Well, we made it! Travel was challenging; but, everything went as planned. We left Newark as it was getting dark and arrived in Israel as the sun was rising. No one got much sleep but it didn’t seem to matter. We were greeted by Dovev Pe’er, our guide, and his big smile. Our luggage arrived quickly and we hit the ground running for a day full of activities!

Neot Kedumim

Our first stop was a 625 acre biblical landscape reserve. How better to welcome us home to Israel than by visiting a place that literally invited to experience Torah through all five senses?

First, we saw a 2000+ year old functioning water cistern. Our guide, Yair, explained how the cistern is empty is much of the year and, following Sukkot, begins to fill until around the time Passover arrives. We heard the sound of the cistern filling with water and could imagine older generations of jews praying for water – so that that grass could grow, goats could be fed, and milk produced. We were reminded that Israel is not easy – our first takeaway from the trip.

Second, we had an opportunity to herd goats and sheep. Why? At first this sounded silly. Then, when we were reminded that many of our biblical leaders were chosen to be leaders because of their shepherding skills, it became a more meaningful experience. But, how could this be a metaphor for our daily lives? It was truly a profound exercise in leadership and group dynamics. Thanks to David, we learned that you can’t yell at goats or they won’t do what they want. Thanks to Lisa, we learned that if you’re patient and gentle, that could work, too. Our take away was this could be a metaphor for the State of Israel and our daily lives – patient leadership.

Third, we planted trees. Why? It reminds us that Jews are truly coming home when they visit Israel and planting roots- literally- is an essential part of the experience. This was particularly meaningful for Ross, who was inspired by the idea of returning some day with his kids to find the tree he planted and planting another.

Last, we made Za’atar – an herbal mixture of oregano, mint, marjoram found on tables all over Israel. Why? This herb grows in rock without water. The particular oregano is a wild herb that we don’t see in the United States. It becomes stronger every year and produces more of the herb. This herb mixture represents the tenacity and perseverance of Israel and the Jewish people.
Of course, we heard to expect great food and lunch was no exception. Fresh humus, pita, tahini, vegetables, fruits, and dates. With all due respect to Trader Joe’s humus, it just tastes different here.

Segway Tour of Jaffa

Is there anything more sweet sounding than a little person greeting you with “Shalom”? Or, at least that’s what we hope they were saying as were flying past them on our Segways. Nothing says “The Americans are Here” than a group of us flying through a 2000 year old city on Segways.

Notwithstanding, this was such an incredible way to cover so much of Jaffa and Tel Aviv so quickly – especially after such a long day of travel. The scenery was absolutely amazing. Bill Remis commented that this was the highlight of his day – turning the corner out of the modern city of Tel Aviv and riding along the historic Mediterranean sea.

Our guide gave us a great history of the port. Jaffa is a “city on the move” and while it has a history akin to Jerusalem, it’s also is a city “on the move” and is experiencing a lot of economic development. He talked about the number of times the city has been conquered over the centuries and its strategic importance. Visually, you can see 40 miles to the south and 40 miles to the north. As a result, leaders could see invasion attempts days in advance.

And, of course, the kids saying “Shalom” was adorable.

Dinner

Everyone was quite warn out before dinner, perhaps feeling the effects of being up for 30+ hours. And then the sparkling wine arrived and everyone awoke (shocking). Then the food started flowing – Mediterranean appetizers and entrees, served family style, were out of this world. While we didn’t know exactly what we were eating, we certainly enjoyed every bit of it. Pretty sure we saw eggplants, pomegranates, chopped liver, meatballs, grilled regional vegetables, couscous, beets, bread, humus, and more. And then tea and dessert.

At dinner, we diner with two “lone soldiers” who joined us. Soldiers who are not naturally born Israeli’s often come to Israel to serve in the military. We met Segev, from Los Angeles (born in Israel). He has been in the army for a year and a half. He studied and worked in engineering. He finished college and then came here to do graduate work. Joey, another soldier, with a huge smile and full of energy, also came here after university. He was born in San Diego and studied at the University of Arizona (Political Science and Middle Eastern Studies). Both are almost two years into their service (nearing the end). Joey is taking a course for soldiers about to be released to help get back into civilian life. This is a program for lone soldiers and immigrants. They help write resumes and provide career coaching because they want the soldiers to stay. He plans on staying here after service.. The program is designed to support that intention.

Strikingly, they were proud of the amount of support provided to lone soldiers. There are a couple of organizations that help out. There is a lone soldier center that, among other things, hosts a Shabbat dinner monthly. The army pays for a flight home once during their service, money for rent, and housing in kibbutz. They lived there throughout the war and then decided to move to Tel Aviv. When they did, the army helped with household items like refrigerators and washing machines. While most Israelis have parents that would help them locally, it is generally recognized that lone soldiers are living on their own and have less support. Unlike their peers, they have no families to go home to after the army. Families of soldiers often invite lone soldiers for Shabbat dinner. Sometimes, there are too many invites to accommodate.

<< Random aside – the soldiers’ roommate and best friend is from St. Louis and recently engaged to a woman from St. Louis. Naturally, there were connections to family (Davidson) among the travelers. Only in St. Louis…. >>

Why did these two join the military? When he was younger, Joey joined a youth group, BBYA, and strengthened his Jewish identity. Experience led him to Poland and he could see first hand “Judaism’s all-time low” and then witness “Judaism’s all-time high”. Segev sort of felt it was time to “walk the walk” and not just talk the talk. He grew up a pro-Israel advocate. Both felt a deep connection to Israel despite having grown-up 10,000+ miles away.

They both had an interesting perspective on the risk of the commitment. They know they are the first and last line of defense. They don’t think about it as a risk. They believe they are trained to deal with whatever they are presented with. They were very matter of fact and professional about the circumstances under which they serve. We learned that soldiers are often injured because they are practicing so much. Combat injuries are far more rare. Israelis don’t get to choose where they go in the army. They will continue in the reserves until 40-45 years of age..

They were both adamant that the military leadership does not promote or support unethical behavior. They are frustrated that the international media may not always present the military in the best light. Neither solider could cite an instance where a solider was known to have done something wrong. This sounded like a real point of frustration.

They both felt that being here as soldiers creates a connection to friends and family “back home”. They feel that they are a conduit of information to people “back home”. They feel strongly that their work strengthens the state of Israel and the world’s connection to it. Both of the soldiers were clearly advocates for Israel and beaming with pride. Both felt that, despite only being here a short time, they were connected to the generations that came before them. All of us understood that this was why we were traveling to Israel, too.

Wrap-Up

Everyone is getting along GREAT and we’re getting to know each other better. David might not have gotten all the biblical references at the nature reserve, and has already been limited to one movie reference per hour, but he quickly named our guide’s cellular ringtone in less than three note (Electric Light Orchestra). We were so proud. Scott thought his hand-wipe was a teabag (he clearly needs to bone-up on his Hebrew). Debbie learned how to ride a Segway and then promptly ran it into a pier. But, all in all, no one got hurt, and we’ve all are quickly becoming fully present in this experience and can’t wait until tomorrow!

Thanks, again, to Pam and Ron Rubin for making this possible. Thinking about their generosity all day. One day down…