First we went to the city of Haifa, a model of co-existence where Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Baha'i live side by side in peace. As we looked over the beautiful Baha'i temple and grounds above the Port of Haifa it couldn't escape our notice that although the past couple of days have been rainy, every time we've gotten off the bus the rain has stopped and the sun come out!
From there we headed to Atlit, the infamous detention camp where the British put Jews who tried to come to Palestine illegally (under the British Mandate, only 5000 Jews were allowed into Palestine each year, despite the Holocaust taking place at the very moment in Europe). We walked through the barracks surrounded by barbed wire where the British placed Jewish refugees, so similar in appearance to the camps that many had just escaped from in Europe. In 1945, the Palmach (the pre-State Jewish defense organization) staged a daring midnight raid under the leadership of Yitzchak Rabin to liberate 208 inmates who were about to be deported to their countries of origin - a certain death sentence. The operation was a stunning success and all the refugees were saved.
From Atlit we traveled to Zichron Ya'akov, one of the first two settlements of Jews coming from Europe in the late 19th century with the aspiration of working the land and laying the foundations for a Jewish state. The famous Rothschild family helped fund the enterprise and set up vineyards for the new immigrants to cultivate; today it is the home of the Carmel wineries. Zichron is also a quaint town, a favorite site for Israeli tourists and we enjoyed wandering among the historical streets and stores filled with crafts (think New Hope in the Galil!). As we headed down toward Tel Aviv we pulled over to look out over the Mediterranean and recite the blessing the rabbis prescribed for the occasion: "Blessed is the One who creates the Great Sea."
And as we pulled into the city we were greeted by yet another rainbow - surely as sign?
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