The Golan Heights: An Exploration
Written by Ethan Portnoy '14
I think it is safe to say that our second day in Israel was an action-packed, diverse, and reflective one. After a full night sleep, the day officially began with a hearty breakfast on the Kibbutz that consisted of eggs, toast and delicious fresh fruit and vegetables. With full stomachs, we then headed out on our coach bus for a scenic view of the Sea of Galilee, before ultimately arriving at a nature preserve in the Golan Heights in the Chula Valley. Although there was a bit of rain along the way, the weather conveniently cleared up in time for our arrival. We all enjoyed a bus tour of the preserve, in which we learned a bit about Israeli wildlife, with a special emphasis on some of the bird species present. Our guide informed us that more than 300 bird species call the preserve their home, including the Eurasian crane which, interestingly enough, is the only crane species that is not endangered. We saw thousands of these creatures flying around, feeding on corn seeds, and relaxing on the pond. In addition to the bus tour, we also had the privilege of listening to one of the workers that conducts research on bird populations, who explained the process of tracking the birds across the world as well as more general migratory patterns. To help demonstrate, he actually caught a small bird to show us!
Following the tour, we proceeded to an olive oil factory. On the way, our tour guide Daniel provided us with some background on the first 20 years of Israel’s existence. He helped clarify some of the details of Israel’s six day war, as well as Israel’s geopolitical relationship with Syria throughout history. We were greeted by the owner of the factory upon arrival, who began with an explanation of the production and distribution process of his premium extra virgin olive oil and revolutionary skin care products derived from the olive waste produced. He followed up his discussion with a short reflection on the political situation with the Palestinians, in which he compared the way in which the greater Jewish community handled the “refugee problem” created following World War II and the way that the Arab community has been handling the “refugee problem” created by the establishment of the Jewish state. He used this contrast to illustrate how, in his opinion, the Arab community seeks to vilify the Jews at the expense of the livelihood of their fellow Arabs, by perpetuating the existence of the refugee camps in the Middle East. He ended with an emphasis on the future, as opposed to the past. Irrespective of history, the Palestinians and Israelis exist right now, so according to him, both sides need to focus on bettering their lives in the moment and for future generations, but not at the expense of the other.
To conclude the afternoon, we traveled to Mount Bental. Here, we weathered the elements of wind, rain, and fog and took a tour of an actual bunker used by the Israelis. It provided us with a real-life, physical representation of the harsh reality that Israel, since its inception, has been forced to defend itself literally in order to continue to survive. For me, although I knew some of the content that Daniel covered while in the bunker, his story of a wounded IDF soldier that was helping to hold the line during Syria’s surprise attack that began the Yom Kippur War made me reflect a bit more on the situation and what life might be like as an Israeli citizen my age. I guess I should say that prior to this experience, we helped prepare for the arrival of 8 Israeli soldiers that will be joining us tomorrow with a special activity. We all wrote down a thought that crossed our minds, and upon compiling and categorizing our papers, we came to realize quite clearly how many of us had written down a comment that concerned ourselves, as opposed to our family, our country, and our world. This, which was further reinforced by the stories told in the bunker, helped me contextualize my existence in a sense, as well as how I have perceived Israel. Despite being similar in age, the reality is that Israeli soldiers endure a very different life than what I am accustomed to. Their obligations to the state of Israel and to defending its existence on a daily basis for a minimum of 2-3 years serve as a stark contrast to my daily concerns and thoughts as a student at Dartmouth. For me at least, and I think for many other fellow students on the trip, the demonstration with the sheets of paper was rather powerful in helping me begin to understand the mentality of an Israeli soldier and in doing so, made me question how I’ve gone about living the first 20 years of my life.
Additionally, I think a special shout-out to our bus driver, Shimshon, is in order, who masterfully navigated the steep, windy roads of the Golan Heights during the inclement weather and got us all back to the Kibbutz in one piece!
Lastly, from a personal perspective, after taking a bit of time to reflect a bit during the bus ride back to the Kibbutz, I enjoyed the diversity of the activities today , which I believe provided a healthy balance of religion, spirituality, politics, history, and nature. It is definitely important to keep in mind how expansive Israeli culture is, and how the trip, because of its multifaceted nature, can resonate with you on so many different levels. Prior to coming on the trip, I expected to primarily gain an enhanced Jewish identity and a greater perspective through my experiences at places like the Western Wall. However, after some of the experiences I had today in the Golan Heights, I’ve come to realize how I can connect to, and learn from, Israel in so many other ways. Israel is truly a magnificent place that boasts a rich, flourishing culture and diverse geography. I am starting to see firsthand how there is so much to learn in so little time. It’s a shame we are here for just 10 short days.