From Tel Aviv to Jerusalem
We awoke in Tel-Aviv. Once again we enjoyed a breakfast of eggs and toast before we set out for the day. Through the streets we walked, heading for the beautiful beaches of Tel-Aviv we had longed to enjoy while looking on from the bus the night before. Walking along the beach, we dug our toes into the miniscule dunes of the softest sand we had ever known and wet our toes in the warm waters of the Mediterranean. Our guides led us to the birthplace of Israel; Independence Hall. There we learned of (Ben Gurion)? And the first and only Jewish council to start on time and last only 32 minutes.
We then traveled to the infamous square where Yitzchak Rabin was tragically and brutally assassinated by a fellow countryman, and a fellow Jew. As we spoke to strangers walking through the square, we heard the stories and the emotions shared by the citizens of Israel on that day 16 years ago.
From Tel-Aviv, we traveled to the city of Jerusalem, passing the Prime Minister’s Mansion along the way. Lining the street in front of his residence sat tents blanketed with posters and flags imprinted with the image of Gilad Shalit, a current prisoner of the Hamas terrorist group of Southern Lebanon. His parents sit in those tents every day, calling for reunion with their son and reminding us of the terrible truths of war. The close proximity of Israeli conflicts came into focus when we visited the Haas promenade, where we gazed over the land of Jerusalem; from the old city, to the newer neighborhoods, and to the enormous wall that cuts across the land to separate us from the West Bank.
In the old city, we touched the outer walls and learned how they used to both protect us from our enemies and keep us exiled from our holy city. We learned about the Romans who desecrated our temple, and the Christians, Muslims, crusaders, and many others who fought for the ownership of the city of Jerusalem, Holy place for 4 Billion of the worlds current citizens.
Our guides asked us to close our eyes and follow them down to a balcony overlooking the western wall, where a mix of Jews, Christians, and Muslims prayed. In the center of the square took place a ceremony inducting the IDF paratroopers into service from their basic training. We were separated by gender and led to the West Wall, where the Men of our group partook in the prayers for tefillin, and joined the Millions before them in praying and touching this piece of the humanity’s past.
After a short bus ride, we arrived at our new Kibbutz where the beds are warm and the dinner was delicious. Here we mentally and emotionally prepared for our trip to Yad V’Shem by discussing our connections to the Holocaust, and listening to the stories others had heard from their friends and families.
With that we retire to our beds to rest for the difficult day ahead.
