Afternoon Tours - A Dance movement and working in the fields

We have had some  interesting afternoon tours this week with the Canadian & American Active Retirees in Israel program.  On Sunday, after our community service work, we went to one of the  Batsheva Dance Company’s dance studio’s in South Tel Aviv's Florantine neighborhood for a lesson on the Gaga dance movement. 

We are sure that you are VERY familiar with Lady Gaga, but do you know that in Israel, they have Mr.  Gaga!  This is actually a movie about the renowned artistic choreographer,  Ohad Naharin.  

So you are saying…What is the Gaga dance movement? Gaga is a new way of gaining 

knowledge and self-awareness throughmovement of your body through dance.  Gaga provides a framework for discovering and strengthening your body and adding flexibility, stamina, and agility while lightening the senses and imagination. 

That is what the CAARI program is all about: gaining flexibility, with stamina, agility and imagination! 

On Tuesday afternoon we  experienced a Hashomer HaChadash Program at an Experimental Farm, not far from Tel Aviv, in an area called Zrifin near Rishon Letzion.

When we arrived there were several other groups who had come to also have their own pioneer experience.  We met with Tzofia, who explained this special organization. that focuses on agriculture and  safekeeping the land of Israel through education and participation.Thousands of youth groups, students, tourists and families volunteer in a variety of programs.  

 Our job today was to pick off the fruit from trees that were used in an agriculture experiment.    It was a beautiful day and we all enjoyed clearing the trees of rotted fruit and we completed the task in no time.  

We also got to pick some fruit for us - nothing like a orange or clementine right off the tree!    

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 

Community Service, trip to the Tel Aviv Safari and Yemenite Dinner - Jan. 17

The Zoological Center Tel Aviv-Ramat Gan (commonly known as the Safari Ramat Gan) is the largest collection of wildlife in human care in the Middle East and established in 1974. The 250-acre site consists of both a drive-through African safari area and a modern outdoor zoo. Our very knowledgeable guide,  Arad,  guided us through the park, describing the animals and personal stories about them.  Did you know that Yossi, the elephant,  is in the Guinness Book of Records for being the largest elephant in the world?  Too much good Israeli zoo cooking?!  

We also toured the  Israeli Wildlife Hospital, located at the Safari and saw the staff operating on a wounded owl that had been brought to the zoo for treatment.  

Dr. Horowitz, the veterinarian spoke to us about the condition of the owl.    Israelis  listen to Dr. Horowitz daily on radio, giving reports about the animals from the Safari. Only in Israel would you get this.  In addition, in Friday’s paper there was an article on the 29^th birthday of one of the giraffes.  CAARI takes us to the most interesting places. 

By Pearl: Thursday we went to the Ramat Gan Safari where animals roam free including hippos, zebras. ostrich, and Thompson gazelles. There are 13 rhinos here the most of any zoo in the world. We saw the most magnificent Sumatran tiger and beautiful giraffes as well as the largest elephant in the world who weighs 71/2 tons. Chickens and roosters wander the grounds as well. For me, great fun. 

Dinner at the Yemenite Restaurant, Maganda! 

WARMEST regards,

CAARI 2019

Pictures  by Susan,  Pearl and Marcia

Community Service, tour i24NEWS Station and Speaker - Jan. 16. 2019

Well, it is winter here so we expect a bit of rain, wind and cooler temperatures.  That is the weather report today.  

CAARI marches on – the taxis pick us up for our morning community service, back for lunch and off to an afternoon tour.  Today’s tour is i24 News,  a 24 hour TV news station and broadcasts in French, English and Arabic.  Bob Wheelock,  Vice President, Content, spoke to us about the station with great enthusiasm.  He formerly worked for various news USA news stations and now happy to be working at i24 News.

 

By Pearl: This is a remarkable TV station located in the port of Jaffa. It was the brainchild of a man called Frank Melloul And Patrick Drahi who wanted to create a news channel which was impartial and apolitical and accurate.  I have had their APP on my iPhone since last year.  Get the latest international download the APP news i24news. 

After dinner, Miri Eisin, a favorite CAARI lecturer, began her career in the IDF as part of the Israeli intelligence community. She spoke to us about the regional geopolitics. 

Another great day! 

CAARI 2019

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Tuesday, January 15 - Forest Day and Visit to Winery

January 15 - Forest Day! Ah, sunshine, blue skies and warmer temperatures. Perfect day to work in the JNF Forest.  Usually, Tuesdays are our forest days. 

After an fulfilling Israeli breakfast we boarded our bus, with Zaharia, our CAARI driver, and off we went.  Driving along the beautiful Mediterranean Sea is breathtaking!  On to the highway driving towards Jerusalem to the JNF’s Ayalon  Park Canada.  This is a Jewish National Fund  recreation national park covering over 1750 acres. 

Everything in Israel has a story as Neil, our guide tells us. 

And, you can’t go far without seeing some aspect of the work of the Jewish National Fund, from taking care of the forests, to reservoirs, etc. .  Historically, going back to Biblical times in the Book of Joshua, the Park is a site where many battles were fought to control the Ayalon Valley.  

There are also fascinating places in the park to visit, such as an aqueduct, burial caves, secret tunnels, a crusader castle and church ruins.  In addition, it is the Dedication Center for contributors for JNF Canada.  JNF cares for the park's fruit trees and has planted additional trees, along with developing scenic roads, parking areas, scenic lookouts and many recreation areas for all to use.  

It is ‘winter’ in Israel, but this is the time to get ready for spring and summer, when the Park is heavily used.  Israelis love having picnics, taking nature walks and enjoying the outdoors. And…there are lots of picnic tables and places for barbeques.  This was our project today - painting and picking up litter. 

JNF foresters met us at the picnic site, in the middle of the tree shaded area, gave us painters clothes, gloves, paint and brushes and of course ‘schmatas’ to clean the tables before painting.  Off we went to do our job.  We painted the 20 + tables and barbeque stands in a little over an hour.  The foresters were surprised, so off we went to another site and then another!  In total we painted over 80 tables and stands!  Go CAARI!  Now, time for a picnic lunch for us! 

After lunch, on Tuesday January 15 we drove to Binyamina, to the Tishi Winery for a unique wine tasting experience. Tishbi Winery, is Israel's sixth largest and the only winery in Israel who makes cognac.  Back in the late1800’s, the  Tishbi family was commissioned by Baron Edmond de Rothschild to plant the first modern vineyard in Israel.  Everything has a history!  This was  a different kind of wine tasting.  Each type of wine also went with a different type of chocolate.  So, it wasn’t just for wine lovers, but for those who are chocoholics!

On to a short tour of the charming village of Zikron Yaacov and a history lesson, by Neil,  on the founders of the town and some the early pioneers, from the first Aliya! 

Time for a WONDERFUL dinner which we tremendously enjoyed at the Tishbi Restaurant.               

Great day for CAARI! 

Enjoy the pictures!