Glimpses of Israel

Western Wall

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Touching the Pulse Beat of the Universe"

The Western Wall Photo - Western Wall, Jerusalem, Israel

Quote:

I regard myself as a person of faith, though I acknowledge that few would classify me as religious. The hallmarks of my faith are simple: - I believe in the absolute unity of God. This belief in the unity of God gives me hope that humankind may someday be able to achieve a parallel spiritual unity. - I attach spiritual value to the ordinary as well as the extraordinary. - I strive for integrity in my life, though I am well aware that I often fall short. - I believe fervently that the only reward one should expect for a life well lived is the satisfaction of having lived honorably in the sight of God and man--in that order. I find these simple...Read More

Western Wall
Western Wall Plaza
Jerusalem, Israel

Cheer!
Flag

Finding the Old New Land: Zionism With An Attitude

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Quote:

Like so many others before and since, my first direct experience with the State of Israel involved landing on Israeli soil at Ben Gurion Airport amid a thunder of applause. I'm not sure why the applause caught me by surprise, but it was a wonder-filled occurrence that seemed perfect for the moment. Each passenger on board seemed separately grateful to have arrived in this special place. Whether they were coming home literally or spiritually, each felt a kinship with this "old-new land" and each seemed to welcome this public expression of shared joy. The newly arrived passengers filed out of the cabin one-by-one and two-by-two: the ultra orthodox with pe'ot, tallit, and head coverings; the ...Read More

Like so many others before and since, my first direct experience with the State of Israel involved landing on Israeli soil at Ben Gurion Airport amid a thunder of applause. I'm not sure why the applause caught me by surprise, but it was a wonder-filled occurrence that seemed perfect for the moment. Each passenger on board seemed separately grateful to have arrived in this special place. Whether they were coming home literally or spiritually, each felt a kinship with this "old-new land" and each seemed to welcome this public expression of shared joy.

The newly arrived passengers filed out of the cabin one-by-one and two-by-two: the ultra orthodox with pe'ot, tallit, and head coverings; the students with walkmen and backpacks; the tourists with cameras and guidebooks; and the returning Israelis with shopping bags stuffed to overflowing with hard-to-find goodies for family and friends. Our diversity was as exciting as the land to which we came. As we reached the tarmac, some fell on their knees and kissed the ground. The thick layer of asphalt didn't matter--it was still holy ground. Others greeted waiting relatives with loud shouts, generous hugs, and large wet kisses. Still others marched smartly through customs, got their passports stamped, and turned to meet Israel on their own private terms.

As with most first-time visitors, the wonder of Israel was my constant companion. The past and the present met in ways that were at once imperfect and sublime. I could not resist simultaneous images of David and Jonathan, of Zionist pioneers taming and defending the land, and of contemporary Israelis in all their variety and vitality. It now seems natural to me that the immediacy of history has transformed every Israeli into a historian (though not necessarily a good one!). The assassination of Rabin, the '48 War for Independence, and the Revolt of the Maccabees--all are equally important. Each has a direct impact on the events of both present and future. The ancient past and the ancient language of Israel are as clear and relevant as today's headlines.

The very air of Israel was and is filled with excitement. People and landscapes merge to reflect the past and the future with a magic and energy that seem almost impossible to imagine anywhere else. Israel is not just a place, it's a frame of mind. One might even say that Israel is a worldview--albeit one with as many facets as there are individuals caught in its web. And the worldview of Israel is still Zionist at its core. If there is a point of agreement between the friends and foes of Israel, between secular and religious Israelis, between Jews and Arabs, or between Zionist and anti-Zionist activists, it is that Zionism has provided the undergirding of strength and unity upon which the modern State of Israel was established and has been preserved.

After more than 60 years as a nation-state, it is important to ask about how Israel will move forward into her next 60 years--and into her next 120 years. Are her leaders determined to fortify the Zionist dream by encouraging Israel's continued diversity? Or would they destroy it by imposing a theocratic interpretation that would determine who is and is not a Jew? who may and may not become or remain an Israeli? Will they build on the past to strengthen the future? Or would they return to some singular aspect of the past to recreate the future in that image? In no other land is the past more important to the present and the future than it is in Israel.

Thus Israel is yet again at a key crossroad. Modern Zionists cannot afford to be apathetic about the direction taken by Israel and her government. The result will determine whether the Israeli jewel will continue its multifaceted sparkle, or whether it will be reduced to the dull sheen of a monochromatic Middle Eastern theocracy--Jewish rather than Muslim in its content. The future of Israel deserves to continue reflecting the diversity of her past and present, to continue reflecting the tolerance and common-sense approach toward ethnic and religious minorities that characterized most of the founders of modern Zionism. Anything less would diminish Israel's standing as a modern democracy and her fundamental character. What a sad fate that would be for the Zionist dream that has thus far accomplished so much with so little.

- BawBaw/DAnneC Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

Masada National Park

Best Of IgoUgo

Attraction | "Majesty and Mystery"

Quote:

Masada. The very word conjures up images that fire the soul. . . . Images of Herod and his court living in opulence above a desolate landscape. . . . Images of Jewish Zealots righteously defying the will of Rome. . . . Images of young Israeli soldiers vowing solemnly that Masada shall not fall again. Rising above its harsh surroundings like the battleship it resembles, the mountain on which Herod's ancient fortress sits offered its inhabitants a highly defensible strategic position and a spectacular view of the Dead Sea. Indeed, the physical setting is quite simply awesome. Add the mysticism of Masada's heroic past to its ongoing symbolic importance, and the result is absolut...Read More

Masada. The very word conjures up images that fire the soul. . . . Images of Herod and his court living in opulence above a desolate landscape. . . . Images of Jewish Zealots righteously defying the will of Rome. . . . Images of young Israeli soldiers vowing solemnly that Masada shall not fall again.

Rising above its harsh surroundings like the battleship it resembles, the mountain on which Herod's ancient fortress sits offered its inhabitants a highly defensible strategic position and a spectacular view of the Dead Sea. Indeed, the physical setting is quite simply awesome. Add the mysticism of Masada's heroic past to its ongoing symbolic importance, and the result is absolutely intoxicating. One simply cannot breathe the air of this place without being drawn into a web of history and intrigue that extends from about 150 B.C.E. to the present day.

Herod constructed his stronghold above the Dead Sea to serve as a refuge in the event of extreme need. Enlarging what had been a small fort into a magnificent fastness, Herod secured a reliable water supply through a system of cisterns and pools designed to catch and store rainwater and stocked several storerooms with substantial reserves of food. On two occasions, first in 40 B.C.E. and again in 31 B.C.E., Herod and his family fled political unrest and retreated to the security of Masada.

In 66 C.E., shortly before the Jewish Revolt against Roman rule, a band of Zealots surprised and overpowered the small military garrison holding Masada. Subsequently led by Eleazar ben Yair, the Zealots at Masada continued to defy Roman authority for 3 years after the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. The rebels survived largely on the food stores placed in the fortress by Herod more than a century before. In 73 C.E., after an 8-month-long siege by the legions of Rome, the Zealots chose death on their own terms rather than accept defeat. When General Flavius Silvas ascended the summit, he found the bodies of Masada's defenders and learned the details of the Zealots' last hours from two women and five children who had hidden in a water pipe.

The exploits of the Zealots were recorded by the historian Josephus and became the stuff of storytellers, though the actual location of the fortress was lost for several centuries. The site was not rediscovered until the early nineteenth century.

In the mid-1960s, Masada was excavated by teams of archeologists and volunteers led by the Israeli soldier/scholar Yigael Yadin. It is this Masada that today's visitor actually sees. Whether one climbs the twisting Snake Path, ascends by means of the ramp built for the siege machines of Rome, or takes the cable car from the visitor center at the base of the mountain, a pilgrimage to Masada is a special event. Once on the summit, the extensive ruins include the terraced North Palace, the Zealots' synagogue, a Byzantine church from the fifth century C.E., a Roman-style bath complex, the West Palace, sections of the casement wall, and Herod's swimming pool. Even today, the luxury incorporated into many of these structures is obvious.

My visit to Masada occurred early in September while the weather was still oppressively hot. Be sure to dress appropriately for the season and the climate. Sunscreen and a head covering to protect against the harsh desert sun are advised, no matter the season. My visit coincided with a small bar mitzvah party, a reasonably common occurrence at the ancient synagogue. As always at locations where religious ceremonies or private events may be under way, be a courteous onlooker.

For Israelis, the entirety of Masada is a shrine of sorts. In the years that immediately preceded the emergence of the State of Israel in 1948, Masada became important as a symbol of the political and religious freedom of the Jewish people. Following a tradition that dates back to the days when the Haganah (predecessor of today's Israel Defense Forces) conducted encampments on the unexcavated summit, Israeli soldiers assemble once a year to pledge that Masada shall not fall again. It can be reasonably argued that no other single site in Israel is more closely associated with the independence and tenacity of the Jewish State than is Masada.

- BawBaw/DAnneC Read Less

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on August 10, 2010

Cheer!
Flag

Jerusalem, City of Hope

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Ammunition Hill Photo - Jerusalem, Israel

Quote:

OverviewFew places on Earth provoke intense emotion more readily than does Jerusalem. Even the name one applies to this ancient city can provoke controversy: Whether you choose to call it Yerushalayim, Jerusalem, or Al-Quds is often a political statement. Certainly there's no shortage of descriptors to apply to this extraordinary city: beautiful, timeless, passionate, inspiring, troublesome, enigmatic, holy, poignant, controversial, beguiling--the list is endless. Once again, your choices will tell as much about you as about the city.Jerusalem is a mosaic built over time by an extraordinary diversity of influences. Moreover, for millennia it has been at the c...Read More

Cheer!
Flag

Getting to Masada on 'Jewish Time'

Best Of IgoUgo

Story/Tip

Desert Roadway Photo - Israel, Middle East

Quote:

My Jerusalemite friend looked a bit concerned when I told her my plans to travel by bus to Masada on my last full day in Israel. I reassured her, telling her that I had worked out the schedule for departure and return and reminding her that my very presence here in Israel--alone and on my own--should demonstrate that I could handle such an outing. My friend insisted that it wasn't MY abilities--or even my safety--that worried her. She then reminded me that the ubiquitous Egged buses were not exactly known for keeping to schedule. She noted that I had been spoiled by the relatively regular bus service provided within the City of Jerusalem. What concerned her was that buses making long trips...Read More

My Jerusalemite friend looked a bit concerned when I told her my plans to travel by bus to Masada on my last full day in Israel. I reassured her, telling her that I had worked out the schedule for departure and return and reminding her that my very presence here in Israel--alone and on my own--should demonstrate that I could handle such an outing.

My friend insisted that it wasn't MY abilities--or even my safety--that worried her. She then reminded me that the ubiquitous Egged buses were not exactly known for keeping to schedule. She noted that I had been spoiled by the relatively regular bus service provided within the City of Jerusalem. What concerned her was that buses making long trips to out-of-the-way places tend to run on "Jewish time," which may be more apt to reckon time by the ages of the universe rather than concern themselves with daily timetables. Conceivably, I could get down to Masada without a reliable way back--and as a result, I could miss my flight back to the States.

No self-respecting Israeli would issue such dire warnings without providing the required followup plan to save the day. And, of course, my friend did have advice: I should just go ahead, she said, and stick to my plan. But I should be sure not to wait until the last scheduled departure from Masada to return to Jerusalem. The last bus of the day, she said, often simply doesn't appear. She had one further piece of advice: In the event that something went wrong and I needed a way back to Jerusalem, I should hitch a ride on one of the tour buses. Yeah, right, I thought, hitch a ride. . . .

I listened politely but really didn't give much credence to my friend's pessimism. It was early September, and I figured the busy tourist season would be reason enough to keep buses running to Masada more or less on schedule. I mean, who doesn't want to see Masada on a trip to Israel?

By the time the second bus scheduled to depart Jerusalem for Masada failed to appear, I was beginning to pay more attention to my friend's warnings. I took the third bus with a bit of trepidation, but I was certain I could make the trip down and return before nightfall. I assumed that this bus would make it to Masada somewhere near its scheduled arrival time. I was wrong. By the time I stepped out on the Judean desert at the base of the rocky outcrop that holds the remains of Herod's fortress, it was less than an hour before time to catch the next-to-the-last bus to Jerusalem.

I was in torment. What could I do? Was it really possible that I could have come to this place only to stare up at Masada without stepping foot on its summit? No, I decided. It was not possible!

Remembering my friend's advice, I headed straight for the parking lot with its small number of tour buses. Finding one with a single person inside, I stepped up to the door and boldly asked "Yerushalayim?" "Ken (yes)," replied the man. Having used up a goodly portion of my conversational Hebrew, I proceeded to explain my problem in English and asked if I might be able to join this tour and return with the group to Jerusalem. "Of course," said the guide. (How had I known he was the guide? How did I know he would speak English? I don't know how I knew. I just knew.) "But you will have to pay the fee for the cable car to the top. All members of my group have that charge included in the price of the tour." Nothing else was asked of me--then or later.

So I joined the tour headed by this kindly man and beheld the spectacle that is Masada, including the panorama of the Dead Sea stretching out into the distance. It was an indescribable experience that I continue to cherish. The somewhat unusual circumstances surrounding the outing have made it even more memorable. Not the least of my many satisfactions was the amazement of my family when I recounted my tale.

As for the tour guide who had mercy on my predicament, he returned me safely to Jerusalem, dropping me off at one of my familiar city bus shelters. As I left the bus, I handed him a tip that was approximately equal to the cost of the tour and thanked him for his kindness. He accepted graciously and wished me a safe journey home.

- BawBaw/DAnneC Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

IgoUgo

Israel Journals

Upload Photos