Today begins with a trip to Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu. Like many kibbutzim there are groves of citrus, dates, and bananas. Fields of vegetation span as far as the eye can see. What makes Sde Eliyahu different is its organic processes. Perhaps you're thinking, "Organic? That's been around for a while. I can get organic food anywhere!" But this kibbutz has been organic since the 1970's, when their founder realized that with the families living so close to the fields, it didn't make sense to spray all these chemicals right where their kids were playing. So they sent their leader to a conference in Switzerland so he could learn about this new way of growing food without chemicals. So in Israel Kibbutz Sde Eliyahu was the first organic farm in Israel, and one of the first in the world.
We are again reminded that big innovations can come in small packages when we tour the kibbutz Bio Bee (pronounced "Bee-o Bee") farm. They breed bees for farmers to use for pollination, and all kinds of predatory bugs that eat smaller bugs that can damage crops. For example, when a bug that lays eggs that turn into larvae that eat through the leaves of tomato and cucumber plants, a farmer might purchase tiny asps from Bio Bee. These wasps either eat the larvae or lay eggs in them. Either way, the larvae are destroyed and the crops are saved, and the wasps have no other foods that they eat, so the plants remain safe. Our guide told us that in order for the bugs they sell to be successful, they must breed faster than their prey, and the must not eat any plant life. It is an amazing display of Israeli innovation and creativity, the two characteristics that make Israeli society so successful today.
After the tour of the kibbutz, we went to a nature reserve called Sachne, which was a beautiful, natural pool flanked by man-made waterfalls and guarded by towers and shelters. It was a perfect way to relax and wash off the dust of the north as we prepared for our drive into Jerusalem.
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"One does cannot go down to Jerusalem, one can only ascend."
And ascend we did. We went up to Mt. Scopus, admired the iconic view, said Shechecheyanu, and made our way into Jerusalem. Once again, we welcomed the group home. We had a free night in Jerusalem, each of us going our own way. Some went to the Kotel, some to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City, some to Ben Yehuda Street. All of us comfortable in this bustling city. Jerusalem does not look like it did when I was here last. Some of the sights are changed, some are not there, and new ones have arisen in their place. But it still feels like home.
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