Israel 6: Jerusalem - Part 1

The ancient city of Old Jerusalem

Thursday, November 7

We arrived at the ancient city of Jerusalem in the afternoon, and entered through the Jaffa Gate for a tour of the Jewish Quarter. Some people get so overwhelmed with the religious significance of this place, that there is a medical phenomenon called “Messiah syndrome”, where people can actually come away from Old Jerusalem feeling that they are the Messiah. I think a lady I saw at the airport when I left the country may have experienced that, she tried to bless me for about 5 minutes, using weird biblical-style English.

First sights of the Old City from the bus

We were guided through the biblical and historical aspects of the Old Jerusalem’s development, and saw the several layers of historical buildings that had been dug out to reveal even more ancient structures below. Jerusalem is an architectural paradise and nightmare for historians, because there is always something older to uncover, but you have to damage the building on top to expose the deeper and older artefacts.

We were given some time to browse the stores at the market in the old city. There's a few plazas with restaurants, and a marketplace within the city's grounds. Lots of chachkas and souvenirs but also several art stores.

A cat on the doorstep of one of the art stores in Old Jerusalem

The tour culminated in the pilgrimage to the Kotel, the western wall from the second Jewish temple built over 2000 years ago. We had the opportunity to write a note to leave at the wall. The wall was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people praying at it, and the experience was moving even for those of us that don’t feel particularly religious. 

I have never felt so much faith as I did when I walked up to the wall, leaned my forehead against it, and connected to this piece of my Jewish heritage. Beyond the spiritual significance of the wall, I just found it impressive that for 2000 years my ancestors have been yearning to be in Jerusalem and visit the temple mount, and there I was actually touching the Western Wall.

The emotional rollercoaster continued when we returned to the hotel for a seminar about the history of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Iftah did a great job in presenting this seminar, which was prepared in conjunction with the Middle Eastern Learning Academy. I had specifically looked forward to this part of the trip, because I had fallen far behind on the news in this department. I felt the seminar was as objective as one could hope for and showed a balance of perspectives. Iftah tried to convey what was driving each nationality to the decisions they ultimately made, whether those decisions turned out to be good or bad ones could only be known in time. Of course there is no simple way to break down the complexities of the situation, but this lecture provided a useful summary of the key points. I found a thorough online introductory resource to Israeli-Palestinian history here (not affiliated with our seminar).

Previous: Tel Aviv    Next: Jerusalem - Part 2

Israel 5: Tel Aviv

Thursday, November 7

Yitzhak Rabin Square, Tel Aviv

The day started with a walk to the location of Rabin’s assassination, where Iftah briefed us on Rabin’s action plan for peace and the sociopolitical factors that led to his assassination. After this we visited Yitzhak Rabin Square. We divided into groups and began interviewing locals about their thoughts on Rabin’s plan and the effect of his assassination on Israeli society.

Just outside the Carmel Market

While people were very polarized about Rabin’s peace plan itself, there was much of a consensus about the devastation of his death. Some believed he was a great man and leader, with an unrealistic peace plan. Some believed the plan would have succeeded. What amazed me was the way some citizens spoke of Rabin as if he were family, rather than as a political leader. One lady became so emotional about the topic that she had to leave the discussion.

The solemn tone of the day turned around briefly when we visited the Carmel Market for lunch and pomegranate juice. If you come in November, you can have lots of pomegranate juice. We divided into the buddy system, and wondered the market. 

The juice man

Not sure what this is but it looks tasty

Some people picked up souvenirs and snacks for later, but I breezed through the markets and started wondering around the neighborhood with my Israeli buddy who managed to get us lost, I mean, took us to explore the *cough* scenery.

The uh, scenery in the neighbourhood nearby the market

After just a few hours in Tel Aviv, it was time to get back on the bus to our next stop, Jerusalem.

Previous: Tzfat

Israel 4: Tzfat

Wednesday, November 6

The mountainside town of Tzfat, facing Mount Meron

Today we explored the mystical city of Tzfat. Tzfat is an enchanting and conservative town located on a mountain overlooking Mount Meron. The town is riddled with local tales and fables. We walked down what may even be the Narrowest Alley in Israel, the Middle East or even the Universe. Our guide, Iftach, told us a story about a lady that used to bring two cups of tea into the alleyway every day, and enjoy one cup of tea to herself and wait. When asked why she would always bring an extra cup of tea, she replied that when the Messiah rises (as she believed it would happen from Mount Meron), she thinks he will want to stop for tea and sustenance on his way to Jerusalem, and she was prepared for the Messiah to arrive any day now.

Messiah Alley in Tzfat

We met with Abraham, an artist who spoke with us about the Kabbala, and showed us some artistic graphic interpretations of the philosophy. The basics, as I gathered, is that all of the good in the world is broken into pieces, and the goal of Kabbala is that by doing good deeds, we can piece the innate goodness of the world back together again. The expectation is not that there is ever a finite point where this journey will be complete, but that the aspiration to this end point brings the soul closer to enlightenment. Or so I gather.

Just random art lurking around the corner

Abraham also thought that a person’s name influences the person they will be. This was ironic when later in the trip one of the group members Adam met some people who knew an Adam by the exact same name, in the same line of work.

We entered the local synagogue, then visited a candle store that made many skillful and entertaining wax sculptures, definitely a great souvenir spot. There were some chachka stores nearby (see Chachka: n. 'stuff you shouldn’t have bought’). We had lunch in Tzfat, the usual options of shwarma, falafel, sandwiches or pizza. Then we took the long bus ride back to Tel Aviv.

This wax masterpiece was just the tip of the iceberg... really, there is an even bigger iceberg and more animals below it!

Upon arrival in Tel Aviv, we visited the Hall of Independence for a lecture about Zionism and the significance of Israel gaining its independence as a Jewish state. It was unanimous opinion that the lecturer seemed a bit, uh, passionate. But the main point was still relevant albeit only considering the Jewish perspective. Essentially, I think the purpose of this visit was to describe how Israel is an important part of the safety network of Diaspora Jews, and that though our home countries may protect us as citizens, they won’t necessarily always protect us as Jews - which has historically been proven several times.

Inside the Hall of Independence in Tel Aviv

After checking into the hotel and having dinner, it was time for a night out on the town in Tel Aviv. Now, we were on a birthright tour, and at the start of the tour they make you sign a bunch of paperwork about drinking responsibly and restrictions that apply during the tour. They are serious. Anyway, we were able to go to a bar for under 2 hours, but since we went as a large group, when we got to the bar the party scene escalated fairly quickly anyway. Some people chose to go have coffee elsewhere, but most of us went out to drink and dance. Leaving the bar early wasn’t really an issue, since we continued the party back at the hotel until pretty late. I’d already learnt by this point that I wasn’t going to sleep properly until I was back in Toronto.

Just one more picture of beautiful Tzfat

Previous: Golan Heights   

Israel 3: Golan Heights

Zavitan waterfall

Tuesday, November 5

Breakfast was standard to Israel – with an assortment of salad, fruit, eggs, bread, jams and dairy available. My favorite that I had every morning was the dairy – the cream cheese and even the cottage cheese was just delicious.

Today’s first stop was the Golan Heights, where we ascended to a picturesque view overlooking the valley. The Golan Heights was won by Israel during the Six Day War, to create disincentive for further attacks from Syria by taking some land in retaliation, and also to gain a strategic high ground near the border.

We proceeded to hike in the Zavitan. We were warned at the beginning of the hike that several mines still remained active in the area after the war, so you have to stay on the path. Much of the ‘trail’ was path-finding through a maze of cubic basalt rocks. 

The Zavitan hike

Half way through, we changed into our swimsuits to take a dip in the emerald pond. Unlike the beach, this water was friggin’ cold despite being a hot day, but I guess you could call it refreshing. 

The emerald pond

Along the trail, we passed several relic buildings, some were ancient Jewish homes that were slowly deteriorating into a pile of rubble, others were damaged concrete and stone walls that were likely old Syrian homes or barricades.

Still on the Zavitan trail here...

... awww, a flower!

After this, we ascended Mount Bental overlooking the border with Syria. We explored an underground barracks, and I actually regretted never getting the ‘flashlight’ application on my iPhone. One of the soldiers told us about his friend’s IDF experience at an Israeli defense station in this area, where they were under attack by rogue shootings originating from a mosque across the border in Syria. They weren’t allowed to shoot back at the attacker in self-defense, because they hadn’t been injured by the assault yet. It’s not uncommon that during the civil war in Syria, sometimes attacks are directed at the Israeli border. 

The soldiers were telling us how difficult these and similar situations can be to assess and decide when to shoot back in defense – they can’t return fire when the attacker’s finger is on the trigger because you don’t know for certain that they will shoot, you can’t return fire after they’ve shot you because you’re already shot, but you have to wait for the split second when they are pulling the trigger from a distance where damage can be expected to occur from their weapon. That’s a lot to evaluate objectively in a momentary situation where you fear for your life.

We learned a bit about the Yom Kippur War as we watched the dust settle from the patrol along the border. Essentially, the IDF were unprepared and outnumbered for the battle in the north, and experienced severe losses (both sides did). But in the devestation, they knew that retreat was not an option. I always understood the importance of Israel as a sanctuary for the Jewish people, but being at this location where the IDF defended the front line against all odds, knowing that there is no one else to defend Israel; strengthens my respect for the IDF and reinforces the importance of Israel’s existence and the people who risk their lives daily to protect it.

Sculpture at Mount Bental

Just around the time we visited, a pregnant Syrian woman had made her way to the Israeli border to be transported to an Israeli hospital for treatment. This appears to be becoming more common as communities in Syria learn that this is an option for them, many individuals are seeking care across the border for injuries obtained during the civil war and other illnesses.

We watched the sunset over the Golan Heights, and then returned to the kibbutz for dinner and some introductory group activities. Many of us stayed out late, we had some musicians in the group and a common theme for our nights out was karaoke to whichever songs our guitarists could play, and even to songs they couldn’t.

Previous: Bat Yam

Israel 2: Bat Yam

Monday, November 3-4

The journey begins with the longest day ever. To add to my anxiety, our departing flight was at the end of daylight savings. I can never for the life of me remember if my computer/phone etc. automatically changes the time or not, and am always worried about the possibility that it will do the wrong thing – as many iPhones did a few years ago causing a pandemic of lateness-to-work. So I got up an hour earlier than needed just to make sure I wasn’t late. I headed to the airport to arrive 4 hours before our flights departure, and meet the rest of the group. There was no clear sign at the airport for our group specifically, so I just approached a couple of younger people hanging out and found out I was in the right place. Later on, we made the introductions and met our Canadian group leader Alana.

Elementary School in Bat Yam

Check in was intense. Before I even reached the check-in counter, security asked me a million questions about my intentions in Israel, how I found out about Birthright, my level of Jewish practice and upbringing. I couldn’t help but feel guilty for how Jewish I didn’t feel at that time – but not to worry because that’s certainly changed now. I finally passed the verbal and was checked in successfully.

Twelve hours later, our group landed in Tel Aviv, where we received yet another interrogation at immigration. Then the real fun began.

Our fellow IDF travellers

Arriving into the terminal, we were greeted in song by the Israelis that were joining us for our 10 day adventure. All of a sudden I had dropped my luggage and was dancing in the airport with my new friends. We did a brief introduction, got all our items together and some of us changed clothes and collected our rental phones. Then we received chocolates, sandwiches and water on our way to the bus.

Our first stop was Bat Yam, a town just outside of Tel Aviv, where we visited a primary school for a cultural exchange. This probably wouldn't be considered a tourist attraction although the town does have a nice beach - but so does Tel Aviv. It was such a culture shock, coming from the daily grind of Canadian life and being thrown into the juvenile playground at recess. All the children ran up to us and started speaking Hebrew to us, then just grabbed some toys and played basketball, skipping games, and all sorts of other games that I didn’t quite catch or understand. As quickly as the pandemonium began, suddenly the bell rang and the children disappeared again into their classrooms.

We had a crafts session with some of the kids, making a gift to pass on to the children at the hospital nearby. After this, our group was surprised to find out we were actually going to the hospital to deliver our gifts in person. It was a beautiful thing to see the children’s faces light up when a stranger walked in and handed them a small bag of goodies, and some of our group even got to stay a while to show the children how to use the toys. There was a major communication barrier here, many of the families in this hospital didn’t speak English or Hebrew, but it was irrelevant when the appreciation for this small spark in their day was so palpable. We learned that the hospital is involved in an international aid program, where children with congenital heart defects are transported to Israel, receive life-saving surgery, and then once recovered are transported back home.

After this intense introduction to Israel’s future generation, we feasted on something I will never get sick of - fresh hummus and pita! Then we received some relaxation time at the beach. Even in November, with the sun low in the sky, the ambient and water temperatures were just perfect. We got to know our fellow Canadians and Israelis, or took a well needed nap on the beach.

Then, and this will be a common theme, back on the bus! 

The beach at Bat Yam

We returned to the airport, it’s all over. I joke. We did return to the airport, but that’s because this was a special trip. There was another group joining us, arriving from Washington D.C. that evening. Waiting at the airport, we played some games and learned some songs while awaiting the arrival of the Americans, and then we graced them with the same energetic welcome that we had received from our Israeli peers. And probably freaked out a whole lot of people in the airport in the process.

Finally, we could relax… after another 3 hours in the bus to our overnight accommodations in Kibbutz Afik near the Golan Heights. Arriving after 9pm, we received a quick dinner and introductory talk, before finally catching some ZZZ’s after over 36 hours of transport and activity. So sets the pace for the next 10 days…

Previous: Birthright   Next: Golan Heights

Israel 1: Birthright Experience

The next few posts are going to be different from my usual. I'm posting about a tour that I didn't organise!

Why Birthright?

The funny thing is, that I knew about Birthright a long time ago, it was a trip several people from my high school went on after graduation. At the time, after several Zionist camp experiences, I didn't really want to get involved in a Jewish-themed tour of Israel. I'm glad that I didn't go on the trip back then, mainly because I would not have embraced all that the tour had to offer. Instead, I moved to Sydney and never got involved in the local Jewish community. After this I moved to Toronto, where for three years I was completely isolated from the Jewish community.

Then, I was at a bar for a Couchsurfing event, and the girl sitting next to me started telling me how she had just come back from Israel. She was telling me all about her trip, and I was stunned because I had no idea I could still be eligible at 26 years old to go! I had totally forgotten that Birthright was a free trip to Israel and was even available to me. I was so incredibly lucky, that I was able to apply for the winter trip - the last trip I'd ever be eligible for - within a month of hearing about it. This time, I was so excited at the prospect of visiting Israel, travelling and bonding with the IDF soldiers, remembering some of my stale Hebrew, and learning about the history of the country, the conflict, and the Jewish people. At a time where I felt I had lost my Jewish identity in the madness of work, daily life and travel, I met this girl who gave me the exact opportunity I wanted, at the time I needed it most.

What is it?

So the following posts are going to cover a lot. Yes, I'll show you some sights (and we saw A LOT), I'll talk about the places we visited. There will be no logistics this time - we just got on the bus and everything else was taken care of for us so honestly, I don't know the best way to see certain things.

This journey was more than sight-seeing and history lessons. We also explored our faith, identity, values and I even managed to take a real step back from my daily life and see it from an external perspective. This goes well beyond anything religious, this trip provided an escape from reality in which I could examine my life and myself, and really learn something. Usually I keep this blog fairly objective, but for my posts in Israel, they will reflect part of my personal journey and connection to the places visited.

As you can tell, the tour was demanding. Most of the participants slept less than 5 hours a night for 10 days straight. And okay you could sleep a bit more if you really want to, but you won't want to. We saw a crazy amount of sights in each day, and above that we also had group activities and then we'd stay up late chilling out.

The tour I was on was a bit out of the ordinary; extraordinary if you will. It was a joined tour between the Canada Israel Experience and Shorashim, so we had Canadian and US participants. Moreover, we had a special November tour date, specifically so we could participate in the General Assembly that happens in Israel once every five years! We were even more privileged that Shorashim arranged for us to travel the full 10 days with IDF soldiers (most tours have the Israelis join for just a few days). To me, this made the trip the best one I possibly could have gone on.

I can't wait to write about this journey, and before I get started I will have to give a big thanks to Canada Israel Experience, Shorashim, and whichever one of the many philanthropists that funded my last-opportunity position on the trip.

If you're thinking of getting involved in a Birthright trip, you don't need to read the rest. Seriously, just do it!

Next: Bat Yam