Day 7-Digging Israel

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What a day we had! Although those of us that stayed behind because they needed a rest were missed, we had an incredible time. The day started out at Yad Sarah, an organization that provides assistance so that more people can spend less time in hospitals and more time at home. They provide wheel chair and other home adaptations so that people with physical issues can be independent. After we had an eye opening education about what they do, we helped out by cleaning wheel chairs.

We made a quick stop at the equivalent of Locks of Love for Rebecca to drop off some hair and then it was off to see the dead sea scrolls. The model of Jerusalem at the time of the second temple was incredible. Then it was off to plant trees which is, of course, one of the 613 Mitzvot. In all, we planted 35 oak trees. Some of the kids were talking about coming back to see the trees in the future.

Our next stop was our favorite. We went to help at an Archeological Site digging for things from the time of the Maccabees. We uncovered pottery, bones, coal and brickettes used for fire. Then we took the optional cave crawl which was indescribable. The Guide, Phil from Chicago, said it was the closest thing to being Indiana Jones. You should have seen us all crawling through narrow passages, what a riot. They showed us the most famous of the finds from this dig, including gold earrings with the goddess Nike and a Ketubah from 1800 years ago that has wording similar to our Ketubah today. They also found coins with pictures of Antioches which gave a date which is most likely the oldest date of the site. Phil suggested we each take a piece of pottery that was already studied and catalogued that they allowed us to take and place it next to our Hannukiah during Hannukah to make a connection to something real.

After a shower, the kids had a pizza party at the hotel and the adults went out to dinner with Shari (our guide) and her husband David at a local place that they go to. The food and company was wonderful.

Tomorrow it is off to Masada and the Dead Sea.

- Caroline & Jeff

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Comments

[Cantor Rica]

planting and digging
Planting at home is such a simple thing. A spot in the garden needs a shrub so we go shop at the local nursery and dig a hole. Yet planting a tree in Israel is such a unique priviledge. Today we all helped plant a small oak forest on a beautiful hillside. Let's name it the Beth El Forest! My deepest wish is that we come back in a few years to visit our oak forest and see how it, and all the rest of Israel is flourishing. And on this 1st anniversary of my mother', Hilda Julie's death, I planted my little oak sapling in her memory. She was one of the chalutzim of the late 1940's, practically living in the grapefriut trees, and she loved Israel with all her heart. Zichrona livrecha.

[Murray Birnbaum]

A Tree for My Father
In memory of Sol Birnbaum, he never got to Israel but he made it in spirit with me. On a magnifcent hill his tree will grow surrounded by five small rocks marking the spot, up against a bigger boulder. Grow strong and tall until we are together again.