A Magnificent Rainbow at the Dead Sea
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The double rainbow that arched across the sky renewed our souls and filled our hearts with joy as our group waded and floated in the Dead Sea.
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At the Dead Sea
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Our intrepid travelers walked into the Dead Sea on the same day we trudged through snow in Jerusalem. Here, Neil Rosen, Arnie Wallenstein, Russell Kraiterman,
Steve Gilman, Rabbi Meszler, and Len Sacon shared a smile in the salty water.
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At the National Cemetery at Har Herzl
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We visited the graves of some of Israel’s leaders and soldiers, including Golda Meir, Yitzchak Rabin, and a young American from Philadelphia, Michael Levine, who was killed during the War with Lebanon in 2006. Here, Audrey Wilson (l) and Susan Lipton listened quietly as our guide, Ronnie Netzer, read to us about the sites we were seeing.
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Climbing Masada
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A few hardy travelers wanted to experience climbing up to – or down from- the top of Masada. Here, Bob and Shari Levitan and Paul Chella posed for a picture during their ascent.
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Hiking Near the Ein Gedi Oasis
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We hiked along the stony pathways of the Ein Gedi oasis in the desert accompanied by dozens of furry, tree-climbing rock badgers (hyrex in Hebrew) and long-legged ibex (yael in Hebrew).
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Israeli Soldier in Tiberias
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We saw this young Israeli soldier in Tiberias just a few days after our guide, Ronnie, told us about his daughter beginning her 2-year military service with the Atomic, Bacterial and Chemical (ABC) Unit. The sight of young male and female soldiers throughout the country was a constant reminder of Israel’s need to maintain tight security for its people.
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Outside the Ashkenazi Synagogue in Sfat
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In Sfat, we waited patiently outside the Ashkenazi Synagogue of Ari, named for Rabbi Ari born in 1534 in Jerusalem. We also visited the Sephardic Joseph Caro Synagogue in Sfat, named for the author of the Shulkan Arukh.
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Proximity of Golan Heights to Israel's Neighbors
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Our tour of the volcanic Golan Heights provided clear insight into the region’s strategic importance to Israel’s security as well as its close proximity to some of Israel’s belligerent neighbors.
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Standing Guard at the Golan Visitors Center
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We stopped for lunch at a microbrewery in Katzrin in the Golan Heights, where many young soldiers were enjoying a day of rest and relaxation from their duties. Here, a young soldier named Itzik stood guard inside the Golan Visitors Center while we enjoyed samples of high quality beer and a delicious lunch.
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