The last trip of our pre-camp week took us to the Galilee region of northern Israel. The Sea of Galilee is a freshwater lake fed by and drained by the Jordan river. It’s the worlds lowest freshwater lake, at 750 ft below sea level, and is surrounded on most sides by tall 1500 ft mountains that go right to the waters edge.

Sea of Galilee

The Galilee has been a place of settlement for 500,000 years. Many of the important events of early Christianity took place here, and the area was a center of wealth in biblical times. It’s an area of great importance to Israel, as it is the source of freshwater for Jerusalem and points south. It’s also an area under considerable environmental pressure, as it’s level is dangerously low. Should the water level drop much more, the lake will be in danger of saltwater incursion from saltwater springs under the lake. The weight of the freshwater is all that keeps them from flowing in now. Fish lovers alert- this is the home of Tilapia (St. Peters fish), which has become  a popular product of the aquaculture industry.

The Sea of Galilee is bordered on the east by the Golan Heights, an area of great strategic importance to Israel and the center of a great deal of conflict. Since the ‘67 war is has been settled and governed by Israeli civilian authorities. It’s occupation is highly contested by Syria and Lebanon, and the area has many UN troops stationed there, as well as Israeli Defense Forces. It’s been in the news frequently as the Israeli government has been pressing the UN to modify Israel’s right to investigate potential Hezbollah strong houses without prior notice to Lebanese forces.

Our trip included a stop at a Druze village on Mt. Carmel for lunch with a Druze family. The Druze are a a religious minority in Israel, who have a 1000 year old religion that believes in Monotheism and reincarnation. In Israel, they are citizens, and serve the requisite 3 years of military service. They are well regarded amongst the Israelis and well integrated into Israeli society. There are approximately 750,000 t0 2,000,000 Druze worldwide, with 118,000 in Israel and 20,000 in the US.

Isifiya

In Middle east fashion, we were shown warm hospitality, and after a brif introduction to the Druze, we were served a delicious meal of fresh flat bread, salads and sausages, followed by hot sweet tea.

Lunch is Served

My fellow travellers enjoyed the lunch, devouring the first tray and most of the second. The young fellow on the left and I had a traditional (Connecticut) discussion of the merits of the various pizza restaurants in New Haven. Sort of strange, but comforting in an odd way.

Big Eaters

Following lunch we continued on to the water park in Tiberius, at the south end of the Sea of Galilee. Boat rides, swimming in the warm lake, Frisbee and the water slide provided a relaxing afternoon enjoyed by all.

Bathers

Water Slide

After the completely forgettable, highly un-digestable dinner, we concluded the pre-camp week by breaking up into groups and discussing the experiences we shared and the travels we took. A nice end to a very busy week. A 2 hour bus ride brought us back to our lodgings at midnight.

Bonfires

You are now entering the West Bank

Our trip to the Dead Sea and Masada started with the usual stop and go grind up the hills through Jerusalem. The first new scenery began immediately upon the decent from Jerusalem as we passed through an area of the West Bank into the rift valley that separates Israel from Jordan. The landscape changed immediately from the lush greenery of Jerusalem to brutal, arid desert within a short span of a few miles. As we descended from the 2500 ft high hills to the sea level mark, and finally to the 1200 ft below sea level floor of the rift valley, the temperature soared to 105 °.

Sea Level-Halfway there

Along the side of the road were shacks housing Bedouins, who we saw herding goats or walking along the side of the highway. We stopped at a service area for refreshments, and the kids took advantage of the short camel rides available to them. Some advice: don’t hang around downwind of a camel.

DesertTrans

Just Friends

The Dead Sea is the lowest point on the surface of the earth. It is bordered by high cliffs pockmarked with caves, some of which had provided shelter to monks and other recluses over the millennia. Our destination was a small beach which provided towels, showers, refreshments, sulfur baths, mud massages, and changing rooms. And of course, the big attraction was the dead sea itself.

Skin Treatment at 105°

We were warned the day before not to shave, because the salt water was so concentrated it would burn the small nicks and cuts. Let me tell you, I found cuts I never knew I had. After doing the waddling in the mud, floating high in the sea, showering and changing. I was ready for a nap. Not going to happen. We immediately proceeded down the road to visit Masada, which is a 1200 meter high Mesa in the desert.

DesertTrans at Masada

Masada

We ran through the beautiful visitors center (no time to stop-move it move it!) and caught the cable car to the top. Soaring over the reddish-tan desert below, we saw people winding their way down the Snake Trail back to their cars.

The Snake Trail Down

Top of Masada

Once on top, we spent an hour touring the ruins of Herod’s Fortress, and the various forts and shelters left over the millennia.

Model of Herod's Fortress at Masada

Herod's Fortress Ruins-looking down from the top of Masada

This fortress was actually built. Herod was motivated by two factors, his fear of an uprising by his Jewish subjects and the possibility of an attack by Cleopatra’s Egyptian forces. Construction of the luxurious fort took place between 37 and 31 BCE. Here is a photograph of the ruins. Some of the original Mosaic floors are still visible. Herod never needed the refuge the fortress provided, and it was occupied by a Roman garrison after his death in 4 AD.During the second Jewish revolt, Masada was taken from the Romans by the Jewish Zealot Maccabees forces, and held until their defeat in 74 AD by Roman general Flavius Silva. It took 10,000 Roman troops more than three years to defeat the Maccabees. Silva constructed a siege wall around the Mesa to prevent the escape of the Jews, and also established eight army camps around the base of Masada. In order to breach the fortress walls, he constructed an assault ramp from the valley floor to within 150 feet of the top of the fortress casement on Masada’s west side, and built on top of this ramp a siege tower with flamethrowers, battering rams and catapults. The remains of this ramp are still in place today, and form part of the walking path down the 1200 ft high western side of Masada.

“Josephus described the dramatic last hours of Masada, including Eleazar’s speech to the Jewish defenders and the mass suicide of 960 men, women, and children. By lot ten men were chosen to kill all the others. Then among those ten, one was chosen to kill the other nine, set fire to the palace, and then kill himself. This tragic tale was preserved and told to Josephus by two women who survived by hiding with five children in the underground aqueducts.

The only other inhabitants of Masada were a group of Byzantine monks that established themselves there in the fifth or sixth century AD. After this, the location of Masada was forgotten, and it was not correctly identified until 1838 by two American travelers.

Various explorers continued to make discoveries at Masada until the 1960s, when the first complete, organized archaeological expedition took place under the leadership of Yigael Yadin and the direction of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Israel Exploration Society, and the Department of Antiquity of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

The symbol of the Jewish freedom fighters with their families choosing death over enslavement to the Romans continues today to be a legend very much alive in the identity of the Jews. Israeli school children learn about and visit the site as part of their curriculum. Until recently, new members of the Israeli Defense Force were sworn in atop Masada. Today the beautiful remains of the Herodian structures and the haunting ruins of the Roman camps and siege ramps, as well as the symbol of fierce determination and courage embodied in the slogan “never again”, draw tourists to Masada’s mighty form.”

Reference: Y. Yadin, Masada, 1966

At sunset, we attended a service lead by Rabbi Irwin Kula, who brought up some very interesting points regarding the sacrifices made by the Macabbian rebels who slew their families and themselves, rather than to be taken by the Roman Legions. One point which really seemed to resonate with the kids, was that we may be witnessing in our time the end of traditional rabbinical Judaism, and that the religion is in a constant state of evolution. He emphasized that some of the disconnection many modern Jews feel with their religion is a good thing, in that it motivates them to seek meaningful experiences that will move the religion forward. He made a very strong point that if only one form of religion was chosen, and it was wrong, then the religion reaches a dead end. By example he discussed the mass suicide that happened at Masada, and indicated that since other Jews at the time chose other paths, the religion survived, rather than dieing with the Maccabees in 74AD.

We started on our decent by foot using the remains of a ramp built by the Romans to lay siege to the fort. An easy 20 minute hike brought us back to the buses, and a drive through the beautiful desert sunset to a fabulous dinner hosted by a Bedoin community, complete with belly dancing (which quickly degenerated into hip-hop) so much for the joys of globalization.

A little Nosh

Light Entertainment (photo courtesy of Jason Schulman)

Sneakers and stone pavers

The old city (dating back to 4000 BCE, making it one of the oldest cities in the world)  of Jerusalem is a relatively compact area of residences, small shops, old ruins, synagogues, churches, mosques, museums and steps. Lots and lots of steps. Nothing can be reached by traveling in a straight line, and most places take quite a bit of three dimensional maneuvering. Because the city is ancient, and bulldozers had not been invented until recently, the level of the city has been rising for centuries. Generally speaking, the bigger the stones are cut, the older the construction is. Street level now is often 30 feet higher than it was when Jerusalem was first settled. Excavations reveal tall Roman columns that you look down on from street level.

Excavated Roman Columns

Building projects are routinely delayed for months because excavation often creates the need for the archeologists to come in, excavate, and record the findings. Cost overruns anyone?

Kids in the City of David

The City of David is the area within the oldest stone walls, and includes much of the area adjacent to the West Wall and the temple mount. There are several walls that intersect in this area, including Turkish walls (newer), walls from the First Temple period, and walls that predate the first temple period. The photo below shows a section of the original boundry wall from the time of the First Temple. The wall was about 15 to 18 feet wide, and 30 feet high. The remains shown sit at a level about 20 feet below current street level.

Wall from the time of the First Temple (about 1000 BCE)

The map below shows the overlap of the walls from the time of David to the walls from the time of the First Temple. As you can see from the contour lines, the city is very steep. More about that later.

Map of wall perimeters

The Old City is divided into 4 quarters; the Jewish Quarter, Christian Quarter, Arab Quarter, and Armenian Quarter. The Jewish, Christian and Arab Quarters date back to Biblical times, and the Armenian Quarter is a relative newcomer. The current quarters were named in the early 19th century. The Old City contains many important historical sites of the Jewish, Christian, and Muslim faiths. Key sites include Temple Mount, the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the Dome of the Rock and al-Aqsa Mosque. Click any of the links for more detailed information.

Our walking tour included started at the Cardo (heart), which is the old shopping area of the city. Our guide, Yalla, led us on a fast paced tour that hit a few of the highlights. There are so many heritage sites, museums and points of interest that months could be spent exploring this city. I’ll limit myself to those I have seen first hand.

Mosaic map of Jerusalem-during Greek conquest

The map above was made during the Greek occupation of the city, and shows the Cardo at the very center. The pillars supported a roof and also served to divide the stalls of the merchants from each other. Yalla assured us that the excavated site we saw was accurate in all but the smell.

Our next stop was the Western wall of the Temple, which is the holiest site of Judaism. It’s controlled by the orthodox Jews, and with certain restrictions, open to all who wish to visit.  Our first look was seen by going down several back alleys, up several flights of steps, and into a small back courtyard between a wall and an apartment building covered with air conditioning units. Not exactly prosaic. The crowd below is hiding the wall, but you can make out the Dome of the Rock in the upper left. The guy sleeping on the bench is one tired pilgrim.

First Look

A short walk down many more steps, and twists through alleys brought us to the entrance to the Western Wall. After passing through a guard booth and metal detectors, we joined the hundreds of others for our time at the wall. We got there at about 3:30, and with the two lines (one for men and a separate line for women) there was no wait. We said the traditional prayers, put our slips of paper into the wall, got hustled by the Hasidim for some shekels, and were out of there in 15 min. Whew! Services at home should be so fast!

Western Wall

Here’s a photo of a very sweaty American tourist at the wall:

Sweaty American Tourist

Notice the men in black in the background. These are the Hassidic Jews who hustle tourists at the wall. They approach you and with a soft spoken voice ask you your Hebrew name, insert into a prayer, and hit you up for some money for the poor. If you give them some, they ask for more! What I find amazing is that these people are in the hot sun, dressed in black suits, with heavy black hats, a Talus under their shirts, and they don’t seem to sweat at all. How do they do it?

After exiting the wall area, we  got a break from the sun at an adjacent museum were we saw a movie on how the Second Temple worked in its short life (it lasted only about 50 years before being destroyed by the Romans in 70CE). A monumental structure, it allowed only priests within its walls. Pilgrims were not allowed access to the inside. After a ritual cleansing in the bath houses below the steps, they were allowed to walk up the steps and through the gates carrying their sacrifice (like a goat) being very careful not to come into contact with anyone else. Outside the Temple, they would turn over their sacrificial offering (said goat) to a priest, who would take it inside the Temple for sacrifice and a burning. Their was of course a hierarchy of priests, and only the highest was allowed into the inner sanctum (holiest of holies) to talk with God directly. The Second Temple was reconstructed by Herod in the grandest style, and must have made quite the impression on the pilgrims, most of whom had not traveled more than seven miles from home before their pilgrimage.

We went to the steps we had just seen our pilgrim climb in the film, for a rest in the shade and a short lecture from our guide. We were sitting on the actual steps before the south wall, which was the main entrance to the Temple. The steps were the same height, but two different widths, which was a design to slow traffic down into and out of the Temple.

Steps of the Second Temple

The final part of our tour was also the most challenging. We decended (schleped) about 600 feet down to the floor of the Kidron valley, and then descended down several staircases, paths, and excavation sites to the entrance to Hezekia’s tunnel. Hezekia was the king of Judah, and the tunnel which dates back to 710 BCE is considered one of the major water engineering feats in the pre-classical period.

Entrance to Hezekia's Tunnel

Now this was not perhaps the best idea for a 6′3″ guy of my size who is mildly claustrophic. But how could I pass up the chance to walk in water up past my knees in pitch black for a mile carrying two expensive cameras and a penlight. Too good to miss! AND I got to do it at a fast pace, while hunched over much of the way and turning sideways at the tight spots. Oh Joy!

A high point !

Finally after 20 minutes of banging my head, scraping my shoulders, knees and elbows, we came out to Hezekia’s pool. A popular spot on a hot afternoon.

Hezekia's Pool

But we weren’t done yet. Still had to go back up the hill (600 feet again) to catch our tour bus and head on up to the top of Mount Scopus, and attend the Bnai Mitvah ceremony at sunset. Here’s the view:

Mt. Scopus view towards Judean Desert

That’s the West Bank settlements and behind them is the Judean Desert. The abrupt transition from the lushness of the Hebrew University campus to the wilderness of the desert was a strong reminder of where our people came from. Very, very visceral.

Rabbi Irwin Kula

Tina Hughs

The ceremony was beautiful, with over six hundred of the young and not so young participating. Lead by Rabbi Irwin Kula, the service was an inspiration to all. A young lady, swimmer Tina Hughs whom I had met in Manchester, CT several years ago read the first Torah portion and did an amazing job.

I can’t believe the amount of stairs I climbed that day. About 200 steps to get to the ampitheater where the event was being held, another who knows how many running up and down to cover the event, and then a few hundred more to go to dinner, before descending all of them to get back to the bus for the hour ride back to the hotel. Hard work, but well worth all the efforts.

A short trip south to Latrun, and a trip east up through the mountains on a highway that parallels the old Burma road brought us to Jerusalem. The steep road, surrounded by high, dry hills slowed the two lanes of traffic to a modest speed. The vista off to the left of the old city surrounded by the new was unforgettable. The weather was clear and cooler with occasional clouds and a really nice breeze, which made for comfortable touring. I was traveling with the open soccer team, which was a slightly older and more mature  group than the juniors of the day before.

Kids at Haas Promenade, Jerusalem

Our first stop was at the Haas Terrace overlook that provided a stunning view of the city looking west. over the valley from hilltop to hilltop. The Old City and the Dome of the Rock were clearly visible, and provided a great backdrop for everyone to photograph one other against. The kids gathered together for  group shots with multiple cameras, and  I’m sure Facebook is going to have a lot of redundant photos tomorrow.

The light in Jerusalem is quite beautiful. The entire city is made of buildings buit on terraces, and all buildings are required to be surfaced with Jerusalem stone, which is a type of limestone that varies in color from cream, to mixtures with yellow and pink. As the light reflects off the buildings, it picks up these hues and diffuses the color through the atmosphere. Stunning and subtle, and I haven’t seen anything like it before.

Seperation Fence-West Bank (Palestine) to the right

Enroute to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum, we pulled over to take a look at the new separation fence being built. It’s purpose is to control the migration of Palestinians into the sity. The fence loosely follows the green line, which is the border of Jerusalem and the West bank.It’s a hi-tech border, with a low tech twist. I’ll get to that in a moment. The fence’s location is subject to several local conditions, including the local security threats, neighborhood needs, and negotiations by landholders. In most places the fence is a high, multi-stranded wire and mesh affair, with occasional stretches of high concrete walls. These concrete sections are to prevent snipers on the rooftops in the Palestine side from firing on the citizens in the Israeli side. On the Israeli side of the fence is a dirt road, and outside the dirt road is a paved road for military patrols, which run frequently. The dirt road is the interesting twist. In the morning, Bedouin trackers are sent through to look for traces of activity that might have escaped the radars, metal detectors, and night cameras. The military follow up immediately on the Bedouin’s findings.

Although it’s very controversial, since construction has begun, suicide bombings and sniper attacks in Jerusalem have dropped by over 90%. The Israelis take security very seriously, and take all measures necessary to control the external threats they face daily.

Yad Vashem

Yad Vashem is the Israeli Holocaust museum. It’s a very dramatic long triangular building that slices through a Mount Hertzel in Jerusalem. As you proceed through the museum, you travel chronologically through the beginnings of antisemitism in Nazi Germany. Exhibits document and describe the humiliation of the Jews and their harassment and relocation to ghettos and concentration camps. The horror’s of the “Ultimate Solution” is brought home in ways that not only quantify the numbers of the Jews and other “undesirables” killed, but in ways that personalize the experience. The last stop in the museum is the Hall of Memories, which is an ongoing catalog of the lives of the people who perished during the Holocaust. As stories are discovered, they are added to the catalogs, so that all who perished cannot be forgotten. A tall conical photo gallery reaching upwards is reflected in a symmetrical conical well  carved into the earth. Water in this context symbolizes life and the connection of those  who perished to the earth. You exit the displays to a balcony overlooking the beautiful wooded hills of Jerusalem. You are not the same person you were before you went in.

Hertzel Memorial

Yad Vashem is located about halfway up Mount Hertzel. A short hike uphill brought us to the Hertzel Memorial, the gravesite of the Zionist pioneer. Walking down the hill, we spent some time in the Israeli national cemetary, where any soldier who dies in action is buried. All in all, a sobering day that drives home the need to have a homeland, and the costs of creating and defending Israel.

National Cemetary

Tombstone

]]> http://digitalmomentum.com/blog/?feed=rss2&p=93 1 http://digitalmomentum.com/blog/?p=78 http://digitalmomentum.com/blog/?p=78#comments Sun, 05 Jul 2009 08:31:57 +0000 Marc Sitkin http://digitalmomentum.com/blog/?p=78 How surreal. Our first road trip. A busload of junior athletes on the way to Ben Guvrim. Not just a bus, but a time machine.

The paradox of Israel is that it is very modern western country, in a very, very old western landscape. Every where you go, history is just below your feet. You can really feel the weight of history here. Not the short time history that dates back to the colonial era, but the history that goes back to biblical times and beyond. One instance: along route, our guide tells us to look at the hill on our right-that’s where the Philistines were camped itching for a fight. Look to the left, that hill is where the Hebrews were camped. See that stream- that’s where David picked up the rock to kill that old Goliath when they met in the valley to fight it out. Now there’s a super highway running through it, and the stream passes under the road in a culvert. Mind boggling. Viewed at 70KMH while listening to Dire Straights on the stereo.

The Tell

Our first stop was the Tell at Ben Guvrim. It’s a national park and archeological site with caves, burial chambers, an excavated villa, and a spectacular bell cave (which is where the stone was quarried). It’s sited on the highest foothill in the area, with a commanding view. It also guards the south-eastern approach to Jerusalem, and has been the site of civilization and conflict for centuries. Around the time of the Maccabian rebellions (about 180 BC), it was a thriving city of 20, 000 people. People in the city lived in houses, and worked in excavated cellars to stay cool.

The area is full of small man made caves dating back thousands of years. They have been excavated in modern times for archeological research, and many are now open to touring with a guide. The kids with some apprehension descended into a three foot hole in the ground and then down a ladder for a little adventure. Steve, the 6′6″ basketball coach and I stayed on the surface since the short and narrow passages were too small for us modern men.
We did take part in touring the next area, which was an excavated 2000+ year old villa. Many of the stone walls were still standing, and the large cool cellars provided
some relief from the sun and heat above. A Carob tree provided a light snack for the more adventurous. Not Godiva, but it tasted a little like chocolate.

Bell Cave at Ben Guvrim

Our last stop in the area was an enormous bell cave, which was actually a the quarry that the stones of the city were cut from. The stones were removed carefully preserving the roof structure, and providing a very large area for shelter and storage. Really amazing to experience the vast room carved out of the live rock.

We headed back north to Latrun, which is the home of the Israeli armored forces museum and memorial. A large memorial wall listing the names of fallen Israeli soldiers is surrounded by examples of armored vehicles from years past to the current day. Latrun is the site of a British Fort and prison turned over to the Arab Legion when the British left in the 40’s. Many bitter battles were fought over the fort until Israel finally won possession in the 7 day war of 1969. Way back in history, Latrun, in the Ayalon Valley was the site of a battle in which Joshua defeated the Amorites, and many years later Juda Maccabi established his camp to prepare for battle with the Greeks.

Latrun

Latrun is an area of great strategic importance, as it is the gateway of the western approach to Jerusalem. (Link to Wikipedia)

Our guide gave the kids something to think about on the way home as he discussed that at their age, kids in Israel weren’t thinking about college or leaving home, but instead were deciding what part of the armed forces they would be spending the next few years in. Military service is mandatory for all. A sobering thought for the 4th of July.

Lastly, lest we forget the  impact of globalization, a familiar site:

The Golden Arches

Kfar Maccabiah

After a short ride from the airport, I arrived at the Kfar Maccabiah hotel, sports and conference center, in the town of Ramat-Gan. I made the mistake of saying to an Israeli gentleman sharing the ride that it looked like a nice little town. I was corrected, it is actually the fifth largest city in Israel with a population of 250,000 people. I haven’t left the hotel grounds yet, but plan to do a little exploring today.

The hotel is nice, modern, wireless internet and High-Def TV in the rooms. The room is small for two guys over 6′ to be sharing, and reminds me of a hotel or two I’ve stayed at in London. An important exception is that the AC here works really well, in London, they never heard of AC.

I’m starting to recover from jet lag after pretty much being up for 30 or so hours. Got a good night sleep and work up a bit groggy, but the coffee (strong) and breakfast did the trick. The food here is very simple, with an emphasis on very nice salads, lot’s of vegetables both raw and cooked, and great fresh fruits, cheeses and breads. Pretty easy to stay on a healthy diet, which is  a real plus. Today is Shabbat, which is treated as a day of rest. Barry (Gurland) and I scouted locations for the upcoming team shots and portraits which we will shoot starting Monday. The touring begins in earnest tomorrow, so stay tuned for more interesting subject matter.

Just before take off, these Hassidic Gentlemen held a service at the airport.

Hassid's Praying

I’m writing this about 2 hours into the flight. The plane is an aging 747 chock full of Maccabi athletes, coaches, trainers and staff, as well as a smattering of Hasidic Jews, with wives and children. Dinner was very definately airline food. Not worth writing about. I’m seated next to Ed, a wrestler from Texas, and Josh, a gymnest from Longmeadow Mass. Ed was born in Israel and has been back a few times. It’s Josh’s and my first trip.

The flight attendants have just shut all the window shades. Looks like it’s time to start resetting the biological clock. Next stop, Tel Aviv.

ps-looks like all the praying paid off-nice trip and a safe landing at Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv

Ben Gurion

Barry Gurland

After meeting a gentleman by the name of Barry Gurland, who may or may not be a long-lost relative through a distant ancestor, I agreed to travel to Israel as a volunteer with the US Maccabi team, as one of four team photographers. The photographs I’ll be taking will be used for the publicity of the games, as well as a source of revenue for the organization through sales of images and products using those images.

The Maccabi games are an international event similar to the Olympics involving Jewish athletes from 60 countries. Since 1932, the Maccabi games have been held every four years. This is the 18th Maccabi games event.

Our trip begins in earnest with a flight to Israel from Newark via ElAl airlines, which should be a 10 1/2 hr non stop flight. (Insert God-willing here).
We will be spending the first week in pre-camp, which will involve spending time with fellow team members, touring the entire country, learning to love falafel,  and acclimating to the time and climate differences. More on this after arrival.

This link is to a Map of Israel, from Microsoft, so you may follow the travels.