HAIFA, ISRAEL
WE WERE ONE OF THE FIRST OFF THE SHIP BECAUSE WE HAD A VERY LONG EXCURSION PLANNED. FIRST WE TOOK A TRAIN FROM THE SHIP TO THE BUS STATION. THEN A TWO HOUR BUS RIDE ON A PUBLIC LONG DISTANCE BUS INTO JERUSALEM, THEN WE TOOK A CAB TO THE JAFFA GATE OF THE OLD CITY. THIS WAS QUITE AN EXPERIENCE BECAUSE IT WAS THE DAY BEFORE THE HOLIDAY OF SUCCOT AND ALL THE LOCALS WERE GETTING READY BY BUILDING THEIR LITTLE SUCCAS WHERE THEY WILL EAT THEIR MEALS AND CELEBRATE FOR THE NEXT WEEK. THEY ARE MADE WITH PLYWOOD AND THE ROOFS ARE COVERED WITH PALM FRONDS. THEY LOOK LIKE LITTLE JUNGLE HUTS. WE WENT TO THE WESTERN WALL, OR WAILING WALL WHERE THERE WERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE CELEBRATING VARIOUS FAMILY EVENTS. THE SIGHTS AND SOUNDS WERE INCREDIBLE. I FINALLY GOT UP TO THE WALL, SAID MY LITTLE PRAYERS AND GAVE SOMEONE ELSE A CHANCE TO TOUCH THE WALL. WE THEN TOURED THE OLD JEWISH AND ARAB QUARTERS OF THE OLD CITY, WENT THROUGH THE NEW FANCY MALL, THEN TOOK A BUS TO THE MODERN PART OF JERUSALEM WHICH WAS A VERITABLE BEEHIVE OF ACTIVITY. WE HAVE NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE IT. OH, I FORGOT TO MENTION THAT WE GOT LOST IN THE LABRYNTH OF THE OLD CITY AND HAD TO ASK ABOUT TEN PEOPLE BEFORE WE WERE ABLE TO GET OUT. OUR LAST STOP WAS THE HOLOCAUST MEMORIAL, YAD VASHEM. IT WAS VERY UPSETTING TO SAY THE LEAST. WHEN I GOT TO THE ROOM WHERE THEY HAD PART OF AN OLD FREIGHT CAR THAT TRANSPORTED THE JEWS TO THE DEATH CAMPS MY STOMACH ACTUALLY HEAVED AND I THOUGHT I WOULD FAINT. IT CERTAINLY WAS NOT A PLEASANT THING TO DO BUT IT WAS IMPORTANT THAT WE DID IT. THIS WAS MY SECOND TIME THERE AND IT HAS BEEN GREATLY EXPANDED TO INCLUDE MANY MORE EXHIBITS INCLUDING A CHILDRENS MEMORIAL WHICH WE COULDN’T BRING OURSELVES TO ENTER.
WHAT AMAZED ME ABOUT THIS COUNTRY IS THAT EVERYONE IS IN ONE UNIFORM OR ANOTHER AND MOST ARE CARRYING UZIS. MILITARY SERVICE IS COMPULSORY HERE FOR BOTH MEN AND WOMEN AND THEY SEEM TO BE JUST BARELY OUT OF CHILDHOOD. I GUESS WHEN YOU ARE CONSTANTLY UNDER ATTACK THAT IS WHAT HAPPENS. AFTER COMPULSORY SERVICE YOU ARE IN THE RESERVES FOREVER AND CAN BE CALLED UP AT ANY TIME. EVERYONE ACCEPTS THIS AND THERE IS NO PROBLEM. THERE ALSO IS NO JUVENILE DELINQUENCY HERE BECAUSE THE KIDS GO RIGHT FROM HIGH SCHOOL TO THE MILITARY AND THEN TO UNIVERSITY. THEY HAVE NO TIME TO GET INTO TROUBLE. INSTEAD THEY ARE TAUGHT TO GIVE BACK TO THEIR NATION, AND THAT IS THE WAY IT SHOULD BE.
THE PLACE HAS GROWN SO MUCH SINCE I WAS HERE LAST THAT I HARDLY RECOGNIZED IT. IT IS REMARKABLE SEEING THE THINGS THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THIS COUNTRY. YOU HAVE TO BE STRONG TO LIVE HERE. I WAS TRYING TO GET ON THE BUS FOR THE LONG RIDE BACK TO THE SHIP AND A YOUNG MAN IN UNIFORM AND CARRYING AN UZI SAID TO ME THAT I HAVE TO PUSH MY WAY ON IN ORDER TO GET A SEAT. HE WAS TRYING TO BE HELPFUL AND GIVE ME SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO SURVIVE HERE. THEY HAVE TO HAVE AN ATTITUDE AND BE PUSHY OR THE SURROUNDING ARAB NATIONS WOULD SWALLOW THEM UP IN A MINUTE. WE ARE EXHAUSTED AFTER OUR TWELVE-HOUR EXCURSION AND WE HAVE TO GET UP EARLY TOMORR FOR ANOTHER ONE. WE SAILAT 10:30 TONIGHT FOR OUR SECOND PORT IN ISRAEL,ASHDOD. TOMORROW WE HEAD FOR THE SOUTHERN PART OF THE COUNTRY WHICH IS MOSTLY DESERT AND VERY HOT. WE WILL BE GOING TO EIN GEDI, A DESERT OASIS, MASADA AND THE DEAD SEA. WE WILL HAVE A PRIVATE GUIDE FOR THIS PART OF THE TRIP BECAUSE THE PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION IS NOT AVAILABLE AND IF I HAD TO GO ON A SHIP TOUR I MIGHT HAVE TO BORROW THAT UZI.