We started our day by driving to the Golan heights were we went on an incredible Gilaboun hike. The trees full of color, the landscape mountainous and beautiful, met by two incredible waterfalls allowed for the most aesthetically pleasing hike I have ever taken.
As an avid hiker and nature lover, I have witnessed many beautiful sights, but this hike comes out on top. The awe-inspiring journey up the mountain was an experience I will never forget. The hike itself was challenging, especially toward the end, but exceptionally rewarding at the same time. One of the most interesting parts of the hike was seeing the Israeli soldiers making their journey through the beautiful scenery with guns on their backs.
This contrast in beauty and defense got me thinking about one of the many purposes of birthright: we are in Israel to understand the struggles of our people while simultaneously recognizing the beauty of overcoming said struggles—metaphorically and literally. This country exudes such beauty and prestige despite all that it endures.
I found the hike very rewarding because of how I related its beauty to Israel as a unit. After the hike, we ate lunch in a mall that felt un-American, which is something I really appreciated. Few signs had English translating the Hebrew and Arabic and almost all of the food was Israeli. I enjoyed my first Israeli falafel, alongside many of my friends, yet the process of getting the falafel was a journey in and of itself. The man serving the falafel screamed out phrases in English to grab our attention—it worked. Half of the fun of lunch was ordering a falafel and experiencing the enthusiasm of the man serving the food. This moment allowed me to feel completely immersed in Israeli culture!
After lunch, we traveled further North to Mt. Bental where, at the very top, we had the most incredible panoramic view of Israel’s neighbors. Syria, Mt. Carmel, and the Golan Heights were all visible from the top of the mountain, which lies approximately 1700 meters above sea level. It was truly a breath- taking sight. Additionally, we were allowed to go down through the bunkers that housed many Israeli soldiers at one time, which gave us insight into the realities of war.
Overall, I really enjoyed all of the activities today, but my favorite part of the day was the hike. Seeing the natural, pristine beauty of the North of Israel was an experience I would not trade for anything. Nature is one of few things in this world that makes me feel spiritually and physically connected to the world around me and what better place to connect than in the Holyland!
