We passed Jericho, claiming to be the oldest inhabited city on earth. Since leaving Jerusalem we have been in the West Bank. As we drove through this area of the northern Negev desert we began to see large agricultural areas mixed with Palestinian villages. Renee explained that these were Israeli kibbutim. We began to see out integrated these communities are and how difficult it becomes to separate them. And we saw many red signs indicating that it was forbidden for Israeli citizens to enter particular areas because their safety could not be guaranteed. It is hard to separate, and it is hard to integrate. There are no easy solutions.
We also passed by security fences separating the West Bank from Jordan, just a short distance away. Some of the farming techniques from the Israelis have come to be adopted by Jordanians, and their side is blooming.
We passed through an Israeli checkpoint into Israel proper. We soon came to the Beit Shean National Park and Renee led us on an extensive tour of the ancient ruins, particularly the new restorations of the Roman-Byzantine City. There on the stage of the Roman amphitheater, Cantor Cahana thrilled us (and all the other tourists around us!) with a bit of Puccini and Gershwin's "Summertime." A true highlight.
A short ride back South brought us to Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu, still in Israel proper. There we learned how this Orthodox Kibbutz, among the oldest in the country, reformulated itself into a major producer of organic produce. Under the "Bio-Bee" label, they have become a world leader in the production and implementation of natural techniques of pest control, using Barn Owls and Kestrels to control rodents, and predator insects to control pests eliminating the need for pesticides. We also learned about the use of donkeys for weed control (and we got to feed them) and bumblebees for pollination. We were all taken by the natural technology led by Jewish principles and commitment.
After stopping for falafel at the famous "Falafel Zahava" (we know it's good, because all the soldiers stop there) we continued North through ever greener territory. We rounded Lake Kinneret and passed the city of Tiberias as we learned about the great rabbis who completed the Mishnah there - and heard the poetry of the writer Rachel, whose great longing for the Kinneret helps define the spirit of the region.
All along the way we have been watching birds throughout the Jordan valley. Israel is a pathway for 500 million migrating birds annually and we were exited to identify a few species. But in Agamon Hahula (the Hula Lake) we had a special treat. We boarded bicycles and golf carts for a ride around the lake, where we saw many species of birds and quite a few of a particular water mammal which some of us were convinced were R.U.S's, but were later informed were Nutria or "water rats." It was good to ride a bike and be outdoors in nature after a full day of traveling.
Finally we came to the kibbutz we will be staying in for two days, here in the Upper Galilee, Kfar Blum. Many of us expected a simple kibbutz experience, not the elegant and luxurious accommodations we found. After an extravagant buffet dinner, those of us who could continue had a very special experience. Renee gave us an overview of the geopolitical situation between the Palestinians and the Israelis - some of it we had glimpsed today. It was historic and personal. Then our bus driver, Moodi, joined her. Some of us had already gotten to know this exceptional young man. But here, he shared his personal perspective as an Israeli Arab living in Jerusalem. Moodi seems himself as an Israeli first and expressed the sadness he hears from many of his friends. They want peace and the ability to pursue their own lives in peace.
Although there is much which divides us, we are all also "Ben Adam" - human beings. (the same term in Hebrew and in Arabic). That unites us.
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