I was honored to be asked to write for The Muqata, especially since I'm rather new to the Jblogosphere (which is odd being that I work in hi-tech, and I'm a writer).
Since it's nearly 2 AM on a Thursday night (well, technically, Friday morning), I am reminded of my last visit to Israel where we found ourselves in Bnei Brak at around 2 AM on a Thursday night, eating chulent and the most amazing yerushalmi kugel ever. I was looking through some of my photos from the trip and am filled with emotion. So I'd like to take this opportunity to share these images, my memories, and my dreams with you. I hope you enjoy...
It was my first time in Israel and I was going to Netzarim. All I had ever known about Gaza was what I had heard about in the American news. We had to ride in a safari (the armored vehicle pictured here) in order to get to Netzarim.
Pinny, the head of security for Netzarim, showed us a kassam rocket -- which was a daily visitor in Netzarim. Later that day, we would visit a woman's home that had been hit by such a rocket just a few hours before we got there in Kfar Darom.
I cry each time I see this picture. It's was the shul in Netzarim -- the removing of the Menorah from the roof was seen on news channels around the world on that horrible day. If you think the shul is beautiful in the picture, trust me, it doesn't do justice to how beautiful it was in person.
Visiting a settlement outside the Eli and Shiloh areas, our tour guide (Yossi Maimon), shows Rabbi Feitman the correct way to aim an M-16.
While we couldn't arrange to get inside Shechem, we were able to spend a few moments on the outskirts of the city. The image you see here is of Kever Yosef, which we were able to see from afar (the true reason why cameras have zoom lenses).
A road sign in Bnei Brak, not far from Yeshivas Ponovez. No explanation necessary.
A view on a hill overlooking Beit Shemesh -- hopefully where my home will be someday...
Wherever I am, Jameel's blog will always turn towards Eretz Yisrael
your pictures are awesome! Is that the view you want from your future home, or the view of...? :) Shabbat Shalom
ReplyDelete2r: Yes, that's the view I'd like to see out of my bedroom window one day...
ReplyDeletezsta: Yes, Yossi lives in Maale Levona. Yossi is awesome. You can hear him every week on A7 Radio.
R' Feitman! :) Ran into him about a year ago, first time I'd seen him in a long time. He was the rav of my parent's shul in Cleveland for about 10 years... his first simcha was supposed to be my bris, but his flight was cancelled or something.
ReplyDeleteGreat pictures & post!
Nothing's wrong with Shomron -- have to save something for a future post, no?
ReplyDelete:)