Hike Bishvil Israel - 2009
Hike Bishvil Yisrael
The first Heschel Hazon Hike Bishvil Yisrael was an outstanding success. We invite you to sponsor the hikers and to hike with us next year, March 15th-19th, 2009, on the Sea-to-Sea route from the Kinneret to the Mediterranean:
With a diverse and excellent group of 30 hikers plus staff, crew and educators we walked around 55 km (34 miles) from Ein Aravot near the Lebanese border to the banks of Lake Kinneret.
"What a beautiful hike, only it was too short."
- Felicia Herman
"The hiking today was excellent and the conversations even better."
- Shelley Levine
"Now I know, hiking is my life. Every day should be like this."
- Cynthia Rabinowitz
"The experience has been 
exhilarating, even as it has been exhausting.This has been my most unusual, and in many ways, most memorable visit to Israel in my life. I've learned about hiking, gained a new commitment to exercise and fitness, and seen my love of Israel enhanced and deepened."
- From Rabbi Mark Cooper's trail journal which he emailed out to his friends and supporters. The entire journal is online as a PDF here.
There were flowers everywhere and some water too (we began alongside a babbling brook). It was a great group, over half women, with ages ranging from 10 to 75, two rabbis, three tour guides, a couple of yoga instructors and more. We had lots of good educational stuff along the way as well as all kinds of surprises like squeezed orange juice a
t a break in the middle of the trail, fresh goat's milk ice-cream at the end of a long day, pittot cooked on an open fire for lunch one day, locally produced stone-baked bread another and so on.
You can read more comments, a blog and see pictures on the Hike web-site:
www.hikeisrael.org
The dates for next year are March 15th-19th, 2009. The route will be sea-to-sea from the Kinneret to the Mediterranean. We're planning on having at least two groups - one for everyone and one for experienced hikers - and also a "hike and learn" option which hikes for half a day alongside an activity in the nearby area.
