Written by Eli Derrow '15
Today was a very eventful day! After eating a delicious breakfast at the Kibbutz, we headed to a nature preserve to see different species of beautiful birds that have migrated to Israel. In particular, we saw thousands of Eurasian Cranes on the preserve. It was very interesting that although the farmers dislike the birds during their planting season, they continue to feed the cranes with corn. This is to try and keep the cranes in a secluded area, where they are safe from predators and continue to flourish in order to help clean their fields in future months. During our time on the nature preserve, a guide talked to us about how they tag different birds to determine their migratory paths. As an example, the guide brought out a King Fisher that migrated from Asia and showed us how it was tracked. It’s great that Israel has such beautiful conservation and scientific grounds for nature.
After the bird tour we went to an olive oil producer, who showed us how environmentally friendly many companies in Israel are. He showed us how he makes different products, such as hand wash and lip balm, from his olives, and he makes sure that he does not waste any parts of the olives. The owner continued by talking about his views on Israel. I found it very intriguing and inspiring how he was only concerned about making a better tomorrow instead of concentrating on the past.
Following a short hike up a mountain to visit an Israeli bunker, the group headed out to dinner at a fantastic Italian restaurant. After filling up on different pastas and pizzas, the group took a break and hung out in the city of Tiberias. It was definitely a fun filled day that showed us the beauty and history of Israel!