Spring in Israel - Botanical Gardens Feb 24

Spring has arrived!  Although it is still February we have seen the almond trees blooming and spring flowers as we drive through the country.  Today we visited the Botanical Gardens of Jerusalem. Our first stop was the Japanese Cherry Tree!  Magnificent color! 

By foot and train, out guide explained the various plants and gardens.  Enjoy the colors and hope it brings spring in your area!

CAARI goes Underground - City of David

Shalom CAARI Friends and Family,

Ah...Jerusalem on a sunny day!  So lovely.  On the bus, after breakfast to the Mount of Olives for a view on the Temple Mount and Jerusalem. It was packed with people, but Neil managed to find us a spot - what a view!

Neil pointed out the City of David, which was our next stop.  

The City of David is  an archaeological park, the area is home to ongoing excavations and artifacts that bring light to Bible stories of the First Temple Period and the water sources of Jerusalem.  Take the tour with us as we go underground following the steps of our ancestors.  Of course, back then, it was not underground as they walked from the City of David to the Southern Wall,  to the Temple Entrance and the Kotel.  

Single file, step by step, down steps,over rocks, through some puddles and sometimes, we had to turn our bodies sideways to fit through the narrow paths we made through the ancient road.  The rest of day was spent in the Jewish Quarter at the Cardo, Wide Wall and of course, time of lunch and shopping!  Great Day!

Jerusalem - Feb 21

Wow, it is hard to believe that CAARI 2020 is in the last week!  What a time we have had!  Fabulous program and enthusiastic participants!  We arrived in Jerusalem Thursday evening.  Friday morning  was spent at Yad Vashem.  There are no words.

Shabbat Shalom,
CAARI 2020

Ben Gurion University Student Volunteers Panel

Yesterday we visited Ben Gurion's home and Research Center and today Ben-Gurion University.  What an impressive campus.  It is truly fulfilling David Ben Gurion's vision in developing the Negev, which is 60% of the land of Israel.  It  is the fastest growing research university in Israel, 

We started the day with a short tour of the campus and learned that it has  around 20,000 students and 4,000 faculty members in the Faculties of Engineering Sciences; Health Sciences; Natural Sciences; the Pinchas Sapir Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences; the Guilford Glazer Faculty of Business and Management; the Joyce and Irving Goldman School of Medicine; the Kreitman School of Advanced Graduate Studies; and the Albert Katz International School for Desert Studies.

The highlight of the tour was the panel discussion by a group of articulate and leaders in social action and community engagement.  It is the mission of the University that the students not only learn, but get involved with the community as part of their education.  Each student described their special community project from teaching English, working with the disadvantaged and even with neighbors in a theater group. 

After lunch we visited the (USA) JNF and KKL River Project. It is certainly is changing the fact of Beersheva and Ben Gurion would be proud of the vision of those  developing this project for the residents of the Negev.

The desert is definitely blooming and your vision a reality! 

 

Ben Gurion Research Center - Sde Boker

Last night some of us saw the documentary, 'Ben Gurion's Epilogue' which is about Ben Gurion in his own words.  Today we went to the Research Center and learned more about Israel's first Prime Minister.  Fascinating!