By Rabbi David Wilfond, Director of Education
Today, Wednesday, when the group landed in Israel and came out of baggage claim they were greeted by their staff holding banners and signs that said “Welcome NFTY in Israel!” They were also greeted by welcome songs sung to them by their staff and accompanied on the guitar. The participants loved the attention, and this helped to lift their spirits for the adventure ahead with NFTY in Israel. With this good energy in the atmosphere the group boarded the bus and drove about 20 minutes to the famous look out point of Old Jaffa for an “Opening Ceremony.” The height of Old Jaffa offers a breath-taking view of the blue Mediterranean Sea and overlooks the beautiful sea side city of modern Tel Aviv.
Jaffa is one of the oldest cities on the planet, founded in 7,500 BCE. It was already ancient in the Bible times of King David (1,000 BCE) and King Solomon (950 BCE). The famous Bible story about “Jonah and the Whale” begins with Jonah getting on boat at Jaffa. When Solomon builds the First Temple, the Bible tells us he brought “Cedars from Lebanon” to the Port of Jaffa and then had them carried up to Jerusalem. Jaffa is Israel’s oldest port. It is the “Gate Way” to the Land of Milk and Honey from Biblical times until today. Almost every wave of immigration, Pilgrims and Tourists came through Jaffa. Even today, Israel’s main port of entry the “Ben Gurion Airport” is barely more than a stone’s throw from this Ancient Sea Port of Jaffa.
The group walked to the top of the hill of Old Jaffa and then sat in the shade of the Palm trees and Cypress trees as they enjoyed their “Welcome to Israel Ceremony.” During a discussion about the differences between a Tourist and Pilgrim, it was determined, “A Tourist travels through the land; a Pilgrim lets the land travel through you.” Our NFTY in Israel goal is to encourage our participants to open up their hearts and minds to fully experience the richness, the diversity, the complexities, the possibilities and the beauty of the Land of Israel. We want our participants to engage with the Jewish story, to travel through Jewish time and then to feel committed to shaping and leading the Jewish Future inspired by the best of Reform Jewish Values.
At Old Jaffa, the participants opened their journey with inspiring words, song and dance. Watching the sun begin to set into the sea from the heights of Jaffa is a memory for a lifetime and an amazing way to begin our NFTY in Israel adventure.
Tomorrow, they will experience a day of digging up the Biblical land of Israel at an excavation at the Ancient Jewish City of Beit Guvrin before touring one of Israel’s oldest sites, the Biblical city of Gezer. On Friday, the group will begin our journey to the Negev Desert. Like the Children of Israel who wandered for 40 years in the desert, we will wander in the same desert for 4 days. The Israeli desert is a stark and beautiful environment that brings groups even closer together to form a caring and supportive community of purpose. Here, in the magical land of the desert, is where they will celebrate their first Shabbat in the Land of Israel.
