The Second Exodus – Israel – CCCIV. A Return Visit (19 of 19)
Date Posted: June 5th, 2014
November 3 & 4
The last day (I was flying on the 4th) was used to pack, relax, and reflect on this return visit.
There is an ancient Hebrew proverb that says: ou mi kol melamedia lamadti; an approximate translation is: I`ve learned from all my teachers. Those who are familiar with that saying would know that there are two underlying messages. First, the same lesson taught by different teachers can convey different meanings to you. The second is that a teacher is not necessarily another human; it could be an event or a chain of events that provide you with new experiences, and give rise to fresh insights.
So what were the lessons learned?
A visit to the Holy Land is an enchanting experience; it is also bewildering.
If you`re a faithful of one of the three monotheistic religions, there are so many meaningful places to you, places where you would like to spend more time, but the crowds and rushed guides make that impossible.
All these religions worship the same God, share a lot of history, and have received more or less similar revelations; really, they say the same thing, but they are deeply divided; even within the same religion there are schisms. The lesson learned here is that we are far more emotional than rational, and this becomes evident if you take a moment to observe the reactions of the people around you.
My relatives showed me that time and distance didn’t affect their love for me. Their affection was genuine and their joy of seeing me unaffected by the long separation. And it went beyond family; my friendship with Moshé was as strong as when I departed 28 years ago.
Departure time eventually came; just as I was glad to revisit a country where I have spent seven years of my life, I looked forward to going back home.
Sources
1) Israel Guide
Stephanie Gold
Open Road Publishing
New York, N.Y.
1996
[This travel guide has proved invaluable in writing this difficult section, and would have been helpful to you if you’re going to Israel; unfortunately, the most recent edition goes back to 1998; nevertheless, it would still be useful to consult the 1998 publication in addition to a more recent travel book.]
2) Dead Sea
En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dead_Sea
3) King’s David Tomb, Mount Zion
www.biblewalk.com/Sites/David-Tomb.html
4) Last Supper, Coenaculum
www.biblewalks.com/Sites/LastSupper.html
5) Neolithic Period
N.S. Gill
About com Guide
Ancienthistory.about.com/od/artarchaelogyarchitect/g/Neolithic.htm
6) Artists’ Colony Safed
www.artmag.com/galeries/israel/aissaf1.html
7) Residents of the Golan Heights, tourism, and agriculture
i-sraelholiday.com/residents-of-the-golan-heights-tourism-and-agriculture
8) Golan Heights
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/golan_heights
9) Nimrod Fortress
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nimrod_Fortress
10) Haifa
11) Basboussa
fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basboussa
12) How to Make Basboussa – Semolina Cakes with Syrup
Saad Fayed
About.com Guide
mideastfood.about.com/od/dessertssweetspastries/r/basboussa.htm
13) Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tel_Aviv_Metropolitan_Area
14) Kedumim Square
www.fodors.com/world/africa-and-middle-east/israel/tel-aviv/review-92516.html
15) Margaret Tayar
www.foodandwine.com/restaurants/margaret-tayar
* * *
In 1996, after my trip to Egypt, I went to Israel for three weeks. While I did visit sites and museums I had missed during 1992, the focus this time was to spend as much time as possible with my relatives and my friend Moshé.
And just like the first time, it proved to be a journey that I cherish to the present day.
* * *
In 2013, after a 17 years hiatus, I was finally able to go back for another visit. This time, I was accompanied by my son Michael and my two grandsons, Jeremy and Joshua. My son and grandsons stayed for 10 days; and the four of us used that period of time to visit the country; as for me, I stayed for five weeks, and was the guest of my cousin Lillian and her husband Tzion.
Truly, it was a memorable trip. My only regret was that my friend Moshé had passed away in 2012. How I wish I could have seen him one more time.
