Update from the field; Mayanot Birthright Bus 96 - DAY 2

Wednesday: We started out the day early and were on the bus by 7:45 a.m. We hiked the Banias trails and to the falls. We got to see the biggest springs in Israel.  The water was crystal clear from 200 years of purification through the bedrock.  The landscape and sights were beautiful and the hike was a lot of fun.  After a quick lunch, we went off road jeeping. The jeeps went through huge puddles and rocky hills and seemingly impassable trails.  We made it to the top of a hill in the Golan Heights and got to see where the Syrians used to be before 1967.  The spot where we stood had trenches and firing positions on the Israeli settlements below that Syria used to attack before the Six-day war in 1967. The overlook was breathtaking and informative. We made the trek to a Kibbutz on the northern most border near Matula. The border had Lebanon in the North and West and Syria to the East. We listened to a 70-year old Israeli who talked about his experience in the army and the four different wars he served. He talked about life on the border and what was particularly amazing to listen to was his description of the 2006 Hezbollah rocket attacks that his settlement dealt with for 34 days. They evacuated their families and defended their homes; putting out fires and attacking any enemy forces. It was truly intriguing to hear someone's perspective on the border and was the highlight of the day. We finished the day with a night out in Tiberias celebrating two of our group's birthdays.

 
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