Some thoughts upon our return

It has been almost a week since we returned from Israel, and it still feels strange to be home. The experiences were amazing and overwhelming. Over the next few weeks, I know that several participants in the trip would like to share their thoughts and feelings. Today I am sharing with you Linda Lippman Lockhart's thoughts .

A siren is sounded, traffic stops, people exit their cars to stand at attention. Not a word is spoken. Not a muscle moves. If you are experiencing these phenomena, it is Sunday, April 18th and Israel’s Memorial Day, remembering those who have fallen fighting for Israel’s independence. This and many more scenarios played out over the course of the pilgrimage of forty-three men and women from the St. Pete/Clearwater area a week ago. And before I go a step further, now is the time to visit. Don’t put it off another day. No more excuses that it’s not the right time. It is the right time.
No one can do justice to Israel in mere words or pictures. You must experience it for yourself. It helped that we had an excellent guide who posed questions, shared all sides of the story at each stop along the way, and then let us draw our own conclusions. To behold what a people have accomplished in sixty years is reason enough to take the trip.
Amazingly, along the bus trip, one marvels at acres and acres of agriculture: orange trees, date palms, watermelon, vegetables of all kinds and flowers cascading down the side of buildings reminiscent of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. That the people of Israel have managed to do all of this in a span of sixty years compared to other cultures that had hundreds and thousands of years to develop is phenomenal. Technology, medicine, and the government are world class and studied by other countries not doing as well.
And let’s not forget the history. The Dead Sea and its Scrolls; birthplace, death, and resurrection of Christ; the many wars fought and won; the Holy Church of the Sepulcher, the Western Wall, Golan Heights, Dead Sea, the Dome of the Rock and more. Each experience leaves you thirsting for more. To stand above the city of Jerusalem at dusk, as the sun recedes and watch the “city of gold” prepare for the evening brings one to tears. To stand in Yad Vashem and recount the atrocities of a people brings one closer to the realization as to why Israel must exist.
Visiting the site of a munitions’ factory, that operated underground for three years without the knowledge of other kibbutzniks or the occupying English, is fascinating. The fact that the Israelis were able to convince the English, who stopped by to inspect now and then to give them three days notice so that they could ice down beer, is only one of many unbelievable story. The heart and passion of the Israelis is evident in the fact that they have managed to survive under great odds.
I could fill the page with our experiences, but as I said--you must experience it for yourself.