CAARI 2008 Blog

Purim 2008 - Tel Aviv

by Susan Horwitz

Fantastic, amazing, incredible, terrific and FUN!!! I had been looking forward to this day all week. Once I saw the signs that Ben Yehuda Street would be closed from Thursday evening at 8:00 to Friday night at 7:00 I knew that Tel Aviv was in for a big treat. I just didn’t know how big or how great! So…all week, I watched, read and spoke to my friends about this great event. Thursday evening, on my way from the Megillah reading, I saw the vibrant colored banners going up - hung from light poles and strung across the street – oh so festive! The street was now closed from Frishman to Alozorov Street. Workers lined the street building stages, kiosks, and decorating – what a production! Security was everywhere and the street was bustling from night to the next morning. I was like a little kid – up early to go swimming (at 5:00 AM) and to check out what was accomplished during the night. I couldn’t believe – Ben Yehuda Street had been transformed into a magical fair!!! Oh this was going to be a spectacular day! At 10:00 AM, I left my apartment – camera around my neck and water bottle flung over my shoulder. The weather was like a summer day – sunny with temperatures in the 80’s. I knew that I needed to keep myself hydrated – Neil’s warning was ringing in my ear. I already could hear the music coming from the loudspeakers! First, I had to go through security as each entrance to Ben Yehuda Street had 4 –5 police and security staff checking everything. (This you may turn some of you off – but here we feel it reassuring). Then I saw the spirit of this holiday! So many children – all dressed is colorful costumes – from small babies – to aging adults – wigs, painted faces, hats, streamers, balloons, you name it – they were dressed in it! Even the dogs were dressed for occasion! The streets were jammed with people, walking, strutting and gawking at what they were seeing. Of course, there were some who I didn’t know if that were in their normal dress or was it a Purim outfit? Every block had at least three stages with all sorts of entertainment – bands, storytelling, drumming, mimes, gymnasts and even acrobats hanging from a trapeze, ropes and streamers. I watched in amazement as they swung from the heights of the buildings. Guess it has been a long time since I have been to a circus! Music filled the air! All were merry! Hats off to those that organized this special event. On my way home – thinking about Purim and all the beautiful young children who should only know this kind of happiness, I thought of the prayer that we said in synagogue at the end of the reading the Megillah. With all the festivities and happiness may we not loose site of the true meaning of Purim! Blessed art thou, Lord our G-d, King of the universe, who dost champion our cause and vindicate our rights, taking revenge for us, repaying all our mortal enemies as they deserve and punishing our oppressors. Blessed art thou, O Lord, who dealest out punishment to the oppressors of Israel they people, O thou, redeeming G-d. Hag Sameah and Shabbat Shalom to all!
PS - I think the grape costume won the award for the most creative!! Susan Horwitz

L’hitraot to CAARI 2008 in song!

The CAARI Song
CAARI has some very talented people who have written songs describing our experience. One of them is Noami Halpern, a long time CAARI participant, wrote these verses toasting CAARI's 25th anniversary!


It is sung to the tune of Od’ Lo Ahavti Dai by Noami Shemer



So let us stand together
Let’s raise our glasses high!
We have something to celebrate
The number “twenty five”
For CAARI has a birthday
We’ve lived to see the day
So say “Shehahianu”
We’re 25 to-day!

The time for us to say “good-bye”
is drawing very near.
We’ve been through many ups and downs
To get from there to here.
We’ve climbed some hills and valleys
We’ve seen some wondrous sights
We’ve had some sunny mornings
We’ve had some rainy nights.

We’ll say “good-bye”, give a hug
And wish each other cheer
Stay strong and well and happy
So you’ll be back next year,
Tell all you friends about your
Adventures in this, land
About the wondrous things you’ve done
So they will understand.

Chorus:
Ay Ay Ay C-A-A-R-I
Susan is our leader
On whom we can rely.

Ay Ay Ay C-A-A-R-I
Let’s all join hands in friendship,
Hold them up high.

To all the CAARI participants,
Thank you for your dedication and commitment to Israel. Your participation in CAARI is heart warming and greatly appreciated by all those who have been touched by you. Hope to see you next year – with CAARI in Israel!
Warmest Regards,
Susan and Neil

CAARI Celebrates 25!

Our special celebration was held at the lovely Beit Shalom House - once the private residence of Mr. Shalom Horowitz, an affluent attorney who built this house in the 1930’s. CAARI began the evening with a tour of this elegant house and it’s impressive art collection of Israel’s finest artists from the 1930’s and 1940’s. Dinner was “elegantly prepared” by Itzak Feingold, caretaker of the house. The food was a real treat after so many days of hotel dinners. Shuli Natan, the famous Israeli singer best known for singing “Jerusalem of Gold” in 1967, entertained CAARI. We all enjoyed her lovely voice and stories about the songs she sang giving us a history of Israel in songs - with a few in Yiddish! “It was a night to remember and a wonderful way to conclude CAARI 2008 – good food, good friends and wonderful music in our beloved Land of Israel. Who could ask for more!” Happy 25 CAARI and a salute to Israel at 60! Shalom to all!

Last Touring days of CAARI - Jerusalem

Sunday, 2 March
CAARI 2008 is coming to a close, but we are still on the go! We began our tour at one of Israel’s most impressive buildings – the Supreme Court. The building, designed by two outstanding architects under the direction of the Rothschild Family, combines design elements such as lines, curves and light with old and new - using Jerusalem stone to interpret old and new, justice and truth, and a passage from the Psalms….“He will lead me in the circles of justice”. One has a special feeling as you walk along the corridors, visiting courtrooms and viewing Israel’s justice system at work.
Our next visit was another place of we can all be proud of – Hadassah Hospital – Ein Kerem. There are several Hadassah members on the trip and Hadassah also sits on JNF – USA’s board. So many new facilities to treat all people! And…..of course, the Chagall Windows are not to be missed.
Our visit to Yad Vashem included a visit to the Museum. There are no words to describe the feelings as one enters this building. We began our tour with a special presentation by the Director of Shoah Victims’ Names Recovery Project. Several of the CAARI participants are victims and seemed eager to assist in this project.

4 March

We are packed and ready for our flights back to the USA and Canada. The sun is shining here with temperatures in the high 60’s. Finally, the weather is warming up. We began our final touring day with a visit to Ammunition Hill. It was here that our young soldiers courageously fought the battle for Jerusalem in 1967. This place is a battlefield and a memorial to those brave soldiers. We are quite proud to see that JNF from the USA, Canada and Australia are part of this important site. Said Joe Fried, “I didn’t know that JNF was anything but trees. It is so impressive to tour the country and see the many projects that involve JNF.”

Architecture Achievements - Plus!

Architecture Achievements - by Susan Horwitz
Israel is full of architecture achievements and one of the most outstanding – that is not usually seen on tours – is the Italian Synagogue, located on Hillel Street. If you passed the building you would say – 'oh interesting'. You must go inside! It is a hidden jewel. As you enter the synagogue you are in awe with the ornately decorated gold leave ark and the exquisite craftsmanship of Italian artists. This synagogue, built in 1701, was transported from Conegliano, a small village located near Venice, Italy to Jerusalem by a group of Italian residents. Our guide described the history and details of this beautiful interior. “Amazing and breathtaking” is how CAARI participants described their impressions. The tour continued through a small museum with a variety of religious items crafted in Italy, some from the 16th century. What workmanship!
Our next stop was another of King Herod’s gems – what a builder! During our CAARI tour we have seen several of King Herod’s colossal building projects - the Second Temple, Masada, Caesarea and the Herodian, located just outside Jerusalem. Not only did he build a palace, but also he built the mountain on which the palace was constructed. It is really hard to imagine how they did this so many centuries ago. One of the most interesting aspects of our visit was that this is still a current archeological dig. Ehud Netzer, an archeologist from Hebrew University, and his team have recently discovered (and are uncovering) the tomb of King Herod! It is just amazing to see them working on this! We can say that CAARI was there! From Herodian to a visit to Efrat and the Etizion Winery. This is a small winery located in the Judean Hills, but a big winner for their for their Cabernet Fran Wine of 2005 - in the “Golden Medallion” in the Teravino Wine Contest. A toast to their achievement!

On to Jerusalem! – by Susan Horwitz and Frances Dvorchik, Toronto Canada
Packed up and on our way! Our first stop this morning was Qumran – the place where they found the Dead Sea scrolls. Here we learned about the Essenes (zealots) - it was amazing to see how they built and harnessed water, witness the number of mikvah baths. It is difficult to imagine this in a desert! Not only were they great builders, these are the people who saved and brought so many of the scrolls from the Temple in Jerusalem. Along the way, we also saw the many reservoirs built by the JNF for several of the kibbutzim and moshavim in the area. Here in Israel – they farm in the desert!
Many of us have not been to Israel for many years and were amazed to see the growth, the construction and delighted to see so many tourists – from all over the world – Korea, Argentina, Italy, Nigeria – just to name a few! At Qumran – we counted 15 buses of tourists – we couldn’t imagine what it will be like in Jerusalem – we were told that our hotel is full!
Ah…Jerusalem! We entered the City singing “Jerusalem of Gold”!! To be sure – all of us felt a little something special as we cast our eyes on this precious City! Our leaders chose to have us visit the Tower of David Museum, just inside the Jaffa Gate of the Old City. The museum is the history of Jerusalem – through the ages – what better way to get a perspective of this special city!
Our speaker this evening was Minister Rafi Eitan, from the Pensioners (Gil) Party. Many of you may know him for his work in the Mossad in the capture of Adolf Eichman. We were all so impressed with his tireless energy and devotion to the Jewish people. He described what he is doing for the senior citizens and Holocaust survivors and… with all his work, he also finds time to sculpture!

Touring the Old City – by Susan Horwitz and Frances Dvorchik, Toronto Canada
Today, being Thursday, we began our tour in the City of David – we had a very special tour – something that most tourists don’t experience. Susan and Neil have really planned a wonderful and interesting program. Not only did we see the ancient water system from the time of King David, but also we were able to see the current excavations being done by archeologists of Hebrew and Haifa University. It was a joy to see students digging and sifting through the rubble of what is a parking lot. One could feel and see the enthusiasm as they worked on the excavation of Queen Helena’s palace! We were told of an ancient seal that was found recently – in fact, we had an exclusive, beating out the press, it was reported in the Jerusalem Post on Friday! After lunching in the Jewish Quarter – filled with tourists – we went to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs where we met with the Director of Public Affairs and learned about an new strategic development program assessing Israel’s image at home and abroad.

Friday – by Susan Horwitz & Frances Dvorchik, Toronto Canada
Whew, a day to enjoy Jerusalem on our own! Some of us went to the Friday concert at the Anna Ticho House, others shopped or visited with family and friends!
We enjoyed our Oneg Shabbat, and the group gave some very good renditions of favourite Israeli and Yiddish songs. Sadly, it is the last Shabbat that we will share this year in Jerusalem, and it is hard to believe that 8 weeks is almost passed! Shabbat Shalom!

Dead Sea - R&R for CAARI

Traveling to the Dead Sea – by Susan Horwitz & Frances Dvorchik, Toronto Canada
We packed suitcases for our stay at the Dead Sea, loaded the bus (oh yes – ate breakfast) and began our journey south. Our first stop was the Belvoir Crusader Fortress – for many of us, it was the first time we visited this site. It is situated high on a mountain with a breathtaking view of the Beit She’an Valley. It is amazing to see the construction undertaken by the Crusaders – we can’t even imagine this type of building being built today – how did they move those heavy stones up the hill? From there we went to Beit She’an, Israel’s largest archeological site – another amazing construction feat! There is so much to see and learn in Israel. Here we concentrated on the Romans and their “social” activities – bathhouses, theaters and other things that we can’t mention in the blog – you will have to ask us when we get home! Beit She’an was destroyed by an earthquake and in one of the areas they have left the columns as they found them – fallen in the earthquake – it is quite an impressive sight to see.
Now…we are on the way to the Dead Sea for some R&R – we are all looking forward to warmer temperatures and sunny skies!

Artists in Arad - by Susan Horwitz & Frances Dvorchik - Toronto, Canada
So much for the sunny skies – would you believe that rain was forecast for the Dead Sea! Well, that didn’t stop our adventures. After a sumptuous breakfast, we traveled to Arad – up the mountain!! Temperatures were much cooler there – although our leaders told us to dress warm – some of us did not heed the advice! Who would think that we would find such talented artists hidden in this community? Two outstanding artists studios are located in Arad’s Industrial Park. The first was Gideon Fridman, who uses re-cycled glass to create sculptures. Quite extraordinary, and we had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with the artist – also a little shopping. Next, we went across the street to the most charming exhibit. It is called a puppet museum, but that does not adequately describe what we saw. Miri , the artist, makes large mannequins out of paper machie and she also sews all their costumes. She took us through the studio, explaining each character – what a talent and personality. She shares the studio with a bronze artist whose work is also terrific. Next was a short lecture on Arad and how this community – a development town built in the 1960’s began. Of course, we couldn’t leave this area without stopping at one of the factories that make the Dead Sea products. Who knows – we have been told that we will look at least 10 years younger – we have to try! Back to the hotel for that dip in the mineral pools - many of us have scheduled massages and other beauty treatments. After dinner, we enjoyed the hotel entertainment – songs and dancing! Who could ask for more? Maybe a little warm sun???

Masasda - by Susan Horwitz & Frances Dvorchik - Toronto, Canada
You guessed it – another cloudy day. Yesterday’s rains in Jerusalem caused flash floods in the Dead Sea area – closing roads and even Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. It is hard to believe that water can cause this much damage. But – Masada – oh - this is always so impressive. No matter how many times one ascends the cable car or climbs up the mountain it is still a breathtaking experience! One can almost hear the sounds of the Romans marching, the voices of the zealots deciding what to do and the quiet of the area when the zealots made their last stand.
Another afternoon of spa treatments –we are beginning to really enjoy this lifestyle!

Shabbat in Nahariya

Nahariya – Shabbat by Anice Stark
On the northwest coast of Israel is a medium sized city, called Nahariya. It is the furthest city in Northern Israel, nor far from the Lebanese border. During the summer of 2006, and the Second Lebanon War, they had a very difficult time. Many rockets fell on the City and there were a couple of deaths and lots of trauma.
This year’s visit was totally different – no sign of the war that we could see. The City was hustle and bustle from early morning on. Thursday night was especially busy as it was the start of the weekend for many. On Friday, the stores, coffee bars and restaurants started closing down about 4PM and a sort of quiet settled over the City. It was wonderful to hear Shabbat Shalom from one and all.
Saturday started out sunny and pleasant, many of us took a walk on the tayelet (boardwalk along the sea). There were lots of families walking, biking, jogging and after shul many more joined in walking. Many of the non-religious families were at a cafes and restaurants (some are open) enjoying a late breakfast and early lunches. It is a wonderful and unusual experience, which never fails to move me. A delicious peace descends over all the Country!

Galilee Tour

CAARI Galilee Touring Program in Review by Ron and Marilyn Nevsky, Sheila Fedder, Frances Dvorchik and Susan Horwitz (Director CAARI Program)
The days are flying by – it seems that there is no time to write. We know that friends and family are watching the blog – waiting to see what is happening. So… tonight we will try and give you a brief overview of what we have been doing. We must say that the weather (we don’t want to say this too loud so read this in a whisper) has greatly improved – we now have blue skies, sun and warmer temperatures. We had a few days of real winter weather – cold, rain, wind - but the spirit of the group never dampened and every day we set out for our destinations! We dressed in many layers – wore jackets, sweaters, turtlenecks, hats, gloves and raincoats – umbrellas worked sometimes. So…here goes!

Sunday, we left Tel Aviv for our journey north – first stop Ein Shemer. This is a Kibbutz in the middle of the Country. They have restored a portion of the kibbutz so that you understand what kibbutz life was like – back then! We had a wonderful guide - we baked bread (which turned out to be delicious – we were all so amazed with our creations) – had a tractor ride through the kibbutz so we could see what the kibbutz is like today. Times have changed and so has the kibbutz life-style.
From there we visited Haifa – viewing city and port from various lookouts – including a view from the Bahai Gardens – magnificent! On to Nahariya and our home for the next week.

Monday – Ted and Harriet Fredman wrote about our visit to Rosh Hanikra under stormy conditions.

Tuesday – Our first stop was the Ghetto Fighters Museum, located on a kibbutz. This is an outstanding facility and was the first Holocaust Museum in Israel – before Yad Vashem. Today they have the most modern visuals – all hi-tech, which tell the story of the resistance and personal stories of the survivors – many still live and/or lived on the kibbutz. One of the highlights, although not hi-tech by 21C standards, was a most incredible replica of Treblinka. This was re-created by one of the prisoners, and because he was a carpenter , and useful to the Germans, he actually survived. He was meticulous in recording the details, including measurements of the barracks, pits, etc., and then recreated the camp for the Museum, as well as evidence in the Adolph Eichman Trial. There were many death camps, in Poland, and Treblinka was one that operated for only one year and was responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths! The CAARI Canadians were proud of JNF Canada’s contribution to this wonderful Museum.
After the sobering visit we traveled to upper Nazareth to the Elite Chocolate Factory. Sorry to say that we don’t have pictures of this visit – as we were not allowed to photograph the tour – guess they were afraid we would show the pictures to Hershey Chocolate! If we had had a camera – you would have seen the 47 of us – dressed in red jackets and hats – we had to be sanitary! We loved the smell of the chocolate – with mouths watering we watched the conveyor belts filled with chocolate bars, cookies and cakes! We all wanted to sample some of the “rejects” but we had to wait until the end of the tour to sample – all that we could eat – and we can eat!! They gave us bags of candy and we were very happy campers!

Wednesday – The weather is looking better and better. Our first stop was at Bar’am Synagogue, which was from the Roman period. The site was truly beautiful and there was an abundance of arches and columns, with the corner stones still in place. We continued our journey along the northern border road – looking into Lebanon, and once again, everyone was impressed with the work of JNF, who constructed the new security road, for the protection of residents of kibbutzim and moshavim who live and travel in the area. It was the first time that many of the CAARI participants had been to the border. We were given an explanation of the second Lebanon War and the positions held by Hezbollah and the IDF. One of the local fruit farmers told us of their experiences on the kibbutz during the War, and his feelings about the situation, in general. This type of program is part of what makes CAARI so unique! After lunch in Kiryat Shmona (of course, we don’t miss a meal!), we went to the fantastic Agmon Hula Bird Migration Center, another JNF reclamation project. It has finally registered that JNF does so much more in Israel than planting trees.
The area was originally wetlands and swamp which was a devastating source of the malaria mosquito. It was drained in the 1950s, and a number of years later it was realized that this not ecologically sound. JNF once again undertook the project of re-flooding, and today it provides farmland and a major migration route for birds traveling back and forth between Europe and Africa.
We were treated to an amazing ride on a vehicle designed almost, one might say, in theater style to accommodate over 50 people. It was pulled by a tractor which took us through an area with approximately 24,000 cranes. Another tractor pulled a spreader that sprayed corn to feed them so that they wouldn’t attack the fields of crops in the valley. It was an amazing sight to watch the feeding frenzy! Watch and enjoy what we saw and heard!
After dinner we were treated to one of our regular speakers, Hadassah Bat Haim, a long time resident of Nahariya, who regaled us with her personal stories of her early days in Israel, told with her usual wry English wit.
was

Thursday, Feb.21
Hiking shoes, hats and water bottles (not empty!) we headed out for our picnic and northern hike. On our way, we stopped in the charming village of Rosh Pina. It was a glorious day, and the setting was truly representative of how things were built in the 1880s, with a fine example of a synagogue that is still in use today. The scenery really the icing on the cake – the flowering almond trees and spring flowers were beginning to show themselves to us. We had a very knowledgeable local guide who described the hardships experienced by the early settlers, and related a lot of folklore. We must admire their tenacity and determination to create a community of thriving farmers. The village is now comprised of many artists, quaint shops and cafes, including a marvelous chocolatier … it goes without saying, that some of the group managed to spend a few shekels too!
Back on the bus, and to our luncheon destination – the Banias! So, after revitalizing our bodies for the 2 hour hike, most of the group set off on the trail, through woods, waterfalls and ancient ruins. It was a perfect day for a hike, and so many tourists thought so too … people from far and wide came to view the Temple of Pan and enjoy the calm spring waters and general serenity of the area.

On Friday, we began the day at a lookout over the Biriya Forest, where we helped to plant trees last year when the hills were black with burnt debris. This area had terrible forest fires caused by Katusha rockets during the war with Lebanon. It was wonderful to see the saplings already making their difference to the hills. Then we traveled on to Safed and visited a very special cheese factory that has been functioning for 160 years of a family’s home in Safed. Araf , the great great grandson gave us the family history and explained the process was 6th generation. The cheeses are very special (and tasty too, as we got sample their specialities) and only sold in small stores in Israel.. Later we spent some time wandering around Safed before returning to the hotel to relax and get ready for Shabbat

Tomorrow we leave for the Dead Sea - stayed tuned for our next adventure.

Warm Regards,

Frances, Sheila, Ron and Marilyn and Susan