Trip to Israel

For the last ten days I traveled all over the incredible country of Israel. A country that is the subject of a great controversy, it is also a place of great beauty and strength. The city of Jerusalem breathes history and seeing people gathered before the Western Wall inspires feelings that are difficult to describe. Seeing the unity and joy of the people gathered there to celebrate the coming of Shabbat is unbelievable. A visit to a kibbutz run farm allowed me to taste fruit/vegetables that could truly be called organic. They were grown using techniques that minimize the use of water and ensure cleanliness. Not to mention the fact that they taste wonderful. Tel Aviv- Jaffa combines the old with the new, with great nightlife joined with the old city of Jaffa. Climbing up Mt. Masada and hiking in the Golan Heights really tested my limits, but it was worth it, because seeing the sunrise above Mt. Masada was breathtaking. However, not everything was fine and dandy. A visit to a border town near the Gaza strip really brought home the fact that Israel was a nation at war. Seeing the abandoned playground that acts as a bomb shelter was heartbreaking and made me feel pity for the poor children who lived their lives like this everyday. Learning that an alert had been issued only 2 hours after I left the place was surreal and seeing the military cemetery with the gravestones indicated dead at 18/19 really hit me hard. Israel may seem like a desert paradise but it comes with a heavy price.