9/14 | Gush Etzion

I can honestly say that my experience in Gush Etzion, an Israeli "settlement bloc" near the edge of the West Bank, was one of the best I have ever had in Israel.  Billed as a winery tour, it actually turned out to be so much more: a hike, a history lesson, and a dinner that I will never forget.  Seven students, including myself, went on the tour, which was organized by a group called Dor Le Dor and led by Rabbi Eitan Levy, a licensed tour guide.

The approximate route we took to get from Jerusalem to Gush Etzion.  This settlement bloc contains a number of small towns that most Israelis consider part of the national consensus.  This means that in any final status agreement with the Palestinians, Gush Etzion is expected to be kept a part of Israel.

As we drove through Jerusalem, we passed the Teddy Kollek Stadium, which is named after Jerusalem's mayor from 1965 to 1993.  It is used by two soccer teams: Beitar Jerusalem and Hapoel Jerusalem.

This is the path we took on our hike.  Thousands of years ago, people used this route on their way to Jerusalem.  That is how it got its name: Derech HaAvoht, or Way of the Fathers.

Rabbi Eitan Levy showing us our exact location on a map of Israel.  The views from this hiking trail were breathtaking.

This picture was taken looking straight from the lookout point.  The atmosphere here was so serene, it was hard to believe this land has suffered from so much conflict.

I will never forget the beauty of this place.  Gush Etzion is unlike any other location in Israel.

As we walked the Patriarchs Route, we passed a number of excavated ancient ruins.  This is a picture of a mikveh that was used thousands of years ago by Jews making pilgrimage to HaBeit HaMikdash, or the Holy Temple in English.

The next leg of our tour consisted of a wine tasting at the Gush Etzion Winery.

The logo of the Gush Etzion Winery on a wine glass.  We tasted two types of wine and two liqueurs, one honey flavored and one chocolate flavored.  Both were delicious!

The winery had an extensive collection on wines to choose from; unfortunately, most were fairly expensive.

A view of the vineyard at the winery.

Rachel and Esther picking...

...GRAPES!  The grapes here were sweet and juicy.

The last leg of our tour was spent in this hilltop home.  Located in the community of Bat Ayin, the people who lived here hosted us for dinner.

The view from the patio of the house.  Talk about an incredible location!  To the left of this photograph was an Arab village that has caused much trouble for the Jews of Gush Etzion in the past.  One of the men told me that the village tends to vote Hamas in elections, which reflects the residents radical tendencies.

One of the women spent most of the time tending to the fire.  On the fire were chicken wings as well as a pot of vegetable soup.  Both were incredibly tasty!  Everyone in Bat Ayin is very religious, but not in the way one would expect.  They seemed to be very free spirited, and their appearance was not at all "orthodox" in the traditional, conservative sense.

One of the men of Bat Ayin.  Again, his appearance is not traditional.  He was actually very interesting because he tended liberal in his politics, whereas settlers are assumed to be very right-wing nationalist.

We ended staying until about 9:00.  As we finished dinner, we started to sing songs about G-d and the Land of Israel.  It was an amazing way to end an incredible experience.

My visit to Gush Etzion gave me hope.  The media likes to portray the settlers as vicious thieves that terrorize Palestinians; this is not the case at all.  The people I met are dedicated to this land, regardless of regional politics.  They have worked hard to make this rocky terrain bloom and they are not about to let world opinion dictate how they live their lives.  Of course, they all wish for peace and would abide by whatever final decisions are made, but for the time being, Gush Etzion is their home.