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Social Encore: Adventures In Israel

BY JERMEL-LYNN QUILLOPO / Special to the Star-Advertiser

After an exciting couple of days in Jordan, my adventure continued about a half an hour over the Israeli border. Out of all the countries that were listed on this trip, I was very hesitant about Israel. The country’s north end is surrounded by Syria and Lebanon, countries that have been in the news these past couple of months regarding war and terrorism. Luckily my hesitation soon subsided when I arrived in Ginosar, a small area near Tiberias, Israel.

The first hotel we stayed at was a Kibbutz hotel located near the Sea of Galilee. Israel Kibbutz communities started in 1909, allowing groups of people to create self-sustaining communities throughout the country through mutual collaboration between the country’s government and the people. Similar to a bed and breakfast, staying at the hotel gave us a sneak peak of Kibbutz life.

Everyone who lives in the Kibbutz has a job on the 24-acre property that helps the small community thrive. Some work at the hotel, some work at the historic museum that preserves a 2,000-year old Galilee fishing boat, dubbed the “Jesus Boat,” and some help grow crops or tend to livestock which helps feed hotel guests and the community. It’s impossible not to love the gorgeous sunrise near our shorefront hotel patio. The Sea of Galilee is the largest freshwater lake in Israel and it stretches about 13 miles long.

I ventured off in Jerusalem, Israel’s most populated city. Israel is known to be a religious country and is composed of Jews, Christians, Muslims and Bahais. I was able to visit the City of Nazareth, known to many as the “Arab capital of Israel” and met many people around the world on a religious pilgrimage. Speaking of religion, I was able to visit the Israel Museum where I was able to admire some of the first scrolls of the Bible that were found near the Dead Sea. We weren’t supposed to take pictures but I snuck in a couple of shots here and there.

The center of the Jewish Community is the Western Wall, also known as the “Wailing Wall” or in Hebrew, “HaKotel HaMa’aravi.” It is said that it is the only fragment of the great Jewish temple to have survived Roman destruction. It is a structure well known to the Jewish community as a place for redemption, prayer and renewal. For other religions like Christianity, it is a scared place for prayer. Many visitors come with notes of prayers and place those notes into the crevices of the wall in hopes to have their prayers answered. The wall is about 180 feet long and is divided into two sides, one for women and one for men.

When I went to visit, there were dozens of Palestinian soldiers on guard. The Wailing Wall and Bethlehem, where Jesus was believed to be born, are heavily guarded with soldiers carrying AK-47 rifles. As soon as you walk toward the wall the emotion you see and feel can be overwhelming. Women on their knees, women with their faces buried in their bibles, and even some women weeping uncontrollably moves you. I heard prayers of forgiveness, guidance, love and healing as they clung to the wall, hoping it would answer back. As a sign of respect, when exiting the area of prayer near the wall you are asked to walk backward, never facing your back to the wall.

I also ventured off into the dessert to a famous historical site in Israel called Masada. Masada is located in southern Israel near the Dead Sea and atop a 1,300-foot mountain in the Judean desert. The history of the ancient place goes back to the First Jewish-Roman War. The castle structured community was built by Herod the Great, a leader during the Great Jewish Rebellion. After his death, a Jewish group called the Sicarii and many other Jewish families hoped to flea Roman rule by seeking refuge at the mountain top. The Romans went looking for the escapees and discovered their hiding place.

To get to the mountain top, the Romans created a ramp in hopes to overtake Masada and use the surviving Jews as slaves. Wanting to die a respectful death than be taken forcefully, many of the men killed their wives and children while burning down everything in sight. When the Romans finally reached the Masada fortress, they found everyone dead.

Luckily when I arrived at Masada, it was during the morning and the heat wasn’t that intense. You can hike up the snake path to get to the fortress or you can pay for a zip-lined ferry to take you up the steep mountain. The view from the mountain top is spectacular and the history that you learn about the people and how they lived on the desert is incredible.

The highlight of my trip had to be swimming in Dead Sea. The Dead Sea is known to be one of the world’s saltiest forms of water. The sea is so dense with salt that there are living creatures in the water and it is impossible for you to drown.

The Dead Sea is also known for its mud near the shorelines. Many beauty products in the Middle East swear to use Dead Sea mug because of its rich organic minerals. When you walk to the on the wooden bridge that takes you to the Dead Sea, you’ll see dozens of people rubbing the mud all over their body. My cousin and I didn’t hesitate to rub the mud on ourselves, hoping to be beautified after we rinsed it off.

Fair warning — we felt a burning sensation once the mud touched our skin. But the burn was worth it because once we rinsed off, our skin did feel smooth.

Look out for my other blogs over the next few weeks, as I tell you about the last leg of my trip in Egypt and Dubai.
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Jermel-Lynn Quillopo is a multi-faceted, energetic individual with experience in both print and broadcast journalism. “Social Encore” aims to tell diverse stories about Hawaii’s food, events and people; share your tips with Jermel via email or follow her on Twitter.