Our week-long seminar at Ein Gev

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I am now back at the dorms at Haifa University, but I spent last week north of Haifa at a Kibbutz called Ein Gev. From there, we traveled around a lot in the region of Israel called the Golan Heights. On the first day of the trip, we visited a community called Har Khalutz, which means in English, Pioneer Mountain. It is a pluralistic community founded in the 1980s by upper middle class folks from around the world but mostly North America who were looking to settle in Israel--it was very pretty.
In the following few days, we did a lot of hiking. We hiked up a mountain called Gamlah, derived from the Hebrew word for camel because it looks like a camel's hump. Gamlah is home to one of the oldest synagogue's. Historians say it dates back to 66 CE before the destruction of the 1st Temple in Jerusalem. It was discovered by a group of archeologists in the late 1960s.
We also visited an ancient port city called Susita. It was used as a port city through all of the different major time periods of the region. There happen to be a lot of wild birds in that area, including peacocks!
I'm happy to be back at the dorms and I'm ready for the year to really begin. Class registration and Hebrew placement testing is tomorrow and classes start Monday. I can't wait!

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Photos

The Golan Heights
Lake Kinneret (The Sea of Galilee)

The Golan Heights
Lake Kinneret (The Sea of Galilee)

Susita
A cistern

Comments

[gali]

came across your blog. i'm israeli who live in chicago. this summer i was in EN GEV .isn't that the most beautiful place?. you can look at my blog www.chicagog.blogspot.com i have cousins in haifa and the tel aviv area. i live in wilmette and you?

[Zoe]

hi mari!!
mari i am sooo glad you are having so much fun. i am so jealous.. but i can't wait to be there in december and visit you!! can you post more pics with you in them? i want to see your beautiful face!! if you see josh--- say hi! love you!!