April 12

April 12

            Yaniv took us in his car up to the Golan Heights just right behind the Kibbutz.  The Heights have long been a disputed territory (Israel vs. Syria), so you can’t really venture off the roads since there are landmines potentially buried all over the place.  There are fences up and signs that read ‘danger – mines!’ posted up on the fences so it’s pretty clear where you can go and where you can’t.  We drove to several lookout points, one of which included a pillbox that used to be employed by Syrian ‘soldiers’ (terrorists) who regularly fired missiles at civilians down in the Jordan Valley.  We could actually see Syria in the distance as we drove along up on the Heights.  The border is only about 10 km away.  It’s bizarre to think that thousands of people are being slaughtered in a bloody war that’s raging in the distance just over a few hills.  What with hostile Muslim nations surrounding Israel, a bomb shelter in Yaniv and Silvia’s back yard, gas masks in their bedrooms, and the awareness of a horrific conflict occurring presently in Syria just 10 km away, I’ve never felt so close to war.

            We also drove right along the border with Jordan.  I’m excited about going there…  In the evening we were invited over to Yaniv’s parents’ place for dinner.  It was scrumptious.  We had soup with Matzo balls and also Moroccan style lamb with figs, dried apricots, and raisins, chicken with baked potatoes and sweet potatoes, and other wonderfully new and tasty foods (Yaniv’s mom is Moroccan).  It’s always a privilege and an honor to experience such lavish hospitality from strangers whose hearts and homes are open despite cultural differences that could potentially cause division.  We have been positively shocked and incredibly blessed by Turkish hospitality and now likewise by Israeli hospitality.