Let’s see…Tiberias – check. Jaffa and Tel Aviv – check. Old City Jerusalem – check. The Dead Sea, Judaean and Negev Desert, Zin Valley – check.

June, 2023

We may have visited the Holy Land in June, but it is during October, 2023 that we are writing this blog, and today is Day 7 after the cowardly attack on Israeli civilians by Hamas terrorists. As war rages and sides are taken it is clear to us that the bottom line is that this horror is not about Palestinian or Israeli rights. It is about the singular mission of Hamas to murder Israelis – to murder Jews – and their total disregard for the fate of their own people. We pray that war shall be no more, and that the murder of innocents should forever cease – swords should be beaten into plowshares. The world must unite and must condemn and never, never tolerate actions such as these. All the peoples’ of the earth should find God’s greatest gift – to live in peace – of shalom. Birkat Shalom

עוֹשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם בִּמְרוֹמָיו הוּא יַעֲשֶׂה שָׁלוֹם עָלֵינוּ וְעַל כׇל ישׂראל ואמרו אמן

Prior to our travel to Israel Brian had been in contact with Congregation Beit David, a reform Jewish congregation in Tel Aviv asking if we might attend Shabbat Services. Graciously we were invited to join the Congregation in worship. We made sure to return from the Negev in time for Shabbat, and Kea accompanied us as we arrived at the Synagogue just a few minutes prior to the beginning time of the Kabbalat Shabbat service on Friday at sundown. We were directed across the street to a public park – worship on this warm night was not in the sanctuary. The service was enriched by music and many of the standard prayers that are usually chanted during a worship service were sung to amazing upbeat tempos and rhythms. We felt pretty proud to be able to recognize the prayers and to the best of our abilities sing along. While we may have felt that Hebrew is Hebrew is Hebrew, American pronunciation and Israeli pronunciation is more than a bit different – and, oh by the way, the booklet serving as our Siddur for the evening did not contain any English or transliterations. Thankfully Kea, who has been studying Hebrew and is much more of a scholar than either of us, could keep us on track. Between prayers that were sung with musical accompaniment the Rabbi spoke so very quickly and in Hebrew that we rapidly became lost. But then the usual Shabbat prayers were recited by the congregation, and we participated! How honored we were to be welcomed and to be able to pray with this congregation as runners, walkers, men, women and families enjoyed the park, some stopping to join us in worship.

The Duckenfield Israeli Tour Company had spent the last week driving these tourists around the central and some of the southern regions of the Country – from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to the Negev and Judaean Deserts, to a Kibbutz, Bedouin Encampment, Masada and Ben-Gurion’s grave and back again. Israel may only be 263 miles in length; however, the well-maintained roadways in the southern region are limited, and to get from point a to point b may be much longer than anticipated – for example it takes an hour and a half to travel the maybe 2 miles as “the crow flies” from the east to west sides of Masada as the road circles the perimeter of the mountain. Yup, when in the southern region of Israel, it is always the long way around.

We expected a day of rest, but over coffee the DITC asked if we wanted to head out to the Galilee in the northern region of the Country. At the confluence of the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee is the town of Tiberias.

It was pretty cool to visit the Sea of Galilee, but, for us, the real attraction in Tiberias is Hammat Tiberias, a 4th Century CE synagogue. Little remains of the synagogue except some foundational stones and its magnificent floor mosaic. On one side of the floor the mosaic displays the traditional depiction of a Torah ark flanked by ceremonial menorahs, shofars (ram’s horns), and palm fronds. At another end, the names of the synagogue’s benefactors are written in Greek, the most used language of the time, surrounded by two lions.

The center panel of the mosaic is a magnificent zodiac wheel, featuring, among other pagan images — the wheel encircles a haloed Helios, the Greek sun god, mounted atop his chariot. Women representing each of the four seasons sit to the corners of the zodiac, with the accompanying Hebrew inscription of the names of the seasons. Pagan imagery in a house of worship would appear a flagrant violation of God’s injunction, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image,” but similar synagogue zodiacs have been found at other sites. An oddity perhaps, but then again possibly a trend of the times?

The synagogue is part of a national park and just steps away is an Ottoman-era bath house – the natural springs bubble through cracks in the earth; temperatures can reach as high as 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Step-down pools are not as hot and are available to bathers.

Although Barbara loves the mountains – she grew-up and lived in the Rockies for 42 years – she has discovered that she is drawn powerfully to the sea. She finds herself longing to be on, in or near the water, and can spend hours sailing or cruising or on a beach collecting shells or looking for sea glass. As long as she can walk along the beach, have the tide run over her feet and feel the sand between her toes she is one happy human. Israel, of course, is bordered on the west by the Mediterranean Sea…so down to the sea we went. We did collect a fair share of sea glass, some fossilized coral and a few shells, and as an added bonus it was sunset!

The Israel Museum is a historical, archaeological, and contemporary art and culture museum in Jerusalem. There were 2 exhibits drawing us to visit – a scale reproduction of Jerusalem during the period of the Second Temple, and the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Shrine of the Book houses the Dead Sea Scrolls and Aleppo Codex among other ancient documents. It is estimated that the Dead Sea Scrolls were written between the 3rd and 1st Century BCE, and are so very significant because they include the oldest surviving manuscripts of entire books later included in Jewish and Christian Scripture, as well as apocryphal and sacred books that preserve evidence of the diversity of religious thought in the late Second Temple period. There have been over 15,000 manuscripts and manuscript fragments found.

The Aleppo Codex is a medieval bound Torah – the Jewish bible. The codex was written in the city of Tiberias during the tenth century CE, and was authenticated by Maimonides (Jewish philosopher who became one of the most influential Torah scholars of the Middle Ages).

No pictures are allowed to be taken within the display room itself.

Our visit to Israel had to include honoring the 6 million slaughtered in the Holocaust. We looked forward to visiting Yad Vashem, the Holocaust History Museum. Located in Jerusalem, the museum traces the timeline of the Jewish peoples’ fear, terror and horror as the rise of antisemitism in Germany moved so very aggressively towards their agenda – the ultimate solution – not just annihilation of the Jews, but of anyone not determined to be of the Aryan Race. The museum made sure to address the culpability of the world in not acting sooner to the evident genocide.

A single exhibit shaped in the form of the interior of a furnace chimney with pictures and a brief biography of Jews put to death posted on the walls – men, women and children – took our breath away and brought tears to our eyes. In a separate on-grounds location the Hall of Remembrance gave us a chance to say Kaddish, remember, and pray for the coming of the Messianic era and for God’s greatest gift – peace for all mankind.

We were scheduled to return back to the US the next day, but had yet to have the opportunity to enjoy what some believe to be one of Israel’s national dishes. Kosher foods are milchig, fleishig or parve. Milchig dishes are made of or are dairy; eggs are usually considered milchig as well. Fleishig dishes are made of or are meat (there are other rules about meat protein, but not something to consider right now). And parve basically means neutral – vegetables, herbs and spices, fruits, beans, and grains – and can be consumed on their own, paired with or cooked with either dairy or meat. So we ate traditional Israeli dishes and meals – shakshuka, Israeli breakfast and lunch with so many small plates of parve or milchig dishes, and hummus and pita so far superior to what we might find at home. But we had not had shawarma – an overflowing fleishig pita wrap of marinated chicken (or beef or lamb) that has been stacked on a skewer and roasted prior to slicing, hummus, lettuce, tomato, onion, and harissa (chili pepper paste). On returning to the Duckenfield Estate Middle East we found that The DITC had taken care of us yet once again. The shawarma was delicious.

Our time in Israel came to a close, and we bid farewell to Paul, Kea and Dan. Paul dropped us off at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv around midnight – plenty of time for our 4:30am flight. We passed through security and customs quickly and boarded the first leg of our journey home. From Tel Aviv to Frankfort, Germany – a 2-hour layover – and then from Frankfort to Chicago. total travel time in the air was 17 hours. Our return flights on Lufthansa Airlines were quite a letdown compared to our incoming United Airlines flights. The seats were smaller, electronics and entertainment not always in working order, and the food served, well, was an example as to why travelers complain about airline food.

We easily passed through US customs, called for the hotel shuttle to pick us up in order to fetch our car and headed home. Some fool decided that a 5-hour drive after long air travel would be ok – might have been but for the traffic in and around Chicago. Nah, lesson learned. It would have been much better to spend the night, and head out for home in the morning.

We experienced only one small glitch in our travels. Brian was concerned that the tahini we had purchased would not fare well in checked baggage so Barbara ended up putting the quart jar in her carry on. No problem with Israeli security and customs, but we had to go through security and customs again in Frankfort where the jar of tahini was confiscated. What we later found out was that pastes such as peanut butter, nutella, and, yes, tahini fell into prohibited items of “not more than 3 ounces” classification. Apologies to the Bullock and Umstattd families.

Oh yeah – remember we experienced no jet lag traveling to Israel? Well, that nasty bugger does exist. Both of us were physically out of sorts for about 2 days.

There were some aha moments during our time in Israel. **The West Bank is 81 miles long – that’s almost 1/3 the entire length of Israel. There are both Israeli and Palestinian communities and cities in the West Bank; you can tell the difference – the Palestinians build out and the Israeli’s build up (high rises). **The Golan Territory (Golan Heights) is Syrian and includes the NE part of the Sea of Galilee and the entire Sea borders directly with Israel. There are terrorist group enclaves all along the West Bank, and terrorist groups as well as Syrian armed forces encamped in the Golan. **In biblical times there were only cart paths until the Roman’s built roads. Nonetheless imagine being (9 months) pregnant or elderly or infirmed or just simply having to walk or travel on the back of a donkey/in a cart to report for the mandated census count…it’s 94 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem. Is the story of Joseph and Mary biblical apocrypha or reality? And for perspective it’s 68 miles from Jerusalem to Masada. Just how long did it take the Jews fleeing Jerusalem to reach the community at Masada? Remember they had the best of the Roman army on their heals. **What if the Hebrews didn’t “go up to Jerusalem” and turned left at Mount Nebo and into the desert? The land of milk and honey or the land of thirst and scorpions?

There are so many memories of a lifetime, so many emotional moments, and such wonders to reflect upon from our visit to the Holy Land. There are also so many places we did not visit, and some to be revisited in order to sit, reflect and involve oneself in contemplation that we hope we can return.

For Brian making Aliyah became an unexpected reconnection to and strengthening of his Jewish identity – the religious impact was tremendous and soul-deep. It was so wonderfully rewarding to meet and talk with Israelis – to hear their stories and their experiences as a Jew living in this land. He’ll be forever grateful to Roni, Danella, and the Israeli soldiers with whom he was honored by that took their time to share a lunch hour for their conversations – common experiences yet 5,700 miles or so apart as well as eye-opening glimpses into Israeli culture. Chance encounters with Jews in The Great Synagogue of Jerusalem, 2 shop owners at Mahane Yehuda Market, the woman at the light rail station, and so many others helped him become enveloped in Israel.

For Barbara, the excitement of going to Israel fulfilled a much-anticipated desire to feel the promise of a connection with the land and the Jewish people. The bonus was getting to spend time with Paul, Kea, and Dan whom we had not seen in person since 2019. Words of gratitude to the Duckenfields for giving us the Israel experience of a lifetime. Thank you for making our visit the experience of a lifetime. We have bragged about our visit so often to friends and family, folks are wondering if you’re willing to give them the same unbelievable adventure!

Every day was new and with no expectations, I began to feel, understand and appreciate the Israeli passion for life and what it means to live every day with intention. We felt genuinely welcomed by all of the people we met and thoroughly enjoyed the lively discussions we shared. We came to appreciate the hustle and bustle of the freeway system; the crowds in the markets; spending time exploring in cities, old synagogues and structures that are thousands of years old; enjoying the delicious, delectable and incredible food experiences. Traveling with family to explore amazing landscapes, museums, a kibbutz and archaeological sites filled me with awe. Seeing The Old City of Jerusalem was humbling and spiritually rewarding. While our goal this first time in Israel was focused on a religious experience, it became so much more.

Israel has a beauty that changes depending on where one is – desert and rolling hills to the south, the sea and a lush coastline to the west, the almost tropical terrain and hills in the central part of the Country, and the greenery that increases and becomes denser the further north one goes. There’s the vastness and saltiness of the Dead Sea, the freshwater Sea of Galilee, the oases and waterfalls found in the desert, underground rivers, flora we’ve never seen before and houseplants that thrive and become massive outdoor displays in the Israeli climate. There’s evidence of humanity and organized religion dating back millennium, there’s the city that’s the holiest of holies for the world’s three great religions, the Country has a history unlike anywhere else in the world, there’s an ancient fortress which holds sway on the great religions, there’s an ancient fortress with a deep harbor and narrow cobbled streets still available to the visitor and resident alike. The Country has been subject to invasion and conquest after conquest after conquest after conquest – wars still being fought over a piece of land 260 miles long and no more than 80 miles wide at its greatest width. Whether Jew or Palestinian or Christian, Israelis are passionate and loudly outspoken, but most of all welcoming. Israel has great national pride, and the Country is both ancient and modern at the same moment. Going to Israel is not like going to one of those “most beautiful places on earth not to be missed.” There are no vistas so beautiful that your breath is taken away. However, it’s beauty is all of these things, and transcends a single definition. It is simply humbling to experience.

Barbara and Brian

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau

June, 2023

Israel stretches 263 miles from north to south, and its width ranges from 71 miles at its widest point to 6.2 miles at its narrowest. The geography of Israel is very diverse, with desert conditions in the south, and snow-capped mountains in the north.

So imagine the newly freed Hebrews leaving Egypt with a promise of a land of milk and honey. Imagine that after their escape from Pharaoh and with God’s help in crossing the Red Sea and with 40 years wandering about in the Sinai they finally climb to the top of Mount Nebo, on the border of modern day Jordan and Israel. Imagine that on the top of Mount Nebo Moses says to the no longer just Hebrews but soon to be Israelites: “Go on…I brought you here, but I can’t go on with you.” And as he points he says: “There’s your land of milk and honey!” And the soon to be Israelites see…the Dead Sea, desert and scorpions to the southeast, and to the east the Holy City Jerusalem and its surrounding greenery, pine and palm forest, date palm and olive tree groves.

We left Jerusalem on our way to the Negev desert to visit Kibbutz Ein Gedi, and En Gedi Gardens, to spend a night in a Bedouin camp, pay our respects to the heroes of Masada, float in the Dead Sea and give honor to David Ben-Gurion and his wife, Paula.

Kibbutz Ein Gedi is a 3,500-acre botanical garden located on the edge of the Judean Desert and on the west coast of the Dead Sea. The kibbutz has supported itself since its founding in 1953 with the business of growing date palms, farming, harvesting and selling dates. The kibbutz brings in water from a spring about 1 1/2 miles away and in the hillside. This magnificent botanical garden is possible only because of the spring’s abundant water and is now home to over 900 plant species from around the world. Kibbutz Ein Gedi is the world’s only populated botanical garden, home to 588 inhabitants.

Daniela and Tehuda Cohen have been members of Kibbutz Ein Gedi for over 50 years. Daniela is a native Californian who visited Kibbutz Ein Gedi as a young adult, fell in love and married. Tehuda is the manager of the date farm, and Daniela gives a most excellent tour of the Kibbutz.

Every year hundreds of sinkholes open along the banks of the Dead Sea, some as deep as a two-story building.

En Gedi is Israel’s largest oasis and is located in the southern region of Israel – a region of the Country that receives less than 2 inches of rain per year. However, four spring-fed streams flow year-round generating approximately three million cubic meters of water annually feeding En Gedi’s springs, waterfalls (!) and flowing brooks at the foot of its cliffs. It is home to the Nubian ibex and rock hyrax – the ibex is a species of wild mountain goat.

Biblically, Ein Gedi was a favorite hiding place for David and his army during their war with King Saul. The high elevation of caves in the surrounding area afforded a strategic advantage point above the desert below as well as an “invisible” location from which an advancing army could be easily seen. Of course, water was plentiful – water in the desert is as essential as air to breathe.

During the day the Negev has the possibility of 2 temperatures – hot or hotter! There is some “shade” in the vegetation surrounding the waterfalls, and walking into the pools at the base of the waterfalls or standing directly under the amazingly cold water is a way to cool off temporarily – BUT, otherwise there is little shade along the waterfall trail It was a moderate hike to view 3 of En Gedi’s waterfalls. The climate and terrain was prohibitive to viewing the remaining 4 waterfalls.

The Dead Sea is a salt lake bordered by Jordan to the east and the West Bank, and Israel is to the west. It was once connected to the Sea of Galilee, about 100 miles to the north, by the Jordan River. Today, only the Sea of Galilee is still “fed” by the Jordan River. The Dead Sea is approximately 1,400 feet below sea level, making it the lowest place on earth.  It is the world’s deepest hypersaline lake and is so salty that nothing can live in it – hence its name. The salt and minerals found within makes the water very dense, eventually taking one’s feet out from under her/him and allowing people to float easily on the surface. It is mentioned in the Bible as the place where Lot’s wife turned into a pillar of salt. The Dead Sea is facing environmental challenges due to human activities (mining) and climate change. The water level is dropping at an alarming rate, threatening its existence and ecosystem.

We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to experience floating in the Dead Sea. We’re not sure you can call where we entered the Dead Sea a beach. Yes, there is salinized sand, yes, there are sunbathers, and yes, there are high-powered public showers when done bathing to wash the remaining minerals and salt from your body or to flush your eyes should the waters splash them – the burn is pretty intense. Bathers cover themselves in mud from the bottom of the Dead Sea – we guessed this was a way to open pores and detox the body. We changed in the bathhouse and followed a boardwalk into the water – the boards felt incredibly slick/slippery. We didn’t experience that feeling of our feet going out from under us, because in ankle deep water we simply sat down and let the floating begin! Of course, in the course of paddling around we ended up accidentally splashing water into our eyes. Time to get out and flush, but Barbara couldn’t get her feet under her in order to stand. A helping hand from Brian got the job done, and after a short while under the flushing waters we were back on our backs floating around – a lot more carefully. Barbara enjoyed the novelty of floating in the Dead Sea, but Brian found a rare (for him) peaceful place in which he could have floated forever. Hmmm, wonder what that was about?

What an introduction to the Negev Desert – the Southern Region of Israel. It was a great day – a long drive along the western coast of the Dead Sea, the chance to talk with someone who has lived on a Kibbutz for most of her life and seeing the Kibbutz’s amazing botanical garden, being in yet another place of Israeli importance – sharing a place and walking in the shadow of King David (how awesome!), and, of course, floating in the Dead Sea. Next stop? Bedouins and paying honor to the heroes of Masada and the first Prime Minister of Israel. Stick Around…

Barbara and Brian

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau

June, 2023

Bedouins are desert peoples and extraordinarily independent and nomadic. They live in clans, and are traditionally herders – tending to camel, sheep, goats and cattle. Bedouins living in Israel migrate deeper into either the Negev Desert or the Judaean Desert during the rainy season returning to their more cultivated home areas once the rains have subsided. Some Bedouins have left their nomadic culture and moved into the cities assimilating into urban life.

We had the good fortune to spend an overnight at Kfar Hanokdim (translation: shepherd’s village), a Bedouin camp in the Judaean Desert. The Duckenfield Israel Tour Company had booked us into a sukkah – a large tent covered in goat’s wool fabrics with a floor paved with wooden decking. It had sleeping futons, bunk beds and air conditioning (!). Close by were communal toilets and showers. The camp includes a centralized kitchen and dining hall, large open spaces for gatherings, meeting rooms, and has available a herd of camels used for excursions into the desert.

After checking in and stowing our gear we were escorted to a communal tent and welcomed by a local Bedouin Chief, who described the life of his clan. Bedouin clans are extremely hierarchical and patriarchal – many Bedouin men have more than 1 wife, and the Chief’s power is absolute. Marriages tend to be within clans and “arranged.” If not herding animals for food or sale, income is derived from jobs that may be obtained in small cities throughout the desert. The Bedouins diet is very high in animal protein.

Bedouins are required to welcome the stranger as travel in the desert may be complicated with a lack of water, food and/or shelter. A stranger approaches the Bedouin encampment and stops some yards away seeking permission from the Chief to enter. Permission is granted and tea is offered; however, the cup is filled about halfway. The stranger holds his cup out for a refill or shakes his cup to signify no refill. The stranger will also be given a cup of coffee. If given a full cup the stranger is expected to leave immediately! Thankfully we were treated to half-filled cups.

Dinner was what we had come to know as a traditional middle eastern meal. A never-ending assortment of small plates and pita followed by an incredible platter of rice, vegetables and animal protein. Breakfast was a buffet, not served, but the assortment of foods was nonetheless expansive.

Masada National Park was on our list as one of our “top things to do while in Israel.” We were treated to an “at the park” night show about the Jewish-Roman war, which tried to help set the tone for the next day’s visit to Masada. While the light show was pretty cool and the dramatization pretty good, we personally found the show lacking in emphasizing the importance of Masada to Judaism.

Meaning “strong foundation or support” in Hebrew, Masada is a natural fortress built on top of a barren mountainous desert plateau thousands of feet above the Dead Sea. Masada has been described as “a lozenge-shaped table-mountain” that is “lofty, isolated, and to all appearance impregnable.” For many, many years the fortress could only be reached by a single pathway that was too narrow for men to walk abreast. This pathway was named “the Snake” for the way it twisted and zig-zagged to the summit. Today there is a second, less formidable path to use to hike the top, or visitors can simply opt for a cable car to the summit and back.

Masada was built as a castle complex in the last century BC by Herod the Great, King of Judea, (ruled from 37 to 4 B.C.) who recognized the defensive advantages of Masada. Herod built his complex there as a winter escape and haven from enemies, complete with castle, storerooms, cisterns and a foreboding wall.

Whether the end of the story of Masada is apocryphal is unimportant. The facts are anchored in the First Jewish-Roman War (72-72 CE) as recorded by Flavius. The accounting begins with Jewish rebels having to flee Jerusalem with a Roman legion in pursuit. The rebels purposely found their way to the Jewish encampment at Masada and were taken into safety by the residents. The Roman legion laid siege, and after 3 years won the battle; however, (and here’s where some historians find Flavius’ story sketchy) on searching the grounds found no one alive. It wasn’t the Roman archers who shot down the Jewish warriors, nor was it their blades. Jewish belief is that the Jews had chosen to die by their own hand rather than lose their freedom – the men being slaughtered, and the elderly, women and children enslaved. However, 1 woman and 2 children hid from the Romans, were able to tell the story of Masada, and kept the memory of these Jewish heroes for generations to come.

The siege of Masada is revered in modern Israel as “a symbol of Jewish heroism,” and is felt to have played a major role in “forging a national identity” of courage, strength and conviction of Jewish belief – values held essential to this day.

The story of Jewish freedom is part of our DNA since the time of Moses and the exodus from Egypt. It is no surprise that the residents of Masada would not permit themselves to be enslaved. But genocide, suicide or genocidal suicide, the action of the Jews of Masada, is prohibited by Jewish law. How to understand the difficult lesson of Masada should be studied by now and for generations to come – perhaps freedom is given us by God to be revered above all other human traits or virtues.

Those that sacrificed and died here are heroes of Israel. Kaddish was said in their honor.

Traveling the road back to Kfar Hanokdim the night before we encountered a herd of goats – too dark for a picture and best to keep focused on driving. However, in the daytime we did have to be at the ready for livestock in the roadway as well. It is suspect that Bedouins were looking for their goat herd and donkeys! We never did see any camels on or near the roadway.

For our last stop we journeyed south and a little bit east from the Judaean Desert into the Negev Desert to pay respect to David Ben-Gurion, Israel’s primary national founder and first Prime Minister. Born of Polish Jews in Plonsk, Polish Russia, he immigrated to the Palestine region of the Ottoman Empire in 1906. Adopting the name of Ben-Gurion in 1909, he rose to become the preeminent leader of the Jewish community in British-ruled Mandatory Palestine from 1935 until the establishment of Israel in 1948, and he assumed leadership of the fledgling nation until 1963. He was known for his uncompromising vision of Jewish unity and statehood, and a genius for pragmatic political and military tactics and solutions. These traits centered the young State of Israel and formed a guide to help handle the social, economic, and military challenges of its early years. 

We continue to have the experience of not just completing our checklist of things to do in Israel, but to find ourselves walking the very paths of those who have come before us, to give respect and acclaim to ancestors of the Jewish peoples, and to immerse ourselves in observing, seeing and learning. We can ask no more of this journey.

Barbara and Brian

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau

June, 2023

“If I forget thee Oh Jerusalem, let my right hand wither, let my tongue stick to my palate if I do not remember you, if I do not set Jerusalem above my greatest joy” …Psalm 137

We’re sure that Christians and Muslims as well as Jews hold the Holy City, Old City Jerusalem, in the highest most sacred regard. However…

Jerusalem has been the Central City of Judaism since the year 1000 B.C.E., when King David conquered a small, remote Canaanite town and made it the capital of his kingdom. Following the death of King David, and with the building of the First Temple by King Solomon, the City took on even more importance in Judaism as it became the destination for the three pilgrimages – a yatra – commanded by God. For generations Jews have traveled to the Holy City in order to celebrate the festivals of Passover (celebrating the Israelites escape from slavery in Egypt and a prayer for freedom for all peoples), Shavuot (celebrating God’s gift of giving the Torah to the Jewish people) and Sukkot (celebrating the gathering of the harvest and commemorating the miraculous protection God provided for the children of Israel when they left Egypt). 

Jerusalem is a major focus of biblical literature and the likely venue where much of this literature was written and preserved. The kings of Judah lived and died there; prophets were based in Jerusalem, interpreting the Torah and establishing the great moral and ethical standards of Judaism.  The destruction of the First Temple and the rebuilding of the Second Temple (60 years later) are stories of lamentation and redemption of Jerusalem. The Second Temple period added 500 more years of memories, as recorded in many of Apocryphal books, such as the books of the Maccabees, relating the events leading to and following the revolt against the Greeks in the second century B.C.E. (commemorated during the Hanukkah festival).

The city of Jerusalem grew and underwent a major facelift by Herod, the Roman appointed Jewish king who conquered Jerusalem with a Roman army in the year 37 B.C.E. Rabbinic literature records hundreds of events, stories, and descriptions of life in Jerusalem.

After the destruction of the Second Temple, and as Rabbinic Judaism was ushered in as the primary mode of Jewish learning and spiritual centrism, the memory of the City was taught to embody the hopes and aspirations of the Jewish people. Jerusalem became an ideal that represented redemption, perfection, and wholeness that Jews would study about, pray for, and try to spiritually experience throughout the diaspora.

A series of rituals, prayers, and special days developed in Jewish antiquity were designed to keep the memory of Jerusalem alive from generation to generation. Jerusalem is a central theme in Jewish liturgy and religious poetry. For example, one of the 19 blessings of the Amidah (silent prayer central to all Jewish prayer services) reads: “Return to Your City Jerusalem in mercy and establish Yourself there as you promised…Blessed are you Lord, builder of Jerusalem.” Synagogues traditionally face toward Jerusalem. And, at the end of the Passover seder and at the conclusion of Yom Kippur, Jews exclaim “L’shanah haba’ah b’Yerushalayim— “Next Year in Jerusalem.” 

The origin of many contemporary Jewish practices, customs, and beliefs can be traced to Jerusalem, providing a constant “meta-message” of the primacy of Jerusalem for anyone who practices Judaism, even in the slightest. For example, the order of synagogue service is modeled after the daily Temple service in Jerusalem. The weekly reading of the Torah was established in Jerusalem after the return from the first exile (587 BCE). The seder meal on Passover is a consistent replication of the seders held by generations of Jewish pilgrims in Jerusalem. 

We had decided that our time in the Holy Land would be first and foremost a Jewish experience – connecting with those that had come before us. Old City Jerusalem would certainly provide for us an essential part of the experience we were seeking…

We met our tour guide, Roni, outside the City gates. He is an Austrian Jew, brought to Israel as a young boy by his mother, who is a citizen of Israel, and had a career in the IDF retiring some 5 years ago at which time he started his tour company. He is a published author with a second book due out in the near future. We found Roni to be forthcoming, extremely knowledgeable, opinionated, and engaging.

We entered the Old City through the Jaffa Gate, one of the 8 gates built into the walls of the City. A gate was built for entry and exit; however, it was important for defense of the City as well. The gate is a pinch point – only so many soldiers could enter due to the width of the opening. Past the arch of the outer door is a foyer that would hold only so many, and then a 90-degree turn was necessary to pass through a second set of doors that, like the exterior doors, can be closed and secured. The City was accessed once through the second set of doors. Not insurmountable, but certainly a strategic defensive strongpoint.

We had wanted to walk the Ramparts, but were told that the view from the Tower of David was equally as wonderful, and, since the walls of the City have been reconfigured several times over the generations, the Tower of David was more significant to the history of Judaism in the Holy City. The Tower of David was Jerusalem’s citadel – a fortress sitting on high ground protecting the City. For thousands of years the City’s rulers resided there, and the archaeological excavations in and around the Tower of David revealed much of the City’s evolution across 3,000 years. Today it stands as one of Israel’s prominent cultural institutions and Jerusalem’s official museum.

The Citadel – The Tower of David…

The views from the top of the Tower of David were breathtaking and seeing the breadth and extent of the Old City brought tears to Barbara’s eyes – setting her eyes on the physical presence of the Old City so strongly connected her to Israel and being a Jew.

Notice the clock tower similar to that in Jaffa built during the Ottoman Period, the mosques with their minaret towers, and the churches and synagogues with their rounded domes. The Mount of Olives is in the far ground.

Leaving the Tower of David we found ourselves walking the streets of the Old City on our way to The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, the most sacred place in Christianity. Roni made it a point to tell us that each religion found enjoyment in annoying the other. Take a look at the sign in the courtyard of the Mosque of Omar…

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is believed to be the site where Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected – his tomb found empty.

We are now headed from the Christian Quarter into the Jewish Quarter, and on our way, with a stop for lunch, to the City of David. The City of David is an active archeological dig. Along with finding priceless artifacts of early Jewish settlement of the Holy City, evidence of Roman architecture has been uncovered. There are many, many tunnels under the Old City. The tunnel we were about to walk through was built during the time of King Herod; the time of the Second Temple, of which the Wailing Wall and its foundation are all that remains.

We stood in awe seeing the Wailing Wall for the first time…

Walking over a bridge to the City of David we stopped as Roni told us about the site and the marvels that have been uncovered. Overhearing our discussion 2 Australian tourists, Michele and Emma, asked if they might join us – how could we say no to making new delightful friends. By the way – there’s something familiar in Brian and Roni’s gene pool!

The City of David – the original core settlement of Jerusalem built during the bronze and iron ages, approximately 1,000 B.C.E.

While in the tunnel we passed stones cut to provide the foundation for the Second Temple built under the direction of King Herod. These so-called Herodian stones are also found under the Damascus Gate and at the Temple Mount. The Second Temple was built in 516 B.C.E. and stood until 70 C.E. when destroyed by the Romans – these foundation stones and the Wailing Wall are all that remain. It was a wonder to think that these stones are part of the Wailing Wall!

It is commonly believed that this site provides a direct channel to God, and in order to ask for God’s blessing written prayers are placed in the cracks in the wall. These written prayers are considered sacred, are collected during High Holy Days, and not disposed of, but ritually buried.

Orthodox Judaism commands that the genders be separated for ritual prayer outside of the home. It is believed that women are a distraction to the piety of men’s prayer (although we certainly don’t agree with this practice). We were told there was an entrance for intergender couples to be able to pray together at the Wailing Wall, but it certainly wasn’t readily in view.

The Temple Mount is considered to be the most sacred site in the Jewish faith – the Holy of Holies. However entry is forbidden.

The Temple Mount lies just beyond the Wailing Wall making the Wall the holiest place where Jews are permitted to pray. Brian wore the tallit purchased as a gift for him in Jerusalem by Cliff and Fran Grobstein and covered his head during prayer. Both of us continued to wear kippah, which we had donned once entering the Holy City.

There are not absolutely prescribed prayers to be recited at the Wailing Wall; prayers said are very personal. For us saying the Shehechiyanu, Shema, Chatzi Kaddish, Aleinu and Mourners Kaddish was a beginning to our prayers. We asked God’s blessing for healing (Mi Sheberach), God’s blessing for our children, children’s children and children’s children’s child, friends, those we hold dear, in honor of those that have come before us, for the 6 million slaughtered, and for the heroes of Israel. For Brian the depth of his prayers, and thanking God for Barbara and all the blessings he has had during his life left him emotionally exhausted.

One does not turn their back to the Wailing Wall. So while facing the wall and backing away, we each individually had to find a place sit and center ourselves before rejoining the group.

Continuing our walk of the streets of the Old City…

Opened in 1863 the Austrian Pilgrim Hospice is the oldest Christian guesthouse in the Old City. Its cool lobby and shaded courtyard made for a nice mid-afternoon respite during the warm afternoon. We were told that the views of the City from the roof rivaled those of the Tower of David. Brian just had to check it out.

Our last 2 stops in the Old City found us visiting a tahini factory, and pottery shop. We bid goodbye to Roni before entering the tahini factory. His expertise and leadership during our 8-hour tour of Old City Jerusalem was invaluable to feeling that a first visit was all it could be.

Tahini is ground sesame paste – well it’s a little bit thinner than what is traditionally thought of as a paste. It is a primary ingredient along with ground chickpeas in hummus, along with roasted eggplant in baba ghanoush, and is pressed into loaves, flavored and sweetened, to make the confectionery halva.

Ironic story – We bought tahini to bring back as a treat/gift for family. Brian made the mistake of not wanting the jar of tahini in the luggage (might spill), and Barbara placed it in her carry-on. We made it through Israeli customs and airport security, and onto the plane. We had to change planes in Frankfurt, Germany and once again go through security. The Germans were not as lenient as the Israelis and confiscated this, to them unknown, peanut butter like paste (try this with a german accent: tahini-what is this tahini?)

Kea had bought Barbara a couple of beautiful tiles created by the artisans of Jerusalem Pottery – a stop was a must before leaving The Old City.

In 1919 a group of ceramic artists was invited by the British to renovate the ceramic tiles of the Dome of the Rock (Islamic shrine on the Temple Mount). In 1922 two of those ceramic artists opened Jerusalem Pottery and began producing Armenian hand painted pottery and tiles. In 1965 the Jordanian government commissioned Jerusalem Pottery to make street name tiles for Old City Jerusalem in Aramaic and English, and in 1967 the Israelis commissioned them to make tiles of street names in Hebrew, which were added to the top.

To this date the exquisite designs and incredible fine detailed work is respected throughout the world. And yeah, we made a few purchases.

Leaving The Old City of Jerusalem…

As we were leaving Old City Jerusalem we heard fairly modern music playing LOUD. A “spin class” had been organized just outside the City Gates.

We were headed into the Negev tomorrow and stayed overnight at The Jerusalem Hotel. The hotel is located in East Jerusalem and just outside the Damascus Gate. Of note is the fact that East Jerusalem was annexed from Jordan by Israel following 1967’s Six-Day War, and while the West Bank and The Golan control of the area may be Israeli, there is always an undercurrent of Palestinian unrest.

The Jerusalem Hotel is family run and situated in an old Arab mansion originally built over 120 years ago on the remains of a 4th century Byzantine Church by a feudal lord. The Jerusalem Hotel has been carefully renovated to accentuate its 19th century Arab character and refurbished with Arabesque furniture. The thick stone walls, cut from unique creamy Jerusalem stone have been exposed and pointed with a traditional Arabic plaster.

After our long day in Old City Jerusalem we had a great meal at the Notre Dame Guest House, which was a short walk from our hotel. Views of the Old City at night were pretty spectacular.

Our day in Old City Jerusalem connected us to being a Jew more than could ever have been imagined. Having a full day (!) with our tour guide gave us a focused start at understanding the allure of Jerusalem for the Jewish peoples. We appreciated walking the streets and alleys and imagining what it was like in centuries past, and we couldn’t help but consider the influence of conquering armies and the contribution of their culture to the City. Interacting with modern Israelis continues to be a joy of this trip, and visiting places in Old City Jerusalem so central to Judaism renewed our passion for our religion and left us awestruck.

Barbara and Brian

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau

June, 2023

Imagine it’s sometime in the 1980s. Imagine he begins the conversation with: “We loved our vacation in Italy, should Israel be next?” Imagine she came back to him after doing some research and thinking and ended that conversation with: “If we can’t pray together at the Wailing Wall I don’t want to go,” or at least he thought he heard her say that…maybe she said that…in his mind she was pretty clear…in his mind…hmmm.

Fast forward to 2020 (yeah that’s just about 40 years since that conversation in the timeline of the journey started so very long ago), and we receive some pretty exciting news. Son-in-law, Paul has been selected for a 3-year diplomatic billet in Israel. The family, Kea and our grandsons Ben and Dan, will accompany him. Quite an adventure can be expected, and wouldn’t we like to visit (hint! hint! nudge! nudge!).

Grandson Ben will complete high school while the family is billeted in Israel, and his graduation ceremony is scheduled for early June, 2023. Barbara thought we should look into being there to celebrate his accomplishment, and to visit with Kea and family whom we haven’t seen in person for 4 years or so (hint! hint! nudge! nudge!) – and oh by the way, LET’S VISIT ISRAEL!

Flight tickets were purchased, and without much planning we booked for 12 days – 2 days in transit back and forth, and 10 days on the ground.

Now all we had to do was figure out what we wanted to do for 10 days in a land with thousands of years of history and so, so many places and landmarks and holy sites, cities, kibbutzim and the Country’s regions to explore and experience, that is the center of the world’s 3 great religions, that could be dangerous (or at least a few of our friends thought so), and is a melting pot for Jews and Muslims and Christians, native Israelis, Palestinians and immigrants, one of those places in the world that blends ancient cultures and modernity, and welcomes young and old alike. As Barbara has said since we have returned: Israel is for everyone. But what about us?

We were advised that the first step in figuring out what to see and do during a first visit to the Holy Land centers on what we felt to be most important to us. We guessed that we couldn’t see it all, but wondered what would make for a truly great first visit?

עֲלִיָּה American Jews, whether one identifies as Orthodox, Conservative or Reform accept as a commandment aliyah – עֲלִיָּה. Zionists would define aliyah as Jewish immigration from the diaspora (back) to the “Land of Israel” and “going up” (thought of as towards the Holy City of Jerusalem). Brian was taught as an Amercian Jew that aliyah meant journeying to the Holy Land and honoring one’s Jewish heritage. Barbara was totally in agreement – our time in the Holy Land would first and foremost be a Jewish experience and then add on agreed upon essential places to visit and things to do. A wish list was developed.

Paul and Kea kindly took our rather long wish list, added in a few musts (seeing Ben graduate!), made some “wouldn’t you like to” suggestions, and under the guise of the Duckenfield Israel Tour Company (DITC) set up our agenda. They were our companions, chauffeurs, and tour guides. They hired a fabulous tour guide for a full day in Old City Jerusalem, made hotel arrangements, booked a night for us at a Bedouin camp, took care of tickets and meals, made sure we didn’t float away in the Dead Sea, and made arrangements for a kibbutz tour in the Negev. We toured Masada, visited Ben Gurion’s grave, stood on the banks of the Sea of Galilee, saw mosaic tiles in a synagogue from the 4th Century CE, experienced the Dead Sea Scrolls, and paid respect to the 6 million during a visit to Yad Vashem. We ate Israeli meals with the 8-12 small vegetable plates as appetizers to an entree, couldn’t get enough of freshly baked pita, and hummus far beyond the quality available in America, and enjoyed the flavors of shakshuka, shawarma, kabobs and frozen coffee. DITC gets a 5 out of 5-star rating; our appreciation for their love and attentiveness is without bound.

Living here in Michigan, the best roundtrip airfare to Israel including the additional expenses of transportation to and from the airport and parking our car for 11 days, was by a very, very large margin found by flying from JFK, Washington DC, or Chicago O’Hare. However, that also meant getting to any one of those airports – Chicago was doable – a 4-hour drive without (!) traffic.

So we were all set. Flights had been booked and parking arrangements for our car had been made, an agenda had been agreed upon by The DITC, Barbara and Brian, passports were found, cash was obtained, bags were packed and our in-flight bag was assembled.

Time to skedaddle to the airport. Traffic was anything but cooperative (surprise?); however, we had left enough time to make sure it would not be an obstacle. Finding the hotel at which to park the car and then the shuttle to the airport was easy (thank you Best Western O’Hare), and the line through the TSA checkpoint was not busy and efficiently handled by agents on hand. We did have more than a bit of time until our flight, but cribbage, a great rueben sandwich (Barbara’s favorite), being seasoned travelers and excited for our journey helped the time go quickly. When it was time to go to our gate, we had one more security checkpoint and personal inspection to hurdle. The gate area was alive with a cross cultural, multi-generational melting pot of travelers heading home, as well as first time and returning visitors to the Holy Land.

By the way, United Airlines was wonderful…snacks and beverages in the gate area, rapid and orderly boarding, and first-class service in coach for the entire 12-hour non-stop flight from O’Hare to Tel Aviv.

Upon arriving in Tel Aviv, and after a good “stretch your legs” walk passing by a view of the central concourse waiting area, we had to queue-up to have our passport electronically scanned and our passport picture matched with an on-the-spot photo in order to receive an entry pass to Israel. Brian forgot that US passport pictures were taken without corrective eyeglasses and had to repeat the procedure several times until he remembered to remove his eyeglasses. A quick verbal examination at Israeli customs, a few minutes wait for both pieces of luggage (well done baggage handlers!), and there was Paul waiting to greet us so very warmly (thanks for the UofM yarmulke) to transport us to the Duckenfield Estate Middle East!

The Duckenfield Estate Middle East is located in Herzliya, Israel. The town was named in honor of Theodore Hertzl, an Austro-Hungarian Jewish journalist, activist and the father of modern political Zionism, who stands a somewhat stern guard over his namesake city.

Following the long flight to Israel we expected to suffer from the dreaded and renowned jet lag; however, we honestly did not experience any ill effects. Perhaps it was simply the excitement of spending time with the Duckenfields and the fact that we had begun our Aliyah? We’ll go with that for now, because, as we were to discover after our flight back home, jet lag is a real thing – but more about that later.

Saturday – We landed in Israel early evening Friday. The Jewish sabbath, Shabbat, begins at sundown on Friday and lasts until sundown Saturday, and since Israel is a Jewish State most everything comes to a standstill for Shabbat at noon on Friday…most everything means that any business not owned by Jews may stay open, and this means restaurants. Curiously though most museums are open on the Sabbath.

The first stop on our first day in Israel was a visit to ANU – The Museum of the Jewish People. For over four decades and located in Tel Aviv ANU has been “playing an integral role in strengthening Jewish identity and perpetuating Jewish heritage worldwide.” The museum celebrates the multiculturalism of Jewish diversity and identity, and adopts an inclusive, pluralistic approach to answer the question of: “Who Is A Jew?”

ANU has 3 floors to explore. Half a floor was dedicated to interactive holograms of native and immigrant Jews from all parts of the diaspora describing their decision to be Israeli, and what life is like for them. Israel is notoriously orthodox, and Haredi Jews (ultra-orthodox) consistently vie for power within the government advocating a position for stricter interpretation of Jewish law in everyday life; their philosophy would not recognize Reform Jews as Jews – would not recognize same gender couples, people of the LGBTQIA+ community, people who have tattooed their body, are committed to an interfaith relationship, or raising a child out of wedlock as Jews. Listening to the Jews embodied in the holograms, hearing from such a wide variety of Jews living comfortably and thriving in Israel answered Brian’s major question about living in the Holy Land – what is it like for Reform Jews to be citizens?

Other displays were purely historical and clearly focused on significant events throughout recorded time that were and continue to be important to the Jewish people, some honored Jewish contributions to mankind, some made the point that throughout history Jews came from and impacted all walks of life, and some enjoyable displays showed the contributions of Jews to all facets of the entertainment industry.

The Invisible Part of the Children of Israel “raises our consciousness and illustrates the significance of Asenath, Orah, Na’amah, Zelapoint, Mahlah, and all the unnamed others in Jewish history. It fills a sacred obligation by sanctioning their presence and, when possible, acknowledging their attendance.” …Carol Hamoy

…Jews came from all walks of life throughout recorded history…

George Washinton in 1790 wrote: “the Government of the United States (…) gives to bigotry no sanction (…). May the Children of the Stock of Abraham, who dwell in this land, continue to merit and enjoy the good will of the other inhabitants.”.

Walking back to our car we couldn’t help but notice, to us, unknown flowers…

Following our visit to ANU Museum of the Jewish People we were off to Carmel Market, the largest market – or shuk – in Tel Aviv. When not the Sabbath, the traders of this thriving market sell everything from clothing and electronics, to fruit, spices fresh bread and pastries, meat and fish.

We were fortunate to find an open restaurant in Shuk HaCarmel. On the menu was shakshuka – a middle eastern dish made in a cast iron pan of a thickened spicy tomato sauce flavored with paprika, cumin, cayenne and garlic in which eggs are poached, the dish is topped with cilantro and served with challah for dipping. A moroccan sandwich was also featured. The sandwich which adds fried eggplant to the traditional falafel preparation of fried spiced ground chickpeas, hummus, tomato, onion, harissa, and tzatziki served in a pita sounded wonderfully tasty. Shakshuka for Barbara and the moroccan sandwich for Brian…

Sunday – Jaffa is an ancient port city founded by the Canaanites (2nd millennium BCE!). Sitting atop a naturally elevated outcrop on the Mediterranean coastline, its strategic location has been bitterly fought over repeatedly in Middle Eastern history. Control of the city was contested during the Crusades with many battles fought between Richard the Lionhearted and Saladin before a truce was negotiated, Napoleon sacked the town, and in the First World War the British took the city in 1917. 

Under Ottoman control during the 19th century Jaffa became known for its fruit orchards including its namesake, the Jaffa orange. It was the center for Palestinian journalistic activities in the early 20th century, where an Arabic-language newspaper, the Falastin, began as a weekly publication and evolved into one of the most influential dailies in the Ottoman empire and within Mandatory Palestine. (Just as a note: Mandatory Palestine was a geopolitical entity established in the region of Palestine under the terms of the League of Nations Mandate for Palestine – it existed from 1920 until the establishment of Israel as a sovereign entity in 1948.) 

After the 1948 Palestine War most of Jaffa’s Arab population fled or were expelled, and the city became part of the newly established state of Israel being annexed into Tel Aviv in 1950. Today, Jaffa’s population is mixed; approximately 1/3 Palestinian and 2/3 Israeli.

A couple of fun facts – biblical mythology states that the city was named for Yafet, one of the sons of Noah (yeah – the ark guy) who built the city after the flood. And, for Greek mythology fans, an outcropping of rocks near the harbor is reputed to have been the place where Andromeda was rescued by Perseus from the sea monster Cetus.

It’s hard to argue against the significant historical importance of Jaffa.

Simon the Tanner, is mentioned in the “Acts of the Apostles” book of the New Testament. He provided lodging for Saint Peter during the missionary activities of the early Christian faith.

The clock tower is one of 7 built during the Ottoman rule of Mandatory Palestine.

On our way to the Jaffa flea market, Brian couldn’t help taking a representative sampling of the City’s Street Art…

Our grandson is set to graduate from the Walworth Barbour American International School in Israel, and one of his classmates is the daughter of the Swedish Ambassador. The Ambassador and his wife hosted a graduation party and reception in honor of their daughter’s matriculation; fellow students and families were invited. Graciously these grandparents were included.

Monday – Today is the celebration of Ben graduating from high school, and completing our easing into our trip to Israel – a nice weekend with family. But we have to eat, and while overlooking the Mediterranean feasting on the renowned Israeli breakfast is a pretty nice way to start the day

Israeli Breakfast – juice, tea/coffee, 3 eggs, bread/butter and spreads, and no less than 8 small plates including feta, tuna, hummus, vegetable salad with olives, tomato salad, roasted eggplant, whipped cheese spread, and tabbouli. No chance to leave hungry!

On the recommendation of Atlas Obscura we went chasing after a drinking fountain built from the design of Friedensreich Hundertwasser, an architectural master, who famously loved spirals and abhorred straight lines. Unfortunately, the drinking fountain had fallen into ill repair and had been removed for restoration. But we did find this cool sorta abandoned (?) building with a ladder seemingly going nowhere. Quite perplexing…

On behalf of the US Government son-in-law Paul is a diplomatic liaison in Israel and works in cooperation with a group of Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers. He was kind enough to arrange a time for all of us to meet, exchange thoughts and have a nice conversation during the soldiers’ lunch period. While walking to the meeting place we had the chance to see parts of the modern city of Tel Aviv, and to take in some street art as well.

For Brian, the chance to talk with these amazing intelligent, mature, thoughtful and welcoming young Israelis was an unexpected highlight of the trip. Finding out about the Israeli Jewish culture and experience was fascinating and part of the agenda visiting the Country.

It was a warm but pleasant evening for Ben’s high school graduation from the Walworth Barbour American International School in Israel. He was one of 50 international students seated on the dais and walking as graduates. Fellow graduates will be attending universities across the globe, may take a year or two off to travel prior to attending university, may be conscripted into the military or may join the workforce postponing any further education indefinitely. Unlike most high school graduates in America, travel or a gap year(s) is often an option for many high school graduates from other countries.

Tuesday – Ben is leaving this evening late for his summer job in South Carolina. He and Grammy Marty, who has been in Israel for his graduation are traveling companions. It’ll be a long trip for the 2 of them; a journey home for Marty and the beginning of his next adventure for Ben.

We took advantage of the “free” day to do some exploring on our own. Paul dropped us off at the train station, and we caught the train to Jerusalem. Our agenda for the day was to find our way to and from Jerusalem on the train and be back in time to say farewell to Ben and Marty, find our way from the train station to the Great Synagogue of Jerusalem followed by a walk through Mahane Yehuda Market and grab some lunch while there.

Jews use the phrase “going up to the Holy City” when talking about visiting Jerusalem. Why? Well, Tel Aviv is at sea level and the elevation of the dead sea is1400 feet below sea level (-437 meters). The highest elevations in the Country are found in both the north and south – in the (north) Galilee Mount Meron peaks at more than 3,900 feet above sea level and in the (south) Negev Mount Ramon peaks at a little more than 3,400 feet above sea level. Jerusalem’s elevation varies between 2,500 feet and 3,000 above sea level.

“Going up to the Holy City” was never more evident to us when departing the train and finding that there were 3 “multi-story” escalators necessary for us to make it up to street level!!

Upon exiting Yitzhak Navon Railway Station we found ourselves in the crowd of commuters and locals, and perhaps a few tourists as well. While some preferred to walk on their way, we wanted to take what we thought would be a traditional American streetcar, but our mode of transportation disappointingly turned out to be light rail.

But which way to go to arrive at our first stop of the day – the Great Synagogue of Jerusalem? A delightful woman approached and offered to help; however, she had to grab the next light rail car that almost immediately arrived allowing passengers to board. Fortunately she did have a chance to tell us which way to go so we bought our tickets and were on our way! After departing the light rail car at the correct stop (!) we had a 10-15 minute walk to the synagogue. How wonderful it felt to be on the streets of Jerusalem!

As early as 1923 the Chief Rabbis of Israel began considering plans for a large central synagogue in Jerusalem. In 1958 Heichal Shlomo, the seat of the Israeli Rabbinate, was established, and a small synagogue consecrated within the building. It wasn’t long before the premises could not hold the number of worshipers attending and the Great Synagogue, with a sanctuary seating 850 men and a gallery for 550 women was built. As an Orthodox Shul only men occupy the sanctuary floor; women pray from the balcony and behind a wooden “screen” that prohibits the men from the distraction of their gender during worship services.

A comprehensive private collection of mezuzah cases is on show inside the lobby.

The sanctuary was build in the “Babylonian Style” – the Cantor leads the service from a mighdol (pulpit) in the center of the sanctuary; the mizbeah (alter) is used to read from the Torah.

The main floor of the sanctuary is surrouded by beautiful stained glass…

While exploring the building we heard what we imagined to be an angry loud voice – Brian stuck his head into a room. He found a “leader” expressing some point to a group of older men sitting as students – a Rabbi conducting a Torah study group, and his students hadn’t done their homework? Or perhaps it was just the way (as we found out observing several interactions between Israelis) whatever point was needed to be made – of course in Hebrew. A short while later one of the “students” asked Brian if he read (Torah) and would like to join the group? He politely declined.

An annex to the Great Synagogue contained a display of “modern” Israeli art, which was not particularly appealing to us. But look around we did, and just as we were about to leave we walked by a gentleman seated behind what we thought was the reception desk. We greeted each other, and the fellow came out from behind his desk and placed a hand on Brian’s elbow to guide him to a plaque in the lobby. After a couple of minutes spent reading the plaque he pointed to our camera and wanted Brian to take a photo…

We were then guided into the sanctuary set aside for the relocated Renanim Synagogue of Padua, Italy. It was that small sanctuary used by the members of the Hechal Schlomo and their congregation beginning in 1955!

Our time came to an end at The Great Synagogue of Jerusalem – Time to walk to Mahane Yehuda Market. Street scenes on our way…

As we imagined, the market is aisles and aisles, both indoor and out, of merchants selling dry goods and supplies, fresh fruits and vegetables, tchotchkes, dried fruits and nuts, spices and coffee and pastries, and freshly butchered meats and fish. Quite overwhelming, but we made a few purchases, resisted the come-on from “clever” merchants, and had ourselves wonderfully delicious falafel and kabob sandwiches for lunch.

We found our way back to Yitzhak Navon Rail Station, purchased tickets, figured out on which track to catch the next train back to Tel Aviv, and made it back to the Duckenfield Estate Middle East in plenty of time to say farewell to Ben and his Grammy.

Our first several days in Israel were well spent with family, doing some light exploring, visiting an important museum, enjoying the ancient city of Jaffa and a little bit of Jerusalem, celebrating graduation from high school, having an earnest discussion with young members of the IDF, and discovering the belly-busting meal called an Israeli breakfast. Feeling centered and energized, we anxiously looked forward to tomorrow, and our visit to Old City Jerusalem.

Barbara and Brian

“It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” – Henry David Thoreau

Urban myths about the bible/israelwonderful to meet and talk with israelis…Roni, Danella, Soldiers kaddish at the wailing wall, masada, friday services, holocaust museum

October, 2022

We’re off the road and living in Southeastern Michigan, we figure, until late fall, 2023. Our condo is far enough away from our grandchildren and children to not be intrusive and close enough to be intrusive if we so desire and can get away with it!

Sometime last summer we were talking with Elyssa about son-in-law Ben’s business, Bootleg Bagels, and she was wishing that she could be available to help him out by working the booth with him at Dayton, Ohio’s Jewish Festival. The problem was that she was having a hard time finding someone to watch her 2 children; our granddaughters. We reminded her that that was why we moved to Michigan, and to her “oh yeah” we ended up spending a lovely afternoon with Maggie and Penny.

So, when the request came to watch the granddaughters (or would the girls be watching us?) for just about a week while Elyssa and Ben spent some alone time in Martha’s Vineyard, Massachuettes we were ready, willing and able. Arriving on Friday night so that we could be at their place Saturday morning for their early departure was easy enough – remember we’re retired! Saturday was a breeze, capped off with a delightful dinner with Ben’s parents at their home. We found ourselves traveling to Columbus on Sunday and spent a great day at Legoland. Come Monday, the girls would be back in school so what were a couple of old folks like us to do during the school day? Obviously, we had to find the unusual, the strange, and the ofttimes not frequently visited places.

The hollow earth monument pays homage to the theories of John Cleves Symmes who believed that the earth is composed of a series of concentric rings, that it is hollow, that the center of the earth is habitable, and the earth is open at both poles (think of Jules Verne’s Journey to the Center of the Earth). The monument sits atop Symmes grave in Hamilton, Ohio’s Ludlow Park. It is the only grave remaining in what had once been a pioneer cemetery.

Jungle Jim’s International Market is unique…where else is a visitor greeted by a menagerie of African animal statuary and sounds or entertained by animatronics throughout a cavernous warehouse of a supermarket? Where else can you find ground kangaroo, boneless rattlesnake “bites,” 73 hot sauces from who knows how many countries, 129 flavors of potato chips, 7 (!) different kinds of goat milk yogurt or simply tropicana orange juice and Chiquita bananas? If near Fairfield, Ohio and looking for that perhaps truly once-in-a-lifetime ingredient to make that “where in this world did you get that recipe and the protein/produce/spice to make it?” go ahead and stop in, but otherwise when the day is done, and after the novelty wears off it is just a fairly expensive supermarket.

The Secret Chamber House of Oddities and Artwork is on Main Street, Fairborn, Ohio alongside oddity stores, Halloween shops open year ’round, comic and toy stores, and a couple of bar and grills. Its merchandise is a collection of macabre and unusual stuff dedicated to enthusiasts of horror. See anything you like?

…and now for something a little more mainstream…

Celebrating its 25th anniversary Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum in Hamilton, Ohio has more than 80 “contemporary” sculptures that are integrated into the Park’s 300 acres of rolling forested hills, meadows, lakes and gardens. While there is a sense that some of the sculptures could use a bit of maintenance and care, we visited on a glorious fall day with the trees at the height of their colors – a pallet complimenting the work of each and every sculpture artist.

Here’s a sampling of the sculptures…

Unexpectedly a flock of wild turkeys greeted us as we entered the Park.

Spend time with grandkids – check. Find new and different places to visit – check.

It’s probably redundant for us to say, but there’s something new and/or unusual for everyone no matter where you might be or how long you might be there. How many life-long New Yorkers have never gone up to the top of the Empire State Building or had pastrami at the Carnegie Deli or ice skated at Rockefeller Plaza or taken a carriage ride through Central Park? How many folks living in LA have never had a donut at Randy’s or a hot dog at Pink’s or visited the La Brea Tar Pits? How many Chicagoites haven’t visited landmarks like the fire house/water pumping station that was the only building left standing after the great Chicago fire or seen the colored light show at Buckingham Fountain? And those are some pretty average things to do. So, ask yourself what’s in your neighborhood or close by or even some distance away. It’s not about money ’cause there are so many freebies out there. It’s not about using the excuse of avoiding tourist traps ’cause there are some pretty cool tourist traps. It’s not about being too far outside of your comfort zone ’cause that’s something you can control. It’s all about living; about being able to reflect back and say: “damn, look at what I’ve done and seen.” L’Chaim.

Barbara and Brian

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau

November, 2022

The Uffizi Gallery, the Louvre, the Vatican Museums, the Peggy Guggenheim Museum, the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, the Accademia Gallery, the Art Institute of Chicago, the Phoenix Art Museum, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Museum of Modern Art, the Guggenheim NYC, the Detroit Institute of Arts, the Barnes, the Rodin Museum, the Georgia O’Keefee Museum, the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the National Gallery, the Hirshhorn, Meijer Sculpture Gardens, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art (are there more?).We’ve been to art museums all over the world, and have had the good fortune to enjoy in-residence collections as well as special exhibitions dedicated to a single artist or movement/genre of art. We’ve been able to enjoy the latest, greatest craze of “immersive” art displays – to be surrounded by an ever-changing collage of an artist’s work through the eye of an ever-passing timeline.

Barbara has taught Brian so, so much about art and artists, and whether chasing after street art, rambling through outdoor sculpture gardens or spending a few hours in a museum it’s something we so enjoy together. Dig?

The Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA) holds the distinction of being the first public museum in the United States to purchase a painting by Vincent Van Gogh. It all started in 1922 when the museum purchased Self-Portrait, a painting that is still part of the museum’s permanent collection; therefore, it is only fitting that 100 years later DIA would produce a new exhibition showcasing 74 authentic Van Gogh. Van Gogh in America is “a retrospective of Van Gogh’s slow rise to fame in the United States and the incredible efforts by, first, the DIA, and then several other museums that would bring him to superstardom.”

It’s always curious to open up our mind to an artist’s metamorphosis – the impact of friends and the passage of time on their art, their innovation, and what happens when an artist steps away from their “style” and picks up another artist’s brush. Can we always tell who is the artist?

Following our thorough enjoyment of Van Gogh in America, we’ve decided to ask you, the reader of this blog: Van Gogh or Not Van Gogh? Please submit your answers on a 1×3 index card mailed to Jonathan “Hagrid” Swift, The Leaky Cauldron, 13 Diagon Alley, London, England, more simply through the blog’s comments section or any other damn way you want to contact us.

So don’t be shy…yeah you, over there in (fill in city or Country of choice) give it a shot. So what if you’re wrong…it’s not like there’s some trash talk blog for art to which we would attempt to humiliate you – right? Ah, you’re probably wrong more than half of the time anyway – so get on with it. Just no cheating.

Were Van Gogh and Gaugin lovers? Did he hang with Toulouse-Latrec at Moulin Rouge?

Johnny Depp, Ronnie Wood, Tony Bennett, Lucy Lui, Joni Mitchell and Jim Carrey are incredibly talented painters who have sold paintings commercially.

Confused yet?

Dr. Seuss, Norman Rockwell, and Maxfield Parrish were famous illustrators who also painted.

Monet? Manet? Seurat? Van Gogh?

Did you know that Ulysses S. Grant, Dwight Eisenhower, Jimmy Carter, and George W. Bush love(d) to paint?

Did you know Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec earned a living as a poster artist long before his paintings became famous? Robert Crumb is another famous poster artist. He is best known as a graphic cartoonist and musician.

Barbara and Brian

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau

May – November, 2022

On May 23 we pulled into our campground in Grass Lake, Michigan. After many many years of ownership, Hideaway RV Park had recently been sold to a young couple, who have taken a pretty decent and beautiful campground and through some very thoughtful plans have made major improvements with even more improvements on the horizon. The price is right, and the location is perfect. Grass Lake is 20 miles or so from Ann Arbor, and a short 5 minutes from Interstate Highway 94. If planning to be camping in the neighborhood we highly recommend bypassing Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, and Jackson and spending some time here. Hideaway RV Park was a perfect place for us as we anxiously began the next part of this journey started so long ago.

We are in active pursuit of attaining our goals – spending as much time with our grandchildren as they and their parents can stand, and becoming part of the University of Michigan community. We are so very close…

So as we are traveling around the region looking at condominiums and figuring out where we want to live, visiting family in East Grand Rapids, Michigan and Yellow Springs, Ohio and Gettysburg, PA we just had to have a few more things to keep us busy.

Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum will forever be The Arb to students at the University of Michigan and to the Ann Arbor Community.

80 acres of property just a few blocks from the University of Michigan campus, between Geddes Road and the Huron River, was given to the University by Walter and Ester Nichols in 1907. The University established a botanical garden and arboretum on the property, which was named after the benefactors – The Nichols Arboretum. Today, more than 100 years later, The Arb has grown to more than 700 acres of gardens, research areas, hiking trails, green space(s), and natural preserves.

At over 800 species and over 10,000 flowers The Arb is home to one of the world’s largest herbaceous peony gardens. In 1922 Dr. W. E. Upjohn donated the first plants to the garden – 2022 marks the 100th year bloom! We couldn’t help but join the celebration. Pictures alone do not do justice to the magnificence of the blooms and the garden.

It’s pretty easy to walk right past an alley covered in graffiti, but take a few minutes and stroll through this amazing outdoor art exhibition tucked away off of East Liberty Street. In 1999 local artist Katherine Cost painted the alley – within a few weeks her original work was defaced by local graffiti artists and entirely painted over within a few months. Here we are more than 20 years later and the alley has become an ever-evolving place of graffiti art.

The Fairy Doors of Ann Arbor are a series of small doors throughout downtown and the neighboring community. As the story goes: “In 1993, while Jonathan and Kathleen Wright were renovating their century-old home, their young daughters discovered itty, bitty, six-inch doors scattered throughout the house. When opened, the doors revealed tiny railings inside that led to other miniature doors. There were even windows springing up, where lights inside would magically turn on and off. Subsequently, several other doors were discovered in the fireplace surround and two in the kitchen.”

On April 7, 2005, the first Fairy Door was seen in public, found on the exterior of Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea. Since then, ten (or more?) have shown up; seven of the original “public” doors still exist.

The first Fairy Door on our list was found in the effacement of the outdoor foyer of the Michigan Theater.

And no public library is complete without its own Fairy Door.

We’re not really sure if this homestead is a Fairy Door in the strictest sense.

Fairy Door located at the Red Shoes home decorating store – it is meant to be an exact replica of the front door.

The Ark – music venue Fairy Door.

At the Himalayan Bazaar…

We were in pursuit of one of the original Fairy Doors located at Peaceable Kingdom, but due to covid restrictions the store was open only by appointment. However, we passed by another store in process of renovation, and we bumped across a window display that caught our eye. We started looking around outside in the hopes of finding a Fairy Door. The shop’s door opened, the store owner stepped out and asked if we wanted to take a look around inside. Turns out that his parents owned the retail store at this address, which closed as a victim of covid. He was renovating the space into what he hoped would be a uniquely themed bar and grill.

Our generous host provided 2 surprises for us. Jonathan Wright was a friend of his parents and he believed that this was one of the original Fairy Doors…

…and during renovation he discovered a hidden mural and sign describing the artwork.

Fairy Door at Sweetwater’s Coffee Shop. Check out the detail in this one, which includes a mini poster of the Ann Arbor Fairy Doors poster next to the door itself.

Tough door to capture in a picture as it’s in a corner of a window display at Shinola Store at Main and Liberty. The employee who showed us the display made sure we knew he believed!

Fairy Window at Found Gallery (across the street from Zingerman’s in Kerrytown). We were told that the fairies are home when the lights are on!

Found Gallery – fairy mailbox, tools and transportation device.

Fairy Door at Black Slate Creamery…Barbara thought the ice cream was very good.

Fairy Door at Nicola’s Bookstore.

We were unable to see the Fairy Door located at Mott’s Childrens Hospital because of covid restrictions.

Part of any adventure is what we believe to be a treasure hunt, and finding Fairy Doors in Ann Arbor was a blast. It gave us a chance to talk with any number of believers, and, when we would ask for help to find a Door, to see people’s faces light up in their own revelry about Fairies.

Atlas Obscura gave us three Ann Arbor additional oddities to find.

“Food Gatherers was Michigan’s first food rescue program and was founded by Zingerman’s Delicatessen in 1988. The organization rounds up perfectly good food from restaurants, food retailers, and food wholesalers that would otherwise go to waste. The food then goes to low-income adults and children who may not otherwise have access to nutritious meals or snacks. Food Gatherers also runs a food bank, serves food to those in need at its community kitchen, and works with local farmers.”

The carrot is the organization’s symbol.

“Pineapples were a symbol of hospitality in early America.” The owners of the Liberty Title building have said they had this welcoming spirit in mind when they placed a metal pineapple on the roof of their building to welcome people to Ann Arbor.” Any reason for doubt? 

“Gallup Park is part of a network of parks known as the ‘green corridor’. These parks preserve the wetlands and other ecosystems along the banks of the Huron River. To encourage visitors’ curiosity and appreciation for the natural environment, oversized statues of local wildlife have been placed throughout the park. Many of the animal sculptures can be found around the main play area, while others have been placed at spots along the paved walking trails that run along both sides of the river.”

Makes for a superior scavenger hunt for youngsters and families!

Thoreau’s quote has been our guide throughout this adventure started so long ago: “It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.” And we find that if you slow down just a bit (or bunches for some of us) you see quite a lot more. Turning around after taking the photograph of the Liberty Title pineapple we found a pretty amazing mural.

After closing on our condo on June 15, 2022 we moved into our new home on July 22, 2022. There were some renovations needed, painting to suit our taste and the agony of, after at least 25 years, of buying furniture, a TV, lamps and lighting fixtures, and re-equipping a kitchen. There were the assorted other mundane things like change of address, updating our wills, and establishing accounts with electric and natural gas companies. And, add to all of that the delay in delivery of furniture due to supply chain and manufacturing issues. As of November 30 we’re happy to report that all of our furniture has finally been delivered.

We applied and were hired to be part of the University of Michigan Department of Athletics Event Staff Team. Brian was hired pretty early in the summer, but then Barbara wondered what she was going to do on the 8 football Saturdays on this year’s Wolverines’ home schedule. She applied, and the rest is history. Barbara had the honor (sic) of being assigned as a ticket taker for the student gate, and then served as an usher in the Big House. Brian started out as a ticket taker as well, but was asked if he’d like to become a shuttle cart driver taking fans from the parking areas to the stadium, and then after the game shuttling players and their family from the stadium to Schembechler Hall. And, oh, by the way, once the game started he was assigned to be on the field. A hard job, but someone had to do it. Working the football games requires 800 event staff that agree to work all of the home games. Other sports are by our choice only. In addition to football, we’ve worked a high school football jamboree at the Big House, a high school men’s and women’s wrestling meet, men’s soccer, ice hockey, and men’s and women’s basketball. There are stories to be told (just ask Barbara about her student gate football experiences!) – we’ve had an absolutely fabulous time and look forward to continuing enjoying our time as event staff team members. Go Blue!

Barbara and Brian

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau

And as an added bonus…When in southeastern Michigan being told to go to hell may not be a bad thing. As a matter of fact, for $100 anyone can become the mayor for a day of this small tourist trap town. 72 souls strong, the town has no municipal building, no city hall or utilities building. It has a tchotchke/ice cream store and miniature golf course, a bar and grill…and little else.

Welcome To Hell!

That’s Ice Screams!

May + August 2022

We’ve closed on a condo in an over-55 community in South Lyon, Michigan, and are actively pursuing our goals of being closer to family and working sporting events for the University of Michigan Athletic Department. We took ownership in June, but some renovations and painting as well as furniture purchasing (full-time RVers are without), and delivery pushed out our making this our home to July. In the meantime, Graham and family settled into their new home in East Grand Rapids, Michigan. On August 1, 2022 Porter James became our 13th grandchild. If you’re keeping count we have 7 granddaughters, 6 grandsons and 1 great grandson (rather than great granny, Barbara prefers to be called Granny the Great!). More than likely, they’ll be more great grandchildren – we doubt we’ll be blessed with any more grandchildren.

Graham and Leigh can work from home and chose to re-locate to be closer to family. East Grand Rapids is an upper middle-class community with excellent schools, toney down-town, lots of community activities for young families, easy access to the Lake Michigan shore and beach activities, and the beautiful forests just a short distance north.

But, what about Grand Rapids itself?

For thousands of years succeeding cultures of indigenous peoples, including the Hopewell culture, Ottawa River and Prairie Indians occupied the area now known as Grand Rapids. By the 16th century the Ottawa had formed thriving villages along the Grand River. At the beginning of the 19th century French fur trader trading posts along the river were flourishing, which then brought a flow of northern European immigration to the area. These settlers and eventually founders of Grand Rapids were mostly Scandinavian, Dutch and German – hard working and conservatively religious. By 1834 the county’s boundaries had been formally established, the City was incorporated in 1838, missionaries became pastors as churches were built, and the population was flourishing.

Today Grand Rapids is the second largest city in Michigan with a population, according to the 2020 census, of 198,900. It is known as the furniture city – home to major US companies manufacturing office furniture. Amway and Meijer, as well as Bissel and Hush Puppies have their corporate headquarters in Grand Rapids.

We found the city to be one of the most welcoming places we’ve encountered. There is a civic pride evident. The downtown is clean, feels safe, has wonderful restaurants, an active cultural scene, and wide variety of events for the public. There’s always plenty going!! While staying in Turkeyville, Monroe, Michigan 4-5 years ago we visited Meijer Gardens and enjoyed artists playing at JazzFest.

With help from our pal, Atlas Obscura, let’s see what we found this time around…

Standing in the middle of a field the former Steelcase Pyramid looks like something built by a robotic pharaoh from the future. Steelcase, a top manufacturer of high-design office furniture, built the unique building in 1989 to act as a research and development center. Above ground, the pyramid is seven stories tall of mostly office space, as well as a rumored fancy penthouse on the sixth floor. Beneath the above-ground pyramid are massive sub-levels built to accommodate workshops and testing labs, where new furniture and materials could be manufactured and stress-tested. The building was, supposedly, equipped with huge freezers to see how cold would affect their product, and sound-testing rooms with an adjustable ceiling that could alter the acoustics.

We’ll never know any realities for this odd structure since Steelcase had to move out in 2010. Switch.com has recently purchased the site, and as of today construction is underway to build the largest data center east of the Mississippi.

With the construction of the 6th Street dam on the Grand River the migratory population of salmon, steelhead, and even carp were suddenly unable to undertake their yearly upstream journey. The concrete fish ladder at Fish Ladder Park was created to give the swimmers a leg up and provides visitors with a chance to see the leaping fish in action.

OK-let’s give everyone an intro to something a bit far-out and if interested there’s lots more to explore on google…

According to Atlas Obscura Kcymaerxthaere is a world-wide art project created by Eames Demetrios. It is a series of plaques and other markers honoring events that have taken place in a parallel universe that, according to Demetrios, “co-exists to some degree with ours.” Most of these installations are bronze or stone plaques inscribed with stories but some are larger, even entire buildings. As of 2021, there are more than 140 sites spread across six continents and 30 countries…a few of these installations are in Grand Rapids…

Like the plaque for Erailen Gwome…

…and waiting for the Grwost…

Walk along the banks of the Grand River and there are any number of wonderful statues.

Or while wandering around downtown take in some wonderful murals, statues and street art…

Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., Lions & Rabbits Art Gallery and MobileGR, commissioned 27 local female artists to paint electrical boxes throughout a section of downtown. Taken from the children’s book “Rad American Women A-Z,” by Kate Schatz, the “Rad Women’s Public Art Initiative” honors and commemorates the significant contribution of America women who “didn’t keep their heads or voices down.”

We didn’t come close to knowing all of the women or their contribution to our society. How many do you know? More importantly think back across the dimension of your time on this earth and consider how different our lives would be without these women who wouldn’t “put their heads down or silence their voices.” Honor deserved…

Grand Rapids is worth a visit. We’d send anybody to Meijer Gardens, or on a walk in downtown or to any of the few restaurants we’ve enjoyed or to jazz fest or… As time passes we’ll have more and more opportunities to explore. But first on the list is to spoil our grandchildren.

Barbara and Brian

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau

November 2021, May 2022 and Summer/Fall 2022

Finishing up some odds and ends from our adventures…

So tired of saying “due to covid restrictions,” but we missed being in person for Maggie’s 9th birthday “due to….”.

Maggie picked “The hunger Games” as the theme for her special day, and through the magic of the internet along with family cooperation we held a virtual birthday. We dressed up in character costume, had sign boards to cheer on our favorite combatant (Katniss, of course!), and shared typical birthday party activities. Not quite the same as having family there, but then again we were there, and had a blast!

Between birthdays Maggie reminded us regularly that we had not been there in person for her 9th birthday party, and asked if we were certain that we’d show the next year? We promised and kept our promise…made it for her 10th and 11th birthday.

Elyssa turned us on to Aullwood Audubon Metro Park and The Trolls.

In 1957 Marie S. Aull generously donated 200 acres of woodlands to the Audubon Society which has become a wildlife sanctuary with more than 8 miles of walking trails, an educational nature discovery center, and a sustainable farm.

“The Troll That Hatched An Egg” is nine installations across the continental US and Puerto Rico by artist Thomas Dambo – Allwood is home to one of the installations. As we made our way along a hiking trail, we found 3 giant trolls and a troll’s nest. What’s really terrific is that Thomas Dambo only works with recycled materials.

Beautiful setting, lots of walking trails, farm animals to see, and giant trolls? Well worth the visit if in the area!

Friends from our wintering in Mesa, Jim and Connie, live in Bridgman, Michigan which is about 3 hours or so from where we were hanging out in Grass Lake while our condo was being prepped for our moving in. Jim taught us to play pickleball, he and Brian played softball together for the past 3 years, and there were many, many times we celebrated happy hour together. Only small problem is that Connie is a die-hard Notre Dame fan, and that just doesn’t fly in this M Go Blue household – HA! We had a terrific time being hosted by them at their beautiful home.

While there they took us out to the western shores of Lake Michigan, we got to watch the captain of a huge freighter maneuver the channel while heading in-land…

…and were moved by listening to the sounds of a bugler playing taps accompanied by the crashing of the surf on the shore as the sun set across the expansive waters…

Tom and Landa Mohr were workamping in Mancelona, central north mainland Michigan the summer of 2022. They broke camp in October and we took off traveling almost 3 hours west to South Haven to spend an afternoon just being friends together.

Our full-time travels are at an end for perhaps a year. We fully expect to continue on this journey started so long ago, and have begun our list of next stops. For now, we need to settle into a somewhat sedentary life until late fall 2023, feel a new balance as condo owners, and reach our goals of more time with grandkids and working athletic events at the University of Michigan…but more about those later.

Barbara and Brian

It’s not what you look at that matters, it’s what you see.“ – Henry David Thoreau