Changing My View: Ten Days in Israel

April 25, 2013, The Jerusalem Post: “The Israeli Air Force shot down a Hezbollah drone from Lebanon off the coast of Haifa . . . . ‘Israel is prepared to deal with any threat posed from Syria and Lebanon in the air, land or sea,’ said Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu.”

Why am I opening today’s blog with this? I just returned from ten days in Israel and was in Haifa during this incident. We didn’t know it at the time but saw the report the next day. It’s unknown whether the drone was armed.

When we arrived at Tel Aviv, we landed in the heart of the Middle East—and at the core of thousands of years of conflict that continue today. But we also landed near progressive cities with modernist architecture, world-class beaches, and the Holiest lands of three of the world’s major religions.

Israel is a small country, about the size of New Jersey. Traveling its length, we savored geologic splendors from mountains to coastal areas, seas to desert lands.

Highlights of our trip

Several days on a historical Tour of Jerusalem, seeing the historical and religious sites of the Jews, Christians and Muslims. The silence and mystique of the newest archeological find below ground of the Western Wall.

  

Floating at the Dead Sea (1200 feet below sea level), where you can float and relax!

Dead Sea Scrolls which include the earliest known biblical manuscripts dated first century BCE—first century CE.

Masada – the palace that Roman King Herod built near the Dead Sea. Masada also served as a fortress for three years for a small group of Jews (960) who fled their homeland during the Roman siege.

Amazing to think that we stood at the border of Israel and Lebanon at the Northwest point of Israel, could see Syria as we toured the Golan Heights and saw the Jordan mountains from the Dead Sea.

Israel attracts various cultures, ethnicities and religions. Yet, peace continues to elude the Middle East as terrorist attacks and politics continue to interfere with the peace process. With all the struggles and war threats, how interesting that we never felt in danger or in fear.

I am a witness of history where history truly comes alive. I am grateful for the opportunity to experience and love Israel–its people, history and religious impact.

Lynn Hellerstein
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