By: Rebecca and Jason

Last year, we were pleasantly surprised at how green the northern part of Israel is in the spring. We were fortunate to go on several trips to the Galilee and the Golan to see some of Israel's loveliest natural areas. It was something we wanted to do again this year.

Jason's aunt and uncle stayed with us for a few days this week and we decided another trip up north was in order. On the recommendations of friends and our trusty Lonely Planet guidebook, we set out for Gamla. A nature reserve in the Golan, Gamla is home to Israel's highest waterfall, rare Griffon vultures, and the remains of a fortified Jewish settlement. Led by Josephus Flavius, ancient Gamla joined the Jewish revolt against the Romans in 66 CE, but after a siege and subsequent attack, was defeated and it's inhabitants killed. Josephus escaped by agreeing to join the Romans and it is his writings that tell us the story of Gamla. The city was never rebuilt by the Romans and was forgotten about for 1,900 years until its rediscovery during a survey of the Golan Heights in 1968 after the Six-Day War.

Ancient Gamla on the side of the mountain

The scenery at Gamla is stunning. In the green of spring, the fields are awash with wildflowers and the waterfall flows dramatically down the face of the cliff. The cliffs are home to the nests of several different species of raptors; among them, the endangered Griffon vulture. Not beautiful, but certainly impressive, Griffon vultures grow to over 3 ft tall with a wingspan of almost 6 feet! We were lucky enough to see a pair guarding their nest. It was a beautiful day and the scenery is gorgeous, but the machine gun fire from the nearby army practice range is a little disconcerting. The signs tell you to please not shout in case you should disturb the birds, but I have to wonder if the machine gun fire isn't worse. 

Gamla cliffs

Gamla falls

One of the other surprising and impressive sites at Gamla are the stone formations clustered together in the fields. Known as dolmens, these 4,000 year-old stone tables are thought to have been ancient burial tombs used by nomadic tribes during the Bronze Age. This park, as many do in Israel, characterizes the presence of different peoples over thousands of years of history.

Ancient dolmen and giant fennel

Along with the lovely spring wildflowers, there are a variety of trees and shrubs including oak, pistachio, Judas tree, and willow. The vegetation is especially lush near the Gamla stream and serves as a home to all kinds of birds and frogs, which we were so surprised to hear. There aren't a lot of amphibians in such a dry country!

Spring wildflowers

Gamla is definitely one of our favorite national parks. We are glad we visited in the spring when the flowers were in full bloom and it wasn't oppressively hot. The surrounding area is home to several other parks and some great wineries. On a future visit to Israel, we'd love to explore it some more. 

See more photos from our adventure in the album below:

Gamla Nature Reserve

Jason's sister Beth, her husband Dick, and their two boys, Berni and Jesse took a family trip to Israel. Though they wanted to visit with us, they also spent a portion of their trip volunteering. We had a great time with them, but their trip was about much more than just visiting family and being tourists. Here's what they had to say:

Our trip to Israel far exceeded our expectations. By coordinating with the Jewish Agency for Israel and the Jewish Federation of W. Mass. we were able to plan a trip that gave our family an Israel experience far beyond a tour of the country.

When we first arrived in Israel we stayed with family in Haifa. During the several days we spent in that port city we shopped at an outdoor market in an Arab neighborhood, strolled around the Old City of Akko, swam in the Mediterranean Sea, and toured the subterranean caves of Rosh Hanikrah.

From Haifa we drove southeast to Afula for our volunteer work. In between our volunteer activities we toured the remains of a Crusader-era castle at Belvoir National Park, swam in spring-fed waters at Gan Hashlosha, visited tombs in burial caves at Bet She'arim, and returned to Haifa for a tour of the Marine Biology Department at Haifa University.

Exploring Belvoir Castle

Our first volunteer experience was with Project Leket at Moshav Nahalal, where we picked beets for underprivileged families. After two hours of gleaning, the volunteer coordinator showed us the huge plastic crate we had filled and told us it would feed 133 families in need! This experience taught our children the true meaning of Tikkun Olam, repairing the world.

Picking beets at Moshav Nahalal

On the same day we picked beets, we also volunteered at a community public library located in Afula and operated by The Tarbut (Cultural) Movement. Here we helped sort games and puzzles that had been donated for underprivileged children from one of Afula's rougher neighborhoods. A group of young adults told the story of The Tarbut Movement, a non-profit national movement of pioneering young artists who reside and work as Tarbut Communities ('urban kibbutzim') in weakened towns and cities throughout Israel. The group uses art and culture as a vehicle for self-empowerment and social change to reshape the future of Israel, promoting values of social solidarity, equality, democracy and tolerance. The young adults we met were inspirational and served as wonderful role models for our children.

Sorting puzzles

The next day we volunteered at the Bet Alfa Absorption Center, a Jewish Agency facility for new immigrants from Ethiopia. While our children played games with the Ethiopian children, a middle-aged Ethiopian woman told us her story of how she came to Israel from her native country 30 years ago. It was an emotional first-hand account of a long journey filled with hopes and fears and it is a story we will never forget. Afterwards, our whole family helped the children plant flower boxes of herbs. When it was finally time to say goodbye, nobody wanted us to leave! We all wish we could have spent more time there.

Children at the Bet Alfa Absorption Center

Later that evening the Gilboa family hosted us for dinner on a moshav near the Bet Alpha Absorption Center. The family has four daughters, all of whom got along wonderfully with our two boys. The food was amazing and there was so much of it we couldn't possibly try it all. We talked to the Gilboas about family life in Israel and, more specifically, living on a moshav. It was a wonderful evening and we were so grateful for the opportunity to eat and socialize with the Gilboas.

While engaging in volunteer work in the Afula region we stayed at Kibbutz Yizreel, where we experienced life on a kibbutz. Every morning we ate breakfast at the dining hall and talked to several residents to learn what it is like to live on the kibbutz. Our host's husband gave us a tour of the kibbutz's factory, which manufactures automated pool cleaners. The whole experience was fascinating and led to many family conversations about communal living.

The scenic Gilboa Heights

From Afula we drove southeast again to view the Dead Sea. Then we drove west to Jerusalem, where we stayed in a hotel for two nights. During our trip to Jerusalem we walked on the ramparts of the Old City, prayed at the Kotel, and toured the tunnels underneath the Kotel. On our last day in Jerusalem we visited Mahane Yehuda Market, a large indoor/outdoor market with fresh fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, cheeses and much more. We shopped at the market on a Friday morning and it was packed with people buying food in preparation for Shabbat.

Berni, Jesse, and Jason at Mahane Yehuda Market

Buying cheese at Mahane Yehuda

From Jerusalem we drove northwest to Hashmonaim, a yishuv located about 15 minutes southeast of Tel Aviv. Here we spent Shabbat in an observant community. After Shabbat we visited Yad Lashiryon in Latrun, which houses over 200 armored tanks, many of which were used in the Six-Day and the Yom Kippur wars. We also toured the Bell Caves at Bet Guvrin. Later that night we had dinner with family and traveled to Tel Aviv for our flight home. 

Getting to know our cousins

Yad Lashiryon

For the second time in a month, we had guests visiting us in Haifa. This time, Jason's sister Sara and her boyfriend Eric were here for a week. Here's what they had to say about their week in Israel...

We just returned from our trip to Israel to visit Jason and Rebecca, and all we can say is “waaaaaahhhhhhh”.  We did not want to leave!! Our trip was full of beautiful sites, amazing stories and delicious treats.  Not only that, but we got to spend some quality time with my brother and his girlfriend, which is worth way more than a pile of baklava any day. 

The first night we were in Israel was spent with my cousin, Sharon, and her family.  It’s been 3 years since I’ve seen them all and it was a perfect start to our trip.  We played cribbage with their son Ezra, joked around with Avidan (another son) and had breakfast with the whole family the next morning.  Next time we come to Israel we are absolutely staying with them for more than one night!

We made it to Haifa in one piece the next morning, only slightly jet-lagged and ready for some adventures! Our journey started with a visit to the most incredible mosaic-tiled Tunisian synagogue we’ve ever seen (see Jason and Rebecca’s post for pics), and then a trip to Akko, a fortress city with some bangin’ hummous and a relaxed atmosphere.  Then we went to the most northern point of Israel to visit the caves of Rosh Hanikra.  Jay and Rebecca (who will be referred to as J&R from now on for simplicity sake) had already been to this site, so we explored this on our own and were AMAZED to view the caverns filled with turquoise water.  Such beautiful views all around!

View outside the caves of Rosh Hanikra

The next stop was quite unexpected, to say the least!  Achzivland is a micronation of Israel, founded in 1970 and inhabited by only two people (and several dogs and cats).  The couple literally founded their own nation, for reasons unknown, which is nestled in the northern part of Israel on the shores of the Mediterranean.  They even have their own passport stamps!!  On their land is a museum of sorts with a random assortment of pottery, statues, dolls and coins.  Their land also allowed access to the beach, where we combed the sands for sea glass and artifacts while the sun set across the Mediterranean.

Eric tries to conquer Achzivland

All four of us in Achzivland

Our next day was filled again with a visit to Capernaum, which is located on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee, and is home to two ancient synagogues built one over the other (circa late 4^th century CE).  Today, there is a “floating” octagonal church built over the 5^th century CE church on this site, which was quite the impressive engineering feat.

Impressive architectural church built over the ruins of
a 5^th century CE church

Next up, we hiked the cliffs of Arbel, overlooking the Sea of Galilee.  This was particularly exciting because J&R had never been before and the views were absolutely breathtaking!  Jay, Rebecca and Eric also got to try their hand at scaling the cliffs.

View of the Galilee from the Arbel Cliff

Eric and I took the next day and hiked Masada and Ein Gedi and then took a dip in the Dead Sea, which was Eric’s first time.  J&R had been to those spots multiple times, so they met up with us in Jerusalem that night, where we had a delicious dinner of flatbreads, stuffed mushrooms, tapenade and homemade pasta.  Eric and Jay went to a local bar afterward, and on the way home Eric performed his first mitzvah when he helped 5 Hasidic men change a tire! 

The following day we all spent exploring Jerusalem.  Eric and I did the underground tunnel tour of the Western Wall and then went shopping in the markets.  Eric was VERY impressed by my haggling skills as I negotiated prices with all of the vendors in the markets.  It is basically expected that you do not pay the price initially given to you and instead, cut it down by half. 

We ended our trip with a walking food tour of Haifa, complete with THE BEST falafel and literally piles and piles of baklava.  It is impossible to really describe the amount of baklava
that was in this shop, but it was jaw-dropping!! 

Hands down the best falafel in the world

Mountain of baklava

Israel is one of the most unique places that either Eric or I have traveled to, and we are so grateful that Jason and Rebecca hosted us and toured us around the country.

Our good friends Beth and Craig visited us for a week earlier in June. Keeping up the tradition, we asked Beth to write a guest post about their adventures...

What an amazing trip! We only went for 7 days, but packed so much into the short trip that it felt like so much longer. After what seemed like an interminable flight from JFK direct to Tel Aviv and then an hour train ride to Haifa, we finally met up with Rebecca. We took the bus up to the university and checked out Jason’s lab and the awesome slipper lobsters! As you can see, they are so completely different from the lobsters in the US.

Mediterranean slipper lobster

The next day, we went up to Akko where Jason was doing some field work. Not only did we do some shopping in the local shuk where I bought the most amazing dates. But, being scientists, no trip to the local market is complete without collecting some data on the lobsters. Of course, no trip to an ancient city is complete without climbing onto the fortress walls and seeing the sights. We even checked out the old Templar  tunnels before heading off to Nahariyya and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea.

Measuring lobsters in Akko's market

The next day we traveled to Zichron Ya’acov to touring some gardens and taste some wine. Given that Israel is a desert, the greenery found everywhere is amazing.

Craig’s favorite thing of the entire trip was the next day, a trip to the Dead Sea and the lowest point on the planet. We visited Mineral Beach and spent hours floating in the water, you could float on your stomach with your hands as a pillow and not have to worry about sinking! Of course, no trip to the Dead Sea is complete without slathering your whole body with mud and floating in the hot sulfur pools. We also went for a quick camel ride at the local gas station. How often does that chance come up?

Don't try this at home

Camel Ride!

After the Dead Sea, we headed into Jerusalem for the night. While our hotel was nice, the one across the street, the American Colony Hotel, was amazing. The best part of the evening was the bisht (robes) that the restaurant gave Jason and Craig to wear. The rest of the evening they couldn’t stop laughing about it and enjoying showing them off to the rest of the patrons.

Jason and Craig having a little too much fun!

We saw so much in Jerusalem, I don’t know where to start. It's an unbelievable city with many things to see and do. We did the usual tourist sites including walking the city ramparts. 

After Jerusalem, Craig and I abandoned Jason and Rebecca to travel to Eilat and Petra. We left at 6:30 am to head to the Jordanian border where we walked through the crossing. On the other side, we got in a bus and started the 2.5 hour drive to Petra, arriving around 10:00 am. We spent the next 8 hours hiking all over and saw some amazing sights. We were originally scheduled for a two day trip, but were so exhausted after 8 hours in the sun going straight up, that despite there being so much more to see, decided to leave after breakfast (rather than lunch) and return to Eilat. Once there, we wandered around the city and swam in the Red Sea. Despite the crowds, the beach was nice and the water was chilly.

Petra

On our last day in Israel, we explored the Underwater Observatory Marine Park where the aquarium descends over 12 feet into the Red Sea and is surrounded by amazing reefs and zillions of fish. You can climb up the top and look out over the Red Sea from the observation tower. The rest of the aquarium was pretty amazing also, there were more sea turtles than I could count and a dark room to admire phosphorescent fish and corals.

Red Sea Observatory

Corals

Reef and fish!

Itinerary

Tues: Arrival in Haifa, trip to the University, dinner

Wed: Trip to Akko, shopping and exploring, trip to Nahariya, swim in the Mediterranean Sea

Thurs: Gardens and Zichron Ya’acov

Fri: Trip to the Dead Sea (Mineral Beach), dinner at American Colony Hotel 

Sat: Trip to Jerusalem, explore the Old City, stay in East Jerusalem, travel to Eilat

Sun: Jordan and Petra, spend the night in Wadi Musa

Mon: Return to Eilat, explore the area, swim in the Red Sea

Tues: Explore the Underwater Observatory Marine Park, travel to Tel Aviv and back to JFK 

Thanks Beth for writing up this post! There are more photos of Beth and Craig's trip in our photo albums.

By: Rebecca

Jason's mom Sandy visited us for 2 weeks this month. It was great to see her and to unpack all the American goodies she brought us (Ziplock bags!, our favorite peanut butter!).

Perhaps the best part of her visit was that we got a chance to visit many places on our to-see list. I'm not going to recap the entire list (you can read that in her guest post), but I am going to mention a few things I really enjoyed. 

Our trip to Jerusalem was my first visit to the Old City. The weather could not have been better and since we had planned for a full day of exploring, we were grateful that it wasn't too hot. We took a free guided tour, had lunch, and then spent the afternoon wandering back to some of the major sites (the Western Wall, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher,  the markets). We had a great time. I'm looking forward to the next visit - there is so much to see!

Jason and me on the ramparts

The Dome of the Rock and the Kotel

Wandering through the Jewish Quarter in the Old City

The other trip that I really enjoyed was our visit to Zikhron Ya'akov and Ein Hod. It was one of the clearest, most beautiful days we have had since we arrived! We went to the Rothschild Gardens in Zikhron Ya'akov, which are absolutely beautiful and far more accessible than the Baha'i Gardens in Haifa. We walked around for well over an hour soaking in the sights and smells. There is even a special section of the garden for the visually impaired which has the most fragrant herbs you can imagine.

Roses at Rothschild Gardens

Map of all the communities Rothschild helped establish

View of the valley from the road to the Gardens

After the garden, we headed to lunch downtown. We had no particular place in mind and ended up at a fantastic Yemenite restaurant called Ayelet and Gili.  It was absolutely delicious and I would highly recommend it to anyone!

Thanks to Sandy for bringing the great weather, great company, and the great excuse to get out and explore the country!

More photos from our adventures in our albums.

Jason's mom Sandy is visiting us for 2 weeks. We asked her to write a guest blog post about her experience in Israel. Here's what she had to say...

I’ve been here visiting Jason & Rebecca since May 6 and will be leaving on May 21.  I cannot express what an incredible and inspiring time I have had.   Thanks to Jason & Rebecca’s great planning and Rebecca’s uncanny sense of direction and map reading, I feel like I’ve had my own personal tour guides.  

Jason and Rebecca at Caeserea

We’ve traveled by foot, bus, train, light rail, taxi and a rented car to see 3,000+ years of history of the world!  We’ve visited Haifa, the Old City in Jerusalem, Yad Vashem, a Druze village, Akko, Caesarea, Ein Hod, Zichron Ya’acov, Michmoret, Afula, Nazareth,and Zippori. 

Dome of the Rock and the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem

Yad Vashem

Mosaic in Zippori

At those towns I’ve seen universities, shuks (markets), magnificent ancient ruins, churches (Church of Holy Sepulchre, Monastery of the Cross, Church of Annunciation) Tower of David (with bullet holes), The Wailing Wall, emotional Holocaust museum, wineries, artist colonies, gorgeous Mediterranean beaches, incredible fortresses, ancient  mosaic floors, coliseums,  birthplace of the Mishnah (Talmud), miles of banana & orange orchards, and must have climbed 5,000 steps to get there!!

Jason and Sandy in Akko

I still cannot believe I was sitting in a pizza restaurant in Jerusalem with my brother Gary, and for the first time had a chance to meet his sons Mordechai and wife Orly and their adorable 7-month old son; and his son Yisrael and his wife Ariella. 

Mordechai, Gary, Jason, Rebecca, and Sandy

I have eaten falafel (which I love) and hummus (served with tons of side dishes) at Arab restaurants; Israeli salad which consists of tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, olive oil & lemon (and herbs); halvah, baklavah, Turkish coffee, fabulous olives, pita bread, dates, dates and more dates!  

Baklavah!!!

A 5-kilo (11 lbs) box of dates!!!

I have enjoyed visiting with my niece Sharon, Akiva and their 4 kids, cousin Cookie & David, awesome conversation with Israeli soldier on a bus from Jerusalem to Haifa, Jason’s unforgettable professor and advisor Ehud & partner Bat-Sheva, and many Americans. 

Israeli soldier and Arab Muslim
crossing a street in Jerusalem

It was important that I visit my Aunt Faggie’s gravesite, and with Rebecca & Jason’s help, we not only found the cemetery, we also found her house and walked on the beach across the street from her house!  

Aunt Faggie's house in Michmoret

This has been a trip of a lifetime, and it has changed my life!!

A visit to the Wailing Wall (the Kotel)