Best of Israel
We visited Israel/Palestine for 12 days after making our way into the country traveling overland from Jordan across King Hussein Bridge on May 29, 2014. Our arrival was a good introduction to the Israeli security system and tension existing in this land. We passed several security points and had to wait for a while until Israeli agents screened and questioned Sal a little longer. The reasons of their concerns are still unknown and the basic and silly questions Sal had to answer did not allow us to understand their objectives of their assessment. All we can say is that we passed the test!
During our days in Israel and the Palestine Territories we traveled by bus and visited Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is a cosmopolitan city by the Mediterranean that resembles the feeling of Southern California. Bethlehem did not look like the nativity scene of our childhood, but like a vivid city where time has passed. In Jerusalem, exploring the old town we discovered a beautiful hilly city of pleasant weather and where ancient and modernity seem to get along. The Jerusalem of today made us laugh about our expectations, which we had mistakenly pictured it as a very old town of donkeys and dust. Instead, we found a city with a comprehensive public transportation system and a magnificent vibe. People of all ages gather to enjoy live music outdoors, dance, sing, and share a beer or a glass of wine. The promenade of Jerusalem at sunset rewarded us with intense and magical colors that even agnostics like us could start to believe this is the “chosen land.” Our days in Jerusalem were a great opportunity to learn about Judaism. We witnessed the massive congregations of Jews at the Western Wall for the Shavout evening, a holiday that represents the day in which “God gave Moses the Torah.” We fell in love with the gold and blue architecture of the mosque, Dome of the Rock, which is believed to be sitting in the place where the Jewish Temple was before destruction and where Muslims believe Mohammed raised to heaven. We were fortunate to experience a Shabbat with a local family, if you would like to learn more about this interesting practice, don’t hesitate to read our article.
In terms of the past, Jerusalem is a living testimony and no time could be enough to uncover all its secrets. The Tower of David Museum offered a history line of the city of Jerusalem, a holy land fundamental to the three dominating monotheistic religions in the world: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. This land has been under control and disputed amongst different civilizations for centuries: the Jews, Romans, Byzantines, Arabs, Crusaders, Ottoman Empire, and British. Today, it continues to be the focus of dispute between Jews and Palestinians. In early 1947, the British Government submitted the problem of Palestine to the UN General Assembly which resolved to end the British mandate and partition Palestine into a Jewish State and an Arab State. While the Jewish people celebrated this decision, the Arabs were enraged and rejected the resolution. This marked the beginning of the war of independence that did not finish until March 19, 1949. After the war of independence against Britain, Jerusalem remained divided for nineteen years. The eastern part of the city was annexed to the kingdom of Jordan and western Jerusalem became the capital of the State of Israel. In June 1967, after the Six Day War, the city was reunited but the tension continues.
We never got accustomed to seeing so many young Israelis of the Defense Forces walking through the streets while carrying huge machine guns. Although visiting the Hagana Museum in Tel Aviv gave us a better insight regarding the motives, formation, and challenges of the Jewish people, devoting between 2 and 3 years of their youth to the defense services seems depressing. We personally have a hard time accepting any form of violence but at the same time we feel empathy for the struggles endured, and the unity and courage of the Jewish people to live safely and build their own state.
Interesting things happened in Israel since the declaration of their state. The Law of Return on July 5, 1950 states that: “Every Jew has the right to immigrate to Israel.” Based on this law, the Birth Right Program promotes the return of Jews from abroad to visit Israel for the first time. The program is a 10-day all expenses paid introduction to the country and offer assistance programs, such as the Hebrew Language Education, for any of them who decide to settle in Israel. “This is the story of a people which was scattered over all the world and yet remained a single family; a nation which time and again was doomed to destruction and yet, out of ruins, rose to new life.” Abba Kovner
Across the country, we got to visit different museums where the long and complex history of the Jewish people is presented. The Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem allowed us to put in context of time the challenges endured by the Jewish community during the Second World War. Although many museums answered our questions regarding the rights of Jewish people over the land of Israel, they could not resolve the complexity of the conflict. The situation in Israel and the Palestine Territories is very complicated, taking a side on the issue is almost impossible. In one hand, is the long history that attaches Jews to this territory and their struggles to survive there and in other countries where they suffered persecution. In 1933, Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany, in his time the Germans and their accomplices murdered six million Jews, among them one million and a half Jewish children. Imprisoned in ghettos the victims fought desperately for their lives while the world stood by in silence. In the other hand, the history and rights of the Palestinians to this land is also undeniable. Their ongoing struggle to preserve a sense of nation after losing their sovereignty over their territories is unfair. We felt upset while witnessing the manner in which the Israel Defense Forces treated Palestinians and tourist differently at a check point between Bethlehem and Jerusalem. Tourists were allowed to stay sitting in the bus while Palestinians were required to get down and present their identifications for inspection. Regardless of the safety concerns and conflicts, we found this differential treatment irrational, humiliating, and unfortunately so similar to what Jews themselves endured during the Nazi regimen. In the same way in which Nazis isolated Jews to live into ghettos and forced them to wear a visible yellow star of David on their clothes, Jews have built walls between them and Palestinians and treated them different to other people. Has the victim become a perpetrator? Why is it so hard for humans of “faith” to live in peace in “the land of God?”
“Jerusalem shall be inhabited as villages without walls” (Zachariah, 2:4)
Below are other great things we enjoyed about Israel:
Food and Drinks
Gold Star Beer
Hummus
Tahina
Chicken Shawerma
Favorite Sights and Activities
Spending a Peaceful and Disconnected Weekend Celebrating Shabbat
Not Being Able to Take our Eyes off the Beautiful Dome of Rock
Learning about the History of Jerusalem in the Tower of David Museum
Having some Extraordinary Views of the Old City of Jerusalem from the Haas Promenade
Walking along the Beaches of Tel Aviv and Feeling as if we were in California
People
Shahar: from Israel, our CouchSurfing host in Jerusalem who invited us to spend a weekend with his family to celebrate Shabbat.
Yoni: from Israel, Shahar’s roommate.
Zev: from Israel, Shahar’s roommate.
Antonio and Sasa: from Colombia and Canada, Antonio is the brother of Gisela’s friend. We went out for dinner in Jerusalem.
Nathan: from the USA, first met in China and reconnected to have dinner in Jerusalem and see a few sights together.
Michele: from Jerusalem, Shahar’s friend.
Gil and Margo: from Israel and Russia, our CouchSurfing hosts in Tel Aviv.
Edna: from Israel, met at a post office in Tel Aviv and told us her Holocaust experience.
Maya: from Russia, our CouchSurfing host in Tel Aviv.
Native Words (Hebrew)
Shalom = Hello (Peace)
Shabbat = Saturday (Jewish Holy Day)
Kippa = (Jewish Head Cover Worn by Men)
