By Geran Benson, NFTY in Israel Participant, Bus 4
About two weeks ago our Bus split up into our chavaya groups (our 4 day electives) where I chose to take part in Yam l’ yam, a 4 day adventure from the Sea of Galilee to the Mediterranean Sea. On our way to the Mediterranean we waded through cool rivers, learned to navigate the terrain in teams, traversed mountains, competed in a friendly competition of top chef, and cycled the final 12 miles through winding mountain roads and a banana farm to the warm waters of the Mediterranean. I was expecting the far more fertile and flora filled north of Israel to be less hot than the Negev, but I discovered I had thought wrong. Unlike southern Israel, the north’s heat is paired with high humidity. My favorite parts of my entire NFTY in Israel journey were backpacking in the Negev and on the Sea to Sea chavaya. Traveling across the holy land I’ve found that Mark Twain’s dull 1868 description of what is now Israel is completely outdated and inaccurate. “The hills are barren, they are dull of color, they are unpicturesque in shape. The valleys are unsightly deserts fringed with a feeble vegetation that has an expression about it of being sorrowful and despondent.” In response to his description of then Palestine all I can tell you is to look at the photos we have taken on this trip, you will see beautiful scenery that in person can be breathtaking.
