GolanHeights

Day 1: The trip began early Tuesday morning when we departed Jerusalem for the North with our trusted tour guide Michael. Our first visit was to view the beginnings of the Zionist settlements, around the turn of the 20th century. We visited the Kinneret Farm, HaMishorerit, and the cemetery of the many Zionist settlers including Rachel, a famous Poet, at the side of the Kinnerett, or Sea of Galilee. Fighting the rainy weather, we continued northward to Kibbutz Mizgav Am, a kibbutz ON the Israeli border with Lebanon. With a great view looking out over Lebanon, we had a discussion of Israel's Security situation in the North and the Israeli Security Zone as related to us by Mike Ginsburg, a kibbutznik of Mizgav Am. The discussion was enlightening, however the 90/km hour winds that were blowing outside the bus was shaking the bus considerably. After the discussion on the bus, it was determined that we might try to get off the bus and try looking out with the wind. Within 2 minutes of getting off the bus, a hail storm blew in with 'bigger than pebble-size' hail. The visit was ended short and we proceeded to our home for the evening, Kibbutz Kfar HaNasi.
Day 2 saw better weather and took us to Tel Chai, another Zionist settlement in the Upper Galilee in the beginning of the 20th century. We continued to the Nature Preserve at Tel Dan where we viewed some amazing archeological discoveries, a lookout upon Lebanon, and the source of the great Jordan River. We then visited Tel Fajer to discuss security issues with the Golan. We then proceeded to climb, in the bus, up to Mt. Bental to have a spectacular view of Syria at an altitude of 4000ft. At that height in Israel, it means snow. The day was completed with a snow ball fight on the top of the Mt. Home to Kibbutz Kfar HaNasi.
Day 3: Our morning visit took us to Katzrin, the only significant Jewish city in the Golan Heights, a town of 7,000. We met with Marla, the spokesperson for the Golan Settlers Association, on the current situation of life in the Golan and the possibilities of giving up the land for Peace. Our day was to be completed with a visit to Gamla, the "Massada of the North", but due to the weather, we were forced to visit the now famous Golan Winery and take a tour of the facilities with a free wine-tasting experience at the end! Oh, the difficulties of going to school at HUC. The quest home to Jerusalem was completed around 6pm, Thursday.
Thank You HUC-JIR and my classmates for the experiences and the details in between.
Enjoy the Pictures!
-Jeremy