After missing out on Desert Experience it was a pleasant
surprise to find ourselves in Nitzana, a small commune located in the Negev
adjacent to the Egyptian border. JNF week kicked off with a visit to Sha’ar Ha’Negev,
a school whose entire campus was recently rocket-proofed due to an abundance of
attacks which had disrupted learning there in the past. We were shown around by
a group of 11th graders who explained to us the ins and outs of life
in the area as well as treating us to an impromptu singing performance. Next up
was what is known as the ‘salad tour’ in which we learnt of the agricultural
intricacies of growing fruit and veg in Israel’s exceedingly dry desert. Following
this we were introduced to our guide for the following 2 days, Liam whose
youthful appearance caused many to question when his bar mitzvah was scheduled
for… however he exceeded all expectation with his energy and legions of
knowledge. Liam began by showing us around the ‘Anzac trail.’ Soon after, when
we were all suitably exhausted we headed to Nitzana, our accommodation for the
next 2 nights. The day was rounded out by an entertaining program run by Liam
and Peleg (the other group’s guide) known as ‘Israeli Night,’ in which we were
quizzed on our knowledge of Israeli culture such as food, celebrities, music
and famous people.
Monday brought a nice change of pace as we headed off on a
bike ride around Nitzana, noting its proximity to Egypt as well as the
beautiful desert surroundings. Next we visited the Desert Agricultural Research
and Development Centre, where we were suitably bored due to a combination of a
7 hour gap between meals as well as the unbearable heat and the less than
inspiring topic of discussion. Following lunch Liam led a program which aimed
to inspire us to make a change in the world via an identification of
contemporary issues and the fact that we do nothing to impact positively on
issues which we do care about. Subsequently we were shown to Nitzana’s
interesting scientific section which houses quite a few cool scientific exhibits
such as a cooling mechanism for the area and more. That night we spent out in
the desert, cooking our own dinner and enjoying the company of each other and
the sand dunes which surrounded us.
A somewhat interesting trek through the Yatir Forest where
we learnt of the goings-on during the times of the 2nd temple such
as the disposal of bodies and the making of wine was followed by a far too
belated lunch at Kibbutz Kermamim. There
we learnt about Kibbutz committees (again) as well as the kibbutz’s evolution
through privatization and issues of religious and secular members of the
communities. Our next stop was an archaeological dig in the area where Bar
Kokhba and his men hid in tunnels from the Romans thousands of years ago. We
were able to uncover small pieces of pottery but nothing more. We were also
able to crawl through the caves whilst learning of their origins and uses.
Following this we finally made it to our accommodation for Tuesday and
Wednesday, Nes Harim, where we had previously resided for the ZFA’s Anzac Day
ceremony.
Wednesday saw us head into the Old City of Jerusalem where
our tour guide Eytan detailed the battle exploits of the Jews in this area in
the 1948 Independence War. I can confidently say without doubt that Eytan was
one of the best guides we had ever had due largely to his charisma, humour and
ability to engage with the distractions and thoughts of the teenage mind. However
there was something else on the boys’ minds as we were granted leave for a few
hours to watch one of the most important football rivalries in Australian
sport, the state of origin. It was an amazing site to see roughly 30 Australian
gap yearers gathered in a Jerusalem Bar cheering NSW on to a momentous win!
Following a few hours of free time in Jerusalem where much shopping was engaged
in, we headed back to Nes Harim.
A 2 hour hike began Thursday which was followed by lunch at
Latrun another important place of battle in the Independence War of 1948. Next
we visited Neve Shalom Israel’s only truly multicultural village where Jews,
Muslims and Christians live side by side in peace. Our final activity of the
week was a visit to the Herzl Museum where we watched a short video and learned
about the life and achievements of Theodore Herzl, the father of modern Zionism.
Soon after we were released for free weekend.
Another awesome week down, 30 days to look forward to!
Jake
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