Walkabout Israel

21/11/2024

Day 6 - A trip of one's own.

Today we explored artistic responses to October 7, through different mediums, from street art to museums. First stop, Kiryat Melacha neighbourhood, then a private tour with Carmela Rubin daughter in law of Reuben Rubin. We moved on to tastings in shuk levinski and then back to the Tel Aviv Museums of Art. We were able to absorb stories and appreciate the role and influence that art plays in society.

We experienced how art can tell a story, how the process is cathartic and how it can also be reflective. Art is life.

20/11/2024

Day 5 - A Trip of One's Own

Travelling in Israel at this time is always bittersweet. Today we travelled to the Nova Party site to pay respect. We also visited the community of Kfar Azza now based in Kibbutz Ruchama to see how they are rehabilitating and essentially offer them a hug. The complexity of living in Israel through these times is entwined into all walks of life, being here right now and having the opportunity to meet and talk with people affected is very meaningful. As we drive by communities and see signs in yellow, empty chairs and posters of hostages, stickers of soldiers who have fallen, we try to understand the sacrifices, even though the losses are incomprehensible, it goes hand and hand with the resilience of the communities commitment to rebuild, which is inspiring to see first hand.

After a break for an Ethiopian lunch in Rehovot, we continued to the Design Museum in Holon, the current exhibition 'color' also incorporated a piece related to October 7, an example of how responses in art are a place for expression when all other words fail.

19/11/2024

Day 4 - Into the great wide open of the Northern Negev. A day of indulgence from wine tasting at Carmey Avdat, walking through the history of the Nabatean Spice and Incense Route at Avdat, sunset by Ben Gurion's grave and dining in the desert at night. These women have experienced sights and delights, the best of what the Negev has to offer.

"A man is nothing but the shape of his native landscape" Shaul Tchernikovsky.

19/11/2024

Sunrise in the Negev

18/11/2024

Day 3 - 'A trip for one's own' - time to have an adventure, jeep riding in the Judean Desert. Discovering arts and creative spirits in the desert. Finally on to Yerucham to meet with a culinary queen and learn about the community living there.

Check out the Morrocan Sphinge!

'Once I traveled
along the shores of the Dead Sea
With a blind poet
I wanted to describe the sights to him
And I was quiet
He saw
He understood. - Yehuda Amichai

'

17/11/2024

Day 2 of 'A Trip of One's Own' with 6 amazing Ladies from New York transported today to Jerusalem.

We started with a literary component of a tour of the National Library, we then moved onto the Jerusalem Print Workshop where we met with Arik Kilemnick who showed us the first printing press to print a Hebrew newspaper.

After making our way to the Old City, we delighted in tasting our way through the markets sampling halva and tehini from Al Jebrini Tehina Factory, spices and more!

Wandering our way through the alleyways taking in unique vistas we stopped at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and then St Saviour Monastery for a private behind the scenes tour with Father Alberto.

We ended with a scrumptious dinner at Tmol.Shilshom soaking in the atmosphere of the great literary giants that once read prose in the same room.

16/11/2024

Welcome to Israel this unique group of ladies who have a special 'book club' together where they read short stories and have come to Israel for a 'Literary' tour. I am very honoured to be their guide and today we explored the poetry of Yehuda Amichai - "Jerusalem is a port city on the shore of eternity".

23/10/2024

Is a Sukkah on a tree permissible?

01/09/2024

It feels like we failed. It feels like we did not do enough.

I don't know how many more times our hearts can break. Thoughts and prayers are with their families.

Eden Yerushalmi
Hersch Goldberg-Polin
Carmel G*t
Ori Danino
Alex Lobanov
Almog Sarusi

They are all heroes now.

28/08/2024

There are many pictures of stunning architecture I could share from today but this is definitely my favourite pic of the day - Standing in 420yr old Synagogue in Bukhara, my heart is still in very much in Israel with all the hostages and standing here you realise that our story is very much centuries old and will still continue for centuries to come!

27/08/2024

Pic of the Day, Hazrati Imam Mosque, Tashkent, home to the oldest version of the Quran.

05/08/2024

Over the past few months, I have been privileged to start working with CSP - Community Scholar Program, Orange County and tomorrow I will be giving a session online on Israel off the Beaten Track - even if the timing doesn't work out for you, you can always register and then get sent the recording afterwards! Hope to see you online! https://tinyurl.com/45f6tv4n

The latest addition to the Team behind CSP is Gila Gabrielle Levitan - CSP tour guide in Israel - join her session on Israel off the Beaten Track tomorrow! https://tinyurl.com/45f6tv4n

Gila has been living in Israel for the past 20 years, originally from Sydney Australia. Gila led the CSP trip to Israel in November 2022, she has maintained a close relationship with CSP since then and recently also led the Artventure May 2024 tour. Gila can most often be found in unsuspecting places around the country like the reenactment of the Battle of Hattin. Curious about life and little details, over the past few months she has been doing a course in foraging and here she is picking Roman Nettle, in her happy place at the foot of Mount Tabor. Does anyone know where nettle was mentioned in the Bible?

11/07/2024

A succah still standing in Nir Oz, time froze there on October 7, the toys of Kfir and Ariel Bibas are waiting to be played with, the home that Yaffa Hadar was taken from and observing the general destruction - thank you to and for the opportunity to bare witness but also to give the south a hug.

08/07/2024

I have been privileged over the past few days to tour with these beautiful humans from Healing Ink who have come to Israel through to do the work of angels and give Nova survivors, injured soldiers and other survivors of the terror of Oct 7, a piece of hope, by tattooing over their scars and transforming their pain into a badge of bravery.

07/07/2024

Was so fun to go to the reenactment of the Battle of Hattin from July 4, 1187. This was crucial battle between the Crusader army of Guy de Lusignan and the Ayyubid army of Saladin (both pictured). Saladin lured Guy away from his water source at La Sephorie and then encircled him on the plain behind the Horns of Hattin, this set the stage for the Crusaders to lose control for the Holy Land and also the True Cross

03/07/2024

Excited to receive for the 6th year running a Traveller's Choice Award for 2024

27/05/2024

Thank you to and for giving me the privilege and opportunity to guide an amazing group of people through Israel for 9 days. We had unprecedented access to art galleries, museums, curators and artists. We learned that 'art is life' and also ate a lot of delicious food. Israel is a treasure trove of creative, experimental people pushing the boundaries and 'breaking through' - come visit!