Anshai Goes to Israel!

We started today wishing a heartfelt L’hitraot to the Sea of Galilea as we made our way west toward the Galil.  The Galil received its name from our very own Wonder Woman, Gal Gadot. This isn’t entirely true (it’s actually completely false) but notice the similarities in their names. Intrigued? Look up their meanings. 

The Galil is home to a variety of religions, steep in culture and history. Our first stop brought us to Tzippori, an antiquity site. Roman or Jewish? Only time … and PJosh (the P is still silent) would tell. We sat in an ancient Roman (possibly Jewish) amphitheater and enjoyed some gladiator-like entertainment, brought to us by none other than our children. Adam and Hailey reigned supreme over their big sistas, Adena and Jordan, respectively.*

* Hailey has asked that I point out that I wrote “respectively.” Not “respectfully.” The littles took no prisoners. 

Back to my summary. Tzippori gets its name from tziporah - bird. This beautiful ancient city has an even beautifuler (it’s a word) view. Ancient Israelites (or Romans?) always built their cities on high points. This wasn’t just for the views. It was strategically brilliant. Eyes on the prize, their enemies, at all times. Well played people of the past. Well played. 

We continued our tour of Tzippori by visiting a room with a floor made of an antique mosaic. Its design and themes screamed Roman. Mystery solved? Perhaps. But why would PJosh take us to an ancient Roman city? Why?!? The answer became clear at our final stop - a ‘beit knesset,’ a synagogue with beautiful Roman and Jewish themed mosaics. Boom. Tzippori was both a Roman city, and the home place of a Jewish minority who lived here too. It’s an ancient city whose residents likely had to balance between their dual identities, something that we might struggle with today. Are we American? Are we Jewish? The answer is just as complex as it is simple. We’re both. 

Fun fact: Tzippori is where our Oral Torah was written down for the first time. Pretty cool, eh?

Lunch time. We sure do eat a lot on this trip. Not complaining. Just bragging. Today’s meal was special. We broke bread with a Druze family who were kind enough to invite us into their home. After getting an understanding of Druze culture, origins, and modern-day life, we were treated to a scrumptious homemade meal. A Q&A session over delicacies and tea was definitely a highlight of our afternoon. 

Most of us fell asleep during the 1 and a 1/2-hour bus ride to Tel Aviv. I blame the delicious Druze cooking. And PJosh’s early wake-up calls, too.  We woke up to find ourselves back in the Israeli city that never sleeps. A small group- cough, cough guilty- snuck out to dip their feet in the Mediterranean. “Have you ever seen such a pretty sunset?” a mesmerized child asked. Another one excitedly began playing beach volleyball. When in Israel, amiright?!?

Dinner time. We got the best surprise ever en route to dinner (did I mention we eat a lot here?). QChana (the Q is silent) joined us for dinner!! Yeps. You guessed it. PJosh’s wife! And what a fun dinner to have her join us for. Guided by two culinary aficionados, my friends-turned-family prepared together an Israeli dinner that was fit for the kings. Everything from homemade hummus to savory kebabs and fresh pita to falafel and couscous. You should have seen the spread. Certainly, one of the best meals we’ve had in Israel, and we’ve had a whole lot of delish.

With hearts full and tummies fuller (totally a word), we headed back to our hotel to call it a night.  Liyla Tov, Anshai!