Kibbutzim in the Aravah

While down in the Aravah, we stayed on Kibbutz Yahel. It's a reform, religious kibbutz, that still functions as a kibbutz on some levels. They still have a community pool of money, and each member of the community has responsibilities at different times. But they have privatized to a great extent. There is actually a very small number of members that live on the Kibbutz.

But it was incredible. The guest houses we stayed in are very dorm like, but they were pretty nice. It was cool to be staying so close to so many people, but in very small groups. It didn't feel like a hotel at all, unlike the last time we went on a tiyyul.

We got to meet their rabbi, who had a very interesting take on his job as a rabbi in the region. One of our instructors used to be the rabbi there in the past. I don't know that I can see her doing what he does, but I think it's cool that she still has a good relationship with the community.

The place was quiet, and it was really nice to be there. It was almost like an oasis in the desert with a surprising amount of trees and covered spaces. It was really great!

On their large property, they have access to a bunch of different pieces of desert. On the first night we were there we had an outdoor meal and a campfire. It was a lot of fun! The food was fantastic and the energy was incredible. A great way to start the trip. Although I was a little surprised at the fact that the fire was basically large pallets just tossed on a budding fire.



In the same area is another Reform Kibbutz. Kibbutz Lotan has a much more clear mission. We didn't spend much time there, but there was less of an open feel and a much more of a strict adherence to ideology. They are still in the early kibbutz idea that all decisions are made by the community and affect the community.

This is a very interesting way to live, and I don't know that I would like to spend my life living on a kibbutz like that.

They are doing some really good things there. In the Kaki Classroom we learned about their flushless toilets. Yep that's right, a toilet that doesn't flush.

The first images that pop into my head is either a port-a-potty, or their joking sign they have in front of the stalls with plants growing out of the toilet. The latter is closer to the truth.



The waste gathers in bins behind the bathroom. With other material, an interesting process and about six months of waiting, the human waste is turned into soil. Usable soil and fertilizer that is derived from human waste. They don't use it on the gardens because it weirds people out, but they use the soil on the trees. Interesting...

And speaking of gardening, we got a chance to plant a garden, Jewishly. There are sections of the Talmud and the Mishnah (collections of Jewish texts that Jewish legal code is derived from) that describe the appropriate way to plant a garden. What seeds can be planted how closely, and how you should divide the field so you can sow differing varieties of plants.



That was a really fun experience. I learned how to grow garlic, and you better believe I plan on having a small herb garden next year.

Another cool thing that happens at Kibbutz Lotan is the use of straw and mud brick construction to make homes for people to live in. The domes are built around a metal framework so they are slightly more stable. THey are covered in straw/mud bricks and then lacquered so they don't dissolve in the rain.



They aren't bad places either. I don't know that I would want to live in one of them for a large point in my life, but if I was here while I was in college, I would have loved to get down there and volunteer for a semester or so to help out and live in one of these eco-domes.



The kibbutzim were really interesting to visit. And they are very different from each other. Totally worth checking out if you're around here and want a cool experience.

Bedowin Experience

During our Tiyyul to the Aravah we stopped and met with a Bedowin woman who talked to us about her life and experiences living in Israel. Since she isn't affected by Israel in any way, she only had positive things to say. She even pointed out that Israel has given her so much, what right does she have to complain. This seemed to surprise some of the people in my group because they had just heard a completely different narrative from a different group of Bedowin people closer to Jerusalem.

We heard about Salima's life, her aspirations and a lot about education.

Some of the striking things to take away from the discussion was that she will not tell her kids to either join or not join the Israeli Army, but she would prefer them to do National Service. She did not like the idea of her kids being put in a position where they may need to kill other Muslims.

She also expressed a hope that her daughters could grow up and continue to learn, especially Hebrew. It is really hard for them to work in Israeli society without knowing Hebrew. Salima had a very tough time trying to learn Hebrew and achieve education because her society doesn't see it as important, especially for women.

While we were talking with her, her husband came into the building and served us tea. That doesn't sound like a big deal, but let me paint a picture here for a second. The typical, traditional Bedowin society does not want a woman to be educated at all. The fact that she was sitting with a large group of foreigners and having a conversation in Hebrew was a special circumstance and is fairly rare.



Even more incredible was the fact that her husband came in and served us. During our conversation she told us how lucky she is to have a husband that allows that to happen. He not only is okay with what she does, but supports her doing so.



The entire time we were there, I sat and thought about the"Bedowin" group we met on Taglit. The version and story we are presented in that encounter is incredibly fake. It's a show! For an example, the best I can think of is the Wild West shows you can find all over South Dakota in the Bad Lands. It is a very glorified version of their life and doesn't accurately portray what they are really like.

I don't think we got the "real" Bedowin experience talking to Salima in her "reception hall tent". But looking at the surrounding camp, it was a very different picture than the one I saw on Taglit.

This experience was awesome though. It's good to know that there are people working towards an understanding between different groups of people. It further affirms that in order to exist together, people need to sit down with each other and talk. Not judge, leave loaded language at the door. Have a real conversation. Learn about the other person's aspirations. Understand their history. Ideally this would involve sharing cultures as well. This instance, we shared tea.

Bedowin tea is incredible. Before I come home I want to find out what herbs they use for brewing. I believe they add a bunch of sugar to the mixture too.

Fear of Heights? What Fear of Heights?!

Har Sholomo

A place like Israel has such a wide variety of terrain. HUC took us down to the south to show us a variety of different things. One of them being the vast expanses of deserts. The Negev and the Aravah. These spots are in the Syro-African Rift Valley, and on either side are large swaths of mountain ranges. During the tiyyul we had the choice to go on a hike at Timna or a more challenging hike up Har Shlomo (Mount Solomon).

It started out pretty easy. A long walk from the bus to the foot of the mountain. Our guide stopped and told us a story about a trip he took a group of high schoolers on. On an early morning hike they paused because he was shocked to find a family of Ibex living in near the foot of the mountain. Then about 25 meters later we spotted our own family of Ibex. It was really cool.

Ibex Family at the foot of Har Shlomo

They were eating and just wandering around a little bit. Someone said, "I wonder how close we can get before they get scared off?" A few seconds later, they got spooked and ran into the hills. They are so agile! It was awesome to see.

If I hadn't told you before, I have a slight fear of heights. I get a little shaky and my heart starts to race. The majority of the hike up wasn't so bad for me. There were some spots, though, that there were no footholds or handholds to scamper over. Instead, there was a large handrail that had been attached to the mountain so you can hang on. It was at that point my heart started to race a bit. It's hard to not look down, even when you know that you shouldn't.

In the end, it was worth it! The shakiness, the sore legs on the way to the top, but at the end, I want to quote my friend Beni, "Look at the view!"

The View Partway Up The Mountain

The view was incredible! Looking back at where we started, you could see two different shades of mountain, the furthest away were the hills of the Sinai mountains, Egypt. We looked down into the Gulf of Aqba and across the Red Sea, you can see Jordan. Gazing slightly further south, into the haze, we could see Saudi Arabia.

I wish my camera hadn't died on the climb up the mountain so I can share a picture from the top. It was spectacular.

The walk down took a few hours longer than the way up. We passed through a dry river bed and down a bunch of different waterfalls. They were challenging because you drop straight down, and use footholds to lower yourself.

I love getting out on the trails here. I want to learn more about how to navigate them, and more about hiking. I had a blast on the few that we've done here and can't wait to get out and do more, here and when I get back to the states.

A Break Partway Through the Hike

On Tiyyul

School sent us on a tiyyul really early this semester. Instead of us waiting until three months into the year to go away, we got to leave really quickly. It has been so great. On the way down we stopped in a little development town to learn about their area and talk to some people about what life is like in the Aravah.

We continued on to Kibbutz Yahel and got to hang out here. It's awesome so far. Yesterday I had the chance to hike up Mount Shlomo and look down into three different countries. So far today we went to Kibbutz Lotan and learn about their community too.

I don't have a lot of time right now. I'm sitting at their porch near their Moadon, downloading podcasts, checking emails quickly and figured I should put up a little post.

The trip has been really good so far. Look for more updates tomorrow and next week with pictures from my trip.

Shabbat Shalom,