12 hikes for 12 years

April 6, 2010 - 1:26 PM by · 1 Comment
Filed under: Holidays, Travel 

One of the guiding principles of my relationship to Jewish tradition is to try, whenever possible, to develop creative approaches to time-honored rituals in order to add personal meaning. When my father died last year, for example, I took on a project to honor his memory by editing and publishing the book he’d been working on.

I’ve now turned my attention to my youngest son’s bar mitzvah. The 12-year-old loves to get out into nature and hike, so I thought it would be wonderful for us to plan together 12 tiyulim around Israel during the year before his big day, culminating in the overseas trekking experience I described in a previous post for hike number 13.

We started our hiking journey this week with an easy walk through Sataf, a lovely mountainside stroll with a few steep inclines, suitable for kids of all ages. The area was originally settled during the Chalcolithic Age; its ancient system of terraces dates back 4,500 years.

There are several routes you can take in Sataf. Most lead down the hill to a pool fed by spring water which is used by some ultra Orthodox Jews as an outdoor mikve (a ritual bath).

Picture from Israelity writer David Brinn

When I first visited Sataf years ago, I was rather shocked by the sight of several skinny men shedding their black and white clothes, jumping in the water with just underwear, then removing said undergarments, holding them in the air and dunking.

This time around, our trip was during the final days of the Passover break and the are

a was packed with tourists. The men (different faces, same clothes) were still there but they kept their bathing suits on.

Sataf has ample parking and the trails are all clearly marked. Entrance is free. There is a snack bar with “Italian” ice cream (pretty good, actually) at the starting point and an information station. But don’t believe what the woman at the desk says. She told us our tiyul would take two hours plus; we finished it in just over an hour!

I’m now compiling a list of places to hike – I’d appreciate your suggestions. Please leave your comments at the end of this post.

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A Yom Kippur reflection

September 27, 2009 - 10:29 AM by · 2 Comments
Filed under: A New Reality, General, Holidays, Israeliness, Life 

IDF soldiers on the mend, visiting the Sataf cheese factory.

IDF soldiers on the mend, visiting the Sataf cheese factory.

As we enter Yom Kippur, here’s a little anecdote to help us remember that we aren’t islands, and not only do we all need help, but we also need to give help.

A Package From Home, a grassroots organization based in Jerusalem that has been providing care packages for IDF soldiers for many years, also organized Respite Weekends for soldiers who had been severely wounded during their service to the country. Here’s the organization’s founder and director Barbara Silverman describing a recent weekend at Jerusalem’s Inbal Hotel for 15 soldiers.

“[The soldiers] were directed to their rooms where they were greeted with a welcoming basket of fresh fruit. Later that evening, they left for a banquet dinner at the
beautiful Papagaio restaurant, a short distance away.

At the restaurant, I was, once again, struck to see how young these soldiers were. I noticed a young man who was painfully thin and asked our liaison at the hospital about him. He explained that his wounds were not visible but rather he had suffered extensive internal surgeries and was now just beginning to be able to enjoy normal food.

Some of the soldiers were wearing artificial limbs and they were in the process of receiving
rehabilitation treatments to teach them to how use these aids properly. Each soldier had his own story to tell. After being in the hospital for so many months, the group was delighted to be able to share this weekend together. Several other diners at the hotel reported that a wonderful time was had by all.

They spent Friday afternoon visiting the nearby Sataf Cheese Farm, where they learned how different cheeses were made. The farm was wheel chair accessible and extremely enjoyable. Later that day, they enjoyed hanging out and swimming at the hotel pool before getting ready for Shabbat. That evening they shared a festive Friday night dinner and on Saturday, they enjoyed the famous Israeli breakfast and the incredible Shabbat buffet lunch. That evening, they left the hotel, rested, relaxed and feeling ready to face the next round of operations and rehabilitation treatments.

When the soldiers take their oath of allegiance to the IDF, they hold a Bible in one hand and their weapon in the other hand. They promise to protect the Land of Israel and the People of Israel. When they say the People of Israel, they mean all of us, where ever we live and not only those of us living inside of Israel. These soldiers have fulfilled their obligation and they have paid a heavy price. When they complete their treatments they will be living with the memory of that heavy price. Those memories will last a life time.

Following the weekend, Silverman received the following letter from the soldiers.

We thank you for your warm hospitality and that you gave us a place in your hearts. Because of people like you it is possible to believe in the realization of dreams.

With great appreciation….

The severely wounded from Tzahal and the volunteers from the Rehabilitation Center in Tel Hashomer Hospital.

“In order to fulfill an old dream
There is a need for one million dreamers who don’t blink their eyes…
And are willing to come close to their dream
Those who still remember how to ease the pain…”
Words by Ehud Manor – from the song Little Dream.

G’mar Hatima Tova.

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Back to nature

October 5, 2008 - 9:05 AM by · Leave a Comment
Filed under: General, History and Culture, Holidays, Religion, Travel 

sataf.jpgThe Shabbat between Rosh Hashana and Yom Kippur is referred to as ‘Shabbat Shuva’ – literally, a return to God and one’s self. Falling during the ten days of repentance, it’s the time for introspection and reflection, ahead of the upcoming Yom Kippur fast.

While we usually observe Shabbat Shuva at our synagogue in Jerusalem, this year, we decided on a more novel approach – a scenic hike along Sataf, in the Jerusalem hills.

Located only a few minutes outside of Jerusalem, close to Hadassah Hospital, Ein Kerem, Sataf is a 250-acre thing of beauty, maintained by the Jewish National Fund. The downhill trail along the terraced mountainside includes the remains of a 4,000 BCE Chalcolithic village with some of the oldest agricultural traces in the region, the remains of a pre-1948 Arab village, an observation post overlooking the western entrance to Jerusalem, an abundance of fig and olive trees, and the Ein Sataf water spring.

According to the site, Gems in Israel, most of the remains found in Sataf are from the Byzantine era.

There is no mention of a village named Sataf in the Bible and the first occurrence of the name in writing, is from Ein Karem, during the Mamluk era. Most of the remains found in the Sataf are from the Byzantine era. The Arab village of Sataf numbered about 450 people around the middle of the 19th century. A short time after the War of Independence, a small group of immigrants from North Africa settled here – but they were only here for a few months. Later, the area served as a training area for the IDF’s 101st and paratrooper units. In 1985, the KKL-JNF began the restoration of ancient agricultural practices in the area, with the help JNF supporters from Switzerland.

The primary crops in the Judean Hills in ancient times included vineyards, olives, figs and pomegranates. In this rocky-hilly region, dry farming (which relies only on rainfall for irrigation) was practiced using an elaborate system of terraces and tunnels. The springs here were not plentiful, so the existing water supply had to maximized. This was achieved by tunneling into the water-bearing strata. An ingenious system of channels (parts of which are clearly visible) conducted the water that was stored in large pools to the terraced plots.

The place was packed with nature-loving Israelis, some taking advantage of the bicycle rental stand in the parking lot, to cycle down the steep road circling the terraces. But the hiking trails – ranging from 500 yards to two miles – are the main attraction. The trail floors of full of brown pine needles, reminding me of new England hikes of yore. And when you reach the bottom, and the Sataf pool, there’s a short water tunnel that the two seven-year-olds in tow had no problem going through at least 15 times in an hour, in between munching on a picnic lunch.

Despite the hordes of hikers, the trail didn’t feel congested, and until we reached the pool, we rarely saw anyone else. And unlike many public Israeli situations, these outdoor enthusiasts were respectful of both the surroundings and the people around them. No litter, loud music or barbecues here.

I even got a few moments alone to contemplate the year, the world and myself. I might have been able to do the same at ‘beit knesset’, but the surroundings at Sataf were certainly more inspiring. Now if we could only figure out a way to get there for Yom Kippur without driving, that would sure be a fast to remember.

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