Join the CAARI 2022 Program - Visiting Timna Park (Part 2)

 

The group at the base of Solomon's Pillar 

More Pictures of the Canadian & American Active Retirees in Israel aka The CAARI Program at Timna Park froom 2018.  

Great pics of Timna Park's majestic scenery,  and an example of the CAARI  participants' energy and spirit. They make CAARI SO SPECIAL!!

                                  The JNF Visitors Center at the entrance of Timna Park

The red sandstone of Corkscrew Mountain

CAARI's own Queen Esther all the way from Persia via Sarasota climbin Solomon's Pillars with the CAARI group

The group at the top of the mountain standing by the  inscription from the time of the Ramses. King of the Imperial Egyptian New Kingdom (Late Bronze period).

Capture the spirit of Israel and join CAARI in 2022.  

The CAARI program is a Volunteering, Touring and Speakers forum affiliated with the JNF/KKL. It has been operating since 1983.   This year will begin on  with 2 – 5 week program options. See www.caarivolunteers.com for costs, highlights, itinerary and registration. 

February 6 - Visit to Beit She'an

The bus is packed and we are ready to leave our Galilee 'home',  Kibbutz Ma’agan.   

Our first stop is Naharayim, also known as the Island of Peace.  This  site is dedicated to 7 girls, from a girls’ high school from Beit Shemesh.   They were on a class trip on March 13, 1997, when a  Jordanian soldier opened fire on the children, killing seven girls. 

A memorial was erected in memory of the murdered girls,  made up of seven hills of dirt surrounded by grass, with the name of each girl written in flowers on each mound   Every year,  families and friends gather together in Naharayim in memory of the girls.  Next week is the memorial.    

Neil, our guide,  was explaining about the curator and said that she comes everyday to tend to the memorial garden.  To our surprise she was at the site and we were able to speak to her.   

Then on to Beit She’an to, the largest archaeological sites, in the Middle east.  The spectacular ruins of the glory that was the Roman and Byzantine city of Bet She’an.

The  spectacular ruins of the glory that was the Roman and Byzantine city of Bet She’an. Rising above them is the tel on which Biblical Bet She’an stood. Neil took us on a highlight tour including:

1. The entrance plaza – model of the Roman-Byzantine city and view of the site.

 2. Roman theater – the spectacular remains and reconstruction of the 2nd century  and used today for concerts and various productions. 

 3.   Western bathhouse – the ruins of the large bathhouse of Bet She’an, in use during the Byzantine period. The remains of the bathhouse offer an opportunity to get to know this aspect of life at that time.

 4.   The reconstructed cardo (Palladius Street) – a street paved with basalt stone.  An incredible site!

Back on the bus, for a scenic view of the Jezeral Valley. 

The bus climbed up and around Mt Gilboa.  Spring flowers are beginning to sprout,  with patches of the colorful cyclamen and the first leaves of the famous Gilboa iris, soon to be blooming.  This area is steeped in Biblical history from the time of King Saul.  We arrived at the site at the same time 2 buses with school boys arrived for a walk the site.   It was great to see how, in the middle of the day, Israelis enjoy nature and biblical history.  The is one of JNF Canada’s Projects.  Great view of the valley below!

Off to lunch and then Tel Aviv where we will meet new participants and continue our volunteering and exciting program for the next weeks.  It has been an exhilarating CAARI experience in the Galilee. 

Shabbat Shalom to family and friends!

Tu Bishvat - The New Year for Trees – January 18, 2019

The National Tu Bishvat,Event is synonymous with KKL-JNF and for the past 20+ years has been a major activity of the CAARI (Canadian & American Active Retirees in Israel)  group.  It is one of our major volunteer experiences.    

Here, in Israel it is a festival of renewal, a celebration of nature and a holiday of the environment.  It is an event for all ages. 

Thousands of Israelis from all over the country visit KKL-JNF forests to plant trees over the next few days.  It is lovely to see families young and old,  with saplings in hand, walking to the planting sites to plant the green pine sapling, gather the earth around it and say the planter’s prayer.  Many of the children make their own signs and proudly tag their sapling!  With time these saplings will grow and develop into trees that will provide fresh green areas for Israel’s residents and help to combat global warming and preserve the environment.   

 CAARI boarded the buses around 7:30 driving  toward Jerusalem to Mishmar Mishmar Ayalon, located near the area of Latrun.  It was quite a site to see the hillside dotted with the KKL-JNF flags, which located the dug holes to plant the saplings.  Buses brought the people to the site and over the day.   CAARI handed out over 4000 saplings to the happy planters, young and old.  It also gave us a chance to meet and speak with Israelis, help them plants, take pictures of the families and enjoy the festive day!   

Shabbat Shalom,

CAARI 2019 

Eilat - Bird Center, Red Mountain Therapeutic Riding Center (Feb. 19)

We are up with the birds!  

Yes, early - even before breakfast.  Some of us are saying, "why are we here", but after a few words from our passionate guide,  Noam Weiss, whose love for the birds and environment have given us new meaning to being a bird watcher.  We arrived early to see the ringing that the staff does and some of us got GENTLY handle the birds after the ringing.  

According the Israeli Bird Ringing Center, Israel lies at the heart of one of the world's largest migration routes and twice a year, hundreds of millions of birds pass through the region on their way to and from their Eurasian breeding grounds. 

CAARI visited the Center at the beginning of the Spring Migration - birds flying from Africa to Europe and Scandinavia.  Most of these birds only stop for a brief refueling session and continue the journey, others remain to winter.

The importance of Israel's few remaining natural habitats is crucial to the survival of millions of birds. The Center has a special meaning to the CAARI group.  About 15 years ago CAARI dug and planted over 200 trees.  The trees are now quite large and provide a wonderful environment to all types of birds.  We viewed the birds in the pond and Noam identified each of them! Lots of pictures! 

Back to the hotel for breakfast - hmmmm - where does one begin in the buffet?  Rested and feed, we are back on the road to the Red Mountain Riding Center located at Kibbutz Grofit.  

The  Riding Center provides weekly horseback riding therapy for nearly 200 children and adults with physical and mental disabilities as well as emotional and behavioral issues.  Over the years, CAARI has visited this impressive Center and seen it expand to meet the needs of the neighboring communities.   .  It is associated with JNF and provides a great service to the area.