The North

May 20th

The day began with a delicious, fresh breakfast of hummus, veggies, eggs, and toast. The food here is simple but it fills you in a way that is somehow different way. After breakfast, we hopped on the bus for 45 minutes and drove to Merion. This mountain is one of the taller peaks in the country. We began on the trail which was marked by a specific symbol painted on rocks. If you don’t see the trail markers, you are in trouble. We found molted snakeskin and our guide warned us not to lift any rocks. She said the snake was non-poisonous but I think that was just to calm the fears. The trail we were on stretches from the northern to southern border and is very famous in Israel especially for newly released soldiers. After their mandatory military service, many soldiers walk the entire trail. They carry only what can fit in a backpack, buy food at grocery stores, and dig holes and store food along the path. They sleep under the stars and spend two or three months in nature hiking throughout their country. We met a group of six hikers who were very close to finishing their journey. It was fascinating to speak with them and hear about their trip. We finished the hike and got back on the bus for our afternoon trip.

We spent the afternoon in Tzfat (tiss-VAHT). This city is amazing for so many different reasons. First, it is one of the spiritual centers of Israel. The originator of Kabbalah lived in Tsfat and spread his message around the world. He passed away many years ago but he is still celebrated. On his birthday, over 300,000 people come to Tsfat and light bonfires and party all night. Second, Tsfat is an artistic mecca and everyone from jewelers, painters, woodworkers, and glass workers. The amount of beautiful art was astounding. Lastly, because of the spirituality and artistic essence, the whole city gives off a chill vibe. I didn’t worry about safety at all and I saw kids moving freely throughout the city. We walked around town and had schwarma for lunch. Schwarma is pretty much a chicken wrap filled with fresh veggies and it is delicious. After lunch we went through the town synagogue, learned about the town’s history, and met with a local artist who told us all about his journey. He lived in Michigan before finding out about Jewish meditation and Kabbalah. He had an amazing story and I really liked hearing about his experiences.