The Road from Tsfat to Jerusalem

Shalom Everybody! We're so happy that so many of you are enjoying our blog. We love sharing the trip with you.

We left the hotel in Tsfat after breakfast and began our drive south. We stopped at the Silan Date Moshava Store in the middle of a date grove. It was a fantastic stop as all enjoyed the sample fruit and many purchases were made. And then the drive continued...

Moving southward we were on Highway 90 which is one of the longest routes in Israel. We traveled down the Jordan Valley and circled round the Arab city of Jericho. Along the route we saw Bedouins, camels, the Jordanian border and dry parched land. During the trip our tour guide showed a video of the troubles of the city of Sderot (we wrote about our visit to the Sedorot products fair earlier in the week). Some took the long ride to rest, relax or visit with one another.

Before too long we entered the city of Jerusalem and immediately climbed Mount Scopus toward the Hebrew University campus. We stopped at a scenic overlook to view the whole city and conducted a brief ceremony marking our entry into the city. I spoke about the upcoming Shabbat -- it is Shabbat Zachor (The Sabbath of Memory). Today we were not only remembering other visits to Israel but we were also recalling a long history of our people and the connection that we share with our history. Even more, we are creating for ourselves new memories which will last a lifetime as we begin our exploration of Ir Hakodesh - the Holy City. Wine and a gigantic Challah helped commemorate the event along with the appropriate blessings.

Before lunch we met with the director of the Hebrew University Hillel who told us of that fateful day, only 6 years ago, when a terrorist detonated a bomb in the cafeteria that we would be eating in today. Her story was powerful and moving and made many of us reflect on the dedication of the young people who come from all over the world to study at Hebrew U.

Stepping back on the buses the group continued to Hadassah Hospital. I recieved many reports of the wondeful visit (and Hadassah's great giftshop) but I did not attend the tour. Instead Rebeca and I continued to Shaaray Tzedek hospital to visit a friend who had been in Gainesville some time ago visiting her close relatives and is now recuperating from a serious illness. Our community spreads out wide and far and I feel so honored to be able to bring a bit of Gainesville warmth.

We had dinner on our own...many went to Ben Yehuda but I suspect many have turned in for the night! Tomorrow.....Off to see Jerusalem!