My Winter Trip to Israel

Inbar Singal is the Community Engagement Manager at Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey. She recently returned from Israel, visiting family members at the end of Israel's winter season, the same time when Israel's vast wildflowers are in full bloom. 

I was born in Israel, on Mount Scopus in Jerusalem, on Purim. My mom was telling me how when she was in the hospital after giving birth to me, children came in their costumes to visit their moms.

I lived in Israel my entire life, before moving to the United States only 10 years ago with my husband and children. We left all our family and friends in Israel, to start a new life in another country.

I love the US, but Israel will always be my home. I miss it every day. I miss the culture, the scenery, the food, the language, but one of the things I miss the most is winter in Israel. The end of winter season is, in my opinion, the most beautiful time in Israel. While New Jersey is frozen and covered with snow, Israel is in full bloom. Everywhere you go it’s green and blooming, even in the dessert.



That’s the reason why every year, I fly to Israel to celebrate my birthday with family and friends, enjoying the natural beauty.

Last week, I returned from my last visit. This year, after a few very dry seasons, Israel enjoyed a lot of rain, and the scenery was exceptional. I spent most of the week traveling, from southern Israel to the north. I didn’t visit the usual tourists sites. I focused on the locations where all Israelis go when they want to see the wild flowers bloom. It was amazing to see the whole country traveling around, following the flowers. Everywhere we went, we saw hundreds of people, school students, soldiers, families, all having fun in nature. 


The rivers and waterfalls, which are usually dry, were flowing intensely. New ponds formed in parking lots, on roads and in fields and forests. It's an amazing experience to see a sudden flood in the dessert. It’s a scary, but beautiful sight. You can hear the water roar and before you know it, a flood covers the wadi (valley) and then disappears. 

If you haven’t been to Israel yet, you must go. It’s a beautiful country. Remember, none of the landscapes are manmade. And if you like nature and flowers, the best time to go is February or March. 

Connect with Israel through local events, adult education, and learn about future travel opportunities through Federation. LEARN MORE

 

0Comments

Add Comment
Subscribe to posts