We continued our visit by traveling south through the Jordan Valley, passing through the town of Kiryat Shmona, located in the heart of Galilee. On the way, we passed by several facilities that had been attacked on numerous occasions during conflicts since 1967.
Beit Vancouver
There, we stopped at Beit Vancouver, a wonderful youth center, and Katzrin, the capital of the Golan region. 
This remarkable facility was created through tremendous involvement by the Jewish Federation and generous donations by the Vancouver community. It is basically a "hang out" for teens and and teens at risk. There are multiple rooms where kids can play billiards, ping pong, watch movies with popcorn on a weekly basis, use computers in a modern, well equipped 10-workstation computer lab, and participate in a wide variety of activities in the large auditorium and 'gymboree' areas. There are also counseling areas, with a private entrance where teens at risk can come for one-on-one sessions with trained support personnel. In addition, local teens form the IDAN program here run the programs for the children in Kiryat Shemon. Teens learn how to run birthday parties for kids in the community and much more. Our children were quickly separated from the adults and introduced to kids in the facility, where a number of activities were planned. It was wonderful to see our kids doing crafts, playing games and just hanging out with the local youth.
This remarkable facility was created through tremendous involvement by the Jewish Federation and generous donations by the Vancouver community. It is basically a "hang out" for teens and and teens at risk. There are multiple rooms where kids can play billiards, ping pong, watch movies with popcorn on a weekly basis, use computers in a modern, well equipped 10-workstation computer lab, and participate in a wide variety of activities in the large auditorium and 'gymboree' areas. There are also counseling areas, with a private entrance where teens at risk can come for one-on-one sessions with trained support personnel. In addition, local teens form the IDAN program here run the programs for the children in Kiryat Shemon. Teens learn how to run birthday parties for kids in the community and much more. Our children were quickly separated from the adults and introduced to kids in the facility, where a number of activities were planned. It was wonderful to see our kids doing crafts, playing games and just hanging out with the local youth.
When we arrived, we met Norie and Shimon, who are actively involved in managing the facility. Shimon is, in fact, the full-time director of community centers throughout the region.Shimon---->
<----Student counselors at Beit Vancouver
Beit Vancouver was originally scheduled to open in July 2006, but the war intervened. Yehuda helped to translate Shimon's presentation as he described the services offered in the facility in Hebrew. Shimon indicated that the town had suffered badly due to the most recent war. Many surrounding kibbutzim were affected. There are six community centers that are considered big, and essential, one of which is Beit Vancouver.
The centers are multi-purpose, offering shelter in case it is needed by residents, just in case security issues require them to leave their homes. Centers also provide employment to local residents, including teens who help run the many activities at Beit Vancouver. Activities provided at these centers involve all ages, from children as young as three months of age to soldiers on active duty.
Activities vary according to needs, including disabled, deaf and blind programs which are designed to include and integrate them into the larger community. One of the centers houses a swimming pool, where three hundred people come regularly to swim there. The organizers never dreamed it would be so heavily used. At Beit Vancouver, over 2500 young people are supported, with over 1300 children who are directly involved, including 300 high-risk teenagers.
During the presentation, Mark Gurvis, who is the Executive Director of the Jewish Federation of Greater Vancouver, and was traveling with us on the tour with his family, said that the flow of programming ideas to support youth have flowed between Vancouver and Israel in both directions. Vancouver has benefited as well. The challenge at this time, however, is to reduce the dependency on the Canadian Jewish Federation for ongoing operating funds, such that that the facility can be sustained through local support.
Israeli tank demonstration at an army base located in the Gallial area.
"A little too close for comfort!" Click on the photo and you'll see what I mean ---->
There, we met Moshe, a tank operator, "Ran", who is a military intelligence officer, and Michael, a medic. Together, they described what occurred during the last war. Ran and Moshe were 21 years old, but they have seen a lot in the three years that they have been in active service.The technology of war has become highly sophisticated, and therefore incredibly dangerous. There is no room for error. The Lebanese war began two years ago when the Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel as a diversion, then attacked two armored Humvees patrolling the Israeli side of the border fence. The Hezbollah had carefully targeted the patrol, choosing an area along the fence that was partially hidden from view by Israeli army observers. By the time the Israeli army knew what was happening, two soldiers were wounded, three killed and two were captured and taken to Lebanon. When a rescue team rushed to the scene, it was too late to help them.
<--- " Ran", an intelligence officer. He is only 21 years old.Worse, unknown to Israel at the time, the Hezbollah had procured rockets that could lock onto vehicles if stationary for more than 20 seconds. As a result, five more soldiers were killed in the rescue attempt.
Since then, Moshe said that patrolling tanks and vehicles cannot stop. They must always be moving, or they could be quickly destroyed.
For two years after the war, families of the two captured soldiers held out hope that they might be still alive. Sadly, Israel received their bodies during a prisoner exchange that occurred the last week we were in Israel.
Yehuda said that, in addition to being caught off-guard, Israel has made some strategic errors in the region which cost them dearly during the last war. Apparently, when the Shah of Iran was deposed, Israel tried, "unofficially", to buy goodwill from the new regime in Iran by selling them heavy machine guns. Those guns, built by Israel, were used with deadly effect against their own soldiers during the war two years ago.
We all came away with the realization that, despite the impressive armor and capabilities of the tanks we saw, these mainstays of Israeli military ground forces can be quite vulnerable in high-stakes, technology driven warfare. The result was a sobering look into the working conditions and risks these young soldiers face on a daily basis in this country.
The Naot shoe factory
We left the tanks, to let our shoppers loose in one of the most famous shoe factories in Israel. Compared to other outlets where they are sold, including Vancouver, the prices were quite good. A lot of new shoes made it back on the bus, with their proud new owners. And, (of course!) the Rabbi just HAD to do a schianu blessing over our new shoes once we were on our way!Journey through the Golan Heights
Leaving the shoe factory, we climbed the Golan heights until we were overlooking the Hula valley in upper Galilee.
On the way, Yehuda mentioned that the 1967 war began on June 6th of that year. In the six days that followed, the Israelis broke through Arab lines of defenses and began advancing into the Golan. As the war began to turn against them, the Syrians made an error. Hoping to get the UN to issue a halt instruction to Israel, they broadcast that the Israeli army was at the gates of Damascus. What was not intended was the effect that this had on the Syrian army still defending the Golan. When they heard this, a number of their units left their defenses to try to defend their capital. Israel quickly captured the area.
On the way, Yehuda mentioned that the 1967 war began on June 6th of that year. In the six days that followed, the Israelis broke through Arab lines of defenses and began advancing into the Golan. As the war began to turn against them, the Syrians made an error. Hoping to get the UN to issue a halt instruction to Israel, they broadcast that the Israeli army was at the gates of Damascus. What was not intended was the effect that this had on the Syrian army still defending the Golan. When they heard this, a number of their units left their defenses to try to defend their capital. Israel quickly captured the area.
Since then, the Golan heights have been controlled by Israel. This has been a thorn in the side of Syria, as it lost about 1% of land that used to be within its borders. Israel has given Egypt all of the Sinai to make peace. Yehuda suggested that returning the Golan to Syria in similar fashion to purchase lasting peace makes it inevitable that this area will be eventually returned.
Passing through the Golan, we saw an oil pipeline, called the "Topline", that used to carry oil from Syria to the Mediterranean before 1967. Yehuda mentioned that Israel offered passage of oil to Syria after the war. However, fearing that Israel might take the oil for themselves if they become dependent on this pipeline again, Syria has not taken up the offer.
As we traveled, Yehuda pointed out a number of battle areas that have been critical in past wars. One was an Israeli army base that was briefly taken over by Syria during the Yom Kippur war 1973 , but was retaken in a battle that lasted one and a half days.
Katzrin and the "Crazy Alley"
We stopped for lunch in Katzrin, the Jewish capital of the Golan region. Yehuda mentioned that Katzrin is a relatively new, carefully planned town, built from the ground up with using modern city planning principals. There, we strolled through what Yehuda calls "Crazy Alley", because of the crazy prices in one of the jewelery stores located there. Some of the most inexpensive silver jewelry in Israel can be found there in a store owned by a rather eccentric shop keeper. Hilary, Rebecca and Naomi found some beautiful jewelery there for themselves and as gifts.
While there, Yehuda mentioned that the Golan has not always been completely inhabited by Arabs. Since Israel has occupied it, archaeologists have uncovered a synagogue dating back to the 6th century, suggesting that Jews have lived there centuries ago.
A visit to a Golan winery
The Golan, well known for vinyards, has produced wine for centuries. Rabbi Infeld indicated his approval for the stop, saying "We are here in Israel to celebrate together, so it is a mitzvah to sample wine!"
The Golan Heights Winery produces approximately 6 million liters of wine each year. Wine is stored in a large, environmentally controlled facility, that regulates the temperature to 14 degrees Celsius and humidity at 90%. The facilities contains over 500 oak barrels.
He mentioned that, generally, barrels are good for about five years. The classic shape of the barrels provide an optimal surface area, helping the wine to gain the sought-after oak flavors desired in the final product. As the barrels age, they begin to lose the ability to impart complex oak flavors to the wine. To counter this, wine must be stored longer in older barrels in a carefully defined process. In general, white wine is stored for three months. Red wine is stored for one to two and a half years, depending on the age of the cask.
Bottling is highly automated. Bottled are sterilized using ozone. Bottles are boxed twice, first without labels, to set them in a case. Then they are boxed again once they are sold to a particular distributor so that the correct label can be applied, depending on where the bottles are destined.
The wine produced here is considered kosher, a designation that only requires that observant Jews prepare it. There is no special process involved to kosher wine. However, it is possible to "cook" the wine, which makes it possible to let non Jewish people to serve the wine. If "cooked", it will still remain kosher, but it will taste terrible. The 'take-home message': if you are going to the trouble of buying kosher wine, you'd be better off asking someone who is Jewish to pour it!
In all, the Golan Winery produces 35 different wines from 20 different grape varieties.
Wines tasted:
Wines tasted:1. Gamal White Riesling - white, fruity. Quite nice, if you like sweet wines.
2. Yarden Merlot - not so great. Dry but a sharp after taste.
3. Yarden Dessert Wine - sweet, "suggestive of peaches", recommended by our wine tour guide, with sweet desserts. The process of creating dessert wines is to add brandy at an early stage to stop fermentation. I found it was not as sweet as ice wines produced in British Columbia.
<---Lintel with relief of vines, 4th to 7th century CE (AD)
<---Lintel with relief of vines, 4th to 7th century CE (AD)
Journey to the Dead Sea
From the winery, we continued down the Jordan Valley towards the Dead Sea.
Apparently, this was a common artistic concept in Byzantine times toward the end of the Talmudic era. There are also Hebrew symbols, though they are inscribed inaccurately, suggesting the craftsmen creating the floor of the synagogue were non-Jewish. I wonder what the ancient Rabbi thought when he first saw it. I can imagine him saying to the workman, "You mean to tell me that, for all eternity, people are going to be reading that spelling error in the floor? Are you CRAZY?". Any time a contractor tries to convince me "that's good enough", I'll be thinking of that floor.
At any rate, this precious, historically significant mosaic is quite beautiful, and is now located within a climate controlled building, protecting the site.
If you are interested, further details of this remarkable synagogue can be found in http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Archaeology/Beitalpha.htmlJourney to the Dead Sea
In the late afternoon, we began to see the Dead Sea in the distance, which became clearer as we approached.
About a half hour later, with kids at near emergency levels for bathroom breaks, we pulled into our hotel, an oasis in the middle of the desert, located on a beach facing the Dead Sea.What a remarkable day this has been.
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