This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending my Onward Israel Breakout Seminar. These seminars are designed to give Onward participants a chance to socialize and meet other people outside of their program. It also allows the participants to explore parts of Israel that they otherwise would not have had the opportunity to see.
For my seminar, I traveled with four other students from Boston Onward Haifa to the Ein Gedi Oasis, which is next to the Dead Sea. The entire seminar was composed of us, and 90 other young adults from various Onward programs throughout Israel. When we arrived, we were split into three groups, called “Families,” which were each led by a guide. We were split up in order to facilitate discussion and connection, as it is difficult to control a group of 90+ students. We finished off the evening with conversation icebreakers and a delicious dinner served by the Ein Gedi Youth Hostel.
The Dead Sea panoramic view from the youth hostel
The next day was spent exploring the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve. We started the day off by going on a water hike in ‘En Boqeq, finishing at a waterfall and small swimming area. The most interesting part of the hike was learning about how such an oasis can exist in the middle of the desert. It was 108˚ Fahrenheit and the water was still flowing. Seeing life amidst the desolation of the desert was a very unique experience.
Later that day, we were able to take a driving tour of the Dead Sea Works, a resource-extraction factory located on the western shore of the Dead Sea. The factory, which extracts and refines potash, among other natural resources, was interesting to learn about. While the Dead Sea and its resources are undoubtedly important to Israel’s economy, having a factory on the shores of one of the most beautiful sights in Israel certainly was an unusual sight.
While the factory was a little surprising to me, I was still looking forward to swimming in the Dead Sea! We drove down to the southern half of the sea, where the hotels and resorts are located, before spending a couple hours eating lunch and soaking in the revitalizing waters! Even though I have swam there before, it always shocks me how buoyant you are while swimming. In the triple-digit heat, it was a pleasure to swim. The water was so hot that, upon first entry, I felt like I was in a bathtub.
The hostels beach at the Dead Sea
We finished off the day with three unique Shabbos services: Orthodox, Reform and Alternative. I attended the Reform service, where we sang and said prayers to welcome Shabbos into our life and week. Later, we had a wonderful Shabbos meal, which we shared with a company of reserve IDF soldiers reporting for their yearly training. I had the opportunity to speak with several of them, which was probably one of the highlights of my weekend. I always enjoy speaking with Israelis, as I find that they are able to give me an untainted portrait of their country. Too often, I find that my programs try to give me a rose-colored glasses view of the country, so I have always loved speaking with the locals to get a sense of their real lives.
Our second, and final day at Ein Gedi was also spent outside. I attended an optional hike that promised swimming and beautiful views. Seeing the temperature was 100+ degrees by 9 am, it was an easy decision. We hiked along the David River, encountering numerous swimming spots along the way.
The hike culminated at the David Falls, a 100-foot cascading waterfall that fed the stream year round. We swam for several hours in the various pools we encountered on the hike. It was incredibly relaxing and a wonderful way to spend my final day in the desert.
After the hike, we relaxed for several hours, before participating in a beautiful Havdalah ceremony with the entire Onward program.
I really enjoyed my weekend in the desert. I found the landscapes to be breathtaking and the weather (while extremely hot), to be wonderful. When the humidity is that low, 108 feels like 80 degrees. A hot New England summer would have been worse! I would love to travel back to Ein Gedi and spend an extended period of time there, hiking and swimming and overall enjoying nature. I can absolutely see myself living and working in the Negev in the future, making the desert bloom and helping Israel grow!
Zachary Gershman
