The Holy Land Diary

A FAIRYTALE OF THE EARTH Ecology, People, Culture and Beauty of Israel

By

Vir Singh

Professor

Department of Environmental Science College of Basic Sciences & Humanities

GB Pant University of Agriculture & Technology, Pantnagar-263145 Uttarakhand, India

drvirsingh@rediffmail.com

The author highly appreciates the editing skill of Helen and Don Miller of New Zealand and he thanks Samran Sombatpanit for his kind overall arrangement.

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The Holy Land Diary

A FAIRYTALE OF THE EARTH

Ecology, People, Culture and Beauty of Israel Vir Singh

I came across information about international training courses in a wide variety of programmes conducted by the Galillee College of Israel. The Galillee College is an International Management Training Institute imparting multilingual training to participants from 144 transitional and industrialized countries. One of the fields for training exposure was Environmental Management. Both Israel and Environmental Management were favourite subjects of mine. I have loved Israel ever since I began understanding the world, international politics and history in some depth. Jews fought bravely for their existence, for a separate land, for freedom, for dignity, and for progress. I always wished to explore wonderful horizons, and Israel had been one for me. I also knew that Israel excelled in environmental management. Israel and Environment — what a magnificent fusion! It struck my mind and I e-mailed the Galillee College for further details. My interest was further aroused through frequent friendly and stimulating e-mails by Yulia Katz, the former Director of the Environmental Management at the Galillee College. She even waived my registration fee. I put all the papers together and submitted them to my university with an application. In my application I strongly tried to convince my university how the training would be of critical importance in furthering the university’s interests. I was encouraged by academics at the university but had to struggle with the finance department to pursue my application. I was eventually permitted by the university to do the International Training in Environmental Management.

When I received a letter from the Galillee College informing me about my stay in a Kibbutz, I was thrilled. I had recently learnt from An Autobiography of a Philosopher by Henryk Skolimowski how Kibbutzim contributed to the building of the nation of Israel. Living in a Kibbutz would help me get acquainted with the roots of Israel and Jewish culture.

My wife Gita worked harder than me at getting me an air ticket and a visa from the Israeli Embassy in India, and planning the 19 day stay in Israel. Apart from training lectures, field visits for practical learning and excursions to the places of historical importance, participants were also asked to prepare a project proposal relevant for their individual countries and present it to the Galillee College experts. So many plans were going through my mind — I would learn a lot, I would travel a lot, I would interact a lot, I would write a lot. I would enjoy a lot! NOTE 1. The spelling difference in this diary: Sea of Galilee but Galillee College. NOTE 2. From Concise Oxford Dictionary: kibbutz = a communal farming settlement in Israel; kibbutzim = plural of kibbutz; kibbutznik = a member of a kibbutz]

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I was so excited!  Israel was shining in my mind’s eyes like a star 

Day 1: 20 March 2009 I boarded the Turkish Airline plane, Flight No. TK1071 scheduled to depart to Istanbul at 5.00 hrs. The flight was a bit late. I occupied a window seat. I picked up the Turkish Airlines magazine SkyLife. I always like to go through the airline magazine, for it invariably provides the maps of the route to the destination plus it provides glimpses of the country the airline belongs to. The March 2009 issue of SkyLife portrayed Istanbul, the majestic cultural and financial centre and the largest city of Turkey. The first metro of Istanbul was built in 1875, which was the world’s first underground cable system. French engineer Eugene H. Gavand carried out this project. The metro operates between Beyoglu and the Karakoy, the old district of Istanbul. The other city in focus in the magazine was São Paulo, a unique cultural mosaic, Brazil’s art, cultural and financial capital. São Paulo was founded as a small town in the 1700s. Today, this is one of the world’s largest metropolises alongside Tokyo, Seoul, Mexico City and New York and the most populous city in the southern hemisphere with a total of 22 million people. São Paulo boasts a fertile soil and coffee production. World-famous Brazilian coffee is exported around the globe from the port city of Santos, 70 km away from São Paulo.

Some other beautiful tourist destinations in Turkey were also mentioned in the SkyLife, but the article that especially interested me was on Rice by Vedat Basaran and Onder Durmaz. Rice is one of the world’s oldest staples and the basic food of half of the world’s population. Rice is cultivated in 112 countries in the world with 95% of world’s production and consumption taking place in Asia. The article said that rice was one of the rare foodstuffs that did not contain the allergenic substance gluten. Flying over parts of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, and Iraq, the flight entered the skies of the Middle East. What was most enchanting for me during the New Delhi-Istanbul flight were the snow-clad hills. When I see pure snow covering the mountains my heart begins beating faster. To me, this is the most magical scene of nature. Snow-clad mountains are a message of life. These mountains provide the source of rivers, rivulets and springs and are the places on which Earth’s water writes a beautiful poem on the beauty of life. Snow-clad mountains give an intense feeling of life enhancement.

Istanbul was visible. A beautiful city nestled on the periphery of the Black Sea. Our plane made a comfortable landing and we alighted in the open. It was chilly outside. Cold wind was blowing. I had a titillating touch of the mixed European and Asian air. Istanbul extends over two continents: its western part in Europe and its eastern part in Asia.

I was roaming around, keenly observing the inner glimpses of the airport when a young woman came rushing up to me. “Are you Hindi?” she asked me. “Yes,” I replied. She started enquiring in Hindi. I asked her whether she was from India. She replied that she was a Nepali and along with three other Nepali girls was booked on the Tel Aviv-bound flight for some work in Israel. All the young Nepali women became friendly. They were not fluent in English and had been looking for a person who knew Hindi for a long time. They might have guessed by my face that I was an Indian.

Flight No. TK1186 took off to Tel Aviv. Flying over the Black Sea the flight came over the land area and then over the Mediterranean Sea. The flight headed towards Tel Aviv and I was very excited to be in Israel. The flight descended to a lower altitude before landing. We were about to embrace Tel Aviv. I was watching the grand buildings. All buildings appeared wearing the same colours — faded yellow walls and reddish roofs.

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Every roof was equipped with photovoltaic equipment. This reminded me of the technological feats made by Israel.

Safe landing at the Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv meant I could touch the Holy Land of Israel. A dream come true. At the exit point of the airport I was met by Mr. Shai Saked, the representative of the Galillee College located in Nahalal close to Nazareth, the city of biblical importance. Some more passengers were to come from Africa. We were all to travel together. Shai was waiting for them. I was sitting comfortably in the lounge watching people waiting for their loved ones pouring from various corners of the world. They were welcoming them with colourful balloons mostly bearing heart symbols, hugging them, kissing them, loving them. This was the sacred land of the Jews I had been thinking about since childhood days. Shai came after some time with some Africans, both ladies and gentlemen, who were on the same mission in Israel as I. We were seated in the vehicle of the Galillee College. I occupied the front seat alongside the driver. It would help me gaze at the Israeli land comfortably and with more interest.

Shai drove and I enjoyed being in the lap of a new land. Beautiful wide roads, enchanting scenes, fields full of greenery, lush green hills — as if I was in a fairyland! I fixed my gaze on the sun that was low on the horizon ready to set. The whole environment had turned pink — as if Israel was blushing! Shai listened to music and drew our attention to the melodious songs. He entertained the guests. Instead of Hebrew songs, he played English songs. Then he switched over to African music to draw the attention of the African guests. He also displayed some African songs on the computer and gave a commentary on music. He enjoyed music more than others. But the vehicle was driving along at the speed of 120 km/hr. Shai was also attending to phone calls. The calls were perhaps about us. I was trying to absorb into my mind the Hebrew words I was hearing for the first time.

The sun went below the horizon. The road on which our vehicle drove was bathed in electric light. We headed towards our destination amidst dazzling lights. Around 8:30 p.m. we reached our destination — Kibbutz Mizra, where our accommodation had been arranged. As I entered Kibbutz Mizra, a young man welcomed me and gave me a dinner pack. I listened to the sweet voice of the young man with long and somewhat different-looking hair. I said I was vegetarian. He said there was rice and chicken inside and suggested I separate the chicken and rice as they were not mixed. He also handed Shai the key of my room and a card for the dining hall which I had to use from the next day. I requested that our hosts help me get access to a computer network so that I could inform my family about my safe arrival in Israel. Shai and the young man assured me of help.

Shai left me in my room in the Hotel of Kibbutz Mizra. Room No. D-20. Inside was another guest who had come from the Philippines. After introductions with my roommate I opened my dinner pack. I had to discard it as there was chicken inside. A vegetarian of my kind does not like to even taste non-veg. I had to discard the chicken and rice in a dustbin outside, and saw after sometime that the bin was inverted and two-three cats were enjoying that ‘dinner.’

After some time the young and very friendly man took me to the computer room of the Galillee College Study Centre that was nearby. He helped me open a computer and access internet. I wrote e-mails to my wife Gita, daughter Silvi and son Pravesh telling them about my safe landing in Israel with “From Israel with Love” in the subject line. In the corridor of the Study Centre a poster read “Have Faith in Israel.” I felt this message of the hosts was very touching.

Feelings of being in Israel stirred up new ideas. I felt relaxed and content, which was a must for a good sleep. The day was three and a half hours longer for me due to the time difference. Strolling between beautiful hedges and looking all about at the kibbutz under the street lights I came back to my room and soon fell into deep sleep.

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Day 2: 21 March 2009 The morning was chilly and calm. It was a very special morning. I saw the first sun rise on the Holy Land! I came out of my room along with my roommate Prof. Robert Timango Ngidlo from the Philippines. I strolled along the road and pavements leading to the Dining Hall in Kibbutz Mizra. Tall pine trees and other conifers, lush green parks, beautiful hedges, birds chirping in the trees – the kibbutz was perfectly ecological in its nature and character. What a fabulous feeling! An Israeli kibbutz had been in my dreams ever since I read Henryk Skolimowski’s autobiography The Lotus and the Mud: Autobiography of a Philosopher, in which he portrayed the kibbutzim as one of the alternate communities the world must learn from. The kibbutz I have the opportunity to stay in is exactly as I had thought it would be. The ecological balance maintained by the kibbutz residents indicates their ecological consciousness, ecological ethic and ecological vision.

Fragrance of the Kibbutz I filled my lungs with aroma-laden fresh morning air. The kibbutz was full of aesthetic pleasures. I was in direct conversation with the coniferous trees standing tall and strong in two rows on the margins of a pavement and challenging the skies. Birds were singing songs, as if they wanted to draw my attention. Yes, I am a lover of birds. The kind of bird we in India call Gauraiyya is one I have been familiar with since childhood. This used to be the most common bird where I was brought up. My father usually had his breakfast with the birds. He would break a loaf of bread into small pieces which he would throw nearby. The birds would come and pick up the crumbs without any fear. These birds reminded me of my childhood and adolescence. Perhaps they made me feel at home in Israel.

There was not a single person visible in the kibbutz till about 6:45 a.m. Only Robert and me. We waited for the dining hall of the kibbutz to open for breakfast. Around 7:00 AM people started pouring in. The main automatic gate of the dining hall opened as we approached. We went inside. I was desperate to know whether vegetarian food was available there. Yes, it was. The fact that there was plenty of vegetarian food available made me happy and content. My family would be happy to know that there was an abundance of vegetarian food for me in Israel.

I was introduced to two Indians. Dr. Pradip Gulabrao Ingole was attending International Training in Crop Production and Water Management, and Ramnath Kisan Rahane in Agribusiness, Export and Marketing Management. There were 29 trainees in total, hailing from 11 countries: India, Philippines, Kenya, Lesotho, Ghana, Rwanda, Zambia, South Africa, Uganda, Burkina Faso and Nigeria. There were some other trainees from five different countries whose medium was French rather than English (I do not have the list of the French medium group). Their classes and tours were conducted separately.

Celebrating Sabbath It was Saturday. The Sabbath (Shabbat in Hebrew) in Israel begins at sunset on Friday and lasts until nightfall on Saturday. It is a weekly holiday on Sabbath. We were scheduled to visit an area around the Sea of Galilee and Nazareth. We were picked up in a bus near the Dining Hall in Kibbutz Mizra. The other bus was for the French group. The tour was operated by the Nazareth Travel and Tours Pvt. Ltd. Our guide introduced herself and the driver.

We approached Afula, a beautiful city of about 45,000 inhabitants. The city is not far from Kibbutz Mizra. While many of the inhabited areas are visible on the hills, Afula nestles on the plain. Agricultural land around Afula appears to be a classical example of flat land in Israel. Most of the land in Israel is undulating and hilly. The guide talked about many aspects of the land and life in Israel.

www.lonelyplanet.com/maps/middle-east/israel 

Israel is a comparatively young nation, although it is one of the oldest civilizations in the

world. It became independent in 1948. However, the history of this land and of Judaism is 4,000 years old. Biblical and archeological evidence tell an unending story of the past glory of the land. Excavations provide further evidence of the blossoming culture that prevailed there for millennia. Every stone in Israel could speak volumes about the history of the Holy Land.

The Jordan: River of Faith, River of History We stopped at Yardenit near Kibbutz Kinneret. This spot was the Baptismal Site on the River Jordan. The name of the river – River Jordan – brings a lot of excitement in itself. It brings realization that it is the river of history. Yes, the river in itself is a ‘flowing history’ of Judaism as well as of Christianity.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Feeding_the_multitude

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The Jordan is an ancient river. Jordan is also the name of a country that occupies land east of the Jordan River. The country of Jordan, however, did not exist during ancient times. The Jordan is the largest river in Israel, and is formed by three streams in the foothills of Mount Hermon. It descends into the Sea of Galilee. From there, it travels about 100 km to the Dead Sea. Its section north of the Sea of Galilee is within the boundaries of Israel, and forms the western boundary of the Golan Heights. South of the lake, it forms the border between the Kingdom of Jordan (to the east) and Israel and the West Bank (to the west).

The waters of the Jordan River are an extremely important resource to the dry lands of the area. At the same time the river is a bone of contention amongst Israel, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and the Palestinians. Israel is ensuring due care of the Jordan River. In 2007, Friends of the Earth Middle East, an organization committed to the cause of the environment, declared the Jordan River one of the world’s 100 most endangered ecological sites. Lack of cooperation between Israel and the neighbouring Arab states has been said to be the main reason. I have noted that it is thanks to Israel’s environmental responsibility that the Jordan River and other water sources are managed in an exemplary manner. Whenever I talked to the Israeli environmentalists and other people, they expressed their concern for the well-being of the Jordan River and other water sources such as the Na’aman stream, the Sea of Galilee, etc. Israel’s neighbouring states must follow suit.

Our woman guide O. Sidi told us of the biblical importance of the Jordan River and she also quoted scattered references to the river in the Bible. In the Bible the Jordan is referred to as the source of fertility for a large plain ("Kikkar ha-Yarden"), and it is said to be like "the Garden of God" (Genesis 13:10). The New Testament states that John the Baptist baptized those who had repented in the Jordan (Mathew 3:5-6; Mark 1:5; Luke 3:3; John 1:28). This is said to have taken place at Bethabara (John 1:28). Jesus came there to be baptized by him (Mathew 3:13; Mark 1:9, Luke 3:21, 4:1). The Jordan is also where John the Baptist bore testament to the fact that Jesus was the Son of God and Lamb of God (John 1:29-36). The New Testament speaks several times about Jesus crossing the Jordan during his ministry (Mathew 19:1; Mark 10:1), and of believers crossing the Jordan to come hear him preach and to be healed of their diseases (Mathew 4:25; Mark 3:7-8). When his enemies sought to capture him, Jesus took refuge at the Jordan in the place

John had first baptized him (John 10:39-40) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki’Jordan_River).

For Israel and for Christians all over the world, the Jordan River is very important. Christians from all over the world visit Yardenit, south of the Sea of Galilee, immerse themselves in the River Jordan and get baptized. I watched as devout Christians sang and chanted verses from the Holy Bible, immersed themselves in the Holy Water and became baptized. The banks of the river are covered with dense vegetation. The Jordan valley itself has thick vegetation. Its biblical links ensure that the River Jordan is amongst the cleanest rivers in the world. Israel takes all possible measures to keep the river clean and flowing freely. One thing Israel must be appreciated for by all humanity is that the river water is not supplied to the human population. Rivers are so dear, sacred and ecologically, socially and culturally valuable for

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Israel. Others talk, but Israel does it. Many countries have spoilt their rivers and streams and have even pushed them towards their demise. These countries must derive a lesson from Israel’s ecological approaches to conserve rivers. A river has a right to flow freely. Flow of the rivers of the Earth amounts to the flow of life. Rivers ensure sustainability of life and distribute hope and happiness to societies. And the Jordan River is flowing unceasingly. And with that is flowing the glorious history of the Holy Land of Israel. How to care for rivers, the world must learn from Israel.

Mount of Beatitude After the Baptismal Site at the Jordan River at Yardenit, we arrived at Mount Beatitude. The Guide showed us the famed Golan Heights spreading their wings on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. The Golan Heights, which have been one of the political and historical hotspots of the world, filled me with pride.

The Church of the Beatitudes. www.HolyLandPhotos.org

Fields on the way attracted our attention. There were banana plantations, groves of olive trees, fields of wheat and many more crops. Brassica (mustard) plants were in full bloom. Crops in the fields added to the joy of travelling. We stopped at the Church on the Mountain of Beatitude on the northern shore of the Sea of Galilee. The beauty and serenity of nature were all pervasive.

The mountain embraces a Catholic chapel built in 1939 by the Franciscan Sisters with the support of the Italian ruler Mussolini. The building was constructed by the noted architect Antonio Barluzzi. In front of the church, the symbols on the pavement represent Justice, Prudence, Fortitude, Charity, Faith and Temperance.

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Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake (Matt 5:3-11 KJV).

The New Testament records that Jesus was in this area on several occasions including when he healed the multitudes and faced Pharisaic condemnation for ritual impurity (Mark 6-7). The Mount of Beatitude is said to be the traditional site of Jesus’ delivery of the Sermon on the Mount. Pilgrims from all over the world have been drawn to this place since at least the 4th Century AD.

We entered the Church. Pilgrims from around the world were pouring in. At a place inside the Church of Beatitude there was water in a glass bowl. This was no ordinary water. It was donated by His Holiness Pope John Paul II when he visited the Mount of Beatitude on March 24, 2000.

The Beatitude Church site provides a superb view of the Sea of Galilee on the southern side of which is nestled the beautiful city of Tiberias. The magnificent Golan Heights are also visible, a reminder of the victorious war of 1967!

The Sea of Galilee: Sea of Sweet Water The Sea of Galilee is also known as the Sea of Tiberias, the Sea of Kinnereth, the Sea of Chinnereth, the Sea of Chinneroth, the Lake of Galilee, the Lake of Tiberias, the Lake of Kinnereth, the Lake of Gennesaret, Bahr Tubariya, Ginnosar, the Lake of Gennesar, the Waters of Gennesaret, and Yam Kinneret.

A panoramic view of the Sea of Galilee.

Lying in the Jordan Valley, the Sea of Galilee (Hebrew Yam Kinneret) is 210 m below sea level. It is 21 km long by 12 km across and up to 46 m deep, with a total area of 170 sq km. It is Israel's largest reservoir of fresh water fed by the Jordan River, rainfall and springs on the northern side. Its water is piped to various storage basins and from there to the Negev. The stretch of land alongside the Sea of Galilee is renowned for its fertility. Josephus wrote: “It was wonderful in its characteristics and in its beauty. Thanks to the rich soil there is not a plant that does not flourish there, and the inhabitants grow everything: the air is so temperate that it suits the most diverse species.” The rabbis said of it, "Although God has created seven seas, yet He has chosen this one as His special delight." (http://www.goisrael.com/Tourism_Eng/Tourist+Information/Discover+Israel/Geographic+Regions/Lake+Kineret+(Sea+of+Galilee).htm)

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Lake Kinneret is a body of water that sends a message of well-being and happiness to all Israelis. Israelis are more concerned about the level of water in Lake Kinneret than about globalization or the export market, which reflects their national feelings as well as a sense of ecological integrity. Yam Kinneret has, in fact, become a powerful national symbol in Israel. The Israeli government takes all necessary steps to keep the lake clean and unspoiled, and always heeds the suggestions of concerned environmentalists. This is very much appreciated. Three cheers for the ecological nature and environmental concerns of the Israelis.

Lake Kinneret played an important role in the early years of Christianity and has now become a pilgrimage site for many Christians. According to Christian tradition, Jesus lived, preached and performed miracles beside Lake Kineret and in the surrounding region. It was here that he walked on the water and the miracle of the loaves and the fishes happened in nearby Kfar Nakhum (Capernaum). There are many Christian holy sites around Lake Kinneret, including the Mount of Beatitude, the Church of the Loaves and Fishes, Kfar Nakhum, Kursi and the wooden boat discovered in the lake and now on display at Kibbutz Ginosar. Other nearby historic sites include Migdal, Tel Hadar, Ubeidiya (Israel’s most important prehistoric site), Beit Tsida, Kibbutz Dganya Alef, Moshavat Kineret and the city of Tiberias. (http://www.goisrael.com/Tourism_Eng/Tourist+Information/Discover+Israel/Geographic+Regions/Lake+Kineret+(Sea+of+Galilee).htm)

When we were at Mt. Beatitude, our guide Sidi also told us many interesting things about the Golan Heights that were visible on the other side of the Sea of Galilee. I was especially happy about everything related to the Golan Heights, which wove a spell of beauty and charm and contributed to the whole extremely intoxicating scene. I asked the guide many things about the Golan Heights and she answered my questions. I really wanted to go there, but that was not on our agenda for the day. We had other destinations.

The Church-of-Loaves-and-Fishes We came to another interesting place. In the midst of grasslands stood a church, blending elements of the old with the new, and surrounded by excavation sites. Embracing Biblical history as well as natural beauty, this place is Tabgha (ancient Heptapegon) located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee. The Church is known as the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves and Fishes (also known as the Church of the Multiplication). The church is modern but stands on the site of the 4th and 5th century churches. It preserves a splendid early Christian mosaic as well as the traditional stone on which the miraculous meal was laid. A church of the Feeding of the Five Thousand was first built on this site in c. 350. The church was small (15.5 m x 9.5 m) and on a slightly different orientation than the later versions. The Spanish pilgrim Egeria visited this church in the 380s, and reported (http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/tabgha-church-of-loaves-and-fishes.htm):

By the sea is a grassy field with plenty of hay and many palm trees. By them are seven springs (heptapegon), each flowing strongly. And this is the field where the Lord fed the people with the five loaves and two fishes. In fact the stone on which the Lord placed the bread has now been made into an altar. People who go there take away small pieces of the stone to bring them prosperity, and they are very effective.

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Our guide asked one of us to read out the marked lines from the Bible. I quote here the following (http://www.sacred-destinations.com/israel/tabgha-church-of-loaves-and-fishes.htm):

The miraculous feeding of five thousand people is described in Mark 6:30-44, just before Jesus walks on water. The Gospel account of the loaves and fishes does not specify where it took place; only that it was in a "remote place" (6:32, 35) on the shores of Galilee. According to Mark's account, Jesus and his disciples had gone out in a boat to this remote place for some peace and quiet, but the crowds ran ahead "from all the towns" and met him when he landed. By then it was dinnertime and they were not in a village where food could easily be bought, so Jesus fed them all by miraculously multiplying his disciples' five loaves and two fishes. Then Jesus directed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and fifties. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces of bread and fish. The number of the men who had eaten was five thousand. (Mark 6:40-44)

Under the altar table is a block of limestone venerated as the Table of the Lord. This is unlikely to be the same one Egeria saw in the 4th century. In front of the altar is a lovely restored mosaic of two fish flanking a basket of loaves. The figurative mosaic floor of the Church of the Loaves and Fishes that represents the beautiful ancient art of the 5th century is another attraction. The mosaic depicts birds and plants, the bell-like lotus flower, and fauna and flora from the area of the Sea of Galilee. The mosaic is said to indicate the influence of the Nilotic landscapes popular in Hellenistic and Roman art in the 5th century. In the shady courtyard of the Church are placed the big grinding stones excavated from the nearby areas. The place is of sacred importance as the place of a Miracle of Jesus or Footsteps of Jesus.

The Town of Jesus Our next destination was Capernaum, the Town of Jesus. We arrived at the Franciscan’s archeological site where a board on the main gate welcomes visitors to Capernaum – The Town of Jesus. We seated ourselves on the stone benches. I especially enjoyed gazing at the stones showing wonderful carvings. They were piled all around. These were no ordinary stones. These were excavated from the site. The pottery, the carved out stones, building patterns and agriculture of the past demonstrate the uniqueness of the settlement of Capernaum amongst Galilean cities of the past. It appears that the ancient Jewish civilization was quite advanced. Agriculture, obviously, was the main occupation of the Jews. Olive farming appears to have been flourishing in the area for millennia. Many olive presses and grinding stones unearthed in the excavation operation are testimony to this. The ancient civilisation in and around the Capernaum hamlet might have been economically well off and in trade linkages with the people of far-flung regions.

We took a look around and found many ruins of ancient houses, which were testimony to the wonderful architecture of the past. The wonderful art of carving could be seen on the stones of the pillars. A 4th century synagogue (in fact, its ruins) attracted our attention. The guide told us about the history of the synagogues, the Jews’ places of worship. The synagogue is made up of four units, namely the prayer hall, the eastern courtyard, the southern portico and a side-room near the northwestern corner of the prayer hall.

Next was the house where Jesus used to live. Perhaps it is owing to this house that the town of Capernaum is called the Town of Jesus. Here Jesus also sowed the seeds of the Good News. A few meters in front of the House of Jesus is a bronze sculpture of St Peter made by Teresa and Charles L. Madden. The following passage about the Town of Jesus is interesting:

‘Capernaum - The Town of Jesus’ was indeed exalted to heaven by the living presence of Jesus. During his stay he helped the needy, healed the sick. Through his new and authoritative preaching he showed the new way of life. It is from this fishery hamlet, the new movement of Jesus takes its birth. The ‘house-church’ of St. Peter is the root for the growth and development of the universal church. St. Peter, the fisherman who once held the fishhook was designated the shepherd of the Christian community by Christ. There is no doubt that ‘Capernaum – the town of Jesus’ is still being exalted heavenward by the retelling of the sweet memories of Jesus, whose words echo from here throughout the whole world: ‘My son, your sins are forgiven’ (Mk 2,5); ‘Do not fear, only believe’ (Mk 5,36) (http://www.toshare.in/places/places/htm).

We had our lunch in a restaurant on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. I had the distinction

of being the only vegetarian in the entire team of visitors. I said to our guide Sidi that I must be served vegetarian food and she kindly ensured that I was given only vegetarian food. It was my first lunch in Israel. After lunch, as I looked at the Sea of Galilee and the Golan Heights on the other side, I thought I must feel the water. I came down the terrace, stood on the shore for a couple of minutes and dipped my hand in the sweet water of the Sea of Galilee. The Olive Farming: such scenes are very common in Israel. The olive is a sacred tree, an economic

tree, a historical tree. Excavations reveal the fact that olive farming has been blossoming in this region for millennia. (Photo: Vir Singh)

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Now we were on our way to Nazareth, the last destination of the day. The road we drove on linked the upper Galilee and the lower Galilee. The lower Galilee is about 300 m from mean sea level, while the upper Galilee is about 1,000 m altitude from mean sea level, as Sidi told us. Green fields were visible all around, mountains were covered with scrub. Many orchards, particularly of olives and fruit trees, added scenic beauty to the landscape. The soil was red. And scenic beauty? Wow!

The City of Nazareth We arrived at our final destination for the day – the city of Nazareth that is located between the open space of the Jezreel valley and the mountainous regions of the Galilee. It is one of the holiest cities and a prominent place of pilgrimage for Christians the world over. Nazareth was a small village once, but now it is a big city consisting of about 60,000 people. This is also the largest Arab city in Israel. The city embraces three cultures – Jewish, Arab and Christian. It is also the capital of northern Israel.

We were guided to the biggest church in the area, the Church of he Annunciation. Christians worship Mother Mary here. Sidi told the stories associated with the Church. Mary was blessed by the angel Gabriel and told that she would bear a child who would be a Messiah. Sidi asked one of us to read out the lines from the Bible. I volunteered to read. The guide said with a smile, “You will have to become a Christian.” I was one of the three Hindus and all the others were Christians from 16 countries, mostly Africans. As a Hindu, I love to learn and absorb the best things relating to all beliefs and also respect them. I also live up to a philosophy that teaches all to live in harmony, peace and oneness. I pursue the life-enhancing philosophy taught to me by my guru Henryk Skolimowski, who himself is a Christian, but he is also everything and I find him more Hindu than me. I read out lines from the Bible. Everyone listened to me reading the Holy Bible. After that the guide took us inside the Church. The Church was built by a famous Italian architect. Then we went to the St. Joseph Church. This Church was built in 1914 on the site of an earlier 12th Century Church. There were underground caves in the Church. Outside were some excavation sites marking the ancient village of Nazareth.

It is said that the Christian pilgrims were not much interested in the site initially. It was not until the 6th century, when legends about Mary's life in Nazareth began to circulate, that Nazareth became a Christian pilgrim destination. Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament. However, in 1961, an early Hebrew inscription was found in Caesarea that mentions Nazareth. In Jesus' time, Nazareth would have had a population of about 500. And indeed, in the New Testament, Nazareth is depicted as an obscure backwater. In the Gospel of John, people who hear of Jesus of Nazareth ask themselves, "What good could come from Nazareth?" (John 1:46). Nevertheless, the New Testament reports that Nazareth was the home of Mary and Joseph (Luke 1:26), the site of the Annunciation (announcement to Mary that she would give birth to the Savior) and the town in which Jesus grew up (Matthew 2:23, 13:54; Luke 2:4, 2:51, 4:16). Nazareth is mentioned 17 times in the New Testament. Jesus eventually left the village for a wider ministry although he was always known to some as a “prophet from Nazareth in Galilee” (Matt 21:11).

Archeological excavations conducted in Nazareth since 1955 show that Nazareth was a small agricultural village consisting of only a few dozen families. The pottery remains testify to a continuous settlement during the period 600-900 BC. Caves, cisterns and grain storage bins are the other archaeological findings. The discovery of mills and mill stones brings to the fore the agricultural characteristics of the area of Nazareth of the past. The economy of those days must have been dependent to a large extent on olive farming. Olive plantations have been one of the central characteristics of agriculture in the past. Farming in olives, no doubt, has been flourishing in this area since ancient times.

According to Dr. James Fleming, “The main events in Jesus’ life, as described in the New Testament, are the annunciation of his birth (Luke 1:26-38), his childhood and early

manhood (Luke 2:39-52, Matthew 2:19-23), and the clash with his fellow citizens (Matthew 13:54-58, Luke 4:17-30). From the very first events relating to the life of Jesus in Nazareth, we learn that the people of his village did not approve of his thinking and behavior. To them he was Jesus, one of the sons of Joseph the carpenter (the other brothers were James, Joseph, Simeon and Judah - Matthew 13:55). Luke describes with great drama how Jesus was rejected by the people of Nazareth. After his sermon in the synagogue aroused their anger, the people took him "and brought him to the precipice of the mountain that their city was built upon" (Luke 4). Some have pointed out that this sentence in Luke is not correct, as Nazareth is built in a valley and not on a mountain. But the valley of Nazareth is on a mountain overlooking the Jezreel valley – and the mountain of the precipice overlooks the valley of Nazareth and the valley of Jezreel. The town of Nazareth is a place of Mother Mary and Jesus also grew here and lived here for about 25 years.” (http://www.inisrael.com/tour/nazareth/history.htm).

Dr. Fleming writes about Nazareth: “Nazareth is also holy to Christians because it throws light on the holy family, especially Mary, the mother of Jesus. This is the place where a Christian believer can consider Mary's qualities. Her character as a noble woman, a woman of purity, simplicity, sensitivity and pureness of heart. Mary is portrayed as a mother who devotes herself to the education of her son and remains devoted to him in the most trying of circumstances (she was present at his crucifixion – John 19:25 – and recognized him as the messiah - Acts 2:36). For Catholics, Mary has a special significance – and her special place in the New Testament is hinted at in the verses "Blessed art though of women" (Luke 1:41) and "Peace unto thee woman of grace, God be with you" (Luke 1:28)” (http://www.inisrael.com/tour/nazareth/history.htm). This quotation about the city of Nazareth by an anonymous writer is quotable:

"Nazareth is like a rose, having the same rounded form, enclosed by mountains, as the flower is by leaves."

Day 3: 22 March 2009 Kibbutz Mizra is calm and peaceful. Morning is especially so. No one is visible outside till

7:00 a.m. Birds sing, adding to the feeling of serenity. The water tower of Kibbutz Mizra is an attraction. On the top of it is an artistic interpretation of Israel’s national symbol, and beside it is another artistic work – an installation of wheels. Green pastures are laden with dew drops, tall trees talk to the skies – nature pregnant with beauty tells the tale of the kibbutz. Residents of the kibbutz are not only diligent but also have beautiful minds. Beauty outside is an extension of the beauty inside.

Water Tower in Kibbutz Mizra: Fusion of art and

infrastructure. (Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mizra)

In the dining hall of the kibbutz, my roommate Prof.

Robert hinted at a surprise: “Nirit, Nirit has come.” Here was Nirit Yardeni-Drori, the beautiful, slim, smart,

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enthusiastic and committed programme director of the Environmental Management programme. Nirit approached our table. I stood up in a welcome gesture. “Vir Singh from India?” she asked me. “Yeah,” I replied shaking her hand. We were both glad to be formally introduced. We had, of course, been in correspondence for a long time. I was so eager to see her. Soon she became very friendly as if we had known each other for a long time. She has a very sweet nature and wears a sweet smile on her face. Her eyes are blue.

After breakfast, I proceeded along with Nirit towards the Study Centre of the Galillee College located in Kibbutz Mizra. On the way to the Study Centre I talked to Nirit about my struggles to make it happen, to get to Israel and participate in the International Programme on Environmental Management conducted by the Galillee College. I felt quite at home. I handed over to her the required amount for local maintenance costs. My registration fee had already been waived, which played a big part in convincing my university to sponsor me for the training. I had sent my appreciation and thanks to the Galillee College for waiving my registration fee.

The young man I talked about earlier, the first person to receive me at Kibbutz Mizra and the one who helped me to establish communication with my family was Mr. Omri Levy. This wonderful young man was our Social Coordinator. The other social coordinator was Mr. Ron Turtle, who was also handsome and soft-spoken. Both social coordinators took an interest in every participant and were ready to help.

The first lecture in Environmental Management I attended was conducted at 10.00 a.m. I did not attend the first two days’ lectures as I arrived at the venue on the evening of 20th March, the seminars having begun on 18th March. The very first lecture was on Israeli Agriculture delivered by Ms. R. Fishman, Galillee College Academic Director of Agricultural Training. The second lecture, which unfortunately I missed, was on Israel and the Middle East — Past, Present and Future by Dr. Joseph Shevel, President of the Galillee College. The third lecture I could not attend was on Kibbutz Mizra by Mr. Z. Harel.

The Environmental Management Group: Left to Right (first row) — Prof. Vir Singh (India); Nirit Yardeni-Drori (Director Environmental Management, Galillee College); Prof. Robert Timango Ngidlo

(Philippines); Mr. John Gondi Nyakwaka (Kenya); Mr. Peter Ng’ang’a Kaigwara (Kenya); (second row) — Mr. Omri Levy (Social Coordinator, Galillee College); Ms. Tlalane Ramautu (Lesotho) and

Ron Turtel (Social Coordinator, Galillee College).

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The trainees from 11 countries, attending different programmes run in English medium, along with some staff members of the Galillee College.

It is always good to know as much as possible about places one visits and to

understand the culture of these places. I was very happy to see the topic of Kibbutz Mizra featured in the list of lectures. I was quite romantic about kibbutz life. When I saw the list of lectures I had missed I felt sorry for missing out on information about the Israeli kibbutzim. However, I satisfied my curiosity about kibbutzim by questioning the local people I came in contact with. Dr. Ofer Dressler

Dr. Ofer Dressler delivered a lecture on waste management. It was the first lecture I attended. In fact, a series of lectures on waste management was to be conducted by Dressler, Academic Director of Environmental Studies at the Galillee College. He was a chemical engineer by profession and was especially interested in environmental technologies. Dr. Dressler did not make use of

powerpoint. He discussed everything, writing and sketching on the board. The first class — very interesting, very thrilling, very stimulating indeed! There were five of us in the Environmental Management class: Prof. Robert Timango Ngidlo from the Philippines, Ms. Tilalane Ramautu from Lesotho, Mr. Peter Ng’ang’a Kaigwara and Mr. John Gondi Nyakwaka from Kenya and myself from India. Nirit also joined the class. A very good, very friendly and very united group, indeed! Dr. Nathan Tirosh

The afternoon session was a lecture by Dr. Nathan Tirosh. ‘Project Management—Timing and Budgeting’ was the topic. It was a joint class. International students of other programmes also joined the class. Dr. Nathan Tirosh was the Dean of the Galillee College and Director of the Department of Business Administration. He was very intelligent, very friendly and had the art of

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making the lecture very interesting amidst waves of humour. He smiled unceasingly. He lectured for about four hours with a short coffee break. Before the lecture came to a close, Nathan had become friendly with everyone.

After dinner, there was a lecture on computer operation (8.00 to 10.00 p.m) by Keren, a young, smart and charming teacher. Though I am well versed in computer operation, I learnt a few extra useful commands from Keren. In the computer class I was the only non-African. I had never attended night classes before. It was a joy to be part of the class and to be ‘at the command of an attractive teacher.’ This class was in the computer lab, so I was also working on the internet and able to be in communication with my family and students in India and abroad.

Day 4: 23 March 2009 The first lecture of the day was on organizational setup by Dr. Haim Taub. When he started interacting, I found he was very interested in everyone. We briefly introduced each other. When I said I came from India, he told the class he knew about many interesting places in India and had had many exciting experiences there. Dr. Haim Taub is a psychologist and organisational consultant, and has lived and worked in many countries, including India. For many years he has been lecturing and conducting workshops on leadership, interpersonal communication, improvement of quality service, personal evaluation, emotional intelligence, creativity, etc.

Competition or Compassionalism? Dr. Taub gave a lecture on analysis of organisational culture and planning improvements and made it very interesting as well as participatory. I joined in the discussion about organisational setup. Dr Taub discussed the Cameron and Quinn (1999) model of competing values in four types of culture, viz. Clan culture, Advocacy culture, Market culture and Hierarchy culture. Amongst them Market culture in particular promotes competitiveness. When it came to his argument in favour of competition for the sustainability of an organisation, I put my own point of view. Cut-throat competition is one of the most serious ills of our times. Competition is leading to complete exhaustion of resources and environmental bankruptcy. How then can competition be an instrument of sustainability? The environment is the basis of sustainability. If the environment is denuded of its natural resources in the process of converting nature’s cycles into economic cycles, the environment will collapse. If the environment collapses how can the economy and economists survive? Cut-throat competition, in fact, is the bone of contention. A kind of cold war amongst different capitalistic organisations is grinding common people. The masses are being reduced to mere consumers. Creativity is being crippled. This kind of competition war amongst industries, if allowed to continue unabated, will culminate in the annihilation of life at some point in the future. The rapid spread of liberalisation-privatisation-globalisation processes is nourished by the capitalists’ doctrine of competition. Cut-throat competition should be replaced with mutualism, symbiosis, synergy and compassionalism. We are increasingly realising the worst impacts of callous competition. The crumbling of the world’s economies is alarming and is, in part, the result of current competitive, industrial, production practices.

Competition – in essence – has now become a sacred cow. The idea of competition is fertilised in the womb of capitalism. Capitalism, according to the famous eco-philosopher Prof. Henryk Skolimowski, claims that the individual, the atom, is more important than the whole to which it belongs.

Dr. Taub was not unappreciative of some of these ideas. His lecture was quite stimulating. He did not dismiss the ideas emerging from the discussion. He had so many things in store for us during the lecture. He lectured, smiled, and perhaps he also absorbed

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the ideas coming from the audience of five. I was a bit critical, but maybe Taub enjoyed listening to me. He gave us an exercise based on the psychology of organisational setup. It was pretty interesting. He seated himself beside me and helped me to complete this graphical exercise, which was a new experience for me. It could be useful in future. Taub concluded his lecture with very positive and optimistic feelings. I shall never forget this wonderful lecture. One suggestion to the psychologists: Violence, chaos, mental restlessness, hatred, conflicts, etc. are rooted in competition. Devastating wars are nothing but an extension of ruthless competition. Mutualism, symbiosis, synergy and compassionalism are a must for happiness and sustainability. Prof. Henryk Skolimowski’s ideas of campassionalism are worth quoting:

Present economics has been a handmaiden of Capitalism. Compassionate economics will be a bride of Compassionalism. What markedly separates these two systems (nay, these two metaphysics) are values and the conception of the human. The basic debate between capitalism and compassionalism is not over the modes of production but over the whole system: whether to continue the existing (capitalist) system or to introduce an altogether different system, such as compassionalism…. Compassionalism assumes that the world is a sanctuary. Each of us is a sanctuary. We, each of us, have the responsibility to take care of the well-being of this sanctuary. We are all woven in a common net of well-being. Hence we take care of the other as a part of a larger biotic and cosmic community. Our world is holistic. We are all connected. And we strive to realise the ideals of equality and justice. Compassion in this context is not a great sacrifice but an elementary act of understanding of how things are in this connected, symbiotic and empathic universe… Compassionalism represents a whole belief system, a set of values and a worldview.

The afternoon session of the seminar was conducted by Dr. Ofer Dressler. It was the next chapter on hazardous waste management. Waste management is of more practical value. Theory is interesting, but believing-by-seeing is more interesting. Tomorrow it will be our turn to visit the site where waste management will be demonstrated. Dressler’s seminar ended at 6:00 p.m.

Our Environmental Management group of five had to work on a project to be submitted on Friday. We were to hold meeting after coffee break. When I was taking coffee, a beautiful woman entered the room and asked me, “Are you Dr. Vir Singh?” I replied in the affirmative and with some curiosity. “I am Tal,” she said. “Oh! Tal,” I exclaimed with a sense of pride, “I have been looking for you for the last three days.” She was with her little son. I recalled a number of e-mails I had exchanged with Tal Cohen-Yasour. I reminded her of one of Nirit’s e-mails in which she wrote to me, “Now our wonderful registrar will write to you.” I had exchanged e-mails with three authorities of the Galillee College — Yulia, Nirit and Tal. Yulia had left the college much earlier than I attended the programme and Nirit was now the Programme Director of Environmental Management. Tal is the Registrar. A very high degree of confidence was reflected in Tal’s face. Tal in Hebrew means a dew drop, as Tal told me. Names in Hebrew are very meaningful, as they are in Hindi. What is in a name? There is a lot, dear Shakespeare! Nirit is a flower’s name in

Hebrew as she told me. I asked the meaning of the names of many and found them very sweet and meaningful. ‘Life loves life’ is a beautiful notion of the celebrated eco-philosopher Professor Henryk Skolimowski. We love ourselves because we love life. We love our identity. And a name bears the existential value of a person, the biggest identity. Parents do a lot of churning of thoughts when they choose a name for their children.

We had very a friendly chat and had dinner together. Tal is a vegetarian like me. Knowing this made me happy. I appreciated her for being vegetarian. I have a special interest in vegetarianism and in those who are vegetarians. Vegetarianism is not just about humans’ food habits, it is a philosophy: the philosophy that helps us stay closest to the producers which are capable of trapping cosmic energy onto Earth. The largest amount of energy on Earth is contained in green plants. That is why photosynthesising green plants are called the producers and serve as the first trophic level from whence begins the play of life — through the food chain. Therefore, dependence on vegetation means being in the most stable, the most vibrant, the most energetic, the most dynamic, and the most creative mode of life.

Day 5: 24 March 2009 We were off to visit the Haifa region to study the extensive water treatment. Shai Shaked drove us to our destination. It was drizzling, and the damp air released the smells of nature into the air. I wished I could fill my lungs with the natural fragrances, but the air-conditioned vehicle isolated us from the external environs. Outside the precincts of Kibbutz Mizra was a very large farm that instantly captured my attention. “Does this farm belong to Kibbutz Mizra?” I asked Shai. Shai replied in the affirmative. Food crops were abundant. The bumper crops were a reminder of two things: the superb agro-technology developed by Israel, and the relationship between food and peace. Israel is not only growing food crops, but also cultivating peace. Israeli agriculture is living testimony to this.

It started to rain more heavily. The wet roads made the trip more enjoyable. Shai put the music system on. Indian songs from the film ‘Dil To Pagal Hai’ were heart-warming. Shai is very fond of music. A feeling of joy emanating from the Hindi music accompanied us as we drove.

It began to rain even harder. “I was born in that village,” Shai pointed at a locality on our way, “when I was born there was no house there, I was born in a tent, 55 years ago.” I am full of admiration for the dynamics of change Israel has undergone in the last five decades. Today’s Israel is outshining the world. Kudos to the leaders, kibbutzim and the

visionaries who developed the State of Israel into one of the leading economies of the world. There is one sharp difference between the economy of the west and that of Israel, as I have realised. Israel’s economic feats have been achieved through an ecologically based development while the West’s economy is the result of overexploitation of the natural resource base. What is very encouraging is that Israel’s ecology is ahead of its economy, which is a very positive indicator of the national development paradigm. Ecology in the West, on the contrary, is trailing behind the economy, which is a negative indicator.

An Overview of Haifa (Photo: Vir Singh).

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I recall Sunderlal Bahuguna, the celebrated Gandhian, environmental activist and the Chipko (Hug-the-trees) movement leader of India saying “ecology is permanent economy.” Israel appears to be pursuing this notion very well.

We travelled on through picturesque hill country. Some trees were laden with blossoms. Mustard was in bloom all around. The mustard flowers appeared to give a message of happiness and hope. Nirit’s home was on our way. Her company made the field visits more interesting. She is a caring, responsible, committed and very tender and beautiful human being, an ideal representative of Israel and of Jewish culture.

The rain stopped, the clouds slowly moved away. Haifa city boasts tall buildings. Shai pointed at the tallest — the 31-storey Haifa University building that talks directly to the sky.

Managing the Sewerage—Israel’s Deep Environmental Concern We arrived at the Laboratory of the Haifa Region Association of Towns-Sewerage based in Haifa. The Association serves 11 municipalities in the northern region of Israel. These are: Haifa, Kiryat Ata, Kiryat Bialik, Kiryat Yam, Kiryat Motzkin, Nesher, Shefaram, Tirat Carmel, Rechasim, Iblin, and Zevulun Regional Council. The Association serves a population of more than 800,000 spreading over an area of about 100 km2. The system brings a sewage flow averaging up to 120,000 m3 per day to the sewage treatment plant. The Haifa sewage treatment plant that came into being in the 1960s was the first treatment plant ever built in Israel. A team of committed workers is responsible for the industry sewage quality control. Sewage samples are analysed in the sophisticated laboratories for the biological oxygen demand (BOD), chemical oxygen demand (COD), soluble solids (SS), salinity, hydrocarbons, chlorides, ammonia, nitrates, nitrites, detergents, heavy metals, hardness, colour, acidity and temperature. The results of the chemical and biological analyses are brought to the notice of the municipalities, regional authorities, Environment Ministry, Health Ministry, and the Haifa Region Association of Towns for Environment Quality. The Association, thus, helps in the strict enforcement of the law pertaining to sewage quality. The Israeli law relating to industrial sewage ensures that the sewage flows must meet certain quality requirements before being conveyed to the treatment plant.

Most of the treated effluent is pumped to the Kishon Reservoir in the Yizrael Valley. The reservoir has a storage capacity of 12 million m3. The treated effluent is then distributed by a company as part of the irrigation water supply system. Israel’s handling of the sewage quality and use of the treated effluent for irrigation is yet another example of Israel’s

environmental consciousness and also of linking development with management of the environment. The Haifa Region Association of Towns-Sewerage provides a lesson for other countries to manage and maintain environmental quality. We were also told that the plant produces its own electricity from the methane produced during composting which provides about 50 percent of the electricity required for plant operation.

Sewerage Treatment Plant of the Haifa Region Association of Towns (Photo: Vir Singh).

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Multidimensional functioning of the Haifa based Sewage Treatment Plant: it cleans water, helps irrigate crop fields, produces compost and methane, generates electricity from methane and cleans

the environment (Photo: Vir Singh).

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Later on we had a tour of the beautiful industrial city of Haifa. Planning of this industrial city of Israel tells its own story of wonderful architecture. Nirit took us into a grand mall that had become the victim of two missiles fired by Iraq during the Gulf War in 1991. Everything in Haifa – its buildings, architecture, industrial units, environmental planning, bazaars, roads, people – expressed beauty and grandeur. Being in Haifa was like being in a fairyland on Earth.

The waste water is treated, 99% purified, then used for irrigation: An example of environmental responsibility the world must learn from Israel (Photo: Vir Singh).

Author with Nirit Yardeni-Drori at a Shopping Mall in Haifa.

Day 6: 25 March 2009 Today we went on another study excursion. The topic that brought us to a government station based in Karmiel in the Western Galilee of North Israel was Environmental Control. Yosi Sadaka, seemingly an orthodox Jew, drove us to our destination. Karmiel, founded in 1964, is the commercial, educational, cultural and industrial hub of the Western Galilee. All government offices of the Western Galilee Township Association for Environmental Protection are well equipped with the necessary facilities; and people, all responsible and committed, are equipped with deep knowledge and enthusiasm. The environmental officer we met today was of this type. She was Mrs. Laurence Amar, her smiling face expressive of commitment and honesty. She is the Solid Waste Coordinator of the Western Galilee Township Association for Environmental Protection.

Art of Environmental Beautification   Mrs. Laurence Amar spoke at length for some hours with just a short break. But she smiled a lot and was very committed to her subject. As well as this she took an interest in her audience with whom she had lots of eye contact. She was very enthusiastic and eager to provide us with as much knowledge as possible.

By means of a slide show presentation Laurence described Israel’s approach to environmental management. Israel's Ministry of Environment was founded in 1987, which makes it a relatively young ministry. But its achievements have been significant – so significant that many countries in the world today are adopting the environmental management strategies followed by Israel.

Laurence talked about everything related to the environment: rivers, resources, forests, landscapes, oceans, and the culture of Israel. She frequently drew our attention to a map of Israel focusing on Northern Galilee. In response to one of my questions, she also traced the origin of one of the prominent rivers of Israel, the Na'aman River which discharges into the Mediterranean Sea in the south of Israel. The other major world-renowned river of Israel is the Jordan which we visited on March 21.

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Israel has three seas: The Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea and the Dead Sea. The Sea of Galilee, in fact, is a big lake of sweet water. Israeli government policy is wise as the rivers are not used for human consumption, otherwise they would have been in peril before now. Israel gives special importance to its rivers. Israel is not very rich in its water resources but due to its special emphasis on its natural resource management, the country more than fulfills its water needs. Irrigation is done through treated waste water. Laurence told us that Israel was the first country in the world to reuse its waste water.

Israel’s agriculture—Wow! Lush green fields of crops, vegetables, fruits, olive trees, bananas, and what not. The fields are not as level as in many other countries. They are undulating, but 100% irrigated.

Solid Waste Coordinator Laurence Amar at the sanitary landfill site (Photo: Vir Singh). We were given a lunch break. We went to a restaurant in Karmeil city. Everybody was

worried about my lunch and our coordinator, Nirit, carefully explained to the waiters that I was a vegetarian. A variety of vegetarian dishes were served. The lunch, on the whole, was delicious.

We then visited a sanitary landfill site – the principal sanitary landfill and the biggest in the Galilee. We arrived at the site which was on a mountain side. We found Laurence there. She had driven by car. It was an ugly sight, as could be expected. The whole place stank and many vultures hovered overhead. But this was to be expected, given the mountains of garbage that society produces every day.

Laurence's enthusiasm was not insignificant. She moved closer to the site. Trucks loaded with garbage emptied their loads and the stench was repellant. But Laurence, who is a committed officer, explained everything and showed us the landfill techniques used to prevent contamination of underground water. But she also apologised for the ugly smell. "Don't worry, Laurence," I told her, "that is a world-wide problem." I also said laughingly, "You perhaps did not think of one aspect relating to this landfill. You have turned this site into a Sanctuary of Vultures."

Ramsa – an especially designed truck for environmental services (Photo: Vir Singh).

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She then took us to another site where the leachate from the landfill was treated. Methane gas was extracted from the landfill and utilised as a fuel to generate electricity for 200 families in a nearby kibbutz.

Finally Laurence said goodbye. She got in and out of her car three times! I appreciated her for the depth of her knowledge and for her extraordinary enthusiasm. I also had a photograph taken with her. Whilst standing beside me posing for the photograph she said laughingly, "Won’t your wife mind?" I said, "No, my wife is very broadminded."

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Nirit and Laurence near a plant that generates electricity from the methane produced from the landfill (Photo: Vir Singh).

Author with Solid Waste Coordinator Laurence Amar: the solid waste management system developed by Israel is critical to environmental and economic sustainability.

Laurence eventually waved goodbye and disappeared. We seated ourselves in our

vehicle and drove towards Kibbutz Mizra, where we were staying. On the way, Nirit asked, "Would you like to do some shopping. Here is a good mall?" We spent some 45 minutes in and around the shopping mall and reached Kibbutz Mizra by evening.

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Day 7: 26 March 2009 It was sunny today but the morning was cold. About 350 m away from the Hotel I was staying in was the Dining Hall. I made my way slowly over to breakfast enjoying the birds and plants on the way. Kibbutz Mizra was quiet and calm, full of serenity and aesthetic views. No one would be seen outside before 7:00 in the morning. The Dining Hall opened at 7:00 and the residents of the kibbutz and all participants of the Galillee College started pouring in in slow motion. Happy faced children and adolescents streamed in. They had to go to school but did not appear to be in a hurry. It was breakfast time, why hurry? There was a variety of foods in the Dining Hall—many kinds of fruits, cucumbers, vegetables, salads, beverages, ice creams, soft drinks, salads, juices, milk and milk products, eggs, porridge, meat; you name it and you could find it there. One has to pick up two plates, one large (perhaps of aluminum) and the other a porcelain plate. The Dining Hall was quite big, and could accommodate more than 500 people altogether.

Having had breakfast, I walked over to the college where I had two lectures to attend. At 8:30 a.m. Dr. Ofer Dressler came in. He was a robust professor and had everything at his finger tips. He did not need assistance of any sort. He had all the statistical data at his finger tips. He spoke non-stop for 4 hours, with, of course, a coffee break. In the Coffee-cum-Library room we sat together. We discussed many things about the course curriculum. “You should introduce Eco-Philosophy in the Galillee College,” I suggested to him. “Oh, yes”, was his abrupt response.

I also gave the coordinator of the French Programme in the College some yoga exercises and when I was teaching her, some students saw us. Omri immediately spoke up for yoga: “I saw yoga classes like this everywhere in the Himalayas,” he said.

“I heard the Hebrew language was once dead like our Sanskrit. Is this true?” I asked Dr. Dressler. “Yes, it had all but vanished about 200 years ago, but it was revived by the Jews who came here,” Dressler replied. But, alas! We could not revive our Sanskrit, which is the world’s oldest language. Dressler admitted that Hinduism is the oldest religion in the world.

In the afternoon we had a lecture by Dr. Sam Weinberg. He spoke on Basic Principles of Financial Analysis. This very senior professor has cultivated a wonderful method of teaching. He taught in a way which we shall never forget. He spoke slowly and gently and whatever he said was crystal clear in its meaning, in its depth. You would find very few professors of his caliber. He took the class for about three and a half hours.

It was now dinner time and I made my way over to the Dining Hall of the kibbutz where I could savour the diversity of the vegetarian menu. In the Dining Hall an African delegate came rushing up to me. He said he was interested in learning Yoga. Karin, the Coordinator of French participants at the Galillee College, had whispered to some participants that I knew Yoga. One day at lunch time she had cried a little, as if in need of help. She had a kind of sprain in her shoulders. I showed her some exercises and she believed that the Yoga had helped her. She made me popular amongst the participants in this regard. Anyway, we decided that we would have Yoga classes at 6 p.m. every day.

I had a rather restless night. I had a problem with coughing, perhaps due to the air conditioner. At dinner time yesterday Omri told me that from 2 a.m. on, Israeli time would be one hour ahead — summer time. I adjusted my watch before going to sleep.

Day 8: 27 March 2009 The day started with a lecture by Sam Weinberg. He was a wonderful teacher. He spoke very slowly, with tremendous confidence and when he lectured everything became clear. He carried on from the previous lecture on financial management. Financial management is crucial in all projects. He continued speaking on the various aspects of financial

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management. I learnt many Excel commands. I am sure one would be a good finance manager after attending a lecture by Sam Weinberg.

After lunch came Ms. Nirit Giladi, the Project Director of the International Agricultural Training Centre of the Galillee College. She, as per the pre-decided programme, had arranged a meeting with me to exchange views about our respective institutes. I explained to her what our university is doing and what I am doing. Possible areas on which the Galillee College and the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology could collaborate in future were identified as post-harvest technology and environmental management.

The afternoon class was shifted to 3:30 p.m. Professor Nathan Tirosh came in and flashed a smile at me. He shook hands and asked, "How are you?" It was clear from his gestures that he had recognised me. It was only the second time that I had attended one of his lectures.

The class was conducted in the computer room. Nathan is a project manager. We learnt how to prepare and evaluate a project with complex graphics. I was amazed that in India we are deprived of such wonderful exercises.

The class was over at 5.45 p.m. I went to the coffee room. Tirosh followed. I told him he was a wonderful professor and that in Israel we were coming in contact with such great professors. He was full of enthusiasm and energy.

Around 6:00 p.m. my yoga students came. Karin was the coordinator of the French delegates. The other three were from Africa, all French delegates. We held our yoga session in a classroom. I felt it brought some kind of satisfaction to them. We concluded the yoga class with OM SHANTI OM chanting.

Day 9: 28 March 2009 

Today we set out on a Sabbath excursion to Jerusalem, the Holy City of the Holy Land. Orith Cohen, our brilliant guide, greeted us with a smile and hand shake near the dining hall of Kibbutz Mizra. The bus was all set to go. I chose a window seat. On the way we saw food crops on the plain. Afula city is situated on the classical plain area. Established in 1924, it is a very important northern city. From Afula a very fertile valley is visible. Bumper crops in the well managed fields are proof of the fertility of the land around Afula. Orith told us all the stories associated with landmarks in the valley. She also told us about Jewish history and culture, and also many things about Jerusalem.

Forests of cypress trees and pines on the mountains were enchantingly beautiful. Orith told us that the pines were planted by Jews in the 20th century. What was once a neglected area was now laden with greenery. Greenery in the northern part of Israel, which, thanks to the Israeli nation’s vision, is transforming solar energy into the chemical energy of food, sequestering free carbon of the atmosphere into plant biomass and soil, manufacturing oxygen and spreading the aesthetic values on the land of Israel. This greenery is also giving a cooling touch to Mother Earth. Land might be divisible, waters might be divisible to a certain extent, but the atmosphere is one, not at all divisible. Israel’s “green planning” is not only cleansing the atmosphere of Israel but also of the neighbouring countries that are by and large desert and devoid of greenery. In fact, the whole of the biosphere is one and indivisible. It is politics that has divided everything between Earth and sky. Ecology holds everything in unity. A person, a community, or a nation that spreads greenery does the best service to the planet Earth, to humanity, and to the self. Israel is doing precisely that. I would suggest Israel assumes leadership on the ecological front. Ecological leadership is peace-building and phenomenal for sustainable development.

On the way to Jerusalem, Orith pointed out a security wall. The city has been surrounded by a wall several kilometres long. This is the Palestinian city of Kalkilia. The

security wall protects Israeli citizens from sporadic incidents of terrorism by the Palestinians. This is the first Palestinian city in Israel I have seen. Israel in the past has been infested with terrorist attacks. That is why Israel has had to resort to such measures under the obligation of protecting its citizens.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem, O Jerusalem! Traveling on Road No. 1, we arrived at the Mount of Olives. We stopped at a place with a panoramic view of Jerusalem. The city was quiet but alert, peaceful but watchful. The Mount of Olives, also called Mount Olivet (in Hebrew Har HaZeitim), is part of east Jerusalem. The highest peak of the Mount of Olives (at-Tur) rises to 818 m. The slopes of the Mount of Olives in the past were covered with olive groves, hence the name, the Mount of Olives.

The religious ceremony marking the start of a new month was held on the Mount of Olives in the days of the Second Temple. After the destruction of the Temple, Jews celebrated the festival of Sukkot on the Mount of Olives. In 1481, an Italian Jewish pilgrim, Rabbi Meshulam Da Volterra, wrote: "And all the community of Jews, every year, goes up to Mount Zion on the day of Tisha Be-’Av to fast and mourn, and from there they move down along Yoshafat Valley and up to the Mount of Olives. From there

they see the whole Temple (the Temple Mount) and there they weep and lament the destruction of this House."

King David also fled from Jerusalem through the Mount of Olives. “And David went up by the ascent of Mount Olivet, and wept as he went up, and had his head covered, and he went barefoot: and all the people that were with him covered every man his head, and they went up, weeping as they went up" (2 Samuel 15:30). The Mount of Olives is frequently mentioned in the Old Testament as well as in the New Testament. It is the place where Jesus stood when he wept over the future destruction of Jerusalem. It is also the mountain on which King Solomon built pagan altars for his foreign wives. They were later destroyed by King Josiah who "filled it with bones" to prevent future worship. Prophet Zechariah talks about the Day of Judgment, with the Mount of Olives the epicenter of God's fiery fight against the enemies of Jerusalem.

A view of Jerusalem from Mount of Olives.

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Many pilgrims from around the world, especially Christians and Jews, strive to reach their supreme destination—the city of Jerusalem. We arrived at the front of the Gethsemane Church or the Agony Church. The Grotto of Gethsemane is the Place of Betrayal and the Arrest of Jesus. From here can be seen a deep valley surrounded by a big wall, which is 1,760 m long, 1,140 m wide and 3.50 m high. A large abandoned gate, called the Mercy Gate or Golden Gate, has something to say.

The Gethsemane Church on Mount of Olives in Jerusalem (Photo: Vir Singh).

A scene opposite the Gethsemane Church: The Golden Gate through which Jesus used to visit the

Temple (Photo: Vir Singh).

Cohen told us that it is through this gate that Jesus used to go to the temple. We climbed the steps and came to a garden. This is the garden of Olives. Some olive trees, possibly as old as 1,500 or 2,000 years, attract pilgrims’ attention. These trees appear very sad, for they have witnessed Jesus’ arrest! Here, Jesus was arrested after he was betrayed by Judas. This site bears a natural stone monument. The inscription on the stone reads, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” We entered the church where people were praying. We participated in the prayers and then visited another church on the Mount of Olives, not very far from this place.

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Left: The Place of Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus; Right: Author at the Garden of Olives on Mount of Olives.

Ancient Olive Grove in the Garden of Olives where Jesus was arrested after he was betrayed by Judas (Photo: Vir Singh).

We now arrived at the place where Mother Mary lived and was married. A church from the time of the Crusaders stood there. We visited many fine architectural sites of biblical significance around the main church. Every place, every church, tomb, monument, cave and wall had much to say about the historical significance of Jerusalem and of Israel.

A glimpse of the Judean Desert from Jerusalem.

Jerusalem extends over three mountains — the

Mount of Olives, Mount Zion and Mount Moriah. Orith continued with her commentary as we

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proceeded to another site. From the bus itself she showed us the Fort of King David. King David was a very famous Jewish king. She also showed us a 300 year old cemetery. There are about 150,000 graves on the mount. From biblical times until today, Jews have been buried on the Mount of Olives. Orith described the Jews’ philosophy of life: We come from dust and return to dust. We stopped at a place from where we could see the Judean Desert spreading southwards. A bitingly cold wind was blowing, but I was prepared for the chill as I was wearing woolen clothes and a yellow and grey cap bearing the emblem of Galillee College.

It was time for lunch. We arrived at a kibbutz — Ramat Rachel Kibbutz. The dining hall of the kibbutz — wow! We queued up for food. There was a variety of foods. Lots of vegetarian food. I was feeling hungry and with the vegetarian food of my choice I made sure that my hunger would be satisfied. While partaking of food seated comfortably at a table, I looked around and appreciated the architecture of the dining hall. Never before had I seen such a large, spacious, beautifully constructed dining hall serving such an astonishing variety of foods. Israelis love to choose from a variety of food stuffs. Kibbutzim appear to have evolved the art of nourishment. Man is what he eats — thus goes a saying. Kibbutzim prove this saying. Whatever food the land of Israel produces will be found on the dining table of a kibbutz.

After lunch, we proceeded on foot to a nearby site from where we could see Bethlehem, the Birth Place of Jesus. We were not allowed to visit the Birth Site in Bethlehem, for this place is in the control of Palestine. Terrorism perpetuated in the Palestine-controlled areas prevents thousands of pilgrims from visiting the Birth Place of Jesus. So we had to be content with just a glimpse of the Holy Place from a site in Kibbutz Ramat Rachel. The exact Holy Site of the Birth of the Messiah in Bethlehem could not be spotted from this distance. I could only get a feel of the birth place amidst the concrete buildings of Bethlehem.

We proceeded towards Golgotha. On the way Cohen showed us the Mezuzah (Jews’ House), an example of magnificent architecture. She told us that the architect of this house was executed. Rulers in the distant past sometimes exercised inhuman acts of this kind in order that particular pieces of art could not be replicated. India’s Tajmahal that came into being during the medieval age is another example of such brutality. The construction of the Tajmahal, the so called Symbol of Love, by the Mogul King Shahzahan, is one of the most brutal instances, for hundreds (perhaps thousands) of architects and labourers were punished by having their hands chopped off by the autocratic ruler for the simple reason that another Tajmahal could be built by these persons. There can be no blending of art and brutality. Art and culture have no room for violence and brutality. If they do have they are no form of art or culture.

We arrived next at Golgotha, the spot where Jesus was crucified. A gallery leading to the magnificent church draws one’s attention to it. We reached the compound of the church. Outside is Helen’s Chapel, which looks somewhat shabby. The Queen of Sheba came here to visit King Solomon. The chapel of the church dates from the time of the Crusaders.

We ascended steps to where there are two churches side by side. At one site Jesus was stripped and nailed. Alongside was the site where Jesus was crucified. I stood there for sometime. I bowed down, placed my forehead beneath a table to pay my obeisance to Jesus. I felt I had different feelings and something was touching my soul. I felt I had completely drowned into Jesus. I came downstairs. There was a smooth stone partially broken in one place where Jesus was laid down after Crucifixion. His grave is nearby. Pilgrims from around the world were praying in the church where Jesus lay in peace.

Left: The place in Golgotha where Jesus was crucified (Photo: Vir Singh); Right: Author at the place where Jesus was crucified.

Jesus body was laid on the stone after crucifixion.

The Western Wall—Wonder of Wonders The Western Wall was our final destination. This is the most important synagogue in the world. It is the holiest place for Jews around the world. The synagogue was ruined in several invasions. The ruins are well preserved and the Western Wall is always full of life. People from around the world visit the Wall and pray. Cohen told us to keep our heads covered with a cap while inside the area. She also directed us NOT to write anything on paper within the precincts. I prayed before the Wall. Then I saw some written papers inserted in the holes of the Wall. I recalled Cohen’s words and quickly ran outside the precincts where I could write my wishes on a piece of paper which I could then leave in the synagogue. I wrote down my wishes, returned to the Wall and left them there. This was my first experience of praying in a synagogue. A wonderful experience, of course!

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A View of the Western Wall (From the website - Photo ©zyzy).

Being at the Western Wall was great. I wished to know more about this sacred place.

The Western Wall (Hebrew HaKotel HaMa'aravi), also referred to as the Wailing Wall or Kotel (pronounced ‘Kosel’), is a very important Jewish religious site located in the old city of Jerusalem. It dates from the end of the Second Temple period constructed around 19 BCE by Herod the Great. The aboveground portion of the Western Wall stretches for 488 m. Today, this wall is one of the seven wonders of the Holy City.

View of the Western Wall from above (From the website - Photo ©zyzy).

According to the Bible, Solomon Temple was built atop the Temple Mount in the 10th

century BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The Second Temple was completed and dedicated in 516 BCE. In around 19 BCE Herod the Great began a massive expansion project on the Temple Mount. The area was extended into an enlarged platform. Today's Western Wall formed part of the retaining perimeter wall of this platform.

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Herod’s Temple was destroyed by the Roman Empire, along with the rest of Jerusalem, in 70 CE during the First Jewish-Roman War.

The Western Wall has witnessed numerous ups and downs in Jewish history. During the 1948 Arab-Israeli War the Old City together with the Wall was captured by Jordan. Following Israel's victory during the 1967 Six-Day War, the Western Wall came under Israeli control. Yitzchak Rabin, fifth Prime Minister, described the moment Israeli soldiers reached the Wall: “There was one moment in the Six-Day War which symbolized the great victory: that was the moment in which the first paratroopers – under Gur’s command - reached the stones of the Western Wall, feeling the emotion of the place; there never was, and never will be, another moment like it.”

Highly celebrated authors Larry Collins and Dominique Lappierre wrote a book O Jerusalem! many years ago. This book got into limelight due to the unprecedented historical events the Old City of Jerusalem has gone through. The subtitle of O Jerusalem! – Day by Day and Minute by Minute the Historic Struggle for Jerusalem and the Birth of Israel – itself speaks volumes about this City surviving all times from the ancient through the medieval to the present. The New York Times Book Review of O Jerusalem! reads, “A story as dramatic, as miraculous, as full of wonders as ever told.” This is the essence of the City of Jerusalem. I wish I could give a poetic response to my beloved Jerusalem I have been in the lap of for a day. So, this Ode to Jerusalem:

O Jerusalem!  O Jerusalem! You are incomparable, You are unparallel, You are an icon of human history, You are creator of history, You are the history in yourself. O Jerusalem! You have been invaded numerous times, You have been destroyed a thousand times, You have been bleeding for centuries And yet you healed yourself every time. The more you were humiliated The more courage you gathered, The more you were crushed The stronger you emerged. Every time you were enslaved Every time you regained your freedom. O Jerusalem! You have experienced the labour pains During the Birth of Israel. Remember, you wore a smile on your face After ages. With the birth of Israel You wiped off all the dust of history And appeared into your new incarnation. O Jerusalem!

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You were reduced to ashes a hundred times But like the phoenix, You emerged even from your ashes. You are the wonder of wonders on Earth. O Jerusalem! You hold your existence value, You hold the power of regeneration, You owe the guts of resurgence. You never lost the glitter of your spirit, You did not diminish your spiritual power. Raising your head skyward You have been weaving The history of human freedom and dignity. O Jerusalem! You have still so much in store of the future, You are now feeling the fragrance of your freedom, Keep your memories preserved For they will enlighten the path of freedom and creativity For all the generations to come. You have to compose the poetry of human freedom and dignity, You have to compose music of love and dance, You have to sing the song of symbiosis, love and oneness. Your task is not yet over, You have a bigger onus ahead, You have to keep awaken, And make all the times to come A melodious tune of your music, song and dance! All glory to you, O Jerusalem!

Day 10: 29 March 2009 Yesterday's trip to Jerusalem was exciting and unforgettable. A dream come true, indeed. When I was a student as well as a journalist, Jerusalem was one of the most talked about cities of the world. India had not established diplomatic relations with Israel because the Indian government believed that the Gulf countries would stop exporting oil to India if Israel were recognised. But I was an ardent lover and supporter of Israel. Israel was fighting for a cause. Israel was fighting for peace. Israel was fighting for the dignity of human kind. As a journalist and a young analyst I used to think like that. “If you want peace, be ready for war,” Lal Bahadur Shastri, the late Prime Minister of India and an ardent lover of peace, once said in 1965 when Pakistan invaded India. Israel too has been struggling to acquire peace. And Israel acquired peace, like a brave nation.

Jerusalem is really unbelievable! Every wall of Jerusalem speaks volumes about the history of ups and downs and falls and uprisings of Israel and most of the world. Beliefs and cultures of all the continents and subcontinents of the Earth owe a lot to Jerusalem. The impact of the beliefs and cultures rooted in the Holy City of Jerusalem on the world, in essence, has been phenomenal.

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This Sunday, I had only one lecture to attend. The afternoon was free, surprisingly. We have been asked to prepare a project relating to the problems of our own country. Dr. Ofer Dressler spoke for a little less than four hours. During coffee break, there was a discussion on Yoga. In fact, Nirit asked me about the Yoga classes, as she had earlier demonstrated her interest to learn Yoga but could not attend the regular class held at 6:00 p.m. every day as she was 'obliged to be at home at this time'. I said, "Don't worry, I shall spare a few minutes for you to learn Yoga at any time between lectures." She expressed her happiness at this arrangement. "Why not just now?" I said. She was ready. Our instructor Dr. Ofer Dressler was also ready. Ms. Noa Perl, Director of European Affairs, was also ready for an informal Yoga class during this break. We took off our shoes and sat down on the cemented path leading to the main gate of the Study Centre. I talked a little bit about the philosophy of Yoga and then demonstrated three Pranayam (breath controlling exercises). Time was short. I did not take much longer. Noa met me. She said that she wanted a meeting with me. She reminded me of an e-mail I wrote to the Galillee College from India. The e-mail was about the possible collaboration between the Galillee College and the GB Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, India. Interaction with Noa brought good feelings. She has a gracious facial expression and is a very lovely and committed member of the Galillee College. After the lecture was over, we were informed that our afternoon session today was free. What a relief! Because I shall find some respite from the regular routine to write to my darling wife, to my daughter and to many others, including Yulia in Israel. After sometime, Programme Director Nirit came in, smiling as usual. "I think you will come back to Galillee again," she said. Then she reminded me of the Cultural Night to be held the next day. On this International Night I have to sing an Indian song or have to give a dance performance. On opening the computer I found Gita's e-mail. So glad to see her mail. I wrote a long e-mail in response to hers. She would be on tour to Lohaghat in the Himalayan Mountains of India from March 29 to April 3. She said she would return to Pantnagar before I arrived back at Pantnagar from Israel.

Day 11: 30 March 2009  Golan Heights. I used to read about them. I used to hear about them. When I was a journalist and student in the early 1980s I used to write on international issues. The Middle-East, especially Israel, was my favourite subject. The Golan Heights had been under the control of Syria. But in the great Six-Day War of 1967 Israel won the Golan Heights back. Today when we were in Tiberias on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, at my request we were taken to the Golan Heights. We saw two paths from the Golan Heights: one leading to Jordan and the other to Syria. So we were at the meeting point of the three countries: Israel, Syria and Jordan. To express my inner joy, I danced, which Nirit found entertaining. She said we are happy we gave you some happiness. Yes, Nirit, you gave not only some happiness, you gave enormous happiness. Thank you so much. We got out of the vehicle to gain a more immediate feeling of the Golan Heights.

After a not-so-long drive, we reached Moshav Kinnerette where the owner of a big shop showed us a documentary on date farming and food preservation in Israel. Date farming is flourishing in the area of Moshav Kinnerette. There are some seven species of dates brought from Egypt and Iraq that are being cultivated by the residents of the moshav. We tasted delicious dates offered by the owner. The owner was selling dates and so many other preserved fruits.

After some time we returned to Tiberias, a beautiful city on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. This Sea is mentioned in the Bible. We had our lunch in Tiberias. We also roamed

around the beautiful city and enjoyed a stroll along the shore of the Sea. Tiberias was established in around AD 20 by Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great. It became the capital of his realm in Galilee. Tiberias (Tiberius) in the course of its history has also seen many ups and downs and falls and uprisings. It is a historical city of Israel and now has a completely modern appearance.

I was totally enchanted by the beauty of the Golan Heights. My heart is beating for them at the moment. So I shall write more about the Golan Heights about which I am such a romantic.

Golan Heights – the Heights of Israel’s Glory  During my twenties I was very much interested in Israel. I became a freelance journalist after my master’s degree. I was in the Almora district of Uttarakhand (at that time Uttarakhand was officially referred to as the UP Hills), where writing articles and composing poetry on burning issues was the prevailing fashion amongst young people. The first article of mine published in a famous Hindi Daily was entitled “Farce of Human Rights.” Soon I became interested in international issues. Developments taking place in the Middle East especially attracted my attention. At that time Israel was being threatened by its neighbouring countries. I used to admire Israel’s courage and struggles for self-respect and for what was rightfully Israel’s own. Israel was my favourite. In fact, Israel had emerged as a hero of the nations, but unfortunately many countries, including India, did not have diplomatic relations with Israel, in a bid to appease the oil-exporting Gulf countries.

The Golan Heights were the hotspot of the world at that point in time and were often mentioned in the press. In 1967 in the Six-Day War Israel regained control over the Golan Heights. I regard the event of the Golan Heights coming into the fold of Israel as one of the significant events of the 20th century. When I was preparing to visit Israel for participation in the Environmental Management Programme of the Galillee College, I took a glance at the map of Israel. When I located the Golan Heights quite close to Nahalal, I was thrilled. I very much wanted to visit the Golan Heights.

During our first excursion on March 21, I could only gaze at the Golan Heights from the other side of the Sea of Galilee. I thought perhaps I would never actually be in the midst of these beautiful mountains. But Nirit and Yossie Sadaka, the Assistant Administrative Coordinator, heeded my personal request. When we were on the field visit, Mr. Yossie Sadaka drove towards the Golan Heights. By then we had completed our mandatory task of the field visit. Yossie Sakada stopped the car at a spot from whence we could see deep down in the valley a beautiful location. A few houses, lots of greenery, big ponds of water, crops, vehicles. The locality appeared to be prosperous like other Israeli settlements, of course. From this spot was also visible the meeting point of the roads leading to three countries — Israel, Jordan and Syria.

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After a while we drove further. I enjoyed the beauty-laden Golan Heights. Wild flowers and grasses everywhere. In this part there were no woody plants on the mountains, and they looked like the alpine meadows of the Himalayas. The alpine meadows are climatic climax kind of grasslands and are found in the Himalayas and in the Alps. The Himalayan alpines are thought to be better. I felt that the Golan Heights were even more beautiful than

the Himalayas, because unlike the Himalayas they had not been accessible to me. They are beautiful and well cared for, for they are in the geographical region integrated into Israel, supporting a population of about 40,000 people, most of whom are Druze, who are quite akin to Muslims in their culture but loyal to Israel.

Panoramic view of the Golan Heights, with the Hermon Mountains on the left side. (Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golan_Heights)

The Golan Heights are not just of strategic importance, but also of crucial ecological

significance. The highest altitude – Mount Hermon – is 2,814 m from mean sea level. The higher heights of Golan, including Mount Hermon, are snow-covered and give rise to the source of about a dozen rivers and small streams. Yarmouk River, Zavitan, Jilabun, Yehidia, Samakh, El Al, Nov, Daliyot, Meitzar, Orvim, and Hamdal are some of the rivers and streams that contribute to about 15 percent of Israel’s water supplies. Moreover, the Golan mountains provide a catchment area for the most important river of Israel — the Jordan River, and, to some extent, the Sea of Galilee. Later, I came to know that the Golan plateau and the Hauran Plain to the east constitute a Holocene volcanic field. Much of the area is scattered with dormant volcanoes. The plateau also contains a crater lake called Birkat Ram ("Ram Pool") fed by both surface runoff and underground springs. These volcanic areas are characterized by basalt bedrock and dark soils derived from its weathering. I also came to know that since 2005 Israel has allowed Druze farmers to export some 11,000 tons of apples to Syria each year, the first kind of trade ever made between Syria and Israel. This is one of the exemplary humanitarian gestures of Israel.

There is an Israeli Golan Heights Law that came into being in November 1981, fourteen years after the great Six Day War which brought the Golan Heights into the fold of Israel. The Golan Heights Law elaborates Israel’s "laws, jurisdiction and administration" with regard to the Golan Heights. It is administered as part of Israel’s Northern District. The Golan Heights have been occupied by several civilizations. Ancient history of this area (extracted from http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/golan_hts.htmli) is interesting:

During the 3rd millennium BC the Amorites dominated and inhabited the Golan Heights until the 2nd millennium, when the Aramaeans took over. Two Israelite tribes were associated with the region during the time of Joshua — the tribe of Dan and the tribe of Manasseh. After the split of the United Monarchy, the area was contested between the Kingdom of Israel (the northern of the two Jewish kingdoms existing at that time) and the Aramean kingdom from the 800s BC. King Ahab defeated Ben-Hadad I in the southern Golan. According to Jewish Law, the Golan is regarded as part of Canaan which is holier than the parts east of the Jordan River. In the 700s BC the Assyrians

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gained control of the area, but were later replaced by the Babylonian and the Persian Empire. In the 5th century BC, the Persian Empire allowed the region to be resettled by returning Jewish exiles from Babylonian Captivity. The Golan Heights, along with the rest of the region, came under the control of Alexander the Great in 332 BC, following the Battle of Issus. Following Alexander's death, the Golan came under the domination of the Macedonian noble Seleucus and remained part of the Seleucid Empire for most of the next two centuries. It is during this period that the name Golan, previously that of a city mentioned in Deuteronomy, came to be applied to the entire region (Greek: Gaulanitis). The Maccabean Revolt saw much action in the regions around the Golan and it is possible that the Jewish communities of the Golan were among those rescued by Judas Maccabeus during his campaign in the Galilee and Gilead (Transjordan). The Golan, however, remained in Seleucid hands until the campaign of Alexander Jannaeus from 83-80 BC. Jannaeus established the city of Gamla in 81 BC as the Hasmonean capital for the region. Following the death of Herod the Great in 4 BC, Augustus Caesar adjudicated that the Golan fell within the Tetrarchy of Herod's son, Herod Philip I. After Philip's death in 34 AD, the Romans absorbed the Golan into the province of Syria, but Caligula restored the territory to Herod's grandson Agrippa in 37. Following Agrippa's death in 44, the Romans again annexed the Golan to Syria, promptly to return it again when Claudius traded the Golan to Agrippa II, the son of Agrippa I, in 51 as part of a land swap. Although nominally under Agrippa's control and not part of the province of Judea, the Jewish communities of the Golan joined their coreligionists in the First Jewish-Roman War, only to fall to the Roman armies in its early stages. Gamla was captured in 67; according to Josephus, its inhabitants committed mass suicide, preferring it to crucifixion and slavery. Agrippa II contributed soldiers to the Roman war effort and attempted to negotiate an end to the revolt. In return for his loyalty, Rome allowed him to retain his kingdom, but finally absorbed the Golan for good after his death in 100. In 1886, the Jewish B'nei Yehuda society of Safed purchased a plot of land four kilometers north of the present-day religious moshav of Keshet, but the community, named Ramataniya, failed one year later. In 1887, the society purchased lands between the modern-day Bene Yehuda and Kibbutz Ein Gev. This community survived until 1920, when two of its last members were murdered in the anti-Jewish riots which erupted in the spring of that year. In 1891, Baron Rothschild purchased

approximately 18,000 acres (73 km²) of land in the Hauran, about 15 km east of modern Ramat Hamagshimim. Immigrants of the First Aliyah (1881–1903) established five small communities on this land, but were forced to leave by the Ottomans in 1898. The lands were farmed until 1947 by the Palestine Colonization and the Jewish Colonisation Association, when they were seized by the Syrian army. The Golan Heights remained occupied by Syria until won in the Six Day War by Israel on June 9, 1967.

When the Golan Heights were occupied by Syria, the world witnessed frequent Syrian military attacks on Israeli citizens. If they are reoccupied by Syria, they will only harbor terrorists and again become a hotspot of terrorism. Syria and Iran would play all manner of games against Israel from the strategic Golan Heights. When it was occupied by Syria, the region witnessed rampant military exercises. If the Golan Heights were to be in foreign control again, the region would cease to be an oasis of peace. Ever since the Golan Heights have been under Israel’s control, the whole region has experienced peace, happiness and development. Therefore, it is not only necessary, but also imperative, for regional peace, that the Golan Heights stay in the safe hands of ecologically conscious Israel. The Golan Heights are meant to be an integral part of the Holy Land.

Historically, culturally, ethically and rightfully, the Golan Heights belong to Israel. This beautiful and ecologically sensitive region is in the safe hands of Israel. The world must recognize the Golan Heights as an integral part of Israel’s sovereignty. The Golan Heights are glorious heights for Israel. When I was amidst the beauty of the Golan Heights I felt that this wonderful beauty-laden region was emanating peace.

This widely distributed logo in Hebrew reads "Ha'am im ha Golan" and means “The People are with the Golan”. The Golan Heights with Israel is in the interest of the Middle East, in the interest of the world.

The International Cultural Night We reached the Kibbutz in the evening. The International Cultural Night was scheduled to be organised that night. The International Cultural Night was to be a very unusual experience. There were to be some unusual performances, as I, like other participants, was asked by Nirit, Director of the Environmental Management Programme, when I was in India, to come in my national dress and give a performance on the occasion of International Night – dance or song.

I was well prepared. Gita had already packed a kurta-pyjama for this purpose. Yes, this could be used as a national dress. After dinner I came to my room and changed into it. The big Dining Hall of Kibbutz Mizra (I have never seen such big dining halls as I saw In Israel anywhere else in the world). The stage was set already. First I met Mrs. Tal, the Registrar of the Galillee College, who was about to finish her food. Tal is a beautiful young woman, a mother of two children and always wears smile on her face. Nirit, in one of her e-mails to me before my arrival in Israel had referred to Tal as a 'wonderful registrar'. Tal asked me a question, "Why do some people in India not eat even garlic and onion?" I thought for a while and said, "This is the extreme side of vegetarianism but I like anything that is vegetarian. I also learnt that Tal was also a vegetarian. "Oh, then we are the only two vegetarians here!" I said with surprise and Tal nodded with her usual flash of smile.

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The set was ready. Two other friends from India, both from the Indian State of Maharashtra, came with a tri-colour (we call it Tiranga in India, that is India’s National Flag). The Galillee College had already put an Indian flag on the desk. They also put out some Indian dishes – some namkeens, spices, and a five, ten and twenty Rupee note plus all types of coins. We three became one. Pradeep-ji was in Indian dress (Kurta pyjama and a Gandhi topi).

The programme began. Israel's group song was the first item. It was all in Hebrew, but they had distributed an English version of the song. It was a sweet and very meaningful representation of the Israeli culture. Now an African country was invited. Then other African country. Then the other. Then came the number of India. Dr. Ram Nath gave an abstract picture of India. Then the mike was in my hand. I asked the audience to sing with me our National Song "Vandemataram." I told them its meaning — “I bow to you o, my Motherland!” After that one would like to sing it and feel as if the song relates to his or her own Motherland. All the representatives of the 17 countries plus one Chinese chanted "Vandemataram." Then I sang "Mera Juta hai Japani." I had first explained the significance of the song. Everything was being translated into French too. "Mera Juta hai Japani” was liked very much. The audience was jubilant and everybody seemed to be dancing. An African young woman was especially amused and danced to the tune twice. Dr. Pradeep compared his National dress with Indian Statesmen Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Patel and Jawaharlal Nehru. I concluded with Toda (thanks in Hebrew), thank you, and dhanyawad.

I sipped some Israeli-made red wine. All countries were invited one by one. I danced with all the groups. It was a lot of fun imitating some 15 or 16 dance performances by the participants. Then came Nviiri Irene, a young lady from Uganda. She called me on the stage and asked me to follow her. She said something in her mother tongue and I repeated it. Then she spoke in a somewhat different tone, "I love you so much. Do you love me or do you love others?" "I love you," I said, "but I also love all others." I recall that during the photo session, she came close to me and said, "You are my best friend” and stood beside me while posing for the photo. I found her quite sensitive.

The anchor person for the Cultural Night, Adriana Zilberstein, deserves applause. She is a wonderful person who can simultaneously speak five languages. She has lived in Brazil. While conducting the programme, she translated English into French and vice versa. She made the programme very exciting indeed. She not only made the participants dance, sing and make merry but also accompanied them in their dance performance. Kudos to Adriana! She is the Programme Director of Transportation and Urban Development at the Galillee College. There was one more remarkable person in the audience—Naomi, who sat in the last row with Miriam Abzak. She continuously flashed her glittering smile and perhaps enjoyed the show more than anyone.

The International Night was over. This Cultural Night will always bring back sweet memories of the exciting musical experience in this beautiful, quiet and peaceful place of the Holy Land. Day 12: 31 March 2009 As I came into the lecture room in the morning, I saw a robust man was already sitting there waiting for the Environmental Management group to arrive. He was Mr. Lennie Lurie, different in looks, so much so that I kept looking at him as if he were a mythological man. He began with introductions. He was born in South Africa, but came to this part of the Jewish home land and joined the Israeli army. He then returned to South Africa. But the 1967 Six-Day War again drew him to Israel. In this war Israel won the strategic Golan Heights from Syria. This is one of the most talked about wars in Israel, and anyone who participated in it feels very proud. Currently Lennie is a lecturer in Business, Commercial

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and Technical English at various Israeli colleges and universities. He is also a consultant in Marketing and Sales Presentations. He has been an Export Manager of Israel Edible Products Ltd. based in Haifa; Export Manager of Dead Sea Bromine & Bromine Compounds Ltd., Beer Sheba; and has held many other ranks and offices in Israel. He appears to be an institution in his own right.

Lurie delivered his scheduled lecture on ISO 14000. He outlined the history and developments leading to the establishment of the International Organisation for Standardisation (IOS). He focused on the ISO 14000 family that addresses various aspects of environmental management. He spoke continuously for more than four hours with a 10-minute coffee break. He made his lecture extremely interesting by talking about his very rich and extraordinary experiences. I was so eager to know more about some of the glorious periods of Israeli history and I learnt about them from him. Lurie spoke beautiful English (I would say his command of the English language is better than that of the average Englishman). In one accident he lost one of his legs, but he could stand and speak for hours. He was filled with inexhaustible energy and had fire in his heart. His eyes were hypnotising. Nobody would argue when he speaks. One would only like to listen to him without twinkling one’s eyes. He was very humble too and was in favour of clean and honest politics for the welfare of all and he was all for peace, mutual understanding and peaceful co-existence.

In Israel I feel quite at home. Israel has given so much during this short period. Israel has given me new feelings, lots of excitement, lots of happiness. These moments will always remain fresh in my memory. Our Social Coordinators, Omri and Ron, are very lovely and are always ready to help and give a social touch. Lots of things about Israel, her people, culture and many other aspects are churning about in my mind. I frequently talk about things with Omri who is always very candid about his views. Every word he speaks is laden with sweetness. He loves his own freedom and appears to be on the path to becoming a thinker, a philosopher, and perhaps a saint. His carelessly spread hair and hair style resembles that of a Hindu saint in saffron garments. He is very social, very cultural, and upright. When he talks he would try to separate milk and water. He keeps doing his job but at the same time loves sharing his ideas with others. Ron is lovely. His hairstyle is like that of girls and looks romantic. He is quite jolly as well as committed to his duties.

Day 13: 1 April 2009 The First of April. The day began with a call from my darling daughter Silvi from Winnipeg in Canada at 6:00 a.m. (Israeli time). She sent the first greetings. The Birthday greetings. Receiving Silvi's phonecall is like celebrating a festival! After about 40 minutes there was another call from Lohaghat in Uttarakhand Himalayas in India. Here was Gita, my beloved wife. Her voice was not as strong as usual. She was a little bit emotional. Perhaps was thinking I was in a foreign country and would be neglected. She said that she had a gift for me which she would give me upon my arrival in India.

I went to the Computer Room. There were some e-mails from my students wishing me happy birthday. The first was from Nanda Nautiyal. She sent greetings with some additional messages. There were messages from Babita, Govind, Seema Nath and Kavita Sharma from India and from Manisha Joshi from Winnipeg, Canada.

The first lecture today was by Ofer Dressler. His lecture series has been very interesting. He first asked "Have you seen the Dead Sea?" "No," we spoke together, "we are going to visit it next Saturday." Then he told us very interesting things about the Dead Sea. This is the only sea in the world which is about 400 m below sea-level, which is the lowest place on Earth. This Sea has no life. In the extremely salty water of the Dead Sea no organism, plant or animal, can survive. He also told us that if you lay down on the

surface of the Dead Sea, you could read newspaper in a lying position and will not drown. This is because of the very high density of the water due to the high concentration of salt. But he warned that one's eyes should not be affected by the salt.

After coffee break, Ofer spoke on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This was the first lesson of EIA that I have ever attended. I was very curious about EIA. If EIA were to be strictly followed as it happens in Israel most of the environmental ills would be nipped in the bud. Many areas in India are plagued with pollution because EIA is taken very lightly.

We were released from the morning session at around 12 noon. As I came out, Carmel said, "Happy Birthday to you," shaking hands. "Thank you," I was very happy and jubilant, "How did you know? I did not tell anyone except Omri, our young Social Coordinator.” Then Nirit wished me "Happy Birthday." Carmel Barouk is Programme Director of the International Agricultural Training Centre.

Homage to Moshe Dayan We had a visit to Nahalal in the afternoon. In Nahalal, about 20 minutes run from Kibbutz Mizra by bus, is situated the main building of the Galillee College. Nahalal is of great significance for me. I was very fond of one of the very prominent, popular and most talked about politicians of Israel for many years in the past — Moshe Dayan (1915-1981), who was the Foreign Minister in the Menachem Begin (1913-1992) Ministry. In fact, I was a fan of Moshe when he was the Foreign Minister of Israel. At that time I was doing my MSc in the Pantnagar University of India. Moshe Dayan was brought up in Nahalal. Let me pay my homage to this departed leader by remembering him and writing something about him whilst in Nahalal, the place of Dayan.

Dayan was arrested in 1939, together with 42 of his friends, for participating in an illegal Haganah commanders' course, and was sentenced to ten years' imprisonment. Released in 1941, he joined a British army unit and lost his left eye in a battle with Vichy (French) forces in Syria. He used to wear a black eyepatch that became a ‘trademark’ for him.

I recall that I used to read all the news about Moshe Dayan during the era when he was one of the heroes of world politics. Earlier, Moshe was the Chief of Staff of the Israeli Defence Forces (1953-58) and Defence Minister and Agriculture Minister in the Government of Israel. The great Six-Day War of 1967 in which Israel reclaimed the Golan Heights was fought under the able leadership of Moshe Dayan. In fact, Prime Minister Levi

Eshkol (1895-1969) appointed the charismatic and popular Dayan as Minister of Defence in 1967 when tensions were rising in Israel. It could raise public morale and widen his government's support by establishing a unified government. Golda Meir (1898-1978) retained Dayan as Defence Minister in her Government in 1969. The Israeli forces’ victories in the Six-Day War of June 1967 and also in the Yom Kippur War in October 1973 were largely attributable to the charismatic and popular Moshe Dayan. Many Israelis regard Dayan as their country's greatest military and political leader.

Moshe Dayan: One of the heroes of Israeli politics (Photo: http://lepetitsioniste.fr/israel/politique/images/Dayan.jpg). I was very glad that on the occasion of my birthday on 1st April I should be in Nahalal, which is associated with Moshe Dayan. He was not born in Nahalal, but in Kibbutz Degania Alef near the shores of the Sea of Galilee. His parents were Jewish immigrants from the Ukraine. He was

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the second child to be born on the kibbutz. He was named Moshe after Moshe Barsky, the first member of the kibbutz killed in an Arab attack. Soon after, his parents moved to Nahalal. Nahalal was the first moshav to be established. He died in Tel Aviv in 1981 and is buried in Nahalal.

Birthday at the Galillee College in Nahalal We arrived at Nahalal to a big welcome. There was an immediate announcement – about my Birthday. Nirit told everyone. On behalf of the Galillee College, she gave me a gift along with greetings written on blue paper: "Prof. Singh, Happy birthday to you – Galillee College." In a beautiful parcel was a beautiful tie bearing the emblem of the Galillee College. President Dr. Joseph Shevel and many staff members of the Galillee College and virtually all participants from 17 countries wished me well on this occasion. Such a wonderful birthday celebration in the Holy Land of Israel! I thanked Nirit from the bottom of my heart for she had already noted the date of my birth in the papers which I had submitted to the Galillee College.

A glimpse of the Galillee College amidst the picturesque beauty and serenity of Nahalal (Taken from Mrandreu’s photo from Webshots.com – with thanks to the author).

We came back to Kibbutz Mizra after 3:00 p.m. Dr. Nathan Tirosh was waiting for his

class on Project Management. The class was over by about 6:00. I almost completed my work on a project which I had begun the previous day. Then I went to the Dining Hall for dinner. Omri and Ron had dinner with me. "It is your birthday today," Omri said sitting beside me. We chatted a lot.

When I got to the Computer Room of the College Study Centre Keren Ben Nahum was conducting a computer class for the students from other programmes. There was no formality. I asked her permission and seated myself in front of a computer. The only e-mail that was waiting for me to read was from Yulia. Her wishes were meaningful and so much needed, particularly here in the Holy Land.

I shared my experiences of the birthday celebration in the Holy Land with my family. I was sure my family would be so happy to know about my birthday celebration by the Galillee College in Israel. I sent an e-mail to Nirit thanking her for making the day so wonderful and unforgettable for me and my family.

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Day 14: 2 April 2009 We arrived at a beautiful site in the morning. It was an industrial area - the Tefen Green Industrial Park. Beautiful sites, beautiful artistic work here and there and everything looked aesthetically pleasing. We were told by Dr. Ofer Dressler, one of our instructors and our guide on this tour, that these industrial units had been built with a different ethic in mind - no solid waste, no air pollution, no water pollution, no sound pollution.

Israeli Industry and Aesthetics We entered the show room of a glass factory. There was beautiful glass work—wonderful plates, vases, and other glassware. We proceeded to another unit. There was a very pleasant aroma in the air. We proceeded towards the source. There we were received by a lady, who first showed us a short picture about a special product, quite popular in Israel — GAMILA, the brand name of a soap. When the picture was over the woman started speaking in Hebrew. Dr. Dressler translated into English. The seminar went on for about an hour. The young woman was Rawja. She was the granddaughter of Mrs. Gamila (pronounced as Jamila) who is now 68. Gamila was a pioneer of the product that is now being exported throughout the world. The total production rate is 100,000 cakes of soap per month. This soap has some 15 herbal ingredients. Rawja claimed that the soap has the potential to cure all types of skin ailments including skin cancer. Even Gamila herself did not know about this earlier. It was when some people experimented on the soap and the results were revealed. Gamila soap (named after its inventor) sells not as an ordinary soap, but as a pharmaceutical item. It costs 20 Euro per cake abroad and 20 Shekel in Israel.

We stayed there for some time. Perhaps all participants purchased one thing or another. I too purchased two small cakes of Gamila soap (5 Shekel each) and a lavender candle that fills a home with fragrance. Gita, I was sure, would like it. It cost 7 Shekel.

We moved to a different place – the Akko Waste Management Plant. Laurence had also joined us. The Lebanon border is not very far from here. She explained all aspects of waste management the big capacity plant was involved in. The waste papers are compressed by machines; plastic matter is treated in a similar fashion. Laurence told us that 90 percent of the waste paper and plastic are exported to foreign countries including Turkey and India. Israel is thus earning foreign currency even from its waste. Compost prepared from the organic waste, however, is used in Israel itself.

A tromel in the Akko Waste Management that separates the biodegradable and non-biodegradable

matter; the biodegradable is converted into compost (Photo: Vir Singh).

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Transforming bane into boon: Papers separated from garbage are ready to be exported (Photo: Vir Singh).

Compost as a product of the waste management at the Akko Waste Management Plant (Photo: Vir Singh).

We traveled along a rough road, not very far from the Akko Waste Management Plant. This was the project site for rehabilitation of the Na'aman Stream, a small but very important river. Laurence had explained about this river another day in Karmeil. In the vicinity was a landfill site that was not a sanitary landfill. It was closed in 1993; now nobody could tell that it was once a landfill. It appeared as a beautiful landscape covered with flowers.

We reached a restaurant at Kha-kha (I may be wrong in spelling as nothing was written in English anywhere). I was feeling hungry. In the beginning many plates with different recipes came in. Nirit invited me to eat whatever I liked, “Everything is vegetarian here.” Then came chapatis with garlic chutney on them. Nirit said, “These are especially for you.” This was the best vegetarian food I ate in Israel during this period.

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Author with Laurence Amar and Tlalane (a participant from Lesotho) at non-sanitary landfi

Then we reached another site. It was located in the beautiful town of Shakhnin, an Arab town. Here we saw a unique Life Project. A Green Building specially drew our attention. Mr. Kimchie explained about the Green Building and the Life Project for more than two hours. Mr. Kimchie was a man of substance. He takes immense interest in environmental conservation and energy-saving activities. He was not just a theoretician but demonstrated everything practically. He was filled with energy and enthusiasm and wanted to do a lot in the field of environment. He welcomes everybody at the site and wants collaboration with creative people.

Author with Dr. Ofer Dressler on the bank of the Na’aman River.

ll site developed into a beautiful landscape. Environmentalists are to flower hope for the upcoming

generations.

The Green Building for an alternative environment-friendly living, at the Life Project Site in Shakhnin (Photo: Vir Singh).

Day 15: 3 April 2009 I browsed my e-mails several times today, whenever I found time. But to my utter surprise not a single expected mail so far. Today on the weekend we were not to go on a study tour. Two lectures were conducted. In the morning, by Mr. Sam Weinberg, expert in financial management of the projects. It was his third lecture. His way of teaching and expressing things is unique. Every one, no matter how ignorant they were regarding computers and statistics, would get a complete grasp of his teaching. He is very experienced. He speaks slowly and expresses the things in a unique way. Finance, however, is not my interest. I tried to suggest to him that when it comes to the overall welfare of a society and to the intangible benefits, we could compromise with the maximisation of the profits. He immediately dismissed the idea.

In the afternoon session, Dr. Ofer Dressler gave a continuous lecture without observing a break. He lectured on pollution management of transport, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) and Polluter Pays Principle. He also touched on the concept of sustainable development.

Automobiles have created havoc in the biosphere. Most atmospheric pollution is contributed by the transport system. Its proper management and making it pollution-free through enhanced use of renewable sources of energy is an imperative of our times. Development of a Public Transport System is one of the ways to considerably reduce pollution load on the environment. He told us that Jerusalem is now trying hard to develop a Public Transport System.

I asked Ofer a question: We are worried about the toxic emissions of automobiles, but it is also a matter of concern that the automobiles consume a lot of oxygen. I recollected a datum that on running every 967 km, a car consumes as much oxygen as is required by a man for breathing over a period of one year. He supported my opinion that oxygen consumption by the transport sector is also a matter of worry.

When Ofer concluded the session, I asked him a personal question: "Ofer, have you ever participated in a war?" "Yes," he replied. "The 1967 War?" I again asked. "No, the 1973 War," He replied. Then he told a short story about this war. This war was against the

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joint invasion of Israel by Egypt and Syria. These forces had captured a part of the Golan Heights and wanted to capture the area of the Sea of Galilee. But they were driven back bravely. Ofer, like most of the world, is also worried about the Iranian nuclear programme. But he is all in favour of peace.

Tomorrow is the Sabbath, the holiday of Jews. We are going on a tour to the Dead Sea. The Sea of Galilee is 210 m below the average sea level. But the Dead Sea is more than 400 m below the average sea level. This is the lowest point on Earth. I am so excited to be going there! The only sea on Earth that has only water in its body, no life of any sort!

Day 16: 4 April 2009 On every Sabbath we are taken on a tour. We have already visited the Sea of Galilee, Nazareth, Haifa, the Golan Heights, Jerusalem and many parts of North Israel. Today was the most exciting day. We visited the Dead Sea. Israel’s Highway No. 90 is the lowest road in the world. We travelled along this road. I have travelled both on the highest road in the world and on the lowest road in the world. I travelled on the world’s highest road from Manali to Rohtang Pass in Himachal Pradesh in India in 1992. Today I experienced travelling on the world’s lowest road that links the industrial city of Haifa and the Dead Sea in Israel. How exciting!

Travelling from Kibbutz Mizra to the Dead Sea is a joy unlimited. Orith Cohen, our very smart and enthusiastic guide, talked non-stop the whole way, and we all listened to her very patiently, anxious to know about the next wonder of Israel. She explained the geography, history, culture, agriculture, and virtually everything we loved to know about. She talked about the neighbouring countries, about the Israeli Arabs, about Palestinians with all respect. I came to know that that is the nature of every Israeli citizen. They love their neighbours. They have regard for others’ faiths. They love their guests. They love to live in peace.

We reached the Israel-Jordan border. Cohen showed us the flourishing agriculture on the other side. There were many greenhouses on the other side of the border telling the story of the modern agriculture adopted by Jordan with technical help from Israel. This was not only the cultivation of food, but also the cultivation of peace. The border area was perfectly peaceful. There was no check post. There were no army men patrolling the area. There was only a fence with cameras linked with a satellite control system. This is unlike other countries of Asia where border areas are trampled upon by the army. The Israel-Jordan border was quiet and spreading the message of peace and mutual cooperation.

The Judean Desert We were in the middle of the Judean desert. On the previous Sabbath, we had an aerial view of the desert from a higher altitude in Jerusalem. Now we were travelling through this desert. I wished to feel the touch of the air blowing through the desert, but the air-conditioned bus made us impervious to it. We stopped at a restaurant.

The Judean Desert is not entirely infertile. I found some green oases amidst the desert. The production of wine, grapes, vegetables, dates and several other crops comes to mind. How could this be possible? The credit goes to Israeli agriculturists’ high tech advances. Cohen told us that a different kind of irrigation system is behind the success story in the desert. In this system, water goes directly to the roots of the plants. If water were applied to the surface of the salty soil of the desert, as would happen normally with irrigation, it would ruin the plants. She also told us that the Israeli government had invited kibbutzim to this area. Once kibbutzim inhabit this area, I am sure they would be able to bring the Green Revolution to the southern area of Israel which is largely desert.

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We stopped for refreshments. Then I felt the soothing touch of the air outside. A different sensation was sweeping through my nerves. Was I on Earth or elsewhere?

The Judean Desert: Earth, Moon or Mars? (Photo: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Judea_2_by_David_Shankbone.jpg)

In front of us was a high mountain without a blade of grass on it. The whole mountain

range shone like silver. A steep mountain peak shining in the sun attracts all and visitors rush to take pictures. Another peak, a few kilometres away from here, bore the monument of a missile. At first I thought it was a check post. But I then realised it was a monument and we would soon be there. After a few minutes we reached the monument. This was a wonderful work of art. It was made by an Israeli sculptor in the memory of people who achieved martyrdom between 1967 and 1970. Very high ranking officers in the Israeli army laid down their lives in the wars. Nearby was the Israeli flag flying very high. Cohen told me that the Israeli national symbol had been derived from India. I recalled Nirit saying the same thing the other day when we were on our way to the Golan Heights.

We climbed down and resumed the journey towards our final destination, the Dead Sea. Cohen told us many interesting things about the area we travelled through. We stopped at a place of historical importance. It was Qumran. The surroundings provided a very enchanting panorama of the mountain range in the Judean Desert. This area is very rich in minerals. We ate our lunch here. We also purchased some presents. I was surprised to see that mud from the Dead Sea in attractive packs was also for sale. It is a very expensive cosmetic. Jordan River water, Jerusalem soil and Dead Sea mud are three items for sale in packs for visitors. Some sites in Qumran have been excavated. One of them was excavated by a Catholic priest, Roland deVaux, as early as 1953-56. There were some recent excavation sites. All these sites prove that Qumran was quite an ancient habitation and is of remarkable historical importance.

After lunch at Qumran, we resumed our travels. Our excitement grew as we neared the Dead Sea. We arrived at our final destination — the Dead Sea.

The Living Dead Sea This was an historic day for me as I was at the lowest point of the planet Earth, -416 m from average sea level. This Sea is dead, lifeless. Salt concentration is extremely high. So it is easier for you to lie down on water and even read a newspaper. I swam for a long time. Had a mud bath too. It is said that covering oneself with mud from the Dead Sea helps one get rid of many skin diseases. It also provides cosmetic treatment. I was in the Dead Sea for about two hours, swimming, floating, meeting people from many places, and having lots of fun.

I have been in Kathmandu in the shadows of Sagarmatha (Mount Everest), the highest place on Earth, 8,848 m from average sea level. Today I have also seen the lowest place on Earth – really a historic day for me.

An old picture of Dead Sea, over 100 years ago. The lowest place on Earth marked by the Dead Sea has the rarest natural elements.

The experience of being here is very rare too. There is no life in the Dead Sea, but the place is full of life. We can therefore refer to the Dead Sea as the Living Dead Sea. The life and quality of life around the Living Dead Sea is also of a rare kind. The water of the Dead Sea is of special therapeutic value. People from all walks of life from around the world visit the spot and celebrate the Living Dead Sea. Being there is not just an ordinary event. It is the realisation of a ‘Health and Well-being Pilgrimage.’ The water, mud, climate, and environment of the Living Dead Sea are of great therapeutic value and also of value for cosmetic treatment. The joy unlimited felt there serves as a healer, tension-reliever and life-enhancer. You will leave all the worries of the world behind and feel the soothing touch of the lithosphere, the hydrosphere and the atmosphere all together. You are part of a wonderful component of the biosphere of the Earth.

Left: The Living Dead Sea represents the extreme of the Earth –416 m below the average sea level (Photo: http://watersecretsblog.com/archives/Dead%20Sea.jpg). Right: Satellite image of Dead Sea.

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You cannot drown in The Dead Sea – it is indeed the only body of water in which you cannot drown in the world. You can sit as in an armchair and enjoy yourself for hours without any fear. Mud-bath, sun-bath, swimming, reading lying on water — everything brings a sensation of joy. See a video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLg4aMDadYo.

The land-locked Dead Sea is shrinking year by year. The evaporation rates are quite high, which contributes to the salt concentration of the water becoming very high, up to 32%. Salt concentration increases with the depth of the Sea and at a certain depth it becomes saturated. According to some estimates the Dead Sea is lowering by 33 cm per year.

The Living Dead Sea has defied Evolution! Evolution has not been able to evolve life that could adapt to the ecosystem of the Dead Sea.

Gandhi of Israel We travelled back via a different route. Soon we were on the Gandhi Road. Orith gave a commentary. I was interested to know more about the Gandhi known to Israeli. But, before I could ask, Cohen clarified this point, “Not Mahatma Gandhi, but Israel’s own Gandhi.” She talked more about Israel’s Gandhi. Rehavam Ze’evi is very respected and popular as the Gandhi of Israel.

He was born on 20 June 1926. He was an Israeli General, politician and historian who founded the nationalist Moledet Party. He was assassinated by the Palestine terrorists on 17 October 2001 in a hotel in Jerusalem. He was the only Israeli politician to be assassinated during the Second Intifada. He was a peace lover and made untiring efforts to solve the Palestine problem. He pursued Mahatma Gandhi’s ideals of non-violence. But before this Gandhi of the Holy Land could realise his dream, he became yet another victim of the terrorists and achieved martyrdom.

Forests, Art and Agriculture We took a different route. Now we climbed mountains and were amidst the mountain forests. We had a short halt at a beautiful picnic spot in the forest. The pine forests were full of life. Many Israeli families were on picnic. People were playing music, singing songs, and making merry. We walked to a place from which we got a broad view of the valley towards the north. The panorama of a valley extended far and wide and, full of green crops, it was breathtaking. Orith took us to a point from which a unique work of art amidst the crops in the fields deep below in the valley was visible. Winds were combing the wheat crop in the fields. A crop field attracted our attention. An Israeli artist, Mr. Peter Winner, of Kibbutz Maoz Haaim, has given the wheat crop the design of a musical instrument and written the name of the famous German musician BRAHMS with the crop cultivars in the field. This is a unique artistic way of celebrating the German pianist and composer Johannes Brahms (1833-1897). Brahms is ranked among the masters of the Romantic era. Although he showed talent at the piano at an early age, he spent much of his young life performing rather than composing. All visitors appreciated this beautiful combination of art and agriculture.

As we travelled back to our place of stay in the Kibbutz through mountain roads with pine forests around, I felt as if I was travelling in the Himalayas I have been so intimately associated with.

I returned to camp around 6:00 p.m. (Israeli time). I thought the computer room would be closed today, but when I was returning from Dining Hall after having a delicious dinner, I saw the computer room was open. I read many e-mails, some from the Israelis. My wife Gita's e-mails are always exciting. After all, she writes from the heart.

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Day 17: 5 April 2009 Sunday was set aside for presenting project proposals we had prepared at the Galillee College Study Centre in Kibbutz Mizra. All the participants were required to prepare proposals based on their learning during training. The proposals had to focus on the country of an individual participant. The Environmental Management Group did a common project proposal. The four other members selected India to be the target of the project on Solid Waste Management. The proposal I had written was selected as the common proposal. Peter and John did some further work on the proposal and with SWOT Analysis by John and a Guntt Chart by Peter, the proposal was knocked into good shape. The title was: SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT USING ANAEROBIC FERMENTATION FOR BIOGAS PRODUCTION IN THE PANTNAGAR UNIVERSITY CAMPUS, INDIA. We had given the final touch to the proposal the previous night.

The project was to be presented in the afternoon, but Dr. Nathan Tirosh had to be elsewhere. He said someone else would be in his place. After a while he came to the computer room where we were doing some work. He drew our attention, “Are you ready to present now?” “Yes,” we replied confidently.

The group decided that I should begin explaining the main part of the proposal. Ms. Tlalane invited me to begin. "Israel is a self-beautifying micro-cosmos," with this remark I began a powerpoint presentation. I presented the background of the proposal on solid waste management. Then I invited John to present the SWOT (Strength-Weakness-Opportunity-Threat) Analysis. The Guntt chart was presented by Peter, Summary and Conclusion by Robert.

Dr. Nathan gave his comments. Giving his criticisms he concluded that on the whole, it was a good project. Nathan always speaks with a smile and he is always encouraging. Presence of the group coordinator Nirit was also encouraging.

I received an e-mail from Noa Perl: "Thank you again for the meetings we had and the Yoga lesson. I hope we may stay in touch within the framework of institutional cooperation in the future, following the meeting you have today with Dr. Shevel at 15:00 at the study center."

I reminded Nirit that we expected the arrival of Dr. Ofer Dressler around 3:30 p.m. She phoned to the Nahalal-based Galillee College Office and after a while informed me that Dr. Shevel would now meet me at 12:30 p.m. in the Dining Hall.

Dr. Joseph Shevel, President Galillee College

I arrived at the Dining Hall 15 minutes ahead of time. I was having lunch with Nirit and Robert. Dr. Joseph Shevel arrived exactly on time. He came with a Memorandum of Understanding which was prepared based on the two earlier meetings with Nirit Giladi and Noa. I gave him details about my university. He said that the MoU would be signed tomorrow in a ceremony. I told him that in order to sign I would have to get the permission of my Vice-Chancellor. I also

told him about Dr. B.S. Bisht, our Vice-Chancellor, that he encourages creative activities and is a very good manager, scientist and an agricultural engineer. I also told him that the Vice Chancellor had personally taken an interest in my training in Israel.

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Dr. Dressler dropped in at about 3:15 p.m. Now it was our turn to present our individual project. First Dressler gave some interesting tips about the beauty of the southern part of Israel which is largely a desert. About 50 percent of Israel is desert. But yesterday on the way to the Dead Sea I saw many oases of greenery amidst the inhospitable but beautiful desert of Judea. He also explained the possibility of bringing a canal from the Mediterranean Sea to the Dead Sea. "But won't it invite an ecological disaster?" I asked him. He responded that that was why the project was being studied first. The plan was not yet final.

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I presume that linking the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea through a canal might be detrimental to the ecology of Israel. The Dead Sea, a unique creation on planet Earth, might cease to be special. This wonderful water body should not be spoilt. The living Dead Sea must be preserved in its original state.

I was second in line to present my project proposal. I presented my case. This brought to a conclusion the day's schedule. But evening grew more beautiful with my Yoga class. Four women, Karin the coordinator of the French group and three African women including Tlalane, joined the Yoga class which was concluded with the chanting of OM SHANTI OM!

I wrote a letter to Dr. B.S. Bisht, the Vice-Chancellor, informing him about the MoU between the Galillee College, Israel and the GB pant University of Agriculture & Technology, India on April 6, 2009 and sent it via e-mail with an attachment of the MoU format. It was my duty to inform my university before signing the MoU on behalf of the university.

Day 18: 6 April 2009 I found e-mails from my daughter Silvi and wife Gita in my in-box. Gita is not well. She had a check up in the hospital at Pantnagar. Silvi has hinted to me about her Mamma’s illness. I am worried. Gita’s e-mails told me not to worry. I can imagine Gita is not feeling well. Every now and then I dropped into the computer room to check her mail.

There was also an e-mail from Nanda Nautiyal, a very brilliant student of mine. She wrote about her own memories of the Dead Sea which she learnt about in one of her classes in school. I was a little worried about her research work which focused on nanofiltration to mitigate arsenic pollution in water. As the Chairman of her Advisory Committee I have not given her as much time as I should have done. But in her e-mail Nanda assured me not to worry and that she would do the experiments on her own. I have great expectations from my students. Nanda is very different from others and I am hopeful that one day she will emerge as a great figure in the area of the environment.

There was a special lecture by a very senior academician, Zalman Gordon. This was the last lecture on the schedule. Zalman is a social psychologist. He delivered a lecture on conflict resolution. He is a wonderful professor and has international experience. He spoke for about four hours with a 15 minutes coffee break.

During his lecture he distributed a proforma to test the psychology of the participants. There was a story about the moon. Some people had landed on the surface of the moon. He wanted to test what our priorities would be if we were caught in similar circumstances on the surface of the moon. We had to write our individual opinions with 1 as the highest score.

Then he tested the individuals according to the NASA norms. I recorded 6 correct events out of 15. It was a good exercise. Now if I ever land on the surface of the moon, I shall know my priorities.

This was the only lecture for the day. In the evening we had to evaluate the overall programme. The meeting was conducted by Dr. Ofer Dressler. I put my candid opinion. I presented all the papers to Nirit. Lilach was also present in the meeting. I appreciated the state-of-the-art environmental management in Israel. I, however, had certain reservations. The sanitary landfill involving indecomposable poly sheets prevents the underground water becoming polluted but it is unethical that some thing that never decomposes is left in the womb of the Earth for ever. The Earth is not ours; she belongs more to our future generations. We are here to take care of the Earth because we have borrowed her from the future generations. We need to design what I refer to as the Ethical and the Sanitary Landfill. In this process, plastics and other non-biodegradable matter should be separated and the poly sheets used should also decompose after a few decades, so that everything

we fill the land with becomes part of the land. If we have no poly sheets which are biodegradable in the long term, we must seek to manufacture one, or develop a device so that after a few decades (say after 40 years) the poly sheet used is removed and nothing indigestible should be left inside Earth. I also suggested minimisation of the waste to be the first priority of the waste management. Dr. Dressler took the points raised by me very seriously. He agreed with my opinions.

On the last evening in Israel I was thinking especially about the kibbutzim of Israel. I thought I would like to have a last glimpse of the kibbutz I am staying at. I went out onto the boundary road of the kibbutz and gazed at the croplands of Kibbutz Mizra. I gazed at the green croplands for some time and absorbed the fragrance of the soil into my being. I remember that Skolimowskian philosophy has also sung the praises of the kibbutzim of Israel. Let me write something more about the kibbutzim.

Israel’s kibbutzim I am especially romantic about the kibbutzim of Israel. Israel as a whole is one of the world’s heroic nations. Progress of the Hebrew culture and Israel’s resurgence are rooted in the kibbutzim. Being in a kibbutz is to have a very good exposure to Israeli culture. Cultural experience of a country amounts to learning the most important aspect of human life in that country. A kibbutz provides country-style experience. A kibbutz is a communal farm. Much more than that - a kibbutz is truly representative of Israel’s culture. I came to know about Israel’s kibbutzim only in 2008 when I went through the celebrated Eco-philosopher Henryk Skolimowski’s autobiography The Lotus and the Mud: Autobiography of a Philosopher. The Study Centre of Galillee College is lodged in a kibbutz—Kibbutz Mizra. I stayed in the hotel of this kibbutz. Kibbutz Mizra is one of the large-sized kibbutzim in Israel founded by European immigrants in 1923 in the northern district of the Galilee. It is one of the 15 kibbutzim in the Jezreel Valley Regional Council. The other kibbutzim in this Council are: Alonim, Ein Dor, Gazit, Dovat, Gvat, Hanaton, Harduf, Ginegar, Merhavia, Ramat David, HaSolelim, Kfar HaHoresh, Yifat and Sarid. Kibbutz Mizra employs a hydraulic machinery factory, a factory for injecting metallic powder, and operates an alternative medicine centre. The kibbutz is characterized by picturesque scenery of pastures, well-maintained lawns, tall coniferous trees, a big dining hall, a school, Galillee College Study Centre, a hotel, cars parked all around the kibbutz boundary and a large farm outside the inhabited area.

A Ficus tree laden with fruits all over in Kibbutz Mizra. Prof. Skolimowski visited and studied several kibbutzim in 1971. The great philosopher of our times engages with the future. He regards the kibbutzim as an alternative future. Let me first of all present an excerpt from his autobiography:

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In 1971, I went to Israel and stayed on several kibbutzim. Here was an example of a large-scale social innovation. It cannot be denied that the Kibbutzim saved Israel during the early years of its existence. Although they comprised only 5% of the population of Israel, they provided agricultural produce for 50% of Israel. However, it is not the agricultural prowess that is of the chief importance in the history of the Kibbutz, but the innovative social organization and its imagination and capacity to initiate and implement a new way of life. I went there when the third generation was growing and the Kibbutz communities were flourishing, The kibbutzim are agricultural communities. They are similar in their organization and nature. Most of them were organized on the principles of socialism — very broadly and generously understood. Some new kibbutzim are based on religious principles. They are a bit different from the traditional ones. Most Kibbutzim are situated in beautiful and bucolic surroundings. They are an oasis of peace, security and tranquility. But it was not always so. The beginnings were rough. Of the various Kibbutzim I visited, I spent most time at En Harod. It was one of the early ones, of the middle size. There were 800 inhabitants living on it. They possessed some 700 hectares of land. When the first group of elders bought the land, at the beginning of the 20th century, it was a deserted bunch of hills, which were inhospitable and infested with poisonous snakes and scorpions. Actually the medical report about the suitability of the land for human habitation was quite clear: unfit for human habitation. The elders read the report. And hid it deeply in some safe. Then they declared to the others: we are building! First they built sheds for the cows. Then some protective spaces for the children; and at the end came dwellings for adults. The first twenty years were a bit like purgatory. But they endured and survived. And one day they realized that they had survived, and were even comfortable. The first generation, in almost each kibbutz, is the story of heroes and legends. With no agricultural experience (the Jews could not own or till land anywhere in Europe) and without truly knowing what they were doing — by their will and vision, they created a new reality, and in time, thriving communities. The second generation still had a lot of challenges to meet. But the people of this generation were already in the shadow of their fathers. The third generation was born into the land of milk and honey. They did not ever experience the pain and suffering of the

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first two generations. They were raised in the most ideal conditions that are imaginable in human societies. When they grew up, they found that there were no challenges for them. And the shadow of the first two generations started to loom large. They were overpowered and disempowered by it. This was the real problem for the third generation; and the whole Kibbutzim movement in general. The problems were completely unanticipated: what to do with your destiny when you have arrived? By and large, the Kibbutzim communities did very well until the Arab-Israeli wars. Quite unexpectedly the third generation of Kibbutzim found for itself an extraordinary new challenge. It should be mentioned that all Kibbutzniks have a high esteem of themselves. They think they are not ordinary beings but rather exemplary beings. Why? Because they are the Kibbutzniks. This is not a boast or arrogance but a reflection of the Kibbutz mentality. Their fathers and grandfathers were extraordinary and exceptional beings. The third generation too wanted to be extraordinary and exceptional. Now, war is not a part of the Kibbutz mentality or the way they do things in their community. Yet, when the Arab wars broke out, it was found that 25% of the jet fighter pilots of the Israeli army were Kibbutzniks. This statement needs to be explained. Within the Israeli conditions, to be a pilot of a jet fighter was the highest possible distinction. It required all the skills a human being could possess — courage, intelligence, quick reflexes, tenacity, and total dedication. Israel possesses many intelligent young people. Yet, among the whole population of jet fighter pilots, 25% were Kibbutzniks. This was the way for the third generation of Kibbutzniks to distinguish themselves and to show that they are superior in peace and war. The children in the Kibbutz are born and raised in exceptional conditions. Every care is provided so that their upbringing is harmonious and wholesome. After they are born, the infant children are not returned to their parents. They are raised together in groups of the same age, on the Kibbutz. The teachers and nurses that look after them are of exceptional quality. To look after children in the kindergarten is a prestige job on the Kibbutz, which is very highly valued by the community. The children are considered a treasure of the community. This is not just a phrase but also something that they truly believe in. The teachers are loving but not indulgent. The children are not allowed to have tantrums or expressions of their egos.

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Most of their time is spent in special houses for toddlers and youngsters. The parents have but little influence on their early upbringing. Thus, they are unable to indulge their children. Visiting these houses for the toddlers, and then the houses for young children was for me a most beautiful experience. Here was a perfect example that human nature is good and harmonious, that is when children are raised in harmonious conditions. Now let me tell you one thing. The children do not grow up alienated from their parents. They do not become moronic automatons, which only obeyed the dicta of the group. They grow as fully-fledged individuals. The marked difference between ordinary people in the ordinary society and the Kibbutzniks is that the latter are so dependable, reliable, and responsible. Responsibility is instilled into them from the cradle. Between 5 and 6 p.m. the whole Kibbutz, in a sense, stops in the ordinary mode of operation. It is the Children’s Hour. The children from kindergarten and from the early grades of their schools come to their parent’s homes, pampered, loved and spoiled a little. This is in a sense a holiday hour of the day for the kibbutz. The children love it. And the adults love it. Special cakes are baked for them. And special surprises are prepared for them. The whole kibbutz is embarrassing its children. It is total, lovely and convincing. After the hour is over, while basked in the love of parents and families, the children, without any procrastination, return to their houses — radiant and happy, and sometimes dancing along the little alleys of the Kibbutz. I have seen it. And it works. The raising and shaping of children is one of the most salutary outcomes of the kibbutz philosophy and praxis. Words are able to convey only a tiny part of the whole picture. I can share with you only some glimpses of the total reality that the kibbutz has created and enacted. And this reality, in my experience, is wholly good. That is not to say that everything is perfect. Let me now mention some of the aspects of the kibbutz experience, which I did not find so appealing. The kibbutz is an agricultural community based on socialist principles. There is then the communal kitchen and the dining hall, in which you eat you meals. The individual dwellings are so small and modest. They do not have proper kitchens. There is no provision for individual cooking at home. So the meals are communal. And communal meals for hundreds of people, day in and day

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out, become boring. There is something cheerless about these big communal kitchens — wherever they are. The quality of the meals is sometimes good, most of the time it is mediocre. And this gets you after a while. I have experienced some of these communal meals in Communist Poland, at the students’ cafeteria. There is something inimical to mass eating. Another problem I observed was a bit more serious. The whole community, often through the process of voting, makes all the important decisions, including those effecting individual lives, collectively. It is truly a democratic process. The community has the power to decide whether you can go to the university or not. For gifted individuals it can be a problem. And sometimes is. That is how it is on the Kibbutz. Let me mention another significant feature of the kibbutz, which I think is very positive. The most important person is the Secretary of the Kibbutz. He is democratically elected by all the members of the Kibbutz. The truth is everybody avoids being Secretary — for it is a thankless job. You must be available 24 hours a day. And there are no personal advantages that go with the work, accept some prestige. However, when you are elected Secretary, you accept. And you do your job to the utmost of your abilities. For it is a great honor to be elected Secretary. There have been some external forces that contributed to a partial eclipse of the importance of the kibbutz. The various wars that Israel fought, and the state of war emergency over so many years, have made the Israeli less receptive to the peaceful achievements of the Kibbutz. The Americans have never liked the socialist ideals of the Kibbutz. And the American influence (and the American aid to Israel) has somehow contributed to the Israeli population growing distance to the attractions of the Kibbutz. I believe that in the 20th century, the Kibbutz was one of the most important social alternative and one of the most successful movements in articulating alternative life styles. The simple truth is that in the long run the communal values will prevail. Or strength lies in the human bond and not in individual excesses. (Source: Skolimowski, H. 2008. Chapter Three: My Encounter with the Future. The Lotus and the Mud: Autobiography of a Philosopher, under publication).

Glimpses of the 1970s kibbutzim are interesting. I quoted Henryk Skolimowski so that the younger generation can better understand this unique culture. But today’s kibbutzim are

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different from what Henryk portrayed in 1971. Children now stay with their families. Dependence on agriculture has given way to factory production and the export of modern items. The younger generation is deviating from the kibbutz culture. Individualism is becoming the norm and the spirit of collectivism, socialism and heroism is gradually fading away. Kibbutzim are slowly but surely breaking down. The wave of liberalization, privatization and globalization (LPG) must affect everything. And in the LPG wave no original culture of the world can remain intact for a long time.

Kibbutzim are visible almost everywhere in Israel. When on excursions, the guides would talk to us about each kibbutz along the way. Whoever came to give us a lecture also referred to kibbutzim. Lennie Lurie compared a kibbutz with communism and regarded this system as a form of true communism. He gave a lengthy account of the progress made by the kibbutzim, including their role in the country’s export. Dr. Ofer Dressler did not compare a kibbutz with communism. “It is different from that,” he argued. He also gave reasons as to why the kibbutzim were losing their attraction for the younger generation. Dr. Nathan Tirosh, in response to my query about kibbutz culture, expressed his opinion that the younger generation did not understand the value of the heroism and struggles of the older generations.

I tried to learn everything I could about kibbutzim. I often discussed the issues with Omri, who was very honest and very candid in his views. I also talked to Nirit who said that there was nothing ideal about kibbutzim today as people seemed to think. She herself was a kibbutznik. Why did she belong to a kibbutz? She humbly replied that the kibbutz gave her a sense of community. A feeling of community really gives one strength and a sense of security. One feels part of a larger group. Omri said that kibbutzim were now crumbling. People could not enjoy full freedom in a kibbutz, according to him. Division of labour sometimes annoyed people. “Why does he work in a kitchen whereas I have to do hard work in the fields”—this kind of feeling prevailed in a kibbutz. Omri gave us a further example: “Suppose I want to visit India, then the kibbutz would decide by votes whether I should visit or not.”

The glorious history of the kibbutzim, which were the main motive force of Israel’s organization and a source of Israelis’ patriotism, heroism, freedom and self-respect, touches everyone’s heart. A kibbutz used to be an agricultural community. More than half of the total food production of Israel flows from kibbutzim, as I was told. A large number of kibbutz members are serving in the Israeli forces. In recent years kibbutzim have diversified their economic activities. Every kibbutz has a particular specialisation. Kibbutzim also manufacture electronic goods, plastic goods and so many other items and have a fairly good share of Israel’s export market. Virtually all kibbutzim have turned into attractive centres of tourism. Some of Israel’s best managers reside in kibbutzim and contribute to the social, economic, cultural and ecological development of the country. The kibbutzim need to be kept intact. The kibbutz culture and philosophy, in essence, must remain vibrant and flourishing as they have in the past. In kibbutzim lies the history of Israel’s glory. The roots of glory should always survive and remain green. Blossoming kibbutzim are the pivotal source of Jewish integrity and progress. This unique culture is in the best interests of Israel and of the world. I feel proud, for I have been a proud kibbutznik for 19 days!

The Finale Our Finale was from 5.30 p.m. It was organised in the Hall of Kibbutz Mizra. This was the hall that could accommodate all the participants. I was introduced first to the Vice Consul of the Philippines. Then Ambassadors of some African countries also dropped by the hall. Certificates were distributed. English and French were being spoken simultaneously. Each delegate was given two certificates: one Diploma Certificate in the programme concerned and the other was the Jerusalem Pilgrim Certificate.

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The special farewell dinner was at 7.00 p.m. Different tables were earmarked for different programmes. We occupied the Environmental Management table. The representative of the Ambassador of the Philippines, the Vice Consul Mr. Thaddeus T. Hamoy sat along with us. Nirit sat next to me. We sipped wine then the President of the Galillee College, Dr. J. Shivel, called Prof. Robert of the Philippines to sign the Memorandum of Understanding. All cameras were at the ready. Then I was called to sign yet another Memorandum of Understanding. I signed it. There was the sound of clapping in the hall. I also presented three books of mine to the Galillee College. After some time another College authority who had copies of my books approached me wanting my inscription and signatures on the books. The President expressed his hope that I would return to Israel in the future.

Day 19: 7 April 2009 Today was my last day in Israel. During all this time the Holy Land has felt like my second home. It seems I have known all the faces in the kibbutz for ages. In Kibbutz Mizra I focused intently on everything around me wanting to absorb and preserve everything in my memory. Those sky-kissing conifers, a Ficus (fig family) tree laden with fruits, the lawns, parks, pastures, vehicles, the school, the dining hall, the houses, Galillee College Study Centre, the greenery, some friendly dogs outside the dining hall, birds chirping in the trees, the fragrance of nature, friends from so many countries, the lovely faces of children and other Kibbutzniks, the variety of foods available in the dining hall, the fragrance of the sacred soil of the Holy Land, a deep feeling for the beauty and culture of Israel — there is so much in the kibbutz. Kibbutz is the soul of Israel. I spoke to myself — “shouldn’t the culture of Israel imbibed in kibbutzim be kept intact?” I recalled Henryk’s e-mail. He was happy because I was staying in a kibbutz.

I arrived at the Dining Hall at about 7:00 for breakfast. With plates in hand, I told the receptionist that this was my last breakfast here. She looked at me with an expression of affection. I felt she was a bit emotional, which I very much reciprocated. Mutual respect, feelings and love usually generate emotions which are reflected in one’s eyes.

It was nice to see Dr. Joseph Shevel in the Dining Hall having breakfast. He gave me a smile, warmth and welcomes as usual. He wished me a happy journey. I invited him to India. After enjoying the variety of vegetarian food for breakfast I went to the receptionist to bid goodbye. I packed up my luggage in my room and visited the computer room in the Galillee College Study Centre. I had to send some e-mails informing my family about my departure and about my experience of the last moments in Israel.

At about 11.00 we had to leave for Tel Aviv for the journey back to India. I came out with my luggage. Omri offered me some sweets and took me to a group of kibbutzniks who were sitting on the lawn in front of the Information Office of Kibbutz Mizra, celebrating with drinks and snacks. They gave me a hearty welcome. It was a farewell to their foreign guests. I said, “Namaste” in Indian gestures. Our hosts asked about my choice of drink. I asked for a soft drink. We chatted with each other. Omri and Ron were especially caressing and they hugged everyone who was ready to leave the kibbutz. Ron assured me he would visit India soon. The other day I said to Ron, “I am leaving everything here including my heart.” I recalled what he said in reply, “This (leaving the heart here) is the most important.” I very much liked Ron’s gestures. Yes, I was set to go back to India but I was leaving my heart there in the Holy Land. The lovely duo of social coordinators, Omri and Ron, hugged each other. I said goodbye and sat in the front seat of the vehicle Shai would drive to our destination — the Ben-Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv.

The trip to Tel Aviv was exciting: long unending fields full of green crops and gardens, beautiful roads, greenery all around, blossoming mustard on roadsides, nicely developed

inhabited areas, and life in its beautiful bloom plus music playing in the car — travel to Tel Aviv combined with the feel of returning home was intoxicating. After thanking Shai and giving him a hug I went into the Airport.

From the upper storey of the Ben-Gurion International Airport I gazed at the panoramic city of Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv is now hundred years old and gearing up for its centenary celebrations. The whole world will feel the glitter of Tel Aviv during 2009.

Goodbye Israel. I love you, Holy Land. Wishing you all the best. I wish to see you again.

Panoramic view of Jerusalem.

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Some Jewish people of the 19th century (from Life in the Holyland www.lifeintheholyland.com/arabs.htm). Some Arab people of the 19th century (from Life in the Holyland www.lifeintheholyland.com/arabs.htm).