We began the day with a trip to Latrun – the former British fortress that controlled the road to Jerusalem in the War of Independence. Latrun is now the home of the Israeli Armored Vehicle Corps. This was amazing. We saw the history of the Armored Corp, a museum that displayed all the nationalities that have fought to defend Israel over the years. We walked through their memorial site and stopped and acknowledged those who had fallen that date in Israel’s history. And then we walked into the Hall of Tears and I could barely breathe. This magnificent memorial to those who have fallen was intensely moving. I could feel the tears of the mothers, fathers, families and friends mourning. A truly impactful visit.
I was struck many times at how insistent Israel is in acknowledging each person who dies for Israel as the individual they are and not just part of a large anonymous group. It says a lot about the society and the country and the value of each individual to Israel.
Our visits to Ramle and Modi’in were a study of interesting contrasts in two cities. Ramle is a lower-economic level city, with little investment. Modi’in, the city of the future, is the up and coming city of Israel – full of beautiful homes, well maintained and strategically placed parks, schools, and all the other necessities of a small city. (They even have American stores like Ace Hardware and Burger King.) It is fascinating to look at a city’s layout and realize how beloved and valued the children of the community are.
Our final stop was Jaffa Flea Market, a fun stroll and a little haggling. Then a last stroll down the beach to Tel Aviv, a final good bye to an amazing teacher and the trip home. After these five intensive days, I realize I just scratched the surface!
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