Chillin on a Blog Post, Achi.
Chillin on a Blog Post, Achi.
What’s up July!!
It’s around 1 PM, and we’re sitting on our home away from home on a 90 minute drive to the old city of Jerusalem we left just days ago, and to the Kotel, or Western Wall. Time has flown by, and my task of recollecting the events of the past few days in detail is daunting, but I will give it the ol’ college try.
Our first stop after we left Jerusalem was Tel Aviv. Arriving in Israel’s cultural center was an awe inspiring moment for me. The economic, social, and aesthetic differences between the cities of Israel, a country the size of New Jersey, were impossible to overlook. I was amazed a city so much more modern than Jerusalem could be so close by. Luckily, our first stop in the city was Independence Hall, where an outstanding speaker captivated us with the story of the founding of Tel Aviv. Continuing, he told the story of the founding of Israel, leading up to Independence Day. We heard clips of Ben Gurion’s speech, and finished with a recording of Hatikvah, followed by Ben Gurion’s closing statement from that historical day in Independence Hall.
We woke up the next morning, and continued with our education by heading to the square where Yizhak Rabin was assassinated. After reenacting his shooting by using permanent metal place-markers in the ground, we discussed how national political polarization can cause the demise of a country’s greatest leader. The pain the country felt at the time must have been impossible to describe, but the murder of a great Israeli leader did lead to memorials, centers of learning, and a greater sense of unity within the country. After the serious nature of the memorial, our next logical step was a mental break, and we took one at a beach. The Mediterranean is warm and clear, by far the best water I have had the pleasure of swimming in. Additionally, the sand on the beaches of Tel Aviv is like velvet. Just saying.
We followed our fun in the sun with lunch at Carmel Market. Walking the streets, we separated to find the cuisine of our choice. Afterwards many of us haggled for cheap tee shirts, other souvenirs, and snack foods from the market. Reuniting at the bus, we drove to an absorbsion center for Ethiopian Jews who have recently moved to Israel and are learning how to adjust to modern society. For me, it was the best part of the trip so far. We spent a short time doing arts and crafts inside with young children (some of them arrived only months ago), and then went outside for over an hour, giving piggy back rides, playing soccer and basketball, and pushing swings. The smiles on the children’s faces mirrored the smiles on ours, and although most of us were unable to communicate , we overcame the language barrier with kindness and joy. Needless to say it was an overwhelming experience.
Leaving the children behind, we drove to the Beduin tents in the Negev Desert. We listened to Salam, a native Beduin, describe his life and culture, sat by a bonfire, and slept in one huge tent. After grabbing breakfast at the crack of dawn, we took a short camel ride, and took a five minute drive to a hiking trail.
The hour and a half trek through the desert was beautiful, pleasant, and strangely refreshing. We arrived at the end of our hike in view of a momentous hill, which we decorated with the customary rock design commemorating our visit, “Bus 294”. Many of us were still full of energy, and proceeded to race up the hill as high as we could get. Tired, but full of accomplishment, the view from the top was amazing, especially because the majority of the group was still in view at the bottom of the hill, cheering us on.
We were rewarded after our hike with a visit to the Dead Sea. With all of the rumors of extreme pain for anyone with even minor cuts or scrapes, we were all worried. No need, the Dead Sea was simply indescribable. Having to put forth effort to remain vertical while swimming is an interesting feeling, and floating without effort for a long period of time is an enjoyable way to pass your afternoon.
We arrived in Masada not long after leaving the Dead Sea. The view from the hotel was amazing, but it was trite compared to the view from the top of the mountain. Waking at 3:30 AM, we began our walk up the winding path around 4:30, walking for an average of a half an hour straight up the mountain. Sore and tired, we all felt a boost of endurance when we heard the first of our group to reach the top scream “294!!” After resting a short time, we were blessed with a view of the sunrise. We spent some time posing for the paparazzi, and then our guide Shiri began telling us the stories of King Herod and of the Zealots. Walking around Masada and viewing things like the bathhouse, water cisterns, and synagogue inspire wonder at the achievements of our ancestors. Masada truly was worth the muscle burning hike.
I’d love to go into more depth (hah), but everyone around me is asleep, exhausted from last nights 3-4 hours of sleep and climbing Masada. My drooping eyes and nodding head are hinting that I’d like to join them, so I will respectfully take my leave of this laptop. Best wishes to everyone who reads this post. If you haven’t, may you one day experience the wonders of the land of Israel. As with most beautiful, awesome, and unforgettable things, words simply don’t do Israel justice.
-Michael S.
P.S. It is common knowledge at this point that our amazing bus driver Sergei is a master driver and we are very fortunate to have him as our wheelman.
P.P.S. I love humus!
