Down South

In a strange twist, the Jerusalem skies darkened with rain as we made our way to four different shuls for Shabbat services only to clear up for a wonderful evening of dinner and relaxation. Shabbat presented us with a great opportunity to re-charge, re-focus and resume our experience.

Early this morning, with bags packed, we boarded the bus, powered up the iPod, and began the long scenic drive south. The hills of Jerusalem, packed as they are with buildings and structures, gradually were replaced by the rolling Judean hills as we made our way out of the city and into the open country. From the bus, the mountains themselves seemed to be moving, swaying as if waves in an ocean, stretching back as far as the eye could see. Beautiful mounds, blending into each other, reminded us that this land is not just one of religious and cultural beauty but of immense natural beauty as well. The stones, rocks, and formations, in themselves not so complex, came together to create a vivid and stirring image. Seamlessly, far off at first, the road wound its way nearer to the Dead Sea; with ears popping, we had descended a whopping kilometer and a half below Jerusalem to reach the lowest point on planet Earth. The majestic power of the water merited a quick stop to say hello and take some pictures, and we were on our way again, swaying rhythmically to the beats of the bus. Driving past Massada but not stopping was a welcome reminder that we are not tourists here and have a more important mission.

Our home for the next two days will be Kibbutz Ketura, located half hour north of Eilat, in the middle of the Negev. As we pulled in, we witnessed the powerful vistas of the Jordanian mountains to the east and the Negev mountains to the west, and sandwiched in between, the expanse of the desert and the buildings of the kibbutz. Our experience of communal living started with hearing a lecture from a professor at the Arava Institute, a college located on the premises of the kibbutz that specializes in environmental research. Among its many endeavors is exploring renewable energy resources, whether through photovoltaic cells, biomass recycling, or hydrogen-boron automobile technology. Offering degrees in renewable energy and bringing together Israeli Jews, Israeli Arabs, Jordanian Arabs, and non-Middle Eastern students, the Institute is one of a kind in that it promotes co-existence through engaging in studies devoted for future sustainability. Many students responded to this newly acquired knowledge with desires to spend significant time at this kibbutz during their college years. Afterwards, standing at a symbolic spot of a bunker from the 1967 war we appreciated just how much has happened since then by looking at the future home of the first solar power plant in Israel and the thousands of boxes holding the solar cells. Knowing that Israel is at the forefront of research and technology of this type is a comforting experience.

Our evening was spent on the waterfront promenade at Eilat, taking in the sights, sounds, and tasty delicacies of this resort town. With three hours of free time, we had a wonderful opportunity to get a full sense of this town, some of us even choosing to go to great heights… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4FLICK0H8zI

We returned to the kibbutz and heard from a panel of current kibbutz residents, all our age, who discussed the beauty, challenge, and reward of living on kibbutz. The fundamental difference of communal life from the kind of life we are all used to was compelling and insightful to behold. Composed of some 150 permanent members and 350 part-time residents, these kibbutzniks have chosen to forsake private property and personal income (two fundamental realities of the modern world) and instead engage in a cooperative enterprise aimed at creating a better life for themselves. Whether through the aforementioned Institute or through the dairy farm or through a specialized algae growth and processing facility (which produces a special anti-aging product commonly found in health foods, medicines, and cosmetics), all are engaged in meaningful work for the sake of collective, not individual success. Many are raising their families here, teaching timeless and essential values that often fall away in the world outside. Spending a couple of days here will definitely teach us an alternative viewpoint on life and we definitely look forward to seeing where it will take us.