Israel
JNF Bike Mission to Israel October 2017: an outstanding vacation!
By KARLA BERBRAYER
This past fall, my husband Alan and I were planning a trip to Israel to visit our daughter, who is studying in Tel Aviv. We have been to Israel many times; we lived in Israel for a year with our four children – so we were looking for another way to view the country.
As we were contemplating our options, I noticed an email from JNF float across my computer. A bike tour of the Negev desert was being advertised. I shared this ad with my husband, who is an avid cyclist – and his response came back to me in a matter of minutes. Let’s do it!
Without much information, and quicker than we decide what to order in a restaurant, we booked our spots on the bike tour. The excitement of seeing Israel as cyclists, and having an active vacation as part of a group, was enticing to us.
That’s when we were told that a number of the participants were from Edmonton. We thought –really? Amazing. It will be fun to hang out with other prairie folk. Must be an interesting group if they all want to go cycling together. We had no idea what we were getting ourselves into.
We met up with the group in Tel Aviv on the date of the bike departure. Alan and I quickly discovered that we were “the foreigners”. Of our intimate group of 14, ten of the members of the group hailed from Edmonton. The other four included my husband and me, the father of one of the Edmontonians – who is based in Niagara on the Lake, and a woman from Toronto.
From the first night the group bonded immediately. Despite the fact that we were “the foreigners”, we were warmly welcomed into the group. Laughs were in abundance. Within a short period of time, our group developed a roster of inside jokes, code words, and affectionate teasing of one another. Sure, there were the stronger cyclists and the less experienced cyclists, but the bottom line was that we were all committed to this incredible experience of seeing the beauty and culture of the country of Israel together.
We cycled for seven days, accumulating a total of just under 240 kilometres in our trek through the Negev.
Our journey began with a drive from Tel Aviv to Ashkelon. En route we stopped to visit “Achim l’Chaim” – Brothers for Life. This JNF project had a profound impact on all of us. Achim l’Chaim is an organization that supports wounded soldiers. Soldiers shared powerful stories of the traumas that had changed their lives, the impact of PTSD, and other injuries that they had survived. We left Achim l’Chaim with strong memories of the soldiers we had encountered.
After an overnight in Ashkelon, we mounted our bikes for our first serious day of cycling. We headed to the Erez crossing, looking into Gaza, where we focused our cameras in the opposite direction from Gaza, as one is not supposed to photograph the Erez border crossing.
We continued by bike to Sderot, well known for being close to the border of Gaza and the recipient of many rocket attacks over the years. I was surprised to see the work that had been done in this city by JNF. There were several beautiful parks and developments within the city. From the publicity I’d read about the seriousness of the attacks the city had undergone, this is not at all what I expected. As a matter of fact, we had the best lunch of the whole trip in a small restaurant in Sderot, where the serving staff continued to bring copious amounts of food to our tables. It is impressive to see how well the residents of Sderot live, despite the constant danger – evidence that JNF has done much to improve their standard of living.
Following Sderot, we visited Shlomit, a community that felt as if it had been pulled out of the late 1800s – a group of pioneers reminiscent of the first settlers – the halutzim of Israel. People live in caravans, at the junction of Israel, Gaza and the Sinai. There are about 50 families, a religious Zionist community, committed to building the land and populating this remote area. I wondered how unpleasant it is during a sand storm, as I felt the sand and heat making me a wee bit dizzy. One of the women took us to visit the farms where various crops were growing in the desert, under the benevolent eye of JNF. We discussed the fact that none of us felt the desire to move to Shlomit – but one had to admire the resolve of the residents!
That night we slept in Mitzpe Ramon, on the edge of the Mahtesh hagadol.
The next day we cycled from Mitzpe Ramon to Yerucham. We stopped at Sde Boker to taste some wine from a local winery. In Yerucham we ate lunch in a restaurant in the home of the Malcat Yerucham – the Queens of Yerucham.
From Yerucham we began our descent to the Dead Sea through the Hatira Crater. That is where I had my first moment of panic when I looked into the astonishingly beautiful crater and realized I had to go…down. However, that was nothing compared to the descent down the road known as the Scorpion Ascent. I focused on my husband and promised not to look over the edge as we rode our brakes slowly down a steep zigzag path that continued for over 15 minutes, without a guardrail. Definitely a proud moment for me when I reached the bottom and the rest of the group cheered; I had confided in them earlier that I have a fear of heights!
We continued our bike ride on the Peace Route, along the Israel- Jordan border, stopping at a location to see the farming accomplishments in the area. We spent the night at the Dead Sea.
The next day was a challenging cycle from the Dead Sea to Masada. This was the first time that my husband and I had taken the cable car up Masada instead of climbing. We were so hot and exhausted from the bike journey, I felt no guilt in accepting the cable car option!
From Masada we went on to Jerusalem to prepare for Shabbat.
Shabbat was a highlight of the trip. That night we all walked to the Kotel to have Kabalat Shabbat at the Wall.
The meal that we ate in the Leonardo Hotel that night was the most memorable of the week. For my husband and I, who keep kosher, the options of steak, roast, lamb, chicken – were endless and mouth watering.
We sang zemiros (led by my husband) until late into the night, at one point dancing around our table!
After a thoroughly relaxing Shabbat in Jerusalem, we did a night ride through the Old City – one of the scarier cycles as it was a challenge to avoid the cars and people on the narrow cobblestone streets!
The following day we rode on a new bike trail that circles Jerusalem. What a treat! We had been accustomed to riding on the highway. To ride on a bike path felt like luxury. Our journey that day ended at the Cramim Spa Hotel – a highlight in every way. The food, the spa, the hotel rooms, the service – everything about Cramim is to be recommended. I would be happy to visit annually.
The next day we were transported to Tel Aviv for a final dinner and to bid fond goodbyes to our newfound friends.
Our holiday was a thorough ten out of ten. My husband and I are thrilled that we accomplished the challenges of the bike journey through the starkly beautiful Negev Desert. We have a whole new group of close friends.
We visited sites that we would not have been able to visit had it not been for the JNF arrangements. We saw the desert in a way that cannot be compared to views through the windows of a car.
Would I do it again? You bet!
Israel
Israel report by former Winnipegger Bruce Brown
10 minutes
(Posted Dec. 24, 2024)
02:11 AM: Sound asleep.
2.11.01 AM: Wide awake. Awoken by a blaring missile alarm. Incoming. Took me no time to react. Ivan Pavlov would be proud. I quickly scooped up my dog. Grabbed my glasses. An inhaler. My phone and power cord. And sprinted to the safe room. Right across the hall. My wife overseas on vacation. So did this one alone. Er with my dog. We have 90 seconds to reach safety so no real panic, relatively speaking.
2.11.09 AM: In my safe room. Slid shut the heavy steel slabs across the window. You can hear this happening throughout the building. Kinda like a horror movie. Screech. Slam. Screech. Slam. Screech. Slam. Then mine. Screech. Slam. Next I jumped across the room and slammed shut the heavy, reinforced, steel door. It also makes a slamming sound, a really loud one. Then slumped down on the couch with my dog. With some level of relief. Where is this missile coming from. Can’t be from Gaza, they don’t have the capability anymore…I hope. Nor Lebanon, living too far south…I hope. Yemen? Possible. Those dang Houthis?
2. 14 AM: Oh oh. Need to pee. Like really bad. Once in the safe room, you should stay there for ten minutes. Unless there is another siren. Each siren requires a ten minute respite. Respite? Odd choice of words as you are not really resting. Way too tense. Especially as you can occasionally hear the booms of intercepted missiles up above. Kind of unnerving. Back to my need to pee. Its quite dangerous leaving the room during this period. Should your place be hit by the missile or falling debris from the sky. You don’t want to be caught with your pants down, literally, hovering over your toilet. And condos have been hit in Rehovot with some death and much destruction. Hmmm. To pee or not to pee. That is the question. Whether tis better to suffer the pangs of having to pee or the missiles of outrageous fortune. You get the point.
2.14.10 AM: Peeing in the bathroom.
2.14.40 AM: Back in the safe room. With my dog. Sitting on the couch. Fiddling with the remote control. I work in hi tech. The semiconductor world which can be pretty complex. But I simply have not mastered the remote. Really want to see what’s going on. Where is the missile from. Are there more attacks elsewhere in the country. Pushing this button and that button But the TV still off. Okay. Will check my cell. Although the connection sometimes comes and goes when shuttered in the heavily reinforced concrete and steel safe room. Works! Ya! Showing three bars. Sometimes four. Checking my feeds. But no news yet.
2.17 AM: Seriously. I need to pee again. Like really bad. Dang prostate! To pee or not to pee. That is the question…. You get the point. I chose to pee. This time I don’t actually slam shut the heavy, reinforced, steel door. And my dog follows me out. This could get complicated. But first things first.
2.17.10 AM: Peeing in the bathroom.
2.17.40 AM: Chasing after my dog around the condo. Poncho!!! There he is. In the living room. Like master. Like pet. He too is relieving himself. Probably the tension. Dogs can sense these things. “Faster Poncho!. Faster!” I encourage him.
2,18.02 AM: We’re back in the safe room. The heavy, reinforced, steel door slammed shut. And then I start worrying. What if I have to pee again. Its really dangerous out there. Idea! I’ll bring a cleaning pail in here. And if worse comes to worse. Well, I am alone. Sans my dog.
2.18.22 AM: I dart for the cleaning cabinet in the bathroom to grab the pail. Making sure the heavy, reinforced, steel door is shut less my dog run out again. Wait! As it dawns on me at 02.18.22 AM. This is not the smartest thing to do. At least I could have combined grabbing the pail with actually having to pee again. Like maybe I could hold out for the next three minutes or so in the safe room. No urgent need for the pail. But I am already there….
2.18.25 AM: Grab the red cleaning pail
2.18.28 AM: Back in the safe room. The heavy, reinforced, steel door slammed shut again. Siting on the couch with my dog again. Red pail glaring at me from the side of the room…daring me. But my bladder is relaxed. I try the remote again. I feel like my 85 year old mother who often complains about getting her remote to work. I console myself thinking that it must be the batteries. Hmmm. Maybe a mad rush for the utility room to get some new batteries. But that would be mad. I’ll take care of it in the morning. Only a few more minutes and I can safely leave the safe room and go back to bed.
2.19.45 AM: I pour myself a glass of mineral water. This I store in the safe room per Homefront commands. Fresh batteries not, hrmph. As I down the water I realize this is probably not the best idea. Less it creates the urge to pee…. Alas no. Start surfing my feed again. The intercontinental missile was fired by those crazy, dang Houthis from Yemen. All of central Israel sent to their safe rooms. Dang Houthis! The next couple minutes go by pretty smoothly. Although seems like an eternity.
2.21 AM: Back in bed. Albeit sleep comes slowly as my adrenaline starts to reside.
As it were. Israel bombed the dang Houthis that night. For the third time since the outbreak of the war. In retaliation for them firing over 200 ballistic missiles and 170 drones at Israel, which fortunately had not resulted in much damage. We struck them with over 60 bombs in two air raid sorties. Destroying mainly military targets as well as ports and energy infrastructure. Maybe that will teach them for waking me -and a million other Israelis- in the middle of the night.
As it were. Falling debris from the dang Houthi attack landed on a school in central Israel, forcing its collapse. Fortunately and thank G-d it was the middle of the night. Sometime between 2:11 AM and 2.21 AM. So no casualties. Can’t even imagine the tragedy had this strike occurred mid-day.
As it were. I changed the batteries in the remote. It works just fine now. And I left the red cleaning pail in the safe room….just in case. But I hope the dang Houthis finally learned their lesson. Although probably not.
As it were. Two nights later. Another 2:00AM missile from the dang Houthis. . They just wont let me sleep….
As it is. Please continue donating to the Israeli war and revival efforts. You may have given earlier. But give again. The financial costs to Israel are and will be billions. Billions! Sderot and Metulla and Tel Avi and Haifa are Israel’s front lines. Israel is the diaspora’s front line.
Bruce Brown. A Canadian. And an Israeli. Bruce made Aliyah…a long time ago. He works in Israel’s hi-tech sector by day and, in spurts, is a somewhat inspired writer by night. Bruce is the winner of the 2019 American Jewish Press Association Simon Rockower Award for excellence in writing. And wrote the 1998 satire, An Israeli is…. Bruce’s reflects on life in Israel – political, social, economic and personal. With lots of biting, contrarian, sardonic and irreverent insight
Israel
Join the Masa Canadian Professionals Volunteers Program!
You are invited on a 4-week volunteer program in Israel from October 14th to November 10th. Help rebuild Israeli society post-October 7th over Canadian Thanksgiving, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah. Spend three weeks based in Tel Aviv and one week based in Eilat!
This program is exclusively for Jewish professionals aged 22-50, working at Jewish organizations or remotely in any field.
The cost of the program is $150 USD to the organizer and $50 USD to Masa. Participants will receive a Masa grant of $2650 USD that is applied to participation and to cover additional costs. The cost of the program includes housing, meals while volunteering, transportation on travel days, health insurance, leadership training, and more. Volunteers are required to commit to the volunteer schedule, with the understanding that there will be the flexibility to work remotely for 8 specific days during the program. Flights are not included but you get a 15% discount from El Al.
Sign up here: https://www.masaisrael.org/go/canada-jp/ space is limited!
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to make a difference and connect with fellow professionals. For more information, contact Mahla Finkleman, National Manager of Partnerships and Outreach, Masa Canada, atmfinkleman@ujafed.org and/or Sam Goodman, Senior Manager of Israel Engagement, sgoodman@ujafed.org.
Save the Dates for Info Sessions:
- Thursday, September 5th, 12:00 – 12:30 EST
- Wednesday, September 11th, 12:00 – 12:30 EST
Join us in Israel for a meaningful and impactful experience with Masa!
weeks based in Tel Aviv and one week based in Eilat!
This program is exclusively for Jewish professionals aged 22-50, working at Jewish organizations or remotely in any field.
The cost of the program is $150 USD to the organizer and $50 USD to Masa. Participants will receive a Masa grant of $2650 USD that is applied to participation and to cover additional costs. The cost of the program includes housing, meals while volunteering, transportation on travel days, health insurance, leadership training, and more. Volunteers are required to commit to the volunteer schedule, with the understanding that there will be the flexibility to work remotely for 8 specific days during the program. Flights are not included but you get a 15% discount from El Al.
Sign up here: https://www.masaisrael.org/go/canada-jp/ space is limited!
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to make a difference and connect with fellow professionals. For more information, contact Mahla Finkleman, National Manager of Partnerships and Outreach, Masa Canada, atmfinkleman@ujafed.org and/or Sam Goodman, Senior Manager of Israel Engagement, sgoodman@ujafed.org.
Save the Dates for Info Sessions:
- Thursday, September 5th, 12:00 – 12:30 EST
- Wednesday, September 11th, 12:00 – 12:30 EST
Join us in Israel for a meaningful and impactful experience with Masa!
Features
New website for Israelis interested in moving to Canada
By BERNIE BELLAN (May 21, 2024) A new website, titled “Orvrim to Canada” (https://www.ovrimtocanada.com/ovrim-en) has been receiving hundreds of thousands of visits, according to Michal Harel, operator of the website.
In an email sent to jewishpostandnews.ca Michal explained the reasons for her having started the website:
“In response to the October 7th events, a group of friends and I, all Israeli-Canadian immigrants, came together to launch a new website supporting Israelis relocating to Canada. “Our website, https://www.ovrimtocanada.com/, offers a comprehensive platform featuring:
- Step-by-step guides for starting the immigration process
- Settlement support and guidance
- Community connections and networking opportunities
- Business relocation assistance and expert advice
- Personal blog sharing immigrants’ experiences and insights
“With over 200,000 visitors and media coverage from prominent Israeli TV channels and newspapers, our website has already made a significant impact in many lives.”
A quick look at the website shows that it contains a wealth of information, almost all in Hebrew, but with an English version that gives an overview of what the website is all about.
The English version also contains a link to a Jerusalem Post story, published this past February, titled “Tired of war? Canada grants multi-year visas to Israelis” (https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-787914#google_vignette) That story not only explains the requirements involved for anyone interested in moving to Canada from Israel, it gives a detailed breakdown of the costs one should expect to encounter.
(Updated May 28)
We contacted Ms. Harel to ask whether she’s aware whether there has been an increase in the number of Israelis deciding to emigrate from Israel since October 7. (We want to make clear that we’re not advocating for Israelis to emigrate; we’re simply wanting to learn more about emigration figures – and whether there has been a change in the number of Israelis wanting to leave the country.)
Ms. Harel referred us to a website titled “Globes”: https://www.globes.co.il/news/article.aspx?did=1001471862
The website is in Hebrew, but we were able to translate it into English. There is a graph on the website showing both numbers of immigrants to Israel and emigrants.
The graph shows a fairly steady rate of emigration from 2015-2022, hovering in the 40,000 range, then in 2023 there’s a sudden increase in the number of emigrants to 60,000.
According to the website, the increase in emigrants is due more to a change in the methodology that Israel has been using to count immigrants and emigrants than it is to any sudden upsurge in emigration. (Apparently individuals who had formerly been living in Israel but who may have returned to Israel just once a year were being counted as having immigrated back to Israel. Now that they are no longer being counted as immigrants and instead are being treated as emigrants, the numbers have shifted radically.)
Yet, the website adds this warning: “The figures do not take into account the effects of the war, since it is still not possible to identify those who chose to emigrate following it. It is also difficult to estimate what Yalad Yom will produce – on the one hand, anti-Semitism and hatred of Jews and Israelis around the world reminds everyone where the Jewish home is. On the other hand, the bitter truth we discovered in October is that it was precisely in Israel, the safe fortress of the Jewish people, that a massacre took place reminding us of the horrors of the Holocaust. And if that’s not enough, the explosive social atmosphere and the difference in the state budget deficit, which will inevitably lead to a heavy burden of taxes and a reduction in public services, may convince Zionist Israelis that they don’t belong here.”
Thus, as much as many of us would be disappointed to learn that there is now an upsurge in Israelis wanting to move out of the country, once reliable figures begin to be produced for 2024, we shouldn’t be surprised to learn that is the case – which helps to explain the tremendous popularity of Ms. Harel’s website.
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