This week, the HUC-Year in Israel program went on a tiyyul to Southern Israel in the Arava desert. The Arava desert is the second dryest desert on earth. They usually get the equivalent of a half hour of light rain for the entire year. This year, they got 23 millimeters, and they called it a flood. While we were there, temperatures rose to 40 degrees celcius, and this is February. Knowing these conditions, why anyone would voluntarily live there is beyond me, but a lot of people do- mostly Kibbutznicks (people who live on Kibbutzim) that were part of the zionist enterprise to populate the entire land of Israel. In their defense, the Arava desert is the most beautiful place I have seen, even if neither plants nor animals can survive en masse. For more information, check out this article on lonely planet: www.lonelyplanet.com/middle-east/travel-tips-and-articles/42/13952.
We began our journey at the Qumran Caves, where the dead sea scrolls were discovered. For nerds like me, it was fascinating to see a community like Qumran, and to see the place where the Ultra Religious Jews hid the scrolls. Below is a picture of the two caves where most of the scrolls were hidden.
After Qumran and Masada, we headed to a Reform Kibbutz in the Arava Desert called Kibbutz Yahel. For those of you who don't know, a Kibbutz is basically a Socialist exercise in Communal Living. The families all work on the Kibbutz, and the money is separated equally between everyone. Furthermore, the children are all raised together- they even sleep in their own "Children's House." Kibbutz Yahel is based specifically on Reform beliefs and practices. Kibbutz Yahel is also a big producer of Pomelos in Israel. They took us on their Pomelo Fields and let us pick our own Pomelos! For more information about Kibbutz Yahel, go to their website:
My favorite part of the trip was hiking at Timna. Timna is the home of the Copper Mines that the Egyptians used to turn copper into weapons before the Bronze Age. The area is full of beautiful rock formations and views. There are also ruins of the ancient Egyptian civilization, including their furnaces and holes from the mines. For more information about Timna, go here: http://www.timna-park.co.il/. This hike was a beautiful way to connect with God and nature. We did an exercise as part of shacharit where we walked in silence with the words of the Amidah in our heads. It was a very moving and spiritual experience. Every time I looked at the beautiful rock formations, i couldn't help but feel Gods presence in that place and in that beauty. Timna is the most beautiful place I have seen, and I'd recommend it to anyone visiting Israel. I have many more pictures up on my picassa website, but here are some highlights. (Also, I wore JFGP's Women's Philanthropy Committee t-shirt, so here is my official shoutout!)
We also visited Kibbutz Lotan, another Reform Kibbutz in the Arava. Lotan is an eco-friendly Kibbutz that is really cool. For more information, here's their website: http://www.kibbutzlotan.com/
And here are some pictures of eco-friendly housing at Lotan.
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We also took a trip down to Eilat, which is on the Red Sea and borders both Jordan and Egypt. The water was comfortable, the sun was warm, and the breeze was cool. All in all, the perfect combination for a relaxing afternoon. We went snorkeling to see the beautiful coral reef and exotic fishes, and spent some time soaking up the sun. You will never hear me complain about time at the Beach- and this is no exception!
We ended the trip with a beautiful Shabbat at Kibbutz Yahel. After a student-led service for our program and the Kibbutz members, we had a fun song session with Rabbi Yoshi Zweiback and Rabbi David Wilfond. Shabbat morning was very special, and a once in a lifetime opportunity I am glad to have. Gingy (Rabbi Wilfond) took us out into a wadi (dried up riverbed) on the spice trail. He took us out of the site and hearing range of any civilization, and it was there that we davened. We began the service by spreading out in the mountains for silent meditation. I walked away from the group and sat beneath a tree that my ancestors sat under for shade on their long journey. As I thanked God for waking me up to a beautiful Shabbat, I looked down and saw the shadow of my Tzitzit on the dried up riverbed. I looked to the mountains and saw Rabbi Zweiback wrapped in his white tallis on the top of a hill, and for a moment i was transported back in time, watching one of my ancestors praying. We came back together to pray and read Torah as a group, and finished a beautiful Shabbat morning service. We spent the rest of the day relaxing and learning together, topped off with a Havdalah service at the Kibbutz. Overall, an amazing Shabbat that I will never forget.
ps. careful. the flies bite.
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