Monday, December 31 - "Foundations of the Modern State"

Morning, Herzl Museum (regarding the possibility of restablishing a Jewish homeland, Herzl wrote, "If you will it, it is no dream") and the Ayalon Institute near Rechovot: a bullet factory hidden beneath Kibbutz Hill (and never discovered by the British), which produced millions of bullets for Jewish fighters during its years of operation, 1945-48.

Lunch at Ramat Aviv mall food court.

Afternoon, Palmach Museum, a powerful presentation of the story of this Jewish defense force, from its organization by the British in 1941 to help against a possible Nazi invasion from Africa, through its years as an underground unit, to the battles of the War of Independence. Then we made a brief stop at Rabin Square in Tel Aviv, and ended at Independence Hall, where we listened to a recording of part of David Ben Gurion's speech announcing the establishment of the state of Israel. Amazing tidbit: because of security concerns, this most momentous ceremony, from start to finish, lasted only 32 minutes!

Dinner as a group at Olive & Fish. Happy New Year! Overnight in Jerusalem.

Tuesday, January 1, 2008

Morning, we drove north, made a rest stop at a small coffee shop (Tziporah) at Moshav Argonam, then visited the Kinneret Cemetery, then did a half-hour of power shopping at Naot shoes, and finally explored the Morem Golan bunker on Mt. Bental. Seeing the view from the top of the Golan Heights makes the strategic value of this territory to whoever possesses it vividly clear.

Lunch at strip mall in Katzrin (Burger Ranch did not impress everyone).

Afternoon, the Gamla Archeological museum, which includes finds from pre-Canaanite inhabitants circa 5,000 B.C.E. and what Shari called Calcolithic cultures, followed by a tour of the Golan Heights Winery.

Dinner in a tent on Moshav Arbel near Tiberius, then overnight at Kibbutz Lavi Hotel.

One of the displays at the Herzl Museum	Unique to Israel: Kosher McDonald's	Entering the Palmach Museum
Independence Hall, Tel Aviv	Bedouin and his flock passing orchards of date palms near the Jordan River	Graveyard on the shore of the Kinneret (Sea of Galille)
Headstone of man who led reintroduction of date palms to the country	Views from the Golan Heights...	...just a few miles from Syria, visible in the distance
Our lunch stop; a flowing fountain in January is a novelty for Midwesterners!	At the entrance to the Gamla archeological site

Photos of January 2-3