MARC BOIN'S ISRAEL DIARY

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Day 4 (Wednesday, Feb. 6, 2008) - Blog sent to Temple Sinai

Day 4 of our tour began with a massive breakfast buffet at the Hagoshrim Kibbutz.  Once we had all eaten more than we should have, we boarded the bus and headed out.

Our first stop, about 15 minutes away, was to the Tel Dan Nature Reserve.   At this site, the Dan River forms one of the primary tributaries for the Jordan River.  As such, any government that controls the source of water can control the surrounding area.  Our tour guide, Sharon, explained the historical significance of this, as well as the “recent” controversy as to which country would control this land.  The river itself is impressive.  Massive amounts of water flowed rapidly through a narrow channel, creating a constant peaceful rush of sound throughout the park.  One interesting aspect was a serene wading pool midway through the park.  Unfortunately, Marc Boin took the concept of wading a little too literally as he stepped on a “stable” rock that wasn’t.  No damage other than a wet sock and constant ribbing for the rest of the day.

Also at Tel Dan is the ancient fortress of Dan, settled by Joshua in the Biblical era, and referenced multiple times in the Torah.  Several walls of the fort have been reestablished, and excavations are ongoing to discover more information about the past.  Sharon gave an interesting description of how the people of Dan were ruled, and how the fort represented the northern margin of the Holy Land “from Dan to Be’er Sheva”.

Immediately following, we were loaded into two Land Rovers, and were driven to the top of the Golan Heights.  At one point, we were a stone’s throw from the Lebanese border, and had constant reminders of areas that had not yet been cleared of mines.  This was perhaps the windiest part of our tour so far, as gale force winds caused each of us to bundle up and hold on to our hats.  From the vantage point of an old bunker from the 1967 War, we gained an appreciation for the controversy surrounding the area, and how important this strategic stronghold was.  A bumpy ride down the Heights gave us an impressive view of the entire Hula Valley of northern Israel.

Our next stop was to the city of Safed (aka Tz’fat), the seat of Jewish mysticism and home to a large artist colony.  Safed became the largest gathering of Jews in the Holy Land after the Spanish Inquisition of the late 15th century.  It is the location where the Kabbalah was written.  As such, there has always been an air of religious tolerance and piety among its inhabitants.  Residents here have no qualms about regarding men and women equally – a concept alien to most Orthodox Jews.  We toured two breathtaking synagogues, the Abouhav and the Ha’Ari, where we were given extensive explanations about their significance.  Following that, we visited the Safed Candle Factory, and then had a talk with a local artist about the meaning of the Kabbalah as expressed through his artwork.  The day finished with local shopping, and a bus ride back to the kibbutz.

We enjoyed another massive dinner buffet at the kibbutz dining room, and then listened to a talk from one of the directors of the kibbutz about modern life on the kibbutz, and how it affects local Israelis.  After a long and eventful day, we retired for the evening.