5/19/13
Driving into Tel Aviv is
an unforgettable experience, especially when coming from the desert. The
streets are narrow and crowded. People are walking, riding, and driving every
which way. Some are lingering, some moving with purpose. There are sparkling high-rise
hotels and apartment buildings as well as abandoned tenements in need of
demolition. There’s energy and excitement in the air and our hotel—Sea Net—is
right in the heart of it all. In fact, our bus driver, tour guide, and security
guard had to physically lift and move a parked car in order for one of the
busses to pass on the narrow street where the hotel is located.
We just took the kids up
to the roof of the hotel to enjoy the Tel Aviv skyline and say Shehiyanu on the
occasion of reaching our final hotel of the trip. Now we’re focused on getting a good night’s
rest though we just caused a ruckus by surprising Levi D. with one last rousing
version of “Yom Huledet Sameach.” Tomorrow is another busy day including an
archaeological dig, time at the beach, and an evening in the ancient port city
of Jaffa.
Today’s main attractions
included a visit to the grave of Israel’s first Prime Minister, David ben
Gurion, as well as a very special hike: Ein Avdat.
Unlike most of Israel’s
political leaders, ben Gurion isn’t buried on Mt. Hertzl. He chose instead to
be buried, along with his wife, in the middle of the Negev desert. Ben Gurion
understood that in order for Israel to grow and prosper the early pioneers (halutzim) needed to “make the desert
flourish.” Rather than simply espousing an idea he lived it by joining an
agricultural kibbutz in the Negev at the age of 63. In the years since his
death the area surrounding his grave has flourished.
There is a university there. Also, when learning about ben Gurion we had a
chance to enjoy a beautiful park with flowering trees and soft green grass—in
the middle of the desert. We ate lunch in a dining hall at the university and
headed to Ein Avdat.
Ein Avdat is one of the
great and unexpected highlights of the Israel trip. The kids aren’t really sure
what to expect when we tell them that we’ll be hiking in the desert and
climbing the side of a mountain. There was definitely some nervousness and,
candidly, a little suspicion about why we chose to impose this challenging task
on the kids. By the end of the hike everyone understood.
Shortly after setting out
we gathered in the shade of a beautiful tree. Menash, one of our guides,
explained that such a tree could only grow if there was water close by. He then
went on to tell us about the miracles of daily life in the desert. The
centerpiece of his teaching focused on the mating rituals of the Ibex. Menash
used a few students—Emily B., Max F., and Matt D., as his unwitting subjects.
They became the Ibex and closely followed Menash’s instructions (which included
some butting of heads, grunting, circling, and “flirtation.”). Fear not, it was
definitely PG and also very educational. Did you know that Ibex mate during
September and October, are pregnant for 5 months, and have their offspring in
March/ April? This is to ensure that there is water from the rainy season to
help the young Ibex grow. Menash shared something very dramatic—if there is no
rain during the wintertime then it is often the case that female Ibex will
actually terminate their pregnancies by dashing themselves against the rocks because
they know that the offspring will not survive. Menash also shared some of the
ways in which human beings, through carelessness, can endanger local wildlife.
The kids paid close attention, and several decided to help clean the little
remaining trash on the trail as we walked. We had the trail entirely to
ourselves, which rarely happens and is very special.
We quickly discovered the
oasis of Ein Avdat—deep pools of fresh water fed by a cascading waterfall. We
appreciated the tranquility for a few moments and began the steep ascent which
included two ladders and countless steps. Mr. Barry raced ahead of the group to
meet the kids at the top and he reports that every kid felt a great sense of
accomplishment upon reaching the end of the hike. We refilled out water bottles
and continued our journey to Tel Aviv with an ice cream stop en route.
As I try to take a step
back and review the day as a whole it seems to me that the common thread is the
idea of being a halutz (pioneer).
Unlike most graves, which contain only date of birth and date of passing, ben
Gurion’s grave also has the date that he made Aliyah to Israel (1906). He and
thousands of others took the road less traveled and paved the way for others to
follow them. The result is that we are sleeping in the heart of one of the most
vibrant cities the world has ever known.
Knowingly or not, every member of
The Davis Academy class of 2013 became a halutz
when we boarded the busses at Temple Emanu-El. I say that because every kid
has, in some way, shape, or form, traveled one of their own less traveled
roads. They’ve formed new friendships, taken on new challenges, tasted new
foods, met new people, and discovered inner resources that they might not have
known existed. Some of them discovered this before we left, others have
discovered it along the way, including today on the hike, and some will figure
it out only after we’ve returned and the experiences have become memories. But
the chaperones see it and when we return you’ll see it too!
