Where is Roberg?

Having arrived home over six weeks ago, it seems odd to sit down to write about my experiences in the West Bank. However, after looking at the pictures I have finally developed, I knew that I had to post them (remember that I broke my digital camera 5 days before the end of my trip, so I had to take the rest of the pictures with disposable cameras purchased in Israel).

One of the most challenging experiences for me in Israel was my trip to the town of Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus. Located only kilometers south of Jerusalem, Bethlehem is located in the Palestinian controlled area of the West Bank. I had been told by a former professor at Union College that it was possible to travel to the West Bank, but it wasn’t worth the risk. After having talked to a number of people who had been there though, I decided that this was an experience I couldn’t pass up.

Fortunately, I had met a couple of guys named Jamie (standing) and Rupert (squatting, right) who wanted to accompany me over to the other side of the wall.

For those of you who don’t know, the Israeli government has been building a wall between the Palestinian sections of the West Bank and Jewish settlements & outposts in the region. Having heard a detailed presentation from the UNRWA (United Nations Relief and Works Agency) about the barrier, it was time to take a look for myself. As you can see, the Israeli side of the wall looks relatively peaceful as it stretches across this field of olive trees, and getting through the barrier to the Palestinian side is a breeze with a U.S. passport. However, once through to the Palestinian side, the view changed dramatically.

You can see how high the wall was compared to me Here is one of the watch towers along the wall

A graffiti artist represents the tenuous state of peace in the West Bank. Read more »

Filed under: Israel, Travel | No Comments »

Well, Flat Kat and I just arrived back in Jerusalem after a two day stay in the Dead Sea area, and we had a very lively time!

Ein Gedi: A Canyon Oasis in the Desert

In addition to its other unique qualities, the Dead Sea is actually located in a desert!  That desert has an oasis where fresh water springs bubble up from the ground and flow down a canyon into the sea.  This oasis is known as Ein Gedi Nature Reserve.  As one climbs the canyon, the view gets better and better.

    …Here are two views out toward the Dead Sea

And looking up at the rest of the canyon…      

  The waterfall was beautiful.

I also encountered a furry friend or two.

Read more »

Filed under: Israel, Travel | 5 Comments »

Just a quick post to let everyone know that I’ve been out of internet contact for a few days because I was down by the Dead Sea, which did not have access.

The Good News

I had a fantastic time and got some terrific pictures.  I’ll work on an update as soon as possible, and Flat Kat will have one of his own very soon too.

The Bad News

I broke my digital camera while I was down at the Dead Sea!  The screen of the camera had actually broken about 3 days into my trip, so I’ve been “shooting blind” for two weeks.  I’ve been able to deal with it - all of the pictures on the blog for the past few weeks have been taken with the broken screen.  The only problem has been when I gave the camera to someone to take a picture of me and Flat Kat together (he usually took the pictures of me and I took the one’s of him),.  But this time, I really abused it and I don’t think it’s coming back to life until I get it home to get it taken care of.  So you won’t have any “new” pictures after my post about the Dead Sea.  I’ve had to buy disposable cameras to use for the last few days of my trip.

So, if you want to see more, you’ll have to come to my presentation in the High School Auditorium during the week after Spring Break.

Well, I have to write my post about the Dead Sea, and then give up the computer to Flat Kat so he can write his.  Just 3 more days in Israel… I wonder how many disposable cameras I’ll go through?!? 

Filed under: Israel, Travel | 1 Comment »

To understand Israel, it is very important to understand history.  Now I understand that most of you don’t read this blog in order to learn the history of an area; you’re probably more interested in learning about “real life”.  The problem is, a person can not understand “real life” in Israel without having at least a basic understanding of the history of Israel.  I will do my best to make it very short, and very simple, which will be a challenge considering I’ll be attempting to explain 4,000 years of history in a land full to the brim with history.  (One word of caution:  because I am trying to simplify things, there is a danger of oversimplifying.  If you disagree with the way I’ve explained something or don’t understand it, please add a comment and I will try to explain or fix the problem.)

For our purposes, let’s start with the beginning of Judaism.  While the Egyptians, Greeks, Indians, and Chinese all believed in many gods, the Jews were the first people to believe in only one all-powerful, all-knowing God (monotheism).  They were also the first to believe that God spoke to people through prophets, or people who explain the will of God.  The first prophet was Abraham, and he was followed by others, such as Moses. Read more »

Filed under: Background, Israel, Travel, overview | 3 Comments »

Today, I just participated in a fantastic educational experience. One 11th grade class and two 5th grade classes conducted two separate video conferences with me while I’m here in Jerusalem! Using internet software called Skype, the students and I were able to see each other while we chatted for FREE over the internet! Not only were we able to hear each other (most of the time), but we could SEE each other by using some cameras specifically made to work with computers (called webcams).

The kids asked questions and I did my best to answer them. We covered topics that ranged from geography to security to culture. The 11th graders were able to see the Temple Mount, one of the holiest places on earth for Jews, Christians, and Muslims while we chatted because it was 2:15 in the afternoon here (8:15 am EST) and I had found a rooftop view with wireless internet access. Due to the time difference, the 5th graders had the opportunity to see the inside of a coffee place at 5:45 pm (11:45 EST).

Sorry I don’t have a picture of the cute kids, just me and a goofy look in the Coffee place

Other than some minor technical difficulties with my audio, it went really well and the kids seemed genuinely engaged and interested. It was great to see them and it was even better to be able to answer some of their questions.

It’s amazing to me that just 5 years ago our activity today would not have been possible. Technology is going to change education just like it has changed every other aspect of our lives in the past 15 years. If we embrace it, like we did today during our video conference half way across the world, the students of this generation will have opportunities that their parents could only dream of.

As my Dad said, some of this stuff was only a dream when he was reading Dick Tracy back when he was a kid. And it’s only going to get better…

Filed under: 5th Grade, Israel, Travel, overview | 2 Comments »

Like any religion, Judaism has a number of religious days. However, the kind and helpful owner of the hotel in which I’m staying explained that, unlike holidays of other religions, many Jewish holidays are somber and serious. Holidays like Passover and the weekly observance of Shabbat require fasting, limits, or restrictions. Religious Jews don’t have many opportunities to really let loose and celebrate.
Purim, on the other hand, is one Jewish holiday that doesn’t fit that mold. Officially, the holiday celebrates the protection of the Jewish people by a Persian queen. During the Babylonian Captivity (6th century BCE), the Jews were at the mercy of the Persians. An adviser to the Persian king named Haman plotted to kill all of the Jews. Fortunately, the plan was foiled thanks to the queen, and the Jews survived. (for more background on Purim, click here)

To celebrate, families and schools read the story and make noise with graggers (noisemakers) every time Haman is mentioned, people give to charity and have a meal with family, and children and adults dress up in costume.

Purim Gragger
During the day today, there was free entertainment along the pedestrian walkway in Jerusalem and families came out to enjoy the beautiful weather and a holiday free of restrictions. Entertainment ranged from singing and dancing, to acrobatic performances. Musicians, jugglers, and people who just like to dress up provided interactive fun for all ages.

Pedestrian street during Purim Acrobats at Purim

Winnie the “Pooh”rim

Read more »

Filed under: Israel, Travel | 6 Comments »

Jerusalem is a fascinating city. Unfortunately, like the rest of Israel, it is a bit expensive at times. For example, the first two nights I had a single room in the Citadel Youth Hostel with a queen size bed, no other furniture, and a private bathroom for $98. On the top floor, it was a very nice room, but I’m not used to staying in such nice rooms on my travels.

As a result, I asked for a cheaper room if they had one. They explained that a cheaper room was not available because it is Easter week and there are so many people. Satisfied with that answer, I went about my business for the day. When I came back, they had an offer that I couldn’t refuse. The gentlemen at the desk explained that there had accidentally been a double booking for the room I was staying in and that they had another alternative for me if I would accept it.

The Shed…      Flat Kat and I lounging in our pad   

They led me up to the roof, which had become one of my favorite features of the hotel because of its view of the Old City. On a separate level, they showed a plastic shed, about 7 feet by 5 feet, with a mattress, two plastic lawn chairs, an extension cord coming through a makeshift window, and a lamp. In addition, it had a “free balcony” with the fantastic view that I had been appreciating the previous two days. This “room” would only cost about $40 and would really help them out of a bind.

View from the my shed’s balcony (notice the golden domed Dome of the Rock)

I was thrilled! Like I said, I had been living the high life for far too long – it’s hard to find dirt cheap accommodation here in Israel. The shed had been exactly what I was looking for! So, I took it, and slept very well. Unfortunately, the shed isn’t available tonight, and I don’t want to go back to a $98 room, so I’m going to move on to another hotel. Hopefully, this one has a room that is as nice as my shed!

Filed under: Israel, Travel | 5 Comments »

Great cities with a long, rich, and proud history such as New York, Charleston, Boston, and Savanna are unique in the United States. Except for the oldest, most American cities are less than 200 years old, and it’s hard to find a building that is more than 75 years old unless you know where to look. Even the oldest settlement in the United States, Jamestown, just recently had its 400 year celebration. (I’m not discounting Native American settlements, but to my understanding there were no true cities.) Thankfully, our wonderful towns (Coxsackie, Athens, etc.) are exceptions. In fact, if you have never been to the Bronck House, make sure you put it on your list. (I shamefully admit that I only visited this worthwhile gem for the first time this past summer, after calling Coxsackie home for over thirty years!)

Read more »

Filed under: Israel, Travel | 2 Comments »

There are few cities in which a visitor can say that they are truly surrounded by history, because people tend to rebuild, renew, and redo much of the remnants that previous people have left behind. Most of the cities I have visited, or will visit, have been rebuilt dozens of times over the past few thousand years. In fact, the word “tel” in Hebrew means “mound”, so cities like Tel Aviv translate to the mound of Aviv city. It almost implies that the city was and probably will be destroyed and rebuilt… as always. It reminds me of the Hindu belief in the cycle of birth, life, death, and rebirth. Cities, it would seem, live through cycles as well.

Akko has defied part of this cycle, at least for the past 800 years. The Lonely Planet warns, “Don’t make Akko the first place you visit in Israel. After visiting this wonderfully preserved city of stone all the historic settlements scattered across Israel will appear rather ho-hum”. (LP, p. 215)

Flat Kat and I at Akko

Akko: A Close Encounter of the Historical Kind

Known as Acre to Europeans during medieval times, the unique aspect of Akko is that the remnants of the “old” city that existed during the Middle Ages are still intact. The walls built by Crusaders from Europe still stand and were expanded during the end of the 1700s, contributing to a rare defeat for Napoleon as he tried to expand his empire into the Middle East. As I walked through the medieval streets, I was literally surrounded by living history. Enveloped by fortifications that withstood dozens of invasions, medieval and modern, it was hard not to appreciate the living museum that is Acre. Even those of you who don’t like history much (you blasphemers!) would enjoy a walk through this old city.

Akko was an important city in the because of its geography. One look at an aerial picture shows why it would have been an imposing city to attack. In ancient times, it was very difficult to attack a city that was surrounded on three sides by water and one side by land. Cities like Constantinople (now known as Istanbul) and Akko were built specifically because of this military advantage. Any attacking military would need to have both a superior navy and a superior army in order to take the city. If they only had a superior army, the city only had to defend one side and could get food and other supplies from the sea. If they only had a superior navy, defending the 3 sides of the city by sea was very easy, and they could get supplies by land.

An aerial view of the city

Read more »

Filed under: Israel, Travel | 1 Comment »

I’m currently in Tiberius, which is a city that overlooks the Sea of Galilee (which is really a lake regardless of its name!).

I just wanted to check in to let you know that I have 2 pages of entries all typed up and ready to go, but there are no commercial wireless connections in the entire 70,000 person city, as far as I know, and I forgot to bring my USB jump drive.  For those of you who are not “techies”, that means that I have some stuff written on my laptop computer, but I can’t transfer it to the internet without a connection because I didn’t bring a “thing” I would need.

I will try to take care of it tomorrow when I arive in Jerusalem.  For now though, I’ll just direct you to Flat Kat’s most recent entry and promise that I will update you about my most recent exploits as soon as possible.

I hope I’m doing an ok job this trip.  After all of the positive feedback I got after my last trip to India, I’m feeling a bit of pressure! :)  Of course it’s good pressure, and I hope I’m living up to the task.

With that said, I just wanted to let you know what’s going on.  I’ll be able to be a little more diligent later this week when I settle in Jerusalem for 5 - 6 days.

I hope all is well.  Leave a comment if you’d like.

Filed under: Uncategorized | 2 Comments »