Up on the Golan Heights

A Day on the Golan

Today we started our day at the Tel Dan nature facility. We took a walk through this lush nature preserve which as a different eco-system from most of the reat of Israel. Uri described the geography and history of the Dan River being one of the three tributaries that are the sources of the Jordan River.

 There are also significant geological ruins there that were very interesting. The topography was not conducive to chariots invading so it was a logical place for the tribe of Dan to settle and try to protect themselves after they had moved from the plains near the Philistines. The ancient city of Tel Dan had original walls from this ancient early Israelite settlement.  Some of the group enjoyed wading in a small pool.  Uri also used John and martha to provide a human map.

 

 

We met our jeeps at the Nature Reserve and clambered aboard--five or six per jeep. Some jeeps had been used by the army. All were middle aged or older, just like our group. We bounced along rutted, winding roads, climbing into the Golan Heights. At one point we found ourselves in the middle of a herd of cows, who were not at all intimidated.

 

 

 The views were spectacular and we could see the border with Lebanon.  The jolts and bouncing of the ride was a lot of fun although certainly shook a lot of bones.  We drove to a couple of bunker outposts in the Golan Heights that were occupied by Syrian soldiers and officers until the 6 Day War. Ilan, one of the drivers from a kibbutz on the Golan shared some of his perspectives on life on the Golan Heights, the nature of his kibbutz and described some of what we had visited. The drivers also shared some of what we saw and tidbits about their own lives.  Afterwards at Tel Fahr, a bunker site and a memorial to the Golani brigade.

Tel Fahr is a former Syrian bunker complex which was overtaken by Israeli forces during the Six Day War in 1967.  We were able to climb into and explore the vast network of bunkers and trenches from which Syrian gunners had literally rained down fire on the Israeli communities in the Hula Valley, often forcing the residents to essentially live underground in bomb shelters.  Looking out from the bunkers lends a whole new meaning to the phrase, “sitting ducks.”  

 Uri talked about all of the things that had to go just right for the Israeli soldiers to take that hill, but they did. It was an amazing feat of will, courage, and persistence. He constantly reminded us that the IDF knew that they were defending their own backyards.

We enjoyed lunch at a small Druze restaurant n the town of Mas’ada. We ate phenomenal falafel, salads, hummus, and finished with “Druze” coffee and baklava. It was all quite tasty and filling. After lunch we trekked north toward the Syrian border and saw what is referred to as the Valley of Tears.

This site is  where oneof the fiercest – and most critical – battles of the 1973 Yom Kippur War took place.  ...It was here that Lieutenant Colonel Avigdor Kahalani led the successful defense of the area against a massive assault by hundreds of Syrian tanks.  He began with only 40 Israeli tanks and was further disadvantaged by the fact that the Soviets had supplied the Syrians with sophisticated night vision equipment which Israel lacked at the time.  By the end of the battle, Kahalani was down to four tanks most of which were virtually out of ammunition!  Rather than retreat and leave the path open for the Syrians to overrun the settlements in the Galilee and, in all likelihood move from there to Haifa and Tel Aviv, Kahalani was able to bluff his way into intimidating the Syrian forces and hold them at bay until reinforcements could arrive. 

 

 

 We were able to look out over the border and into Syria. We could actually hear some military activity in Syria while there.

From the Valley of Tears we drove to a nearby boutique winery, Odem. To Rabbi Katz’s delight we were able to taste a Shiraz,  a Cabernet Sauvignon, and a sweet sherry like dessert wine. All three were very tasty and Rabbi Katz purchased two bottles of the Reserve Cab and one of the Amber dessert wine.

On the way back to Kfar Blum we stopped at kibbutz Naot  Mordechai where they make Naot sandals. As a group over 6000 shekels worth of goods were purchased. After dinner at the hotel where there was also a convention of 300 people plus a group from Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in Manhattan, we also had a cake and celebration for Uri's birthday.

 

This was followed by Uri giving us another talk about the history of the Arab Israeli conflict beginning with early Zionism at the end of the 19^th century.  His presentation culminated with the question of how to motivate younger generations to embrace the challenge and be willing to be committed to support the State of Israel.

(Special thanks on this blog to Michael Algase, Marcia Elwitt, Mona Miller, and Liz Ornstein)