Few things can make history come alive as much as standing in places where history happened. That fact is one of the themes of the coming Milwaukee Jewish Federation mission to Israel this March.
“The idea of the mission is to explore the Israeli landscape in areas where biblical or Jewish historical stories took place,” said Paz Goldschmidt, Israel emissary to Milwaukee and director of the MJF Israel Center.
For example, she said that participants will walk along Mt. Gilboa, the ridge above the Jezreel Valley in northern Israel where the Bible says King Saul fought the Philistines, was defeated, and committed suicide (I Samuel 31).
Participants also will see the Valley of Elah, where David is supposed to have fought Goliath (I Samuel 17); and Ein Gedi, the “goat spring” oasis, where the Bible says David hid from Saul (I Samuel 24).
All this will demonstrate to participants that “the stories you grew up on are there [in Israel], and the things you say while praying did take place there,” Goldschmidt said.
And to see these places, participants are “going to walk,” she said. “We will be less in cities” than other missions.
In fact, seeing historical sites will be only one theme of the mission, scheduled for March 16-23. The itinerary is also designed to get participants acquainted with nature and geography in Israel – to see how mountains, rivers, deserts, and other varied ecological regions are packed into a country so small that it could fit into Lake Michigan.
And there will also be a third theme – encounters with the “Milwaukee mishpochah [family]” in Israel, said Goldschmidt. Participants will meet former Milwaukeeans who have made aliyah, plus former Israel emissaries.
Indeed, one of the latter, Rabbi Nir Barkin, is now spiritual leader of a congregation in Modi’in, the town of the Maccabees; and the mission will celebrate Purim at his synagogue there.
Mission co-chairs are Idy Goodman and Nancy K. Barnett. Cost is $1,700 plus airfare.
An informational meeting about the mission is planned for Nov. 16, 6 p.m., at the shlichut residence, 6427 N. Santa Monica Blvd. Deadline for making reservations is Nov. 30.
For more information, contact Goldschmidt, 414-390-5705, or pazg@milwaukeejewish.org.
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