Ein Gedi to Eilat: We cover the South
No one wept as we left the Golden Tulip Hotel overlooking the Dead Sea. Service was mediocre, the clientele was noisy and just plain rude, the rooms had the odor of tobacco so ingrained in the fabric and plaster and sheets that the no smoking signs smirked, and, well, that's enough, I suppose.
We hiked this morning to the natural springs of Ein Gedi, an oasis in the midst of the Negev right smack dab on the African-Syrian Rift. The hike was beautiful and leisurely and all of us loved it. As we approached the springs and the waterfalls that feed them, we were overtaken by a girls' yeshiva from J-lem. They appeared to be young teens, and ALL of them wore long black dresses and top o' the line Nikes, Pumas, Adidas, etc. Yes, they were 90% American girls doing a semester of Torah. They contrasted sharply with our girls.
That's the thing about being in Israel: so many Jews of so many differrent colors and values and religious practices. I want to write a fieldbook that describes all the possibilities. But I digress and my internet is on an hour timer and ticking...
After frolicking at the Ein Gedi springs we returned to our big bus and continued on the Kibbutz Yahel. Founded by Reform Jews in 1977, it is the first Reform kibbutz -- ever! It's changed so much since the first heady months and years of ideolgical turmoil. But, like the kibbutz movement itself, there's been lots of morphing and conforming and evolving to where they are now. We had lunch and celebrated Celia's 13th birthday on the kibbutz then headed into the pomello fields to hear about the strange fruit that keeps the kibbutz going and the Jordanians who live on the other side of the fence. Ron Bernstein, the pomello man, gave a short but very memorable speech about life at Yahel and life in Israel. He talked about making peace in a beautiful and inspiring way. I hope he will visit us at TBA. By the way, he peeled the pomello in a most unique manner: our kids wore pomello hats while enjoying the fruit.
From Kibbutz Yahel we drove to Eilat where I am finishing the blog for today. The group is happy and content and very comfortable. Our bonding is complete and so great! We've had the best moments together and look forwaqrd to more as we begin the last days of the sojourn. Our suitcases are increasingly hard to shut but we'll happily manage. No one's homesick, which is the best of signs.
We hiked this morning to the natural springs of Ein Gedi, an oasis in the midst of the Negev right smack dab on the African-Syrian Rift. The hike was beautiful and leisurely and all of us loved it. As we approached the springs and the waterfalls that feed them, we were overtaken by a girls' yeshiva from J-lem. They appeared to be young teens, and ALL of them wore long black dresses and top o' the line Nikes, Pumas, Adidas, etc. Yes, they were 90% American girls doing a semester of Torah. They contrasted sharply with our girls.
That's the thing about being in Israel: so many Jews of so many differrent colors and values and religious practices. I want to write a fieldbook that describes all the possibilities. But I digress and my internet is on an hour timer and ticking...
After frolicking at the Ein Gedi springs we returned to our big bus and continued on the Kibbutz Yahel. Founded by Reform Jews in 1977, it is the first Reform kibbutz -- ever! It's changed so much since the first heady months and years of ideolgical turmoil. But, like the kibbutz movement itself, there's been lots of morphing and conforming and evolving to where they are now. We had lunch and celebrated Celia's 13th birthday on the kibbutz then headed into the pomello fields to hear about the strange fruit that keeps the kibbutz going and the Jordanians who live on the other side of the fence. Ron Bernstein, the pomello man, gave a short but very memorable speech about life at Yahel and life in Israel. He talked about making peace in a beautiful and inspiring way. I hope he will visit us at TBA. By the way, he peeled the pomello in a most unique manner: our kids wore pomello hats while enjoying the fruit.
From Kibbutz Yahel we drove to Eilat where I am finishing the blog for today. The group is happy and content and very comfortable. Our bonding is complete and so great! We've had the best moments together and look forwaqrd to more as we begin the last days of the sojourn. Our suitcases are increasingly hard to shut but we'll happily manage. No one's homesick, which is the best of signs.
posted by rebhayim at 3:44 PM
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