Day 3: The Golan: Issues of Security and Ideology
My legs are still sore after what seemed like an endless hike in the Jilaboon today. The third leg of our journey will certainly be engraved in my heart for years to come. It was another day of basting in the sun-- but don't worry moms and dads, we can still hear you reminding us to drink lots of water and douse ourselves in sunscreen from thousands of miles away.
There's no better way to start the day in the Golan than hiking along a stream in the Golan. Jumping from rock to rock, and from one stream to the next, we slowly took our first steps in establishing a firm understanding of what happens along the outskirts of Israel and its surrounding borders. In the midst of our hike, we learned about renowned Israeli spy Eli Cohen and the footprint he left on this beautiful place we call home: Israel. In a nutshell, he is class A hero...well at least to the Jews!
Cohen spent a great deal of his time working as spy in Syria. Some of the information he retained eventually led to his demise, as he was executed in 1965. However, the information he gathered played a key role in Israel's victory of yet another significant event in Israel's history: the Six Day War.
Forgive me as I digress, but this experience has truly opened my eyes. There is no better way to learn the about the history of our forefathers than walking in their footsteps. And speaking of footsteps, l am proud to say that Bus 228 conquered the hike! At times I felt like I couldn't go any further, almost like g-d was testing us...or perhaps we were just pushing ourselves to the limits. Either way, it's been a breathtaking, surreal, and emotional experience to say the least. My favorite part about the hike was the breathtaking waterfall. I remember telling all my new buddies, "This is honestly the coolest thing I've ever seen in my life!"
After, we filled our tummies with classic middle eastern favorites. But I'm going to stop talking about the hummus, falafel, and shwarma because my stomach's starting to grumble.
We wrapped up our afternoon by trekking up the top of the Golan Heights. This area continues to be an area of concern, as so many other middle eastern contries are. More than four decades after key players such as Eli Cohen were captured and killed, problems still linger between the neighboring communities. For thousands of years, neighboring countries have tried to take over parts of Israel, and the Western Golan is no exception. As Syria continues to be engulfed in its own problems, border security becomes an even bigger issue. In the end-- it seems like everybody wants a piece of Israel. Syria actually occupied and controlled the region between 1948 and 1967, sniping innocent Israeli civilians and children. This may not seem like a big deal to you know, but I promise you, once you set foot upon one of the tallest mountains overlooking Israel, Jordan, and Lebanoon, you will start to understand why this region is so significant. It's something that text books, Hebrew school, or even your bubbe can't teach you! You have to see it for yourself.
By Michelle Mantel
