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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