Beyond Israel Travel

17/01/2025

The next month will be one of the more intense months in our lives. A deal has been signed, the war supposedly is coming to some kind of end, and we’ll soon find out which of our children are still alive, and who’s coming home in a bag. I’m not hopeful, and yet I have no choice but to cling to hope.

I don’t know what the day after will actually look like. The Hamas gunmen will shout and cheer for their great victory and the civilians will return to northern Gaza to see that their homes are no longer. How will they react? Will they cheer or will they gnash their teeth at the ‘leaders’ for their folly? Will the Israeli government fall because of this deal or will Bibi manage to hold on as he’s done for over a decade?

There are more questions than answers these days, but I invite you to ponder with me, what it all means, and where we go from here. In the meantime, I’ll pray for a better day.

14/01/2025

Not far from the worlds oldest city, Jericho, which dates back some 8000 years, is a small church on the banks of the Jordan river in the Judean desert. St. Gerasmus is rarely visited but well worth your time, if the chance should arise. Indeed, the Greek orthodox tradition produces magnificent tapestries of art and religious imagery which are for bidden to the Muslims and Jews alike. I rather enjoy visiting their holy places, and pressing the boundaries of what is acceptable for a nice Jewish tour guide to behold.

The picture below is from the iconostasis of the church, depicting Israelites encircling the city of Jericho, and bringing down its walls. There’s a cruel irony with regards to the covenant that while G-d promised the land to the Israelites, she still demanded that we fight for the right to fulfill that promise. Some 3000 years later, little has changed.
I pray for better days ahead.

07/01/2025

Travel around Israel is also a journey of ideas.
Right now there are a lot of silly and foolish ideas being put into the air about the Jewish people and our culture heritage and religion; about our nationhood. There’s a lot of ‘interesting‘ ideas, outright vile ones, sinister ones, and not always a lot of wisdom nor truth behind them. And so it’s important to dissect and dismiss these ideas, to make sure we’re dueling in the realm of tolerance, understanding, compassion and certainly some wisdom, however often is possible. This is surely the place, where that elusive peace eludes us.

02/01/2025

On the last day of Hanukkah, I still search for hope. To light, dear family.

01/01/2025

Happy last night’s candle of lights
to a brighter year ahead.

Red Square Moscow, 1992

Naveed Anjum

29/12/2024

Strolling the city that I love

29/12/2024

Upon arriving to the white city,
I took a stop and I took stock, 
Of the year that’s passed us by.
Tonight we lite candles,
to blot out the sorrows
of a year full of anguish and storm.

May your year ahead have more light.

27/12/2024

As the sabbath is upon us, on this,
the third night of illumination.
The Hanukkah celebration brings us into our rest.
Before we relax we should ponder, and wonder
what miracles await us,
just beyond the darkness.

26/12/2024

Travel is a treat
Travel is a blessing
Wandering pilgrims
on the way to ever after.

To stroll the land with dignity
To lend a helping hand,
Bonds of friendship, beauty
Trees are full of fruity.

It’s a good earth,
a good land
A tough time,
To be a Hebrew in our home.

Happy Hanukkah to the fam,
And blsssings to all the clan.