The Old-New Land

Day #3

After beginning to get adjusted to the time change, we were greeted this morning with a sumptuous Israeli Hotel breakfast. It’s not even fair to paint a literal picture of the experience, though one could eat three full meals and not exhaust the options! The weather so far has been wonderful. There were moments of light rain, thankfully only when we were in the bus. Overall, the sun has been shining, the air is cool and fresh - perfect for traveling!

Throughout the tour so far, Dani has made several references to the German word the early Zionists employed for what Israel was to become - AlteNeuland - The Old-New Land. For example, Tel - a hill stratified with layers of history - and Aviv - the Hebrew word for spring and renewal is the name deliberately chosen by the early pioneers of Israel for the great city that is the center of Israeli commerce and art.

Our day seemed to reflect the dichotomy and harmony Israel holds in balance between the old and the new. Today we experienced it all -- from the tenuous quest for peace typified by the life of Yitzhak Rabin, to walking the streets of Nahlat Binyamin - the center of outdoor shopping in the city, to the Ayalon Institute in Rehovot, and finally to Independence Hall.

At 8:45 a.m. we boarded our bus and began the day at Kikar Rabin - Rabin Square - where we spent an hour learning about the origins of the current Palistinian-Israeli conflicts and what were some of the historical moments that precipitated the horrific assassination of then Prime Minister, Yitzhak Rabin. We were surrounded by several other tour groups (including a few Birthright trips) which brought to life this massive square where people come to rally their support for the State and to express their political will through peaceful demonstrations. We also found it in the gentle but insistent older gentleman who felt compelled to join our group and ’offer’ his opinion on the Rabin memorial. Dani, our guide, masterfully asked him to consider participating more passively!

From Kikar Rabin we moved toward Nahlat Binyamin and the Carmel Shuk - outdoor market. We were given ample time to walk around this busy shopping area and take in the sights, smells, and sounds. Tuesdays and Fridays are special market days where local artisans display their work for tourists and local residents. Many of us took the opportunity to eat our first falafel, schnitzel or shwarma sandwiches. As they say, Me’ooleh! Delicious!

On the drive to the Ayalon Institute, which is located in Rehovot, a suburb of Tel Aviv, we were impressed by the significant improvements in infrastructure like roads, bridges and highways. There were many positive signs of a recovering economy with several new housing developments cropping up everywhere. The attitude in the country so far is quite positive - tourism is thriving, news of Gilad Shalit’s release is stirring up conversations in the cafes and there aren’t any new scandals developing in the government...today!

For some of us our day concluded with a special visit from our VBS friends, Avery and Sharon Greenberg. We met at our hotel and walked to the Tel Aviv port for a delicious Italian meal and some excellent Israeli wine. Old friends and new lives. Stories of old relationships being renewed. The day was a reflection of the AlteNeuLand. Israel is the land of ancient wisdom and new expression. It was Rav Kook who said, The old shall be renewed and the new shall be holy.” Today - we renewed our relationship to the State and are beginning to make our new connections holy.


**A final note - I'm having technical difficulties, so I cannot currently upload pictures. Sad news, but perhaps I'll work it out before we return home!**