabigb.org .
All the daily updates will be on the website so if you miss one you can always go back and read.
This is it for today,
Have a great day,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Monday, July 28th
Shalom everybody,
Hope you had a nice weekend. In Israel it is hot and sweaty - but fun!
Today the group is going to learn about the issue of the security in the North of Israel - Past & Present. The north of Israel, especially the Golan Heights, where the group is today, has always been very interesting and some of the most heroic stories of state of Israel happened in the Golan Heights, before and after it was founded.
The day started along the border where they had an update about the current situation in Israel. They also spoke about the 2 soldiers, Eldad Regev & Udi Goldwaser, who were kidnapped and killed 2 years ago in the 2nd Lebanon war by the Hizballah, and were returned 2 weeks ago to the land of Israel.
Then they went to Tel-Chai (Hebrew for Hill of life; Tel= small hill, Chai = life, also the number 18 in Hebrew letters which is a holy number for Judaism); the story of Tel-Chai is well known in the history of Israel, before it was founded. In the center of the story stands Yosef Trumpeldor
(the one-armed, Russian-Jewish independence fighter) who fought for the settlement of Tel-Chai to his last breath and said the famous sentence; 'Tov Lamut be'ad Artzenu', which means; 'It is good to die for our country'.
Tel Chai; A national monument in the Golan Heights, commemorates the deaths of the eight Jews, six men and two women, among them Yosef Trumpeldor, in an engagement on 1 March, 1920, with Bedouin who had been attacking settlements in the area. The resolute actions of Trumpeldor and his colleagues against a much larger attacking force inspired the Jews of Jerusalem. The memorial is best known for an emblematic statue of a defiant lion representing Trumpeldor and his comrades. The city of Kiryat Shemona (literally 'Town of the Eight)' was named after them.
After a half day of history the group went for a short water hike in the Hasbani River, also known as Snir Stream. Of the three major tributaries which feed the Yarden (Jordan) River, the Snir is the furthest to the west and is the longest of them all. It has fabulous scenery with tiny
waterfalls, strong powerful streams, brilliant blossoms and makes for a great hike. Dozens of eastern plane trees and willows line its bank, so the group will be walking in the shade. Toward the end, the water splits into two rushing streams and this is the perfect place to go in for a refreshing swim.
Then, after lunch by the river, the group went to see how life is like on the border. They went to Kibbutz M'ayan Baruch to meet up with Philip, who is the police security officer of the Kibbutz. Over viewing the border, he explained about the security situation in the Northern border of Israel (with Lebanon), talked about life on the border, about the cooperation and relationship with the IDF (Israel Defense Force) and showed some missiles and different kind of weapons (all of it used and not armed, so it was very safe). Philip also brought the group some IDF uniforms so some could dress up and try it on. On that place where the group heard from Philip there is the old Kibbutz's military post and a very old tank where the participants
could actually go into.
After that the group is going back to Kibbutz Yehiam to rest and for an evening activity.
The hotel where they are staying call: 'Rimonay Ha'Galil' and the number there is; +972 4 985 6058
As you know by now; here are few web sites were you can find pictures and write e-mails to your children; http://www.israelingo.com/
you can also go to; http://www.ujia.org/israel-experience/snap/photo-gallery/
For security updates you can go to; http://www.summertour.org.uk/
On the Maccabi GB website you can also see pictures from the tour orientation and a link to the website above; www.maccabigb.org . All the daily updates will be on the website
so if you miss one you can always go back and read.
This is it for today,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Sunday, July 27th
Dear Parents Shalom,
After a pleasant weekend in the Kibbutz the group went last night to the cinema in the city Nahariya. They went to see the movie "You don't mess with the Zohan";
In "YouDon't Mess with the Zohan", a comedy from screenwriters Adam Sandler, Robert Smigel and Judd Apatow. Sandler stars as Zohan, an Israeli commando who fakes his own death in order to pursue his dream: becoming a hairstylist in New York. The story starts in Tel Aviv, on the beach and continues in NY...
After waking up early the group went to Zafed (Hebrew; Tzfat) city in the Northern District of Israel. Safed is one of Judaism's Four Holy Cities, along with Jerusalem, Tiberias and Hebron, and a center for Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism. At an elevation of 800 meters (2,660 feet) above sea level, Safed is the highest city in the Galilee. From the city of Tzfat there is a wonderful view towards the Kinneret (Sea of Galilee) and the old city in it is very interesting. So, the group went to the old city of Tzfat where they heard about its history. Then they went to visit Abraham the artist. Abraham the artist is dealing with art and Kabbalah and the group heard about the meaning of their names in Kabbalah.
To read more about Tzfat; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safed
Kabbalah (literally means in Hebrew - "receiving") is a discipline and school of thought discussing the mystical aspect of Judaism. It is a set of esoteric teachings meant to define the inner meaning of both the Bible and traditional rabbinic literature, as well as to explain the significance of Jewish religious observances. One of the most influential sources spreading Kabalistic teachings have come from the massive growth and spread of Hasidic Judaism, a movement begun by Yisroel ben Eliezer (The Baal Shem Tov), but continued in many branches and streams until today. These groups differ greatly in size, but all emphasize the study of mystical Hasidic texts, which now consists of a vast literature devoted to elaborating upon the long chain of Kabalistic thought and methodology. To read more about Kabbalah; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabbalah
The day was not over since the group went to clime Meron Mountain which is the highest mountain within the internationally recognized borders of the state of Israel. Meron is Israel's second highest point if one includes the Golan Heights, which partially encompass Mount Hermon. The village of Meron is at on its slopes as well as the adjacent Jewish holy site of the tomb of Rabbi Shimon bar Yochai. Leading up to the anniversary of his death on Lag B'Omer, when it is traditional to make big bonfires all over Israel (the main central one is on Mount Meron).
Another place the group visited, before they got back to the hotel, which is also consider being very popular with Jewish tradition is "Kivray Tzadikim" (Hebrew; tombs of Jewish saints). Some Tzadikim consider being with healing powers up till today. A lot of people who are asking for health, marriage, fertility etc are coming to these tombs to ask for their wishes. It is a very popular act in Israel even with secular jews… I have heard it actually helped some people…
After the spiritual religious day the group ahead back to Kibbutz Yehiam, where they sleep in the next few nights. They are planning a party for tonight so they are all getting ready.
We are trying to get some more pictures for you from the last week. We'll try to put some pictures on in the next few days.
Israel Experience has set up a website at www.summertour.org.ukthis will be updated if and when necessary. You can also go to; http://www.ujia.org/israel-experience/snap/photo-gallery/
On the Maccabi GB website you can also see pictures from the tour orientation and a link to the website above; www.maccabigb.org. All the daily updates will be on the website so if you miss one you can always go back and read.
Have a great weekend,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Friday, July 25th
Dear parents,
This morning the group said goodbye to Kfar Ha’Maccabia and started its journey to the north of Israel. The north of Israel is very special and the participants are going to meet different people, will go to see many sites and taking many hikes.
On the way to the north the group stopped at ‘Hof Poleg’ (Hebrew for; Poleg Beach) where they have beach football tournament. The Israeli team is playing today and our group is going to be at this game, getting a VIP treatment.
Poleg Beach; Natanya’s southernmost beach, (also called "Speedo" Beach) is situated next to the ‘Black Iris’ Nature Reserve and Ramat Poleg neighborhood. The beach has a gourmet restaurant and buffet. The beach remained closed for many years, but with initiative from Natanya mayor, Mrs. Miriam Feirberg-Ikar, it was reopened after it was proven to be perfectly clean and safe. Ongoing supervision still goes on by sampling water from the sea and the stream four times a week. The beach has pavilions for shade, fitness facilities, a beach football field and volleyball. On the northern side of the beach an area is reserved for motorized marine sports including boats, jet-skis and others. On the southern side of Poleg Beach you can watch the Surfing Vacation Beach to view a lovely sight of gliders. Very often there are up to 70 gliders in the air at one time. The Poleg Nature Reserve, 8km (13 miles) south of Natanya, over viewing the Poleg Beach, offers an interesting hike along the Poleg River, upstream from the point where it meets the sea. The riverbanks are lined with giant eucalyptus trees, planted almost a century ago to help drain the swamps. In winter and early spring, the wildflowers along the route have made the Poleg Reserve a favorite destination for botanists.
After the visit at the beach, watching and playing a bit football, the group headed to the north, to Kibbutz Yehiam where the group is going to spend the next few days. After checking in the group is going to have an activity about Kibbutz in Israel and its place in Israeli society. The story of the Kibbutz is very interesting so I brought it to you here;
Kibbutz Yehiam founded on November 26, 1946, by members of the Zionist-socialist Ha’Shomer Hatzair youth movement and Holocaust survivors. The kibbutz located in the western Upper Galilee region of Israel - about 10 miles due east of the coastal town of the city Nahariya, and was named after Yehiam Weitz, son of Zionist leader Yosef Weitz. Back at the days, the local British authorities assisted in the kibbutz establishment, despite it being against British policy. The Kibbutz life in the first years was handled in and around the fortress. The members lived inside the ancient structure using tents. The small kitchen provided meals as long as the supply from the outside has managed to reach the isolated high fortress overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Daylight provided plenty of visibility for Arab troops settled on the hills surrounding the fortress, and a massive fire hit the fortress walls and outposts, killing several Kibbutz members during the heavy fire exchange. The members however, managed to keep on a decent routine, a hard one, but also necessary for their future. Communication with the outside world was made using bonfire and flashlight signals in the nights, as well as pigeon post. Those were directed towards Nahariya, but mainly towards Kiryat Haim, where Yehiam initially was founded at the very beginning. It was also the place where the women and first born children stayed in those days to keep safe during the times of war. In times of (relative) calmness, Yehiam members worked the land, growing a variety of crops, such as Vegetables, Vineyard, and Peaches. As the 1948 Arab-Israeli War came to an end, the siege of the Galilee ended and the conditions improved greatly. At the beginning of the new decade, the first new houses emerged, including the first children house which was occupied by the Kibbutz's first new born generation. An additional human resource was added as new Ha’Shomer Hatzair groups has joined from different parts of Israel, as well as Aliya of that same movement from Cuba, France, Uruguay, Argentina and Colombia. The kibbutz was now establishing its new sources of income. A sweets factory was the first industry in Yehiam, alongside with agriculture which included Bananas, Citrus, Avocado, Cows, Pigs, Wheat, Cotton and Corn, and a large Tobacco crop. Now 60 years old, is a prosperous, flourishing Kibbutz, which has taken advantage of the expanding tourism business of the Galilee by developing a large guest house at the foot of the castle hill with a total accommodation of 60 units. At 2008 Yehiam's population counts around 500, from which around 170 are kibbutz members.
Since it is almost Shabbat, they are going to walk to Yehiam Forest (next to the Kibbutz) and Watch Sunset. Can you believe it is the 3rd weekend of tour? Time has gone by so fast!
Then the group is going to have a pleasant Shabbat with activities, songs and some down time preparing for the next exiting week.
The hotel where they are staying call: ‘Rimonay Ha’Galil’ and the number there is; +972 4 985 6058 (http://rimoney-hagalil.com/site/index.asp?depart_id=20808)
Tomorrow there will be no daily update.
As you know by now; here are few web sites were you can find pictures and write e-mails to your children; http://www.israelingo.com/ you can also go to; http://www.ujia.org/israel-experience/snap/photo-gallery/ If you have no seen this video yet go to: http://www.ujia.org/israel-experience/snap/video-gallery/137/maccabi/ For security updates you can go to; http://www.summertour.org.uk/
On the Maccabi GB website you can also see pictures from the tour orientation and a link to the website above; www.maccabigb.org. All the daily updates will be on the website so if you miss one you can always go back and read.
Shabbat Shalom,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Thursday, July 24th
Shalom everybody,
Last night the group had a good time at the mall. Those who met their family were very happy and those that didn’t enjoyed the mall and did some shopping…
After another great Israeli breakfast the group had an activity led by the Madrichim about their Israel Tour experience so far. They were all very happy and satisfied with the programme, with the sites, the activities and the general atmosphere.
The group then visited Givat Ha’Kibbutzim in the city of Rechovot. The story of this place is very special; between the years 1945-1948, before Israel was founded and while the British controlled Israel the ‘Hagana’ underground military unit, built a bunker under the ground that manufactured bullets for machine guns. The reason why it was not found was because it was built like a new neighborhood and the place was designed like a laundry and bakery place. These days the place is well kept and groups can come and visit.
After leaving Givat Ha’Kibbutzim the group went to the Israel Experience Mega Event. This is a big event that all tours from every youth movement all over the world that are in Israel now are going to attend. This year the event is about celebrating 60 years for the state of Israel. Besides some very important people who are going to speak there (like the head of the Jewish Agency for Israel, Mr. Ze’ev Bielski), there is going to be Laser Lights show, different dance groups, a group called ‘TARARAM’ (which is similar to the group that does the show ‘STOMP’) and a movie is going to be shown to all which the Maccabi GB group will be in! After that there is going to be a show by GAYA band.
Gaya band was founded in 1998. With three albums released, has become well established as Israel’s leading group in the field of popular world music. Their dynamic, expressive sound has its origins in a distinctive blend of the musical cultures of North Africa, Turkey, various Western nations, and the Middle East. Vocals and instrumentation, harmonies and melodies, have all been appropriated from their parent cultures and merged together in a surprisingly powerful and resonant sound that is uniquely moving, and uniquely Gaya. Their song “Shir L’Ahava” (which is more familiar by the name “Yachad”), Hebrew for ‘Song for Love’, has become a very popular anthem, winning acclaim with their fans both in Israel and around the world.
Since the event is going to be until very late tonight the group is going to have a later start tomorrow morning.
This is the groups’ last night in Kfar Ha’Maccabia. The number of the hotel is: +972 3 671 5715.
As you know by now; here are few web sites were you can find pictures and write e-mails to your children; http://www.israelingo.com/ you can also go to; http://www.ujia.org/israel-experience/snap/photo-gallery/ If you have no seen this video yet go to: http://www.ujia.org/israel-experience/snap/video-gallery/137/maccabi/
For security updates you can go to; http://www.summertour.org.uk/
On the Maccabi GB website you can also see pictures from the tour orientation and a link to the website above; www.maccabigb.org. All the daily updates will be on the website so if you miss one you can always go back and read.
Have a great day,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Wednesday, July 23rd
Shalom to you all,
After having one of the best breakfasts ever at the Hotel Kfar Ha'Maccabia the group drove to Natanya area (which is 30 minutes north from Tel Aviv, on the shore). In the south part of Natanya they visited an Army base call 'Ba'ad Shmone'' which means number 8 Leadership School. At this army base the soldiers are being trained to be combat fitness instructors and after the course, the trained soldiers go to serve in different units. Ba'ad 8 is considered to be the main sport s center in the IDF (Israel Defense force) and has a variety of training courses that it runs for different army units. One of the school’s goals is to emphasize the importance of good nutrition and healthy exercise to the soldiers. What is unique to this base is that most of the time the soldiers wear sport s clothing and not their army uniform.
The base is located by the Wingate sport institute.
The Wingate Institute, Israel's National Centre for Physical Education and Sport, was inaugurated in 1957 and is named in honor of Major General Orde Charles Wingate "The Friend". The State of Israel concentrates at the Institute the educational, professional and scientific resources for the development of physical education, "sport for all", and elite sport and sport as a means of social and physical rehabilitation. Some 5000 academics, coaches, athletes, students and the general public - both native-born Israeli and new immigrants - pass daily through Wingate's gates. The Institute serves as a training centre for national teams, the Olympic Squad and hosts international sport science conferences. In recognition of extraordinary achievements in the field of education, sport medicine and research, the then President of the State of Israel - the late Mr. Haim Herzog - awarded the prestigious Israel Prize to the Wingate Institute in 1989.
This year it was planned to visit the research lab of the school but because of intense preparation for the Beijing Olympics we could not get in and the visit was cancel l ed. Well, at least we know they are training.
After the visit the group went back to the hotel for an activity run by the Madrichim (leaders).
Today we are having the family night where participants can see their relatives who are in Israel. We are meeting at Givatayim Mall; 53 Yitzhak Rabin Road, on the corner with Weitzman street, in the city of Givatayim.
We are meeting at 19:00 till 22:00. Meeting point; Café' Aroma, on the 3rd floor of the mall (it is the top floor). For security reasons participants are not allowed to leave the Mall premises during the visit. The mall offers plenty of places to hang out as well as eating and sitting down quietly. For those who have no family coming to visit them - the mall is good fun.
As you know by now; here are few web sites were you can find pictures and write e-mails to your children; http://www.israelingo.com/ you can also go to; http://www.ujia.org/israel-experience/snap/photo-gallery/. For security updates you can go to; http://www.summertour.org.uk/
On the Maccabi GB website you can also see pictures from the tour orientation and a link to the website above; www.maccabigb.org. All the daily updates will be on the website so if you miss one you can always go back and read.
Have a great day,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Tuesday, July 22nd
Dear Parents shalom,
Hope this e-mail finds you well.
Today the group headed to the north of Israel to the city of Haifa, which is the largest city in the northern region and the 3rd largest city in Israel. They started with the old city, looked at the last Lebanon war results, had an amazing overview from the Carmel Mountain and went to the Baha'i Temple and Gardens. The Bahá'í Faith is the religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th century Persia. There are around six million Bahá'ís in more than 200 countries around the world. According to Bahá'í teachings, religious history is seen as an evolving educational process for mankind, through God's messengers, which are termed Manifestations of God.
The group also visited ‘Stella Maris’ which is a Carmelite Monastery (in Haifa) from the 19th-century located on the slopes of Mount Carmel. It is considered to be one of the most popular tourist destinations in Haifa. These days the Monastery serves as the world centre for Carmelites.
Haifa is a great city and is a major seaport and has wonderful views (since it is located on the Carmel Mountain). The history of the city is very impressive. It has the best football team in the country (Maccabi Haifa). It is multi cultural and multi religious (Jews, Christians, Muslims, Bahá'ís, Carmelites etc.) and it is a wonderful example of co-existent life between Arabs and Israelis. To read more about Haifa you can go to; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haifa
After Haifa the group went to the Druze village “Dalyat El Carmel” where they spent some time shopping and had traditional Druze home hospitality; they were told about the Druze traditions, religion, their relationship with Israel, and had some great Druze food that ended with a Druze fiesta and dancing.
The Druze (also transliterated Druz or Druse) are a Middle Eastern religious community whose traditional religion began as an offshoot of a sect of Islam, but is unique in its incorporation of Gnostic, neo-Platonic and other philosophies. Druze considers themselves theologically as "an Islamic Units, reformatory sect". The Druze calls themselves "People of Monotheism" or al-Muwahhidūn ("Monotheists"). The origin of the name Druze is traced to Nashtakin ad-Darazi, one of the first preachers of the religion. In Israel, Druze usually identifies themselves as Arabs (but not as Palestinians). Officially however, since 1961 the Israeli government has considered the Druze to be a distinct ethnic community. Many Druze living in the Golan Heights consider them Syrian and refuse Israeli citizenship, while the remainder considers them Israeli. In general elections, the majority of Druze villages have similar voting patterns as the general public. Israeli Druze also serves in the Israeli army, voluntarily since 1948, and at the community's request compulsorily since 1956). Their privileges and responsibilities are the same as those of Israeli Jews; thus, all Druze are drafted, but exemptions are given for religious students and for various other reasons.
After the feast everybody will go back to Kfar Ha’Maccabia Hotel where they are going to rest and have an activity about the IDF (Israel Defense Force ) as tomorrow they are going to visit an army base.
The number of the hotel is: +972 3 671 5715.
As you know by now; here are few web sites were you can find pictures and write e-mails to your children http://www.israelingo.com/ you can also go to; http://www.ujia.org/israel-experience/snap/photo-gallery/. For security updates you can go to; http://www.summertour.org.uk/
On the Maccabi GB website you can also see pictures from the tour orientation and a link to the website above; www.maccabigb.org. All the daily updates will be on the website so if you miss one you can always go back and read.
Have a great day,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Monday, July 21st
Shalom to you all,
Today the group should have an amazing day - they are going to get to know one of the best cities in the world - the city that never sleeps - the city of TEL AVIV.
Tel Aviv has so many aspects, people and culture in it and this is why it considered being the center of modern life in Israel.
The group woke up really early in the morning and went to the beach at Tel Aviv and to Yarkon St. to see the city of Tel Aviv wakes up. Tel Aviv has changed over the years, a lot of new places have opened and some have closed down. New roads and buildings have been built but the only thing that hasn’t changed since 1909 (the year Tel Aviv was founded) is the way it wakes up!
Tel Aviv wakes up on the shores with a lot of people (mainly elderly) exercising in different ways. A lot of people are running or walking their dogs and the bakeries along the shore are just open. The smell of the sea along with new fresh bread is unique and special only for Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv has a lot to offer.
The next stop on the group’s trip in Tel Aviv is Rabin Square; in the square the group are going to hear and act the day when Rabin was assassinated and have a small memorial service for him.
Rabin Square (Hebrew: Kikar Rabin) is a large public city square in central Tel Aviv. It is named after Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated there in 1995. Before it was renamed in Rabin's memory, the square was known as Kings of Israel Square (Hebrew; Kikar Malkhey Yisrael). It is the largest open public square in Tel Aviv, and is known for holding many political rallies, parades, and other public events. Until the early 1990s, it also served as a public exhibition ground for IDF field units (mostly tanks and heavy artillery) on Yom Ha'atzmaut, Israeli Independence Day. At the conclusion of a rally on November 4, 1995, the Prime Minister of Israel, Yitzhak Rabin, was assassinated. In the days following the event, thousands of Israelis gathered on the site to commemorate Rabin. The young people who came to mourn Rabin were dubbed the "Candles Youth" (Hebrew; noar hanerot) after the many Yizkor candles they lit. Some of the graffiti they drew upon the nearby walls has been preserved. Today a memorial can be found on the site where Rabin was assassinated (at the northeast corner of the square, below City Hall). Part of the memorial is a small, open legacy wall for the man. Near the north end of the square is a memorial sculpture designed by the Israeli artist Yigal Tumarkin commemorating the Holocaust.
From Rabin Square they are going to the Carmel Market. The group is going to have a wide Israeli Society game and they are going to learn about the Israeli society by actually meeting and talking to people.
After that the participants are going to join an acro-balance workshop and then the group will be going to the famous beach of Tel Aviv! They are going to have some sport games, fun games and just enjoy the view and atmosphere of this great place.
After this busy day everybody will go back to Kfar Ha’Maccabia Hotel to rest, eat and sleep.
Have a great day,
Yours truly,
Dana & Valerie
Friday, 18th July
Dear all,
This is going to be our second Shabbat in Israel. During tour we are trying to give the participants different Shabbat experiences as people in Israel spend Shabbat in Israel in many different ways. This weekend is about families. The group will be hosted by Israeli families from Maccabi Tzair (Young Maccabi Youth Movement in Israel) Karmay Yosef.
Before we got there we had half a day to spend in Tel Aviv-Yaffo and we visited the Hall of Independence where everything started on May 14th, 1948 at 4pm.
Independence Hall, originally the Dizengoff House is best known as the site of the signing of Israel's Declaration of Independence. It is located on the historic Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv, Israel. Today a museum, it houses exhibits on the signing of the Declaration of Independence and on the history of Tel Aviv-Jaffa. In 1930, after the death of his wife, Dizengoff (Tel Aviv’s first mayor) donated his house to his beloved city of Tel Aviv and requested that it be turned into a museum. The house became the Tel Aviv Museum of Art in 1932. The museum moved to its current location in 1971.
The group heard about the entire story behind this special day when Ben Guryon, First Prime Minister, stood in the hall and red the Declaration of the State of Israel. Then the group went into the actual hall and listened to the original voice of Ben Guryon. As if this was not exciting enough they all stood up, as a group, and together sang loud and proud the Ha’Tikvah (Israel National anthem).
Then the group went to one of the most exiting places in Tel Aviv-Yaffo on a Friday; Jaffa’s flea market! On Friday the market is full of people and it is just pure fun walking around with all the Israelis.
After the market and experiencing a special Friday vibe we drove to Karmey Yosef village. In this village we have one of the biggest Maccabi Tzair branches.
Maccabi Tzair is the youth movement of Maccabi World in Israel. Last year MGB started a new sister community project with Maccabi in Israel; this project was developed in order to try and strength the connection between youth in Israel and youth in Great Britain, all coming from the Maccabi World. The main method for building and strengthening this connection is getting the young people to actually meet each other face to face as much as possible and this process is known in Hebrew as mifgash (meaning meeting). The project will encourage and allow meaningful mifgashim and will create an educational and personal bridge between different Jewish youth that come from different places but from the same movement.
Just a reminder that tomorrow, Saturday, there will be no e-mail updates.
On the Maccabi GB website you can also see pictures from the tour orientation and a link to the website above; www.maccabigb.org. All the daily updates will be on the website so if you miss one you can always go back and read.
Have a great day,
Yours truly,
Dana and Valerie
Monday, July 14th
Dear Parents shalom,
The group had an amazing evening in Eilat. Some of the group did a bit of shopping, some hang out by the different stalls and some sat on the shore enjoying the Eilat southern breeze.
This morning the group woke up very early as we wanted to catch the sunrise on the Red Sea! So the group climbed Mt. Tzfachot which is a mountain around the Eilat area. From the top of it you can see the 3 countries border poins - Jordan, Israel and Egypt.
As you know, Eilat is also one of 10 most famous scuba diving sites in the world. So after an early awakening, and after a long hike, it was time to see that amazing scuba site; The Red Sea!
The Red Sea’s coral beaches, reefs and colourful fish are breath taking! The group is now, as you read this e-mail, spending time in the Coral beach national resort and doing some snorkeling.
Coral beach; the reserve is a utopia for snorkelers. The 1200-meter-long reef is only 20 meters from the shore, with a shallow lagoon lying between the beach and the coral. The black-quelled sea urchin is just one of the unusual animals that inhabit the lagoon. A wooden bridge leads from the shore to the beginning of the reef. To enjoy the phantasmagoria, visitors jump from the four-meter wall or walk down the steps into the sparkling water. The lime secreted by the stony coral hardens into formations that resemble trees, shrubs, balls, and brains, to name just four. The Coral Beach Reserve has an unusually wide variety of coral and fish clustered in a small area. The reserve looks totally different in the morning than it does in the afternoon. When the diurnal fish retire for the day, the nocturnal fish take their place, creating a brand new world. The Israel Nature and National Parks Protection Authority will soon open a center with exhibits and films about the sea and the marine environment. Anyone who can swim can enjoy a fantastic glimpse into the natural world. All it takes is a mask and a snorkel!
Do you know why the Red Sea is called that?
- Because of the colorful fish and the corals
- Because of the reddish mountains
- Because of a bloody battle there between Lawrence of Arabia & the Egyptians
The answer in tomorrows e-mail...
After swimming and snorkeling the group is going to have a very special Desert experience. They are going to understand why so many people fall in love with the desert, why so many go to the desert to find some peace and quiet, to meditate and to relax from their daily life. This evening is going to be very special for the group as they are going to be sleeping under the stars, in the Negev in a place call Maa’le Shacharoot. As they will arrive they will ride camels into the sunset of the desert and by that they will start their desert experience. After that the group is going to have a mystical evening by the fire in a magical place such as Shachroot Inn. We'll be cooking a gourmet meal over the barn fire and tell fascinating desert stories. In addition to the wonderful smell and taste of the cooking the participants will enjoy a sit around the fire, tea, coffee and desserts.
"In an atmosphere of silence and mysterious glory in front of a panorama of beauty that will take your breath away, the heart sighs, longing for the tranquility and peace. You can take a break, relax, lay back and absorb the desert atmosphere".
Shacharoot Inn; the desert scenery, the distance from the center guarantee detachment and rest from the hectic pace of life - at least for a few hours or days - that in these days is so hard to find.Shaharut Inn is located in the southern Negev, on the cliff edge above Yotveta. You are welcome to stay as a base for trips in the area, Eylat and the surrounding attractions, the grate wadi area (Zihor, Faran, Zniffim), Mount Carcom , Cisui and Jethro dune, the Red Canyon, Timna and more... the Inn started as a center for long camel caravans, reconstructing the ways of the desert caravan of the past. Over the years the Inn grew and developed to accommodate more choices such as lodging, catering, events, special workshops activities - suitable for single and groups. Shaharut Inn is mainly built of recycled material and raw materials form the area.
Enjoy the rest of your day,
Dana & Valerie
Sunday, July 13th
Shalom to all,
In Israel the weekend is over even though you are still enjoying another day of rest in the UK.
This is what the group did on Saturday;
After the long week of tour, the group had time to reflect and relax in Jerusalem. The party then came together for a Shabbat morning service for the Parsha Balak. It is one of the most fascinating psychologically-revealing portions in the whole Torah!
Parashat Balak; Bilaam, a non-Jewish prophet is granted a level of prophecy close to Mose's level of prophecy. The Almighty gave Bilaam these powers so that the nations of the world could not say at some point in the future, "If we had a prophet like Moses, we too would have accepted the Torah and would have lived according to it. Balak, the king of Moab, wanted to hire Bilaam to curse the Jewish people for a fortune of money. It is interesting that Balak believed in G-d and the power of invoking a curse from G-d, yet thought that G-d would change His mind about His Chosen People. The Chofetz, Chaim, Rabbi Yisroel Meir Kagan, comments that from here we see how wicked was Balak. Balak believed that Bilaam had the power to bless, so why did he request that Bilaam curse the Jews? He could have asked him to bless his own people so that they should not be harmed. The Almighty allowed Bilaam to go to Balak (cautioning him to only say what G-d told him). The Almighty gives every person free-will and allows us to go in the direction that we choose. Three times Bilaam tried to curse us and three times the Almighty placed blessings in his mouth. Balak was furious! So, Bilaam gave him advice with hopes of collecting his fee -"If you want to destroy the Jewish people, entice the men with Moabite women and tell the women not to submit until the men bow down to an idol." Balak followed the advice and consequently the Almighty brought a plague against the Jewish people because the men fell for Bilaam's plot. We see from this that the Almighty hates licentiousness and idol worship.
Lunch followed the morning parsha and then some Shabbat friendly activities and an afternoon walk in Jerusalem. For the more sporty people we had some sport activities. Since we are in Jerusalem the activity was about the famous Jerusalem Football team; Baitar Yerusalaim and about Racism in Sport in Israel.
After Havdallah the group went to their night activity; a drumming circle! The group created music and rhythm by learning how to drum and how to work together as a team. It was fantastic.
They went to bed excited as the next day they were heading towards the South, towards Eilat!
On the way from Jerusalem to Eilat (which takes about 5 hours), the group stopped in Sde' Boker:
Sde' Boker is an Israeli kibbutz in the Negev, in the South District of Israel, founded on May 15, 1952. From 1953 it was the dwelling place of the first Prime Minister of Israel David Ben Guryon until his passing in 1973, when he was buried nearby at Midreshet Ben-Guryon (Ben Guryon College) aside his wife Paula Ben-Guryon. Ben-Gurion had a vision of cultivating the arid Negev desert and building up its surrounding towns such as Yeruham and Dimona. He believed that eventually the Negev would be home to many Jews who would move to Israel after having made Aliyah to Israel, and he felt that Sde' Boker was a trailblazer and example for what should follow.
Ben Guryon is considered as one of the great leaders of Israel. Inspired by Ben Guryon's unique and amazing leadership qualities, the group went through a leadership programme that dealt with leadership skills and reflected on the groups' individuals abilities as leaders in the Jewish community in the UK.
From Sde' Boker, on the way to Eilat, the group stopped at the Ramon Crater (see below) and had an amazing overview on the Negev (the name of the southern part of Israel).
The Ramon Crater is 40 kilometers long and 2 to 10 kilometers wide, shaped like an elongated heart. The only settlement in the area is a small town of Mitzpe Ramon (Ramon Observation Point, in Hebrew) standing over the northern wall of the crater. The name Ramon comes from the Arabic word "Ruman" meaning "Romans", and probably linked to a track that Romans built here. The crater is 500 meters deep, and encompasses the vast diversity of mountains and rocks having fantastic colors and forms.
Then the group arrived to the city Eilat! Some people say that Eilat is the Israeli Miami! Eilat is considered the number one vacation place for Israelis during the entire year! But not just Israelis! The Red Sea is one of 10 best scuba diving sites in the world and a lot of tourists from all over the world come to Eilat all year around.
As this is one of the most fun places to hang out in, the group is going to have a free night at the boardwalk of the city so they can relax with their new friends and feel the city of Eilat.
Eilat is Israel's southernmost city in the Southern District of Israel. Adjacent to the Egyptian village of Taba and Jordanian port city of Aqaba, Eilat is located at the northern tip of the Gulf of Aqaba, which is the eastern sleeve of the Red Sea (the western leading to the Suez Canal). Eilat is named after the Biblical Elath, which now corresponds to modern neighboring Aqaba. To read more about Eilat, click here.
www.maccabigb.org - On the Maccabi GB website you can see pictures from tour and find a link to the different websites that are listed at the bottom. All the daily updates will be on the website so if you miss one you can always go back ands read.
Have a great day,
Dana & Valerie
Friday, 11th July
Shalom from the holy land!
Today is a great special day as this is going to be the group’s first Shabbat in Israel.
After another good Israeli breakfast the group is going to look at Jerusalem form a different angle; it is now 41 years ago since the Six Days War and the uniting of Jerusalem. What happened then and where we are today?
The group is going to look at the Israel-West Bank barrier that divides the city and causes lots of dilemmas in the lives of so many people from both sides of the fence.
They are going to have an activity about those dilemmas and discus the matter and will look at possible solutions…
After that the group is going to Ammunition Hill! This place has a great heroic stories and it is well known amongst Israelis, especially because of the song that was written, by Yoram Tehar-Lev, about the bloody battle that took place there. The Hill got its name because of the large amount of ammunition that was used during this battle.
Ammunition Hill (Hebrew: Giv'at HaTahmoshet) was a military post in Jordanian controlled East Jerusalem, and the site of one of the fiercest battles of the Six Day War. The fighting at the police academy site and Ammunition Hill began on June 6, 1967, at 2:30 AM. The task of capturing the hill was given to the Israeli 3rd company of the 66th regiment, of the Paratroopers Brigade's reserve force. During the battle, a force of the 2nd company joined the fighting. The battle ended at 7 AM. 36 Israeli soldiers were killed in the battle for Ammunition Hill. Ten of the soldiers who fought in this battle were given citations by the Israeli chief of general staff. The commander of the Paratroopers Brigade was Mordechai Gur, who later on Became the 10th Chief of Staff of the IDF and Israeli politician. More about Ammunition Hill
here
Then the group is going to head to the most fascinating place in Jerusalem especially on Friday after noon; Shuk Machne Yehuda (Mahane Yehuda Market)!!! Shuk Makhaneh Yehuda, often referred to as the 'Shuk', is an outdoor marketplace in central Jerusalem, stretching between Jaffa Road and Agrippas Street. Apart from fresh fruits and vegetables, one can purchase baked goods, fish, meat, prepared food, spices, clothing and shoes, house wares, textiles and even Judaica. The colours, the voices, the people, the sights, the smells and the verity of tastes are unbelievable! On Thursdays and Fridays, the marketplace is bustling with shoppers stocking up for Shabbat; All the people who are in a rush to do their last Shabbat shopping, all the peddlers trying to sell their merchandize, all the soldiers coming back home for Shabbat, all the children helping their parents carirying their big baskets – everything merges into a beautiful unique sight that you can see and feel only in Israel! While the group is going to be there they are going to try the most famous ‘Marzipan’s’ Rogalach (a type of pastry)! People are coming to this market from all over the world just to try it. Once they try it - they never go back
After sampling the culture in the Shuk, the group prepared for Shabbat in Jerusalem – a truly memorable experience – for some their first in the land of Israel. The fact that it is taking place in the holy city of Jerusalem, gives the atmosphere a great depth and sense of holiness.
After doing Kabbalat Shabbat, with lighting the candles and singing ‘Lecha Dodi’, the festive Shabbat Dinner will start with the blessing for washing the hands, breaking of the bread and drinking of the wine. After this, the tour will go into a lovely Shabbat meal, thinking about how their ancestors would have done the same around the Friday night table all those years ago. The group has just two days left in Jerusalem before they leave for the south.
Jerusalem’s beauty is just one of many that the tour will experience – for now though it just time to relax and think of the summer time.
The next 2 nights the group is going to spend in Kiryat Moriah youth hostel; it is where the Education Department of Jewish Agency is located. The group does not have phones in their rooms but they might call you before Shabbat comes in.
To read more about the Education Department of the Jewish agency click here
Tomorrow there will be no update e-mail, only on Sunday.
Shabbat Shalom,
Dana & Valerie
Thursday 10th July
Dear parents shalom,
This morning the group woke up to another new and exciting day. Today they are going to see Jerusalem as the home of democracy and justice of Israel.
The day started in the Knesset; the Israeli Parliament. The group went into the different halls and to the main auditorium where all big government meetings take place.
The Knesset is the legislature of Israel, located in Givat Ram, Jerusalem. The Knesset sits on a hilltop in western Jerusalem in a district known as Sheikh Badr before the 1948 Arab-Israeli War. The building was financed by James A. de Rothschild as a gift to the State of Israel. It was built on land leased from the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Jerusalem. Before the construction of its permanent home, the Knesset met in the Jewish Agency building in Jerusalem, the ‘Kessem’ Cinema building in Tel Aviv and the ‘Froumine’ building in Jerusalem. Each Knesset session is generally known by its election number. Thus the Knesset elected by Israel's first election in 1949 is known as the First Knesset. The current Knesset, elected in 2006 is the Seventeenth Knesset.Did you know that the Knesset celebrates its anniversary every year on Tu Bi’shvat (Tu Bishvat is a minor Jewish holiday in the Hebrew month of Shevat, usually sometime in late January or early February, that marks the "New Year of the Trees")
To read more about the Knesset, its members and current government click here
From the Knesset the group went to visit the Supreme Court of Israel. The Supreme Court is located next to the Knesset and a straight walking path connects the 2 buildings. The straight path represents the connection between Justice, Laws, democracy and integrity. While visiting, the group might get a chance to go into a court hall and listen to a case in action. Since it is in Hebrew they might not stay for long inside…
The building integrates post-modern architectural elements, reflecting Jerusalem’s rich architectural history. Walking in and around the building you can see how values of justice, law and righteousness, drawing inspiration from biblical metaphors were expressed and within the magnificent architecture.
Did you know that the president of the Supreme Court, Dorit Bainisch, is the first woman to be in that position?
The Supreme Court (Hebrew: Beit Ha’ Mishpat Ha’ Elyon) is at the head of the court system in the State of Israel. The site of the building would be in Kiryat David Ben Guryon, adjacent to the Knesset, the legislative branch of government and the executive branch of government.
From the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948 until the dedication of the new Supreme Court building in 1992, the Supreme Court of Israel was housed in a rented building in Jerusalem’s Russian Compound. In 1984, the Rothschild Foundation made a formal offer to the Government of Israel to donate a permanent building for the Supreme Court. The offer was accepted and an architectural competition was held in 1986. The winners, from Israel, were the brother-and-sister team of Ram Karmi and Ada Karmi Melamede from Tel Aviv. The new Supreme Court building was dedicated on November 10, 1992.
Dorit Bainisch rulings; In her various public service positions, she gave special attention to government corruption and to ensuring that government institutions adhere to the law, with a particular emphasis placed on the IDF, the police and general security services. Standing out among her opinions as a Supreme Court justice, is a decision holding that parents cannot use corporal punishment and other decisions stressing the importance of women's and children's rights. Lately Dorit Beinisch gave few judgments concerning the conflict between security needs, and civil and human rights. These judgments may be seen on the Israeli Supreme Court site here
Vision and reality After that the group will finish its day in the Hertzl Museum. Hertzl, the man who founded modern political Zionism, who committed himself to a Jewish home land in the historic Land of Israel, “looks” at us in this museum and asks a lot of questions about the past and the connection to the future in terms of Eretz Israel and Zionism.
After seeing the legal, justice institutions of Israel it is a great place to end the day at. The new Herzl Museum includes a spectacular audio-visual encounter with the visionary of the Jewish State. It is look into the Jewish world according to Herzl's insights. The visit to the museum allows one to be an active participant in understanding Herzl's bold aspirations and disappointments during his stormy personal journey. Through the encounter with Herzl's great achievements, each member of our tour will be able to sense him/herself as part of Herzl's enduring heritage
Then the group will head back to the hotel to relax to think and talk about where they were today and what they did…
In the evening we are going to a site called ‘The Elevator’ (Hebrew; Ma’alit Ha’zman); where 3,000 years of history are presented in a fascinating interactive way to provide the group with a unique and unforgettable experience. Combining film, motion platforms, and special effects, this journey brings Jerusalem’s most dramatic moments to unforgettable life through an original screenplay written in conjunction with leading historians and archeologists.
The Time Elevator Jerusalem is a journey through the rich 3,000 years of the cities history. Star of “Fiddler on the Roof,” Chaim Topol plays the lead character who amid crashing ceilings, splashing water, and other special effects, leads us on an unforgettable journey moving through Jerusalem’s historic turning points; beginning with the City of David and ending in the 1967 Six-Day War. To read more you can click here
You can also click here to see photos.
Have a good evening,
Le’hitraot (goodbye in Hebrew),
Valerie and Dana
Wednesday, 9th July
Our first morning in Israel!
Today the group experienced their first Israeli Breakfast! There was such excitement.
Also today they had one of the most significant experiences in their Jewish life, visiting the Kottel, the western wall.
They started first in the Jewish quarter:
The Jewish Quarter (Hebrew: HaRova HaYehudi or the Rova) is one of the four traditional quarters of the Old City of Jerusalem. The 45,000 square meter area lies in the southeastern sector of the walled city, and stretches from the Zion Gate in the south, along the Armenian Quarter on the west, up to the Cardo in the north and extends to the Western Wall and the Temple Mount in the east. To read more about the Quarter click here
The group then walked to the Western Wall – Kottel. For some, this was there first experience of the holiest site for Jews in the world – one they will never forget. They posted their notes in the wall as is customary before walking the old city wall ramparts. Then they all walked through the Kottel tunnels; 500m length under the buildings of the old city!
The Western Wall Tunnel (Hebrew: Minheret Hakotel) is an underground tunnel exposing the Western Wall in its full length. After the Six Day War, the Ministry of Religious Affairs of Israel began the excavations aimed at exposing the continuation of the wall. The excavations lasted almost twenty years and revealed many previously unknown facts about the history and geography of the Temple Mount. The tunnel exposes a total length of 500m of the walls, revealing the methods of construction and the various activities in the vicinity of the Temple Mount. The excavations included many archaeological finds along the way, including discoveries from the Herodian period (streets, monumental masonry), sections of a reconstruction of the Western Wall dating to the Umayyad period, and various structures dating to the Ayyubid, Mamluke and Hasmonean periods constructed to support buildings in the vicinity of the Temple Mount.
The next place that the group is going to visit is called; Gihon Springs, where they are going to have a short water hike.
The Gihon Spring was the main source of water for Ophel (fortified hill or risen area), the original site of Jerusalem. Gihon is the name of a river first mentioned in the second chapter of the Biblical book of Genesis. The Gihon is mentioned as one of four rivers (along with the Tigris, Euphrates, and Pishon) issuing out of the Garden of Eden that branched from a single river within the garden. The name may be interpreted as "Bursting Forth, Gushing".
After this very emotional exciting day the group is going back to the hotel to have some activities run by the Madrichim, reflecting on these last two days.
Have a great day,
Dana & Valerie
Tuesday, 8th July
Dear Tour Parents,
I am happy to tell you that the group landed safely in Eretz Israel (the Land of Israel). It was 5:20 in the morning but everybody was very excited as this is the beginning of our great experience in the holy land!
As the plane touched down at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv, the temperature was high already... after walking in the beautiful terminal, followed by passport control, the group met up with its Israeli Madrichim (leaders) Daniel and Achva. From there the tour took a short bus ride to Jerusalem.
OPENING CEREMONY
On arrival in Jerusalem, the group went straight to the Jerusalem forest where they walked a short path that led them to a beautiful overview of Jerusalem. There the group performed an opening ceremony to welcome them to Israel. They ate fresh challot and drank grape juice, and said the blessing 'Sheheheyanu' which is said when doing something for the first time, blessing and thanking G-d for brining us to this moment. The group headed to The Haas Promenade and to the City of David.
In one swift glance at the Haas Promenade, located in East Talpiot, one can see Jerusalem in all its glory - the Old City walls, the New City buildings, and the ancient villages all blend into one panoramic view of this glorious city.
At Haas Promenade walked the mothers and fathers of the Jewish People: Sarah and Abraham, Rebecca and Isaac, Leah, Rachel and Jacob. On this mountainside, King David, Solomon and Hezekiah watched the shimmering of the early dawn, musing over their decisions as monarchs of an independent Jewish nation. Foreign conquerors, as well have tread these paths, their armies fighting bloody battles to win control of coveted Jerusalem. The Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, and Romans fought for and conquered this city: so did the Byzantines, Moslems, Crusaders, Mammelukes, Turks and British.
The City of David is located just outside the old city of Jerusalem beneath the Western Wall. It is where kings and prophets roamed and reveals the history of the Jewish nation. The dream of ‘returning to Zion’ is being realized at this very moment. The Jewish resettlement began at the end of the 19th century, although in 1929, Arab riots forced all but several families to leave. But now with the establishment of the State of Israel, Zion is being rebuilt as is the City of David, as in the days of King David.
After the opening ceremony the group went to the hotel to rest from the flight.
After the group get some rest they are meeting their coordinator and are going to visit Nachlaot neighborhood to have a treasure hunt game in the street and on its roofs. During the days between Rosh Ha’Shana and Yom Kippur, at night, this place is magical; you can walk on the roofs of the houses and hear the prayers and songs coming out from synagogues, you walk in the narrow streets and see all kind of Orthodox Jews going to pray, you can see very small shuls under the ground and really feel the atmosphere of the high holidays.
In the heart of Jerusalem’s downtown, Nachlaot is one of the city’s older and more colorful neighborhoods, retaining much of its original 19th century architecture, narrow alleyways and cobblestone streets. The neighborhood was planned to accommodate the Yemenite, Kurdish, Jerusalem Sephardic (including the famous Banai family), Greek, and Galician Jews. The communities had their own synagogues (many still exist today) and were each housed within a walled compound, built around a common courtyard and a water cistern in the center. Today, the neighborhood attracts a large influx of middle class and students and is enjoying gentrification. An active community center with many programs for children and adults, two theaters, and charming coffee shops and restaurants help constitute the Nachlaot experience
As this has been the first and such a long day, the group is going to bed relatively early as tomorrow it is an exciting day for all.
On the Maccabi GB website you can see pictures from tour and find a link to the different websites that are listed at the bottom. All the daily updates will be on the website so if you miss one you can always go back and read.
Here are the web sites were you can find pictures and write e-mails to your children; www.israelexperience.org.il
You can also click here to see photos.
Israel Experience has set up a website at www.summertour.org. This will be updated if and when necessary.
Have a great day,
Dana & Valerie