Golan Heights Hike | Shorashim - Israel with Israelis

Golan Heights Hike

Alli Hough

Shalom! Greetings from Shorashim. Today was our first official day of the Birthright Israel Tour and our first stop was a hike in the Golan Heights. The energy on the bus was electric and filled with excitement. When we got off the bus, we were told to find four unfamiliar faces and set an appointment to walk and talk with them at some point durning our hike. Creating unity between the Americans and the Israeli peers is an important aspect of the Birthright Israel trip and allows for thoughts, experiences, and different perspectives to be shared. 

Starting the hike, we explored the physical ground within Golan Heights and learned some interesting facts about the area – including the fact that it is the only piece of land on the East side of the Jordan River. We studied the rocks that were volcanic and made out of basalt. This was also an opportune time to take pictures of the beautiful sight; it seemed that the mostly flat-shaped land went on for miles and we could see small towns off in the distance.
One of the group’s favorite parts of the Golan Heights hike was the gorgeous waterfall located at the end of trip through the Zavitan. It was a time to appreciate the landscape and take some memorable trip pictures. Afterwards, we officially celebrated the opening of the trip with yummy “wine” (grape juice) and a few prayers in Hebrew, thanking God for bringing us to the present day and location in Israel. 

Photo credit: @madshelen (header), garyhershberg