"There is no better way to feel the connection to Eretz Yisrael than to walk its length and breadth." - Ze'ev Vilnai
"Its been said that Avraham Avinu had to walk the length and breadth of the land of Israel in order to really make "kinyan," to become the true inheritor of the Land....Hiking (or biking!) across the land of Israel is the only way to truly fall in love with it, whether you're a tourist or a solider" - Jerry Silverman, student at Bat Ayin
Zev Vilnai - How To Connect to Eretz Yisroel
Zev Vilnai was a great pioneer of hiking in Israel and he loved Israel to such a point that he actually received the prestigious Israel award for "Knowledge and Love of Eretz Yisrael" (we should all strive to receive such an award). He is quoted as saying the following:
"I believe that there is no better way to feel the connection to Eretz Yisrael than to walk its length and breadth, cross its valleys, challenge its mountaintops and hike its trails, even the most forsaken ones..Only when you walk the expanse of land by foot, absorb the sweet perfume of its landscape, and see with your own eyes; its ancient ruins and modern cities, only then can you feel the real connection to Eretz Yisroel and feel yourself a son of land."
A Beautiful Wedding in The Old City
I was once zoche to go to a Bat Ayin wedding of a college classmate of mine named Josh Kaplan. The wedding was held at Shulchan David, near David Hamelech's Tomb. At the wedding, each person received the funkiest bencher which I love to use until today, 7 years later. The bencher has this funky hippy design on the outside, divre torah from Reb Shlomo and Rebbe Nachman on the inside amongst bircat hamazon and zemirot, a yehi ratzon for "Yisrael, reshit tzemichat geulateinu," and a picture of the chatan, the kalah, and their dog.Anyways, the bencher has a very holy dvar Torah from a "Jerry Silverman" about falling in love with your kallah, and Eretz Yisrael. I have read this dvar torah repeatedly because its across from bircat hamazon.
"Its been said that Avraham Avinu had to walk the length and breadth of the land of Israel in order to really make "kinyan," to become the true inheritor of the Land. Any time we really want to "own" something, we've got to see it and experience it for ourselves -a piece of property, a religion, a relationship - above and beyond the any of the propaganda or ideology we've received from its institutions. To be sure, there's a lot of buzz surrounding and permeating the land of Israel, the institution of marriage, and Judaism itself -- but we cannot let it distract us from the primary, ultimate value of experiencing and feeling for ourselves, of locating ourselves withing, their deeper mystery and eternity.
Hiking (or biking!) across the land of Israel is the only way to truly fall in love with it, whether you're a tourist or a solider. Standing in your sukkah and shaking your lulav is the only way to truly fall in love with G-d. And yes, even though its sounds backwards, getting married is the only way to truly fall in love with your beshert."
B"H
ReplyDeleteYisroel, Thanks for this. As you know Rav Kook did something similar almost 100 yrs. ago. As it's his yartzeit 3 Ellul, this is perfect for the edition which will come out on the same day. :-}
Ben-Yehudah recommeded, I came. Nice piece!
ReplyDeleteLovely post. Years ago, we walked so much in Eretz Yisrael, and now people are terrified. there are Jewish-Israeli children who have never really hiked in YoSH.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all of the comments on this post.
ReplyDeleteWe went on a significant amount of tiyulim on our last visit to EY. My favorite were in the North, especially in the Golan, especially water hikes. My wife and I brought our baby and put him in a 5-point harness baby carrier.
We went on the one hike called the Jalabun (or something like this) that was a water hike and at times, our baby was actually upside down as I grabbed for rocks to keep steady! It was quite an adventure and a sight.
There is a great summer program through Bnei Akiva called MACHACH where 11th graders go on hikes for 6 weeks all around EY.
A real dream of mine would be to one day be able to do the North to South hike that brings you through the entire length of EY.
Lovely article. Yes, hiking and seeing the sites connects you to history and creates a bond. I am planning aliyah with my family soon and I remember how my tiyulim in Israel inspired me when I was there 4th -5th grade. I am counting the days till I arrive and telling my kids of all the hikes/trips they will experience.
ReplyDeleteMrs. Baymillermom: Congratulations on your decision to make aliyah. I am moving to Ramat Shilo this summer. Please say if you happen to be in the neighborhood.
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