Israel Travel Blog

                                                  JOURNEY  TO  ISRAEL

                                           In Honor of Sarah’s  Bat  Mitzvah

                                                        6/28/08 – 7/10/08

Travelers: The Hart family, the Weiser family, the Ellenby family, Sue and David Lipman,
                 Sheilah Hart, Jerry Gort, Sylvia and Jake Tarica.

Notes taken from Tami’s Journal.

6/28/08  6:15 a.m. Air Canada   
We are on our descent into Israel – our journey is about to begin! The travel has been really pleasant thus far. It has been fun being part of a group and sharing this with Noni, Papu, David, Susie, Sheilah, and Jerry. We have all slept a little, eaten a lot, and are as ready as we can ever get.

While this is a return to Israel for the Weisers – it is a first for mom and dad and I know they must be excited. We are so lucky to be experiencing this together, and for the kids to see it through their grandparents’ eyes. It will be an added blessing to share it with the rest of the group.

We just landed! Ben Gurion airport! It was exciting and emotional – brought Noni to tears. While music wasn’t playing, Jordan sang “Yerushalyim Shel Zahav” and we all felt something in our own way.

Now to the airport and the day/evening begins. Getting bags and to the hotel relatively easy. A quick shower and then we met Albert and Beatris in the lobby. We had dinner at a lovely café on Dizengoff Street. At 10:00 Noni and Papu were ready to call it a night. The rest of the Weisers walked all the way to the beach with a quick stop for ice cream. It was fantastic seeing so many people out at the cafes, music, Israeli dancing at midnight – really felt like a Saturday night at Israel. We took off our shoes walked in the super soft sand and put our feet in the Med. Sea – and it was warm at 1:00 a.m. We finally headed home for our first night of sleep.

Sunday June 29th.

Well – sort of sleep. It was hard to really sleep with jet lag but we rested. At 6:00 a.m. Robert and Tami went out for a jog in the city of Tel Aviv. At the end of a long jog we were treated to fresh squeezed juice at a juice stand on the corner of Ben Gurion st. and Dizengoff. Back to the hotel for our first Israeli breakfast- delicious cheeses, salads, burekas. Shower and hurry to find out that the New Jersey flight was 2 hours late. It was a good thing because at just that moment Michelle realized she forgot her passport at the Sheraton in Dari’s purse. She had partied quite hard on her first night in Tel Avilv – had a crazy taxi ride and was really quite spent. We got the crew together and walked back to the beach. One stop at the Sheraton allowed us to see the Israeli Olympic team. A fun arrival. We then met our guide Shari and driver Judah, and then on the bus to begin our tour with a Schehiyanu!

We are driving to a Kibbutz to learn about Kibbutz life, but first a stop for lunch. We are told we have a half hour – difficult if not impossible for this group. We have a quick lunch and back on the road. The Kibbutz tour is wonderful. It starts with a movie explaining how the Kibbutz started and what Kibbutz life is like. We then follow our guide, playing accordion to the museum where he shares some more info out in the courtyard. We see the original Kibbutz, a room, the well. We then board a tractor for a tour of the modern working Kibbutz, even through the cow and dairy farms. We learn what life is like for the 650 people who live there. It was very interesting and we would spend much more time here, but we need to get on the bus to make our next destination. We pull up to Rosh Hanikrah at 6:00 p.m. and take the last cable car down. The water coming into the limestone caves is beautiful. The walk is slippery and takes some time but we get some great photos. At the end we are fascinated to see the fence and being at the Lebanon border. In the water there are a line of buoys which separates Israel and Lebanon. It is a little scary and very cool to be standing at an actual border. Once again time is of the essence because we need to get to our final Kibbutz by 8:00 p.m. The bus ride takes a long time, and we arrive a little after 8:00. We quickly unload luggage and go right into the dining room. The Kibbutz is really lovely with a tasty buffet and nice staff. A cold bottle of Sauvignon from the Galel is a perfect with the meal. At 9:15 we rush to our rooms to change into our swimsuits for a night swim!! We get to the Olympic sized swimming pool and we have a private pool party to end a perfect day. Finally, back to our rooms to shower, unpack, and call it a night. Again it is almost midnight and our wake-up call is for 6:30 a.m.

It is really great to be all together and experience the trip with each other. The kids are super flexible and all move together well. The adults are also really flexible and enjoying each others company. It seems to me that the Israeli’s are very nice and want your experience to be positive except for the one bus driver that took us to the airport. The food seems better than I remember – it’s like Israel really wants to impress us. So far, it’s off to a good start.

Monday June 30th.

6:30 a.m. wake-up calls for everyone! Breakfast in the dining room – what a treat. The older generation was making a lot of noise over the chocolate croissants, fig jam, and halvah. That was after the discussion of where the broom was last night…. Lots of smiles from David and Susie! On the bus and on our way to the archeological dig, I have to admit it was much better than anticipated! It was totally cool getting so close to the excavations, meeting the archaeologists, walking the site. The 4x4 ft. holes were active with labor and the explanations were fascinating. Into the Nile house with beautiful mosaics, the “Mona Lisa” mosaic, (including the Zodiac signs), and the amphitheater made in an interesting visit. It got very hot and we were glad for a water fountain and eventually the air conditioned bus. Next stop Tzfat – up on the top of the mountain. We had a quick lunch of fresh falafel and started walking down into the old city. It was a bit chaotic with everyone separating, but we all had the chance to see beautiful art galleries, do some shopping, and learn a bit of history. Tzfat is home to many artisans. Our guide Shari is terrific with history, bible, and geography. She answers everyone’s questions and is sensitive to every ones needs.

From Tzfat we move on to river rafting and we convince everyone to participate. We get into four rafts and we are off on the river. The water is shallow and we have a fun time splashing and floating down river. We let the kids swing on a rope into the water, and all manage to navigate the “rapids”. About an hour later we are at the end – wet, tired, and very happy. We return to the Kibbutz for a quick swim and shower then off to the farm for our steak dinner. The dinner is amazing!! An appetizer course of salads, a delicious course of smoked meats, and a course of mixed grilled meats served on a small grill and then dessert. Outside is a bat mitzvah with a DJ, a very grand entrance, and a video montage. Its all the same things half way across the world. We return to the Kibbutz at 10:30 meet in the lobby for a drink, recap the day and of course everyone is exhausted. It is 11:45 -  another full and fantastic day.

Tuesday July 1st
 
Another early wake-up call at 6:30 a.m. and breakfast at 7:15. We are all on the bus at 8:00 a.m. and on our way to Tel Dan. When we arrive at the Tel we are able to visit the excavations of the ancient city. It is quite interesting to see the wall of the city from the year 800 a discovery that showed building in the Golan from biblical days. It was absolutely beautiful walking along the water with the lush greenery and cool temperatures. The hike was a bit challenging with lots of rocks in the water but everyone from Papu to Eliza made it with ease- thanks to some walking sticks. We ended it in a cove wading pool that gave us a chance to rest, get our feet wet, and take some great pictures. Following the hike we drove thru the Golan on our jeep tour. It was super fun bouncing around the dirt roads learning about the plants ( and tasting some) and seeing the Golan. It was very hot at the top and a refreshing part was when the jeep went to the edge of the Sea of Galilee drove in the water, and then we were able to go in. The kids were fully swimming and had a great time. From the jeeps we were off to a quick lunch and then to the Golan Winery. We bought a few bottles and then back to the Kibbutz. We had an hour to swim and shower and when we gathered at 6:00 p.m., we looked like a totally different group. Back on the bus and back to the Kenneret. We had a magnificent sunset cruise on the lake. We enjoyed our new wines and listened to Israeli music. At one point we all got up and danced on the deck of the boat. It was a powerful moment that brought out a lot of emotions. Wiping away our tears, we entered the restaurant called Decks for dinner, but we having no idea what that had in store for us. We had a beautiful table on the outdoor deck over looking the lake. They served us a real feast. There were so many appetizers – Onion Rings, Tuna Carpaccio, Hummus, Falafel, Salad, Focaccia, followed by chicken, potatoes, steak, lamb, - it went on and on. During the meal the LIGHTS WENT OUT! We thought it was a power outage until a boat pulled up to the deck and they lit fireworks. Then an announcer started talking and welcomed a table of U.S. congressional representatives and their wives, Israel Tour Connection, and the HART family. The next thing we knew they were calling SARAH HART to the stage in honor of her Bat Mitzvah. They had more flares, a t-shirt with her name, and crowned her “PRINCESS of the GALLILEE”.  Then they played music and we all danced for Sarah’s Bat Mitzvah – even guests of the restaurant. It was an indescribable moment and we were all taken by the excitement and emotion of the celebration. Later they recognized the congressional delegation and the representative from New Jersey came over to the table to meet the family. It was a fantastic dinner and evening that is burned in all of our memories. Finally at 10:30 it was back to the bus and back home. We arrived at 11:30, packed our suitcases, and now to bed at 12:15. Eliza said in the morning, “only one more adventure.” I don’t think any of us could have been prepared for all of the adventures thus far. And we are only on day 3……

Wednesday  July 3rd.

Wakeup, breakfast, and on the bus by 8:20 a.m. Our first stop was an archaeological dig. The city was very interesting. Kids were fascinated by the ruins, columns, bath house, and amphitheater. A special surprise was the name of the main street of commerce – Silvanus street! We managed to get through the heat to learn a lot and enjoy the Tel and ruins. From there we were off to another quick lunch of falafel and ice cream. Jerry made a visit to the police station because his passport was missing – more on this later. After lunch we went to the natural pools. There were three large pools, lots of people, and it was refreshing to swim and cool off. The boys enjoyed jumping off the rocks, kids enjoyed getting wet by the waterfall and everyone enjoyed a relaxing break. It was a bit ugly changing and getting back on the bus, but we managed. Now on to the long ride to Jerusalem! Almost everyone took a nap to rest from the exertion from the day other than Hart, Gort, Lipman, and Judah our driver. We drove through the Jordan Valley and stopped at the end for a drink and bathroom break. There were camels at the rest stop which was funny. Susie actually got what she was craving – a root beer float! The final ascent to Jerusalem! With beautiful music, we entered a tunnel to Mt. Scopus with Safam’s Shecheyanu playing in the background. It was an awesome and emotional time. We parked got out at Mt. Scopus and had a magnificent view of Jerusalem. We did our own Shecheyanu and took some great pictures. Now on to Jerusalem – we made our way through traffic to the Sheraton. We had a nice dinner at the Fish and Olive restaurant and then finally back to the Sheraton to get settled for the night.

Thursday  July 3rd.

Everyone on the bus to get to the Bat Mitzvah. We arrive and enter the Dung Gate to head to the south wall. We first meet the Rabbi, who is a warm and wonderful person. She leads us to the area where we will have the Bat Mitzvah at the southern section of the wall. As we made the walk we get to the uneven stairs – uneven so you focus on the journey and intent to pray. We get to the top, to our “sanctuary.” We don’t have to face east we are Jerusalem. We are there at the center! Vick and Brian put together a beautiful siddur for the service with everyone participating. Each part of the service has its own emotional component from the opening prayer, silent amidah, l’dor v’dor, mourners kaddish. Sarah did a great job on her parsha reading and delivered a great D’var Torah. She mentioned the sacrifices made in ancient times and sacrifice we all made to get to Israel. The service was really powerful and we were all glowing. We then went through a short museum and film about the Temple and how a pilgrim would make his journey taking a half shekel and a goat to the temple. We then walked around some ruins of the western by Robinson’s arch. There were many bar mitzvahs going on because it was Rosh Hodesh and it was exciting to share in that energy too. Particularly fun was to see some Sephardic Bar Mitzvah processions going to the wall singing, dancing, beating drums, as well as the frequent blowing of Shofar blasts. Eventually we made our way through crowds to the actual Kotel. The men went on their side, where there many more bar mitzvahs taking place. We went to the women’s side and were able to work our way to the front for a few minutes of quite prayer and reflection. We managed to get everyone together to make our 12:00 time to go through the tunnels. The tunnels were very interesting with models to show how the temple mount started as a place for Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, then the first and second temple, and finally the mosque. Within the tunnels we were able to appreciate the massive size of the wall and the individual stones. We marveled at how workers were able to lift the stones and put the walls together. It was fascinating to walk by Na Dela Rusa and see chanting pilgrims singing carrying a cross, Arabs working and praying, and Jews waking in the Arab market. It was a first hand demonstration of the challenge of Jerusalem. We next went to the Israel museum, we were able to enter and enjoy our visit to the old city large scale model. We also saw the dead sea scrolls. Within the last few weeks they set up a special exhibit of original scrolls from Isaiah. It was interesting to learn the historical sequence of the scrolls, as well as how they ended up in Israel. Tonight was the Bat Mitzvah dinner, and what a dinner it was. The salads and starters were wonderful and the main course and sides were equally as good. Our group expanded at the party to include Albert and Beatrice, Sheila’s cousins, the two friends from New Jersey, and Shari’s husband David. After dinner, we had the added bonus of Israeli dancing because the outdoor restaurant also was hosting a wedding with a live band. It was the perfect celebration complete with Sarah (and Joey) being lifted on a chair. Back to the hotel some walking but most by bus to get some rest.

Friday  July 4th.

We arrived at Yad Vashem early and had time to see the outside gardens. At 10:00 a.m. we entered the museum. The layout was deceiving, it seemed small. Once you walk in, you realize that at each wire break in the main hallway, another piece of the holocaust story was told through side rooms. This was most powerful. Parts of the exhibits were film clips of people telling their actual stories on the topics being exhibited. We also met an Israeli woman who was visiting the museum with her children and grandchildren. In her limited English she told me that she was 12 when the trouble began and was 17 when it was over. She now lives in a Mushav and seems to have a positive disposition and outlook on life. Each section of the museum was touching and by the end you are physically and mentally drained. The Fendl hall is a round room with binders of names. In the center is a reflecting pool of water – black- that shines back images of faces from the ceiling. It is a reminder that while they are not here, their reflection reminds us to tell their story. We went to the children’s memorial where every few seconds a name and ages are read. This room also uses reflections in mirrors to capture the small lit candle. Each reflection looks like stars in the sky like God’s promise to Abraham. When we left Yad Vashem we were all beat. We went straight to the market at Mahaneh Yehudeh. Every Friday at the market everyone is shopping for Shabbat, buying their fruit, fish, bread, chicken etc. We had an hour to eat and walk around. Shari took the Weisers to a small “restaurant” which was little more than a stand with 4 tables. It was a Persian restaurant with pots of food and she ordered for all of us. Lots of delicious dishes – mousaka, rice, green beans, a unique meal. Then we walked through the stalls buying and tasting the goodies. The group did well. Noni and Papu bought hallahs, figs, and tasted Bourikas fresh out of the oven. Brian bought pistachios. At 3:30 it was back to the bus to get to the hotel. We had some to rest and get ready for Shabbat. We showered got dressed for Shabbat and met at the bus at 6:30 for a ride to the Kotel. We were dropped at the Zion gate and went to King David’s tomb. It was a dark room and we had a quite private place to light Shabbat candles, bless the children, say Kiddush, and hamotzi. It was a perfect!
We then walked to the Kotel. It was so great seeing the mass of people at the wall. On the men’s side they were all dancing and praying – a great energy. In the back were big circles of youth groups holding hands and praying. We went on the women’s side and made our way to the front for a few minutes. There were lots of people sitting and praying – many young women who were very orthodox. I had a chance to put a note in the wall, and I know Jordan and Joey got to write a brief note. It made me smile to see that they both wanted paper and pen and felt great pride in sending their messages to God. I enjoyed standing back and watching the whole scene – soldiers praying with a rifle on their back, men in black hats, young kids, Americans, all together for Shabbat. It was an awesome to see the wall change as the Jerusalem sky changed – it was pink early in the evening and as the sky got blue and then almost black the wall got lighter and turned white. At 7:15 we gathered the group together and walked back to the Sheraton for a Shabbat dinner. At around 10:00 the kids faded and dinner went until 11:00. Finally it was time to call it a night – a really wonderful start to Shabbat.

Saturday July 5th.
 
While we had a 7:00 and 7:30 wake up call, we didn’t actually get out of bed until 8:30. We were really tired and it was hard to get going. We showered, dressed nicely, and headed across the street to the Great Synagogue for Shabbat services, women upstairs and men downstairs. We arrived at 9:00 just in time for the Torah service. The sanctuary was awesome, with a beautiful stained glass window, large ark, and 18 Torahs!! Another treat was the cantor and choir who had magnificent voices and filled the sanctuary without any amplification. The only ones on the Bimah was the choir. The cantor was in the middle of the sanctuary. The service had no English and not even Hebrew talking – just prayers. The Torah service ended, musaf began, and many women arrived just for the final half hour. It felt different without a rabbi, sermon, bar mitzvah speeches etc. Following the services we went in the lobby and saw their amazing collection of Mezuzot. Following services we walked back to the hotel. Then it was real Shabbat time to just rest and hang around the pool. We swam, read my journal, played games, and kept an eye on the kids because the pool guard fell asleep. When we went into the dining room for lunch we realized that swimsuits and cover-ups weren’t appropriate as most people were fully dressed for Shabbat. We made some adjustments in attire and made it work. At 3:15 we met Shari in lobby, for a rampart walk around the old city. It was fun walking above the walls, trying to put the historic time line together and getting a different view of the city. We ended at the Zion gate where we met Michelle, Jerry, and Papu. Then we walked through the Jewish quarter to continue our history lesson and observe families celebrating Shabbat. We ended at the Arab market for an hour of shopping in their stalls. There was a lot to look at and negotiations to make. Michelle got a pair of sandals, and Jordan got what he really wanted – a hookah! It was fun to walk around, got a cab and back at the hotel to shower and get ready to go out for the night.

The hearty Tarica, Ellenby, and Hart crowd left for Ben Yehuda Street and the Weiser’s left for the German section. Papu told me that Ben Yehuda Street on Saturday night after Shabbat was amazing. All the shops are open, tons of people and everyone having a good time. The kids had pizza and the adults had falafel and schwarma from Moushekus, a stand where people are in line to order – the best in Jerusalem. Everyone enjoyed their evening out. We got back to our rooms, wake-up calls set for early tomorrow morning.   LAYLA TOV!!

Sunday  July 6th.

Happy birthday Brian!! We had a early wake-up,  breakfast, and were off to Masada. The bus ride down was interesting. Shari shared details on Bedouins, camels, history, and geography. We are constantly amazed at her depth and breadth of knowledge. We arrive at Masada, take the cable car up, and begin our adventure. Shari took the time to give us a good understanding of King Herod, his castle, his paranoia, his killing of his wife Miriam and sons. Then we moved forward in history to the Romans – destruction of the temple, and then the Romans quest to get the rebels. She explained the siege, the battle, the rebels’ heroism, and their decision to end their lives. The film before the cable car also helped us understand the story. We continue our tour and learned about Rabbi Ben Zakkai who continued Judaism, the cistern and water system, the building of the fortress, and much more. After a couple of hours, it was time for final pictures – including the “zoo group” and then down the cable car to the gift shop and eventually to the bus. We went to Ein Gedi for a brief and unexciting lunch stop. Back on the bus to the Dead Sea beach area. We had a lot of fun floating in the water, covering ourselves in mud, sitting in the sulfur pool, and cooling off in the kids pool.

We left the Dead Sea and went to Genesis Land. We were greeted by the gorgeous Ephraim, who took us back in time to meet Abraham. We were all dressed in robes and rode camels to Abraham’s tent. Abraham came out to greet us, we washed our hands and he welcomed us into his tent. After a description of history, he served us a great meal while seating on the floor. Following the meal, we sat on benches, in the cool breeze, sipping sweet tea, and enjoying the magnificent view. Later Jake said “I really didn’t know Abraham was still alive.” I am confident this will be an experience the kids will always remember. Then back on camels, including Noni and Papu then back to the bus. We returned to Jerusalem having discovered our bus has windows that open and a TV. and went to the hotel for a brief time. A few stayed back to relax and a few of us went back to Ben Yehuda Street to shop for a Tallis and walk around. We had success shopping, enjoyed some dessert, and got home at 10:30. We discovered Jake and Uncle Robert still awake, the girls Robin, Michelle, and Sarah in the bathtub creating their own industry by bottling Dead Sea mud into water bottles. It was a crazy hour in the hallway getting everyone settled. It is now midnight and our typical night of “6 hours sleep”.

Monday  July 7th.

Up and out once again on the bus by around 7:30 to see the Chagall windows. We get to Hadassah Hospital and enter the synagogue to listen to the audio explanation. The windows are beautiful, with a great deal of symbolism. The kids constantly surprise us with how they are listening and taking in information even when we don’t think so. At dinner last night, Abraham said he would know when we had eaten enough when our eyes are shining and kids individually have finished meals and said “ do you see the shine in our eyes?” So on to our archeological dig for a day at Maresha National Park. We arrived at the dig and met the archeologist Sylire and the other family who would be joining us. Sylvie explained what the city of Marashet was and why we were allowed to dig there. The area we would dig in was 2000-2100 years old. It was a suburb of a city that had houses above ground and caves below the ground which they dug out to get building materials for their houses. When the town was destroyed, all the houses and items they contained were thrown in the underground caves. The caves are now being excavated. When you enter, you feel the cave temperature, see the marks in the ceiling from the picks and get a sense of the softness of the stone.  Sylire explained how to dig and separate into 3 buckets rocks, dirt, and found artifacts. As she was explaining and giving an example of how to dig, she came upon a piece of pottery. This immediately got our interest up and we were off and running! For the next hour it was great to hear people call out as they found pottery, bones, teeth, and shells. Jake was having particularly good luck and found some great pieces as did Jerry. Some of our finds were so interesting the chief archeologist Bernie joined our room. We wanted to stay in the cave the entire day, but soon Sylire was directing us to climb out and examine our finds. At the top she had us sift through the dirt with sifters and we found even more small pieces of pottery and bone. Following this, we went to the next area. We entered a large cave that was lit only by candlelight. We crawled through the cave, often on our bottoms’, as we scooted through holes. At the end of the cave we went to the pottery shed and learned about pottery. We got to pick out a few pieces to keep and bought a great t-shirt. Then we were off to lunch. We ended up at Aroma café where we enjoyed a great fresh lunch.

On to the old city and Hezekiah’s water tunnels. We got our lights and went down into the tunnel. When we entered the water part it was cold and a bit deep. Then it leveled out to above our ankles and we walked and walked. It took at least ½ hour. At some points it was a bit claustrophobic. It helped when the group sang, and I had to remember that if Alizah and Jake could do this, I certainly could. After the water tunnel it was back to the hotel to shower and pack. We went to a nice restaurant called Ema’s and enjoyed some Sephardic and Israeli cuisine. We are getting a bit tired of the eggplant, humus, cucumber, routine. Even Alizah said today “It’s been a long time since I had sushi!”  At the end of the meal everyone was tired and Judah got us on the bus and back to the hotel.

 Tuesday July 8th.

Another early wake-up and good-bye Jerusalem. Shari played the beautiful song – “If I forgot thee” and it was a super meaningful ending. We drove through the hills to Latrun, which is the military tank museum. It was very interesting to see how many different kinds of tanks they had. One tank was split open so you could see the interior. It showed where the captain stood, the driver, the navigator, and the gunner. There was a moving memorial in the museum to all the fighters lost in the wars, with pictures on the screen, a room of tears. The boys had a lot of fun climbing on the tanks. In the auditorium there were soldiers preparing for a concert and we got to hear the rehearsal. After an hour we left Latrun and across the street to Mini Israel. It was a cool exhibit to see, places we had been. We had fun teasing Shari about all the places we didn’t get to. Shilah and Jerry had a great idea – they did a tour of Mini Israel’s gift shop. We then went to lunch in Rikovot before our next stop. We had time to go to the mall and have lunch, shop, get a crepe for Sarah, and cards for Shari and Judah. Papu bought a neat 1000 piece puzzle of the western wall.

Back on the bus to Ayalon Institute. This is a kibbutz that has a fascinating story. On the surface it was a regular working kibbutz farming, a bakery, and a laundry. Below ground, under the bakery and laundry was a bullet factory where they manufactured ammunition for the 1948 war. There was a great movie to start the presentation that showed how the soldiers needed the bullets at the front lines, the way they were able to get the bullets out of the kibbutz without the British knowing, the risks and danger they faced each day. We went down the stairs to the basement, saw and heard the noise of the machinery and how bullets were made. We got a sense of what it must have been like for them to be under the ground for 10 hours a day, dim light, very noisy, very dangerous. The day was super interesting and when we left the boys got bullet necklaces. We left Ayalon to get to Tel Aviv. We arrived at the Carlton Hotel and checked in. We had a chance to jump in the pool, relax, and off to our free night. For the Weiser’s that meant a wonderful dinner with our Tel Aviv family. Albert met us at the hotel and kids and I got in a cab. We went to Herliyah to a restaurant called Gazebo right on the water. Noni and Papu joined us. It was great being with all the cousins and meeting the babies, seeing everyone and catching up. It was a challenge for Albert to walk back up the hill and Moshe saved the day by bringing a car to him. The Hart’s, Ellenby’s, and Shari went to La La Land on the beach for their own fantastic dinner. Joey was happy to order off a menu and the kids had fun playing on the sand. The Lipman’s, Sheila and Jerry went for falafel on Dizengoff. A good night for everyone.

Wednesday  July 9th.

Up and off to a great breakfast at the Carlton right on the beach . We were then off to the  Palmach museum and made it just in time. We had no idea what was in store for us! The museum was an interactive tour, where we enter a room, meet 10 young Israeli soldiers by film and then follow their story. Each visitor has a hand held audio set to hear the story in English. The first room is a room with names etched in glass and a phrase at the top that says – “this is the silver platter that the country was delivered to you. “  At the beginning we didn’t fully appreciate the meaning of this room. We then go through the Palmach experience being recruited, training, campfire assignments and so on. Each room is so well done. We experienced being on a boat being turned away, being held in a detainment camp, watching the battles, losing some of the 10 in the group. The final room is a theatre in the round and as we turn we see the battle of 1948. Then they say “this is the silver platter the country was given upon” and they show modern pictures of Israel – so many places we had visited and it truly made you understand and appreciate the sacrifice and story. A riveting experience!! When we got out we had so many questions that we bombarded Shari who had been outside babysitting Alizah. We sat in a lobby area for ½ hour and asked historical and current questions. Once again, she amazed us with her knowledge. We made a decision to have a quick lunch in a small mall so we would have time to walk in Caesarea. While most people got a falafel or slice of pizza, a few of us went for fresh pasta and sandwiches.

When we arrived at Caesarea we were awed by the beautiful water and loved the cool breeze on normally humid day. What was going to be a 20-30 minute outside ended up being at least an hour as we were having such fun going to the water, taking pictures, finding shells. Shari was once again patient and let everyone explore and enjoy. When we entered the museum it was really great. We had one interactive area which you selected historical figures from King Herod to Hannah Senesh – where you could ask questions and get information. Following this there was a good movie on the history of Cesearia – from King Herod through the ages. After the museum, we had time to shop. Again, it took longer than we thought. There were beautiful galleries we saw Leon Bornstein statues and a super Dreidel shop where everyone was successful. Susie was the last one to pay and was worried about being the last one to the bus. We laughed and told her not to worry. She still wasn’t the last one. Back to the hotel for a swim and time to relax.

After our break, we were on the bus to a Yemenite restaurant for Jake’s birthday dinner. The restaurant was great – kabobs, lots of appetizers, (Moroccan cigars were a favorite of the kids including Papu.) For the birthday we had a Indiana Jones dinner, glow necklaces, blowers, party favors, and a banner. When the restaurant found out it was Jake’s birthday, they put sparklers on his chicken – a real surprise!! Our dinner got wild and eventually we realized it was time to go. When we returned to the hotel, we went out to the patio for birthday cake and singing. The cake was its’ own story. We didn’t have a chance to buy a cake, so we each smuggled out a piece from breakfast and put them together to make our own cake. We were our own little Haganah!! Then it was time to say good bye to Judah, give him huga and kisses and had to say good bye to Shari. We took the Hart Bat Mitzvah sign from the front of the bus and everyone signed it. It was hard to say good bye to everyone and to realize that the trip had gone so quickly. We were all feeling the same thing – each adventure had been great – each highlight a new treat – and we couldn’t quite let in end. Some good-nights and then we needed to pack for an early wake-up for the next leg of the trip.

Thursday  July 10th,

5:30 wake-up call to be downstairs by 6:30 except the Hart’s who didn’t get a wake-up call. So we had to go wake them. A very quick breakfast and then off to the airport with Shari. We got through security and then took group pictures under the airline sign which said Rhodes/Rodos, (GREECE). Our final good-bye to Shari, and then off to Rhodes. The Ellenby’s flew back home and the Lipmans, Sheila and Jerry stayed in Tel Aviv and then on to Eilat.

We land in Rhodes and it was crazy finding our tour company Unital and getting on the bus. Our hotel Mediteranean, was exactly what we were expecting having seen all these beautiful hotels, pools. The one good point, was that it was a good location and walking distance to the old city. We changed into swimsuits and went across the street to the beach. We got chairs, relaxed, swam, found two rafts which were great for the trip. It was fun to swim and the boys went with Brian out to a platform that they could jump off. We swam out to watch them, saw the Costa cruise ship and then went back to the hotel to shower. We went to a local Greek restaurant Sakn’s where we sat on the patio and had a wonderful meal. It was a bit crazy getting taxis there and home but we made it. Back to the hotel at midnight for a nights sleep after a long!!

Friday July 11th. 

Wake up on our own! The first time on the trip with No! Wake-up call. A jog for Robert and Tami, breakfast, wake-up the kids, and get ready for a day in the old city, we walked from the hotel through the Mandraki along the harbor. Noni told stories of Auntie Matilda and her family. We saw the deer statue at the entry to the harbor, and about the Colossus of Rhodes. We stopped at the boat with trinkets, shells, and sponges, everyone bought sponges. It was very hot, but with cold drinks, we were able to make it thru. When we entered the old city, we sat at the gate in the shade and Papu told us the history of Rhodes. He was a good guide and enjoyed sharing the information. We walked through the city, with a few short stops, and went to the Jewish Quarter to find the synagogue. We had an amazing visit in the museum. It was so great seeing artifacts of things we have in our homes, hearing music we grew up with and seeing names on the wall of our family and friends. We kept calling one another at each exhibit and even the kids got into it. From the Megillah, the Cuchanera, the Baul, each item was familiar. At each picture, Noni and Papu had a story. The synagogue is 500 years old, and there is a Torah on display that is over 600 years old. Because we had a tour at 2:30 we took a quick break for lunch- banana split for Jordan and then back to the Synagogue for the tour led by the Rabbi’s wife. She took us through the Jewish Quarter, pointing out the six synagogues that were once there, the streets, the homes, the businesses, Alhadeff Park. Interesting point there was a street called “Calle de los Ricos” (street for the rich, the wealthy ones had their own street.) The wealthy families had their own synagogue. We met a couple of other families from Canada who also had their own stories. Once the tour ended we had time to shop in the old city. We bought a beautiful photo album with a Seahorse, and Michelle bought a bag. Eventually, the boys went back to the hotel with Robert. I went with mom to Balti, the jewelry shop, to buy Ozos. We found some gorgeous ones, one in silver for me, and a gold one for mom and a few smaller ones for the girls. Finally a walk back to the hotel, with Jake to get ready for Shabbat. 

We get back showered and into taxis for Shabbat services. We go into the synagogue and begin with lighting the candles. A life experience having Noni read the blessing “Con Estas Candellicas “in the synagogue where her mother and grandmother had prayed. It was so moving. Papu started the service with a few thoughts (got very emotional) and we said a shecheyanu. Sarah then got up to read a meaningful prayer on the blessing of family. Bat Mitzvah number 3!! The service began and was quite long and it was hot. We did out best to keep up. The men really participated with each of them taking turns reading Hebrew out loud. Dad chanted his in Ladino style and it was really good. A special surprise was then the Rabbi got up on the Bema and gave a message to Sarah. In his broken English he shared with her why her name is important, the connection to Abraham’s Sarah and wished her well. It was totally cool and a capping of the Bat Mitzvah experiences. At one point, I took Joey outside to get him some fruit and ice tea to help him survive. At the end of the service we said good-bye and it was off to our special family dinner. We had no idea the experience we were going to have. NOw as we head home I know none of us will ever forget this time in our lives. I've never felt closer to my family and have never had so much joy in my heart.