Akko- acre

We also visited Akko today.  ( a long hot day :)
Akko, or Acre, is a walled city on the Med coast. We toured to remains of the Crusader town ( 1104 to 1291).  It was both above and below the street level ( as they had to excavate).   We toured the Citadel, the Knights Hall and the Templar tunnels.

a friend

Templar tunnels

May 21st we visited a school near Akko

The two schools had met online as avatars in a program from TEC that brings Jewish, Arab, Christian and international students.  Today the kids met face-to-face for the first time.  It was lovely.  There were T-shirts made, a special Shavuot cafe, a cake with all of the children. 

The Principal of the school, Dr. Elaine Hoter of TEC, and me.

May 21, we went to the very north

Today we visited the northern most part of Israel, just over the fence from Lebanon.  Rosh Ha 'Nikra Grottos.   They were carved by the sea out of limestone. 

Students and teachers from a school in Lod.

It IS on the border...

The color of the water is amazing!

Watching for Ariel to swim past...

I have met

many amazing and wonderful people here in Israel.  People- not simply Jews or Arabs, just people.  I have been welcomed into homes of both and have been warmly received.  Of course the situation in Israel is "complicated".  I would encourage anyone who feels they need to cast an opinion on this situation, or any situation, to do their homework.

The part of me today that wants to write is ...grief and loss.  When someone is killed, in the line of duty, in a terror attack or randomly- that person had a mother and a father, perhaps siblings, a spouse/partner, children...    that they have left behind.   I don't want to debate if a loss of life was justified, or " for a cause". That person is gone.  There is pain, and the world seems to be full of pain these days.

One of the people I have met recently is an outstanding woman and gifted educator .  Her son was a victim of terror.  http://web.macam.ac.il/~elaine/gavri/enghome.htm

Dr. Elaine Hoter does more in a day then three average people.  One of the programs she runs brings together Arab and Jewish students via the internet, virtual reality- a safe place, and eventually face-to-face.  CAN TECHNOLOGY BRIDGE CULTURES?

http://www.mofet.macam.ac.il/tec/eng/Pages/default.aspx

It can, and I hope it does, and the peace spreads. 


What are you doing for the world?  for your state?  for your town?  for your neighbor? for yourself?

The beautiful Golan. Some captions below, but just enjoy the beauty of the pictures.

 Yes, the tower is Syria.

 http://old.parks.org.il/BuildaGate5/general2/data_card.php?Cat=~25~~386746842~Card12~&ru=&SiteName=parks&Clt=&Bur=751134790


Gamla-The remains of the ancient city of Gamla are at the foot of a steep trail, some 20 minutes’ walk from the observation point of the ruins. Gamla, a prosperous Jewish town in the Second Temple period, became famous at the beginning of the Great Revolt (67 CE) for its battle against the Romans. The courage of the Jewish defenders is dramatically described by Josephus in his work, The Jewish War.

 I thought I grew up in an old house-built in 1940. I moved to Rockland and thought we had an old house, 1890.  I visited friends in England and thought THEY had an old house- 1040.  OK, that is old, but 67CE.  If rocks could speak!

 In the distance, Mt. Hermon.  Still snow on it, incredibly, since it was in the 90's where I took the picture.

 THE MEMORIAL AT GAMLA, for lives lost for Israel.

 Ancient Katzrin- a Talmudic era village somewhat reconstructed. 


This is an olive press.

OOps this one did not post.... last week, May 12

 The view from our apartment building.

 This is the coolest flower ever.  So many colors!

 This is funny.  I've made up a Mr. Corn song that I sing whenever I walk by the Mr. Corn stand in the mall.  It's a very cheerful song that one must dance to.  Ask me to sing it! 

 REALLY? hmmm

Beautiful Med Sea, Yafo






The Dolphinarium discotheque suicide bombing was a terrorist attack on June 1, 2001 in which a suicide bomber Saeed Hotari, blew himself up outside of a nightclub, killing 21 Israeli teenagers and 4 adults. (Wiki)

We often walk by this on our way to Jaffa, or just strolling the beach. It is left as a memorial.  Any loss of life is painful.  There is a lot of pain in Israel, as in Palestine ( and all over the world).  What can you do to ease the pain?