Israel Day 8 - Monday, May 8, 2023

 It is always difficult to leave Jerusalem. No matter how many times I have been there, and despite – or perhaps because of its continued tensions and complexities – I always feel a sense of sadness when I leave Jerusalem. There is really no place like it in the world. It is one of the planet’s most fascinating and challenge-filled “classrooms.” There is so much to learn there, so much to share with others, so many diverse people and opinions, such a long and complicated history, and so many narratives. It is impossible to absorb it all and while being there always feels stressful, like any relationship, it tugs on my heart long after I move from its physical space. 

 

So, we left Jerusalem and began to head north – perhaps my favorite section of Israel. The north combines beautiful scenery and amazing archaeology and history. The north is green and hilly, with some of the best and most fertile valleys for farming and raising animals and produce. While Tel Aviv is a city to “play” and Jerusalem is a city to “pray,” the north of Israel is where the “work” takes place and where people are incredibly connected to the land of Israel. The north is also a place where Jews and Christians and Arabs, for the most part, live side-by-side or even together. On one side of the highway one sees a Jewish village and just across the way is an Arab Village. In this part of the country, Arab Israelis are citizens of Israel, and, especially outside of the large cities, there is a sense of calm and beauty.

 

We began our day with the drive out of Jerusalem, filled with traffic and crowds and people, into the area of Israel that is much less populated but very picturesque. After about an hour and a half, we arrived at Bet She’arim National Park, a beautiful nature reserve filled with grassy areas and trees and flowers. Because Israel is one of the most important places for bird migration, due to its location between Africa, Asia, and Europe, birds could be seen and heard from the moment we stepped off the bus. Bet She’arim is a hidden gem both naturally and historically. Archaeologists in the 1950s discovered enormous caves underground – hundreds of them – that provide a key to a very important epoch of Jewish history. 

 

The caves date back to the founder and compiler of the Mishnah, Judah the Prince (Yehudah Ha-Nasi) who lived in the second century CE and is said to be buried in Bet She’arim. As we visited a few of the many burial caves there, we learned about the importance of this archaeological treasure. It really confirms the narrative that following the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 CE, Jewish leaders took Jews and Judaism from the Holy City of Jerusalem to the north to seek physical safety and establish schools of Torah and learning in places outside the small confines of Jerusalem and its Temple which lay in ruins. We were looking at beautiful, richly decorated tombs from two thousand years ago! And we were tracking the migration of one of the earliest stories of “Diaspora” Judaism and Jewry, as this group of Jerusalemites made their way out of the Holy City and settled in the safety and beauty of northern Israel. Incredible!

 

From Bet She’arim, we took a short drive to the top of a hill for a visit to a Druze family for a cooking-fest and eating feast! The Druze are a fascinating group of Arab-speaking Israeli citizens. Their religion, originally a break-off from Islam, is characterized by an acceptance and inclusion of all religions and is predominantly a secret religion. Because Druze do not proselytize and one needs to be born into a Druze family to be a Druze, this group’s numbers are continually dwindling both in Israel and in the Arab countries of the Middle East. Though they are a small minority group in Israel, the Druze have always been a semi-nomadic people but a group that is 100% loyal to the country or nation in which they reside. So, Druze in Israel are proud citizens of the State of Israel. As such, they serve in the Israel Defense Forces and, due to their loyalty, are often positioned as border guards and fighters. 

 

When we walked into the family home, we immediately saw a few dozen certificates prominently displayed recognizing family members for their honorable service to the IDF and national service on behalf of the State of Israel. The main agenda for the afternoon was to cook an authentic Druze lunch with our hosts, Gusun, who is a chef and caterer, and her husband. Most of the ingredients we used – produce, herbs, spices, oil – came directly from their gardens and fields. We divided into groups – with one group outside making homemade pita bread in the traditional outdoor bread oven and the other group inside putting together a huge meal of traditional hot and cold Druze dishes and all of the trimmings and side dishes. After cooking and serving and sharing recipes, we sat down to lunch. It was so delicious and in such a beautiful and serene setting – overlooking the hills and valleys of Galilee. Seeing the photos we took brings back all of the sights, smells, and tastes of our afternoon, and moreover, the memories of kind people who could not be more welcoming or hospitable to our group of travelers.

 

After our stomachs and hearts were full, we got back onto the bus and drove to the beautiful Vered Ha-Galil Farm where each of us was assigned to a lovely and spacious guest house for our final two nights of the trip. Vered Ha-Galil is one of the most magnificent places to stay in the north – it is located on a working farm overlooking the Sea of Galilee, with gardens to explore and walks to enjoy. There is also an award-winning restaurant right on the grounds…so somehow, after eating that huge lunch, we made our way to the restaurant a few hours later to enjoy a fabulous dinner, with wines, numerous dishes, and delicious desserts and coffee. Everyone went back to their guest house feeling happy and preparing for our final full day of touring on Tuesday.