Linor's blog

This morning was a particularly emotional day for us, compared to some of the less intense days we'd had previously on the trip. This is partially because we spent the morning at Mount Herzl, which is both Israel's main military cemetary and the burial ground of many of its greatest leaders and pioneers, from Golda Meir to Yitzhak Rabin and to Theodore Herzl himself.

The Holocaust is a scar across the face of humanity, and Yad Vashem is a literal scar on the landscape of Israel. Early Sunday morning our group ventured to the Holocaust memorial museum for the most gut-wrenching three hours of our trip through Israel. A prism-shaped building that cuts through a hillside outside Jerusalem, the primary structure of Yad Vashem presents the Holocaust from the victim's perspective from the beginnings of modern anti-Semitism through Eichmann's trial in 1961.

"Dragged Down"

I knew a man,
Neither by name nor face.
I knew him
Because I know myself.
When he fell,
I was dragged down.
No, I did not stumble.
I became shorter.
How will I reach the ledge?

Richard Schneider, Potomac, MD

So if it was not blatantly clear that we were in Israel it became clear yesterday. We visited the holy city- Jerusalem. Having been there ten years ago with my family-you might tihnk the experience would be less overwhelming or meaningful- but that was not the case. The Western Wall- while in most people's opinion was smaller in person, is still quite a sight and experience. Men and women were, of course, separated and we were given time to approach the wall and in whatever way we felt comfortable to pay our respects, so to speak.

That's what he said, artist Udi Krauss. It's true: that's how we're here, but it's not why. Our last day in the Golan Heights was activity-packed: after leaving the kibbutz we've called home for 3 days, we loaded ourselves and our luggage into our 2nd home, the bus, and traveled to the Kinneret to spend time getting a sense of the individuals who gave birth to Eretz Israel: the pioneers. We sang emotional songs together, led by Oren's guitar, at the graves of Naomi Shemer and Rachel [The Poetess].

In the afternoon we made a four hour stop in the city of Tzfat in Northern Israel. Tzfat is a mystical city that is home to Kabballah. The city is beautifully set in the mountains and has an abundance of art. We went inside two synagogues, one sephhardic and one ashkenazi. Avraham, the artist formerly known as Robert, hailing from Detroit, showed us his kabballah inspired studio, art, lifestyle & personality. Learning about the art & mysticism of Kabballah, walking the stone paved streets, and finnagling for less expensive mezuzahs completed the experience that was Tzfat.

We spent our first full day in Israel in the Golan Heights. After spending the night at Kibbutz Gadot, we started the day with a hike through the Banias National Park, where we walked along a stream and saw a waterfall and an ancient temple. Next, we drove to the foothills of Mount Hermon. We saw the border with Syria and walked through bunkers from the 67 war. As the sunset, we visited a former Syrian army base and heard the story of the famous spy Eliyahu Cohen. In the evening, we went to a local bar and enjoyed singing some karaoke.