He shared with us the story of when 5 Hezbollah terrorists entered their kibbutz through a fence and held children hostage. Our bus was parked right at the spot the terrorists cut through the fence. He showed us the Chirstian town right below the kibbutz in Lebanon that has had Hezbollah terrorists there.
He said that before Hezbollah got there they were really friendly neighbors. We were able to see the border between Israel and Lebanon, almost being able to reach out and touch it.
In the foreground is the fence of the kibbutz and you can see a small security road and the fence that is the border of Lebanon.
It was amazing to be looking into Lebanon and feeling the history of the place we we standing. But what was truly amazing was the pride Joseph took in his kibbutz. Again, and I know I am a broken record, there is a pride Israelis have living here that we as Americans just do not understand. Perhaps it is because we do not live in fear that out neighbors are trying to push us into the sea. Perhaps it is because Joseph has had to work with his own hands to build and maintain the kibbutz. One thing is for sure, Joseph feels safe living there, and we certainly felt safe visiting there.
Here we stopped and heard from our drivers who explained the Yom Kippur War and how Israel conquered the Golan Heights in order to assure the children and families living in the valley below could live without fear of being bombed by the Syrian army, as was the case prior to the war. We were able to see first hand how important having control of the Golan Heights is to Israel's security. What amazed me most was how the Israelis, outnumbered and without the high ground we able to conquer these heights to ensure Israeli security for the future. If was amazing to be among the ruins of the Syrian army posts in the hills of the Golan Heights. As we overlooked the valley below from the Golan Heights, Zvi shared some music with us and read the translation to give us some perspective of how this war impacted those living in the valley below.
After our look into Lebanon we went back down into the valley and crossed over to the next range of hills known as the Golan Heights. We took three jeeps up into the Golan Heights, past many Syrian army posts that had been occupied by Syrian officers before and during the Yom Kippur War. When we saw that we had a jeep tour on the itinerary, I kind of pictured it like a hay ride at a pumpkin patch... Well, this was off-roading to put it mildly. I was lucky enough to travel with the Kuperberg family.
We oy'ed our way over every bump along our path. Roy, our driver was patient and laughing at his american group... We began by going through some mud that was instantly showered on all of us in back of the jeep and proceeded up roads that were totally impossible to pass through, yet, somehow, our jeeps made it through as we climbed up to near the top of the hills.
The last shell exploded and now all is quiet.
The silence enveloped the valley.
A girl from Gadot came out of the shelter,
And saw no more homes on the kibbutz.
Mommy, we had a green house
With Daddy and dolls and a fruit tree.
The house is no more and Daddy's away.
Mommy, are you laughing or crying?
Look up my daughter, to the hills;
The heights which were like a monster.
There are still cannons on the hills,
But now they threaten Damascus.
Look up, my daughter, to the Golan.
There are still soldiers there, but in the future
Their flag will be blue and white.
Up there Daddy's laughing and crying.
We'll again have a green house, my daughter
With Daddy and dolls and a fruit tree.
And no more terror, my daughter, my dear.
Darling, are you laughing or crying?
We all took a moment as we heard this song looking over the valley where the kibbutz we are staying is located.
We ate some sweet watermelon before heading back down the mountain in our jeeps.
The road was equally as bumpy and equally as fun to ride upon. What an experience! Like every other item on our itinerary, this surpassed my expectations. Thanks to the Kuperberg family for adopting me as a part of their family for today.
Next, we piled in our bus (on a well paved road, phew!) and headed to our next stop, exploring Israel's security situation in the Golan Heights from atop Mount Bental, overlooking Syria. First, we had lunch at Coffee Anon, (GREAT NAME FOR A RESTAURANT) which overlooks Syria. We visited a former Israeli bunker and gained further insights into the challenges Israel faced during the 1973 Yom Kippur War. Our educator Zvi shared many stories that made the whole experience personal (a common theme found all over our trip).
We were able to see into Syria and saw the results of the civil war now being fought there. We could see the signs of a battle down below, smoke coming up after the firing of a shell. It was incredible to see this first hand.
But although we were close enough to see it, we were totally safe. Israel feels safe and secure. We at no point, even being on the border of Lebanon and Syria felt in danger at all. It was an amazing experience and a reminder that we need to seek out other sources for news that give the true picture in Israel. For me the picture I will take with my always was standing on this bunker, looking in the distance and on one side being able to see Lebanon and on the other Syria. And Israel, right in the middle, this beacon of light standby proudly and safely. Here our some of our kids standing on the lookout with Lebanon on the left and Syria on the right.
Our final stop for the day was the Chocolate Workshop at the De Karina Chocolate Factory on Kibbutz Ein Zivan.
All but three of our party chose to do this activity where they got to make their own chocolate. Ira, Melissa and I chose to go to the Bahat winery on the same kibbutz for some wine tasting.
How strange it was for us to be drinking wine on the Syrian border, with grapes grown feet from Syria. How amazing that the rest of our group was making chocolate on the Syrian border while the civil war is happening... We all gained some important perspective as to how safe Israel really is in terms of what we hear in the news. As we raised our glasses in toasting to our trip and their son Ryan's bar mitzvah, we did so with a deeper connection to Israel and her place in the world. Israel is here to stay. And we are proud to be here.
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