The best time to reflect is when you're jet-lagged

That’s right, the best time is when everyone else is asleep except for you since you’re still trying to get to Eastern Standard Time. 

I’m not going to lie, I usually love writing these blog posts, but this last and final one I have been dreading.  I love telling my stories and listing all the places I’ve been and all the things I’ve seen.  But this post is different.  Writing one final post is my last step in finishing this chapter of my life, sewing up the threads of an amazing 4 ½ months I’ve had in a special and sacred land. 

It’s hard for me to fathom everything I’ve done in Israel.  Although I may be biased, I feel that I’ve changed as a person.  I came to this country feeling like a tourist.  But as I sat in the train from Jerusalem to the Ben-Gurion airport, taking in the final images of the landscape, I felt like I was leaving my home. 

A few nights before I left (so late it was the early morning) I couldn’t fall asleep.  My mind was racing with all of my responsibilities, such as taking finals, saying goodbyes, packing up, coming home, packing and going to State College for the summer, and just with the mere fact that I was actually leaving in such a short time.  So I got out of bed and went to the living room to look out of my 5^th story view of East Jerusalem. I stared and I thought.  

Jerusalem at night.

Jerusalem challenged me and intrigued me.  It is a city with historical sites, so much controversy, and different types of people that do not necessarily get along.  People are pushy, do not know how to wait in line (probably because lines do not exist) and often argue about things that are not worth arguing.  But I stared out into this land at 3 AM, the lights glimmering into the darkness, Jews and Arabs, everyone asleep.  It was peaceful, still, quiet.   Even though Jerusalem is neither the friendliest nor easiest place, I felt an emptiness in my stomach that I sure was going to miss this crazy place. 

Of course, I’m going to miss all of my experiences here, not just in Jerusalem.  I’ve seen a lot, whether it be going to a religious wedding, visiting a traditional kibbutz in the desert, or learning of people that uses the ancient Torah and still sacrifices animals in the West Bank. And even though I tried seeing as much as I could, there are still places I want to see and activities I want to do.  

Me at a fresh-water spring on the Kibbutz, Naot Smader.

The ancient Hebrew text of the Samaritan (Shomranim) people.

I guess that means I will have to come back!  I really had some incredible experiences while abroad, and there are many people I need to thank. 
Mom and Dad- You two have allowed me to embark on this crazy journey, and allowed me to be thousands of miles away for almost five months.  Thanks for supporting me and allowing me to do everything. 

Family in Israel- Thanks for taking me in, feeding me, housing me, showing me around and any other me’s I forgot to mention.  It was really special getting to spend so much quality time in Israel. 

Friends in Israel- It’s crazy to think that we’ve only known each other for 4 ½ months, because we got so close so fast, and I feel I can trust you guys with anything.  I am so lucky to have friends from all over the world. 

Friends from Home- Thanks for not forgetting about me while I was gone and keeping in touch, asking about my experiences, and picking things up right when I got back. 

Hanan- To an amazing boyfriend, who really taught me more about myself than anyone has.  You also showed me more places and things than most Israelis, and really immersed me in the culture. 

To you all- That’s right, all of you that are reading my blog.  Thanks for the support!

For any of you that have traveled, it’s a thrilling experience.  It can be scary being in a new place, but also exhilarating being lost.  Take advantage of your traveling experiences and try to immerse yourself by interacting with the natives finding the not-touristy-activities.  Just enjoy your time away, because within what feels like a blink of an eye, you will be wondering where your 4 ½ months went and if it were all a dream. 

 And now....an ode to all the goats I saw in Israel.  Going to miss these little guys.   

The Kibbutz Life

First off, I want to apologize for the delay in my writing.  As you can probably imagine, the past month has been very busy.  I got to see family in the North, “tan” on the beach in Tel Aviv, and celebrate holidays with friends such as Jerusalem Day and Shavuot.  Jerusalem Day commemorates when the Jews got Jerusalem and the Kotel back during the 6-Day War in 1967. Shavuot is a big holiday celebrating the time God gave us the Torah on Mount Sinai.  The important part is that you are supposed to eat ALL foods with dairy.  Although a lactose-intolerant’s nightmare, it was my dream.  We had everything from lasagna burekas to cheesecake and crème puffs.  

This past weekend was really special for me, in fact my favorite weekend thus far in Israel.  My boyfriend took me to a kibbutz he used to volunteer on before he went to the army.  Kibbutzim are communities that developed in Israel based on agriculture and socialism.  People that started kibbutzim also held strong Zionist beliefs, such as taking desert land and reviving it to its utmost potential.  Most kibbutzim have been modernized, and are not based on a socialist system.  However, Neot Semedar, the kibbutz we traveled to, located in the Arava desert (far South) is one of the few traditional kibbutzim.  Neot Semedar was established in 1989, and the land was revived from an abandoned kibbutz.

The famous image of the kibbutz, that is the logo on their products. 

About 300 people live on this kibbutz, not including the 50-60 volunteers who come from all over the world.  The people are very spiritual, not in terms of religion but in their connections with each other and with the earth.  Everything they grow is organic, and they eat vegetarian (technically pescatarian).  There are most like 2 TVs total located on the premises of the kibbutz, and you will never see a member walking around with a cell phone, especially at meals.  And that’s not to say that they want to socialize with each other at meals. An interesting tidbit is that they do not talk at meals; it is actually frowned upon.  While most people associate eating with socializing with friends and family, members use this time to connect with their bodies and minds.  

Let’s not say that this was an easy adjustment for me and my loquacious boyfriend.  A kibbutz member came up to us during breakfast and said, “We encourage socializing outside of the dining hall.”  Never in my life would I expect to hear that sentence, and I probably won’t hear it again.  

The food was absolutely delicious: simple, fresh and healthy.  They grow vegetables, fruits, grains, and raise hens (only for the eggs) and goats (only for the milk).  They export products such as fruit nectars, wines, cheeses, and olive oil but since the kibbutz doesn’t care about money, they haven’t expanded their business.  Everyone on the kibbutz has an equal share.  Every day the members and volunteers switch their jobs so it’s equal.  Members and families can’t stay in the same house for more than five years, as not to get attached to their particular plot.  

The goats enjoying an afternoon stroll.

It sounds nearly impossible to produce so many things in the desert, but they did an excellent job at revitalizing this dry land.  There are trees and flowers everywhere, a man-make lake, and a natural spring.  It is truly a beautiful place, like paradise.  They would do so well with tourism, but they simply don’t care about money.  

The natural spring, amidst the Arava Desert.

 Just as the people are friendly to the animals, they are also to the environment.  They don’t waste any food, because after every meal they  compost leftover foods to make fertilizer.  They don’t even have air conditioning.  Instead, they have these large cooling towers which circulate wind to somehow produce cold air. 

Kayaking in the lake

Not only do they care about the environement, but they care about the arts.  The music building is a unique building they built which houses all of the art workshops.  They also care about music and dance.  During kabbalat Shabbat, some members performed a 30 minute synchronized dance.  

The music building, created by the members 10 years ago. 

Some of the members dancing during Kabbalat Shabbat.

It’s hard to believe that a community like this exists in this day and age.  It might be hard for some to grasp the concept of not using technology and being isolated in the desert, but the people are truly happy.  They find joy in their hard work in producing amazing foods and sustaining the land.  It is a great lifestyle, in terms of health and happiness.  I would never live like this permanently, but it put things into perspective.  

It was definitely an interesting and eye-opening experience, and I really appreciated staying there and seeing all they did to revitalize the land and treat the animals well.  When times in life get demanding and possibly overbearing, it’s important to remember the simpler and finer things, such as the beautiful land we’ve been given and the creatures living on it. 

Memorial Day, Independence Day, and some Army Training?

Memorial Day and Independence Day are incredibly important holidays in Israel, and are handled very interestingly.  Memorial Day yields different emotions than Independence Day, which can make it difficult considering Memorial Day was April 14^th, and Independence Day was right after, the 15^th.    

While many Americans associate big clothing sales and parades with Memorial Day, it is one of the saddest holidays in Israel.  It honors the 23,085 fallen soldiers beginning from the fight for Independence up until now, defending the country.  On this day, the radio stations only play melancholy music, show war-related films on TV, and shops, malls, theaters, and bars are closed. 

There are three times a year where a 1-2 minute alarm is sounded in Israel, all within a few weeks of each other.  The first is for Holocaust Remembrance Day, and the second and third are for Memorial Day.  It is a truly powerful moment, in which everyone stops what they are doing: walking, driving, talking etc.  They just stand and think about those that have sacrificed themselves for the small yet fearless country.  

After the alarm sounded in the evening, I went to a ceremony in City Hall, in which everyone was sitting on the lawn together, singing sad songs and watching videos in honor of fallen soldiers.  The next morning, I went to Mount Hertzl, the largest cemetery for soldiers in Israel.  Flowers are distributed to everyone to put on the graves.  People stand together, pray for their loved ones, tell war stories, and comfort each other.  

At the entrance to Mount Hertzl

 Only about six hours later, everyone rejoices and cheers for the start of Independence Day.  This year marks the 65^th year that this young country has become a Jewish State.  Barbecuing and watching fireworks are a few things that are a must on Independence Day.  24 hours after hearing the sad songs and watching videos in City Hall, people were Israeli dancing, singing happy songs, and partying with friends.  For some, the transition from mourning to celebrating is a difficult one, but for me it was nice to end the two days on a happy and sweet note.  

Everyone getting ready to Israeli dance in City Hall

This past weekend, I went on a hike with my aunt and two cousins in the Negev desert.  And in case you were curious, I did not have training for the army.  But the hiking was pretty difficult, more than I am used to.  Still a lot of fun!

The first site we went to was Mitzpe Ramon.  Mitzpe Ramon is a huge crater that was naturally created by Earthquakes thousands of years ago.  We did 4 hours of hiking in the warm weather (even though the rest of Israel was rainy and cold).  

The next day, we went to Sde Boker, a kibbutz in which David Ben-Gurion lived.  It’s also a beautiful place to hike, and on our second day, we hiked here for 6 hours.  

 

 The weather was a bit colder and windier, which is surprising for the desert mid-April.  The real surprising bit came at the end when the sunshine turned to an opaque grey, powerful winds, and rain splashing down on us.  My cousin informed me that we were caught in a sand storm.  Shorts and a T-shirt did not prepare me for this storm, and the sand was slapping my legs.  Luckily, I had a hat and sunglasses that shielded my eyes.  Aside from the discomfort, it was actually a really funny experience.  What got me through it was “finding my happy place,” all thanks to Happy Gilmore. 

 

After making it to the bus, waiting for everyone else, and embarking home, we got another surprise:  Two camels being transported by truck.  

All in all, a great week with a variety of emotions. 

If There's Water, There's a Way

When one thinks of the geography of Israel, desert might be the type of land that comes to mind.  Sure, every birthrighter gets to enjoy a camel ride in the Negev desert after enjoying a night in a Bedoin tent, but is that really Israel? 

For only 7,992 square miles of land, Israel sure is diverse.  Starting in the north, there are the mountains and the forests, yes forests.  Although forests only make up 3.5% of Israel, it feels like more when hiking or driving through it.  

The Golan Heights

Traveling south you have the major cities, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, and you have the desert in the south.  But for a land in which the water needs to be conserved for the lack of a lot of rain, there sure is a lot of water.  

I was blessed to travel throughout Israel and discovery some of these bodies of water.  I don’t consider myself a water creature, but after visiting these places, I could find myself swimming all day (warning: do not forget to reapply sunscreen or else you will get burnt).  Here are some of the bodies of water I visited over Passover break, and boy do they put the Jersey Shore to shame.  

Banias

Banias in the north is an archaeological site of the City of Caesarea Philippi.  More importantly, it encompasses a huge spring that rushes into the Nahal Hermon stream.  Banias is a great place to take the family on a hike, see the archaeological sites, and of course to marvel at the clearness and freshness of the giant spring.  

Rosh HaNikra

Arguably one of the most beautiful places on earth (thanks to my cousin Lehe), Rosh HanNikra is a chalk cliff into which grottoes have been eroded.  It is on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea.  In order to get down to the cliff, one has to take a ski lift.  I have never seen water so turquoise in color, truly beautiful. 

The Kinneret (Sea of Galilee)

The Kinneret is Israel’s largest freshwater lake.  The end of a 3-day hike I did (called Sea to Sea) ended in the Kinneret.  It was refreshing to swim in a large body of water that didn’t contain salt.

The Dead Sea

However, the Dead Sea is a special place to see. The Dead Sea is the lowest place on Earth.  My friends and I camped on the beach, so you can imagine that the hike up from the beach in the hot sun was a workout.  It is one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, so salty that you float in the water.  The Dead Sea is also famous for the mud formed alongside it.  Loaded with minerals, the mud and other products are sold all over the world.  But if you get a chance to go to the Dead Sea, you have an unlimited supply of it.  A little hesitant at first about putting mud on myself, I soon was lathering the soft mixture all over myself.  

Exfoliating our skin with the Dead Sea mud.

Eilat

My favorite body of water was the northern tip of the Red Sea, in Eilat.  Eilat is the Southern-most point of Israel, so you can imagine that having water to cool off is completely refreshing.  What surprised me the most was simply the translucence of the water.   I could put my feet in the water, and actually see my feet!  I also loved Eilat because I got to go snorkeling at the Nature Reserve and at a Cave right nearby.  Both times I saw coral and really cool fish.  No octopuses or sharks, but maybe next time.  

These are only a few of the many types of water in Israel.  I was shocked by its variability for such a small country in the Middle East, but that’s what makes it a truly special place.