Post Ride Travels

I suppose that this entry will be of most interest to my friends from Usha74 (though we will start with our trip to Petra in Jordan).  For those readers who don’t know, I was part of a group of college students that arrived at Kibbutz Usha in January (I think) of 1974 as the first iteration of a program with Haifa University.  It was an experiment to see whether more students (well, Dennis excepted, more Jewish students) could be encouraged to become part of the kibbutz movement.  We pretended to study two days a week at the University, and lived and worked on the kibbutz the rest of the week.  That was the beginning of an 18 month stint I spent living and studying in Israel.

Anyway, Petra was a very cool place to visit.  It is a narrow slice of desert in Jordan that was part of the Nabatean spice route (note the connection to the makhtesh at Mitzpe Ramon).  In the steep sides of the mountain are carved burial caves, temples and other strange and wonderful structures.  For Indiana Jones fans, think The Last Crusade, which was filmed there on site.  It is truly a Wonder of the World, and should be seen…though once is probably enough,  Afterwards to a dump of a hotel in Aqaba - the Jordanian city on the opposite side of the Gulf of Aqaba from Eilat.  Next day to Wadi Rom.  A wadi is a riverbed - though mostly dry since this is the desert.  This part of the desert has taller mountains than the Israeli side, and is very dramatic.  It was both the historical and film location for some of Lawrence of Arabia’s adventures.  The main attraction is the jeep ride they take you on deep into the desert, and the opportunity to stop an climb into the dunes and mountains.

Crossing into Jordan is an experience.  We are driven to the border by our Israeli guides.  After going  through passport control, we walk a hundred yards or so through no-man’s land and then Welcome to Jordan, where we are met by our Jordanian guide.  They take our passports for an hour or so for “processing,” which is really an excuse to make us wait and spend money at the cheap gift/coffee shop.  Most of us resist.

Jordan is a kingdom.  There are huge pictures of King Abdullah all over the place (also his father Hussein), and our guide tells us that the king really does hold all the power, even though there is an elected legislature.  It is a Muslim country, but our guide assures us that women are given as much freedom and equality as possible.  All of this notwithstanding, we must remember that Jordan is one of only two Arab countries (Egypt is other) to sign a peace treaty with Israel.  It is not exactly a warm peace, but it is peace.

After Jordan, back across the border for another night in Eilat (it is nice to see the Goodbye from Jordan sign, and wonderful to pass the one that says Welcome to Israel).  A short flight to Tel Aviv, pick up a car rental, and off to Usha!

I’ve not been back since 1978 when Robin and I visited.  The town of Kiryat Ata has exploded in size.  Used to be a healthy walk from the kibbutz into town.  Now the town has grown right up to the edge of the kibbutz.  The kibbutz itself is a combination of the old, which I remember, and much that is newer - houses and other buildings.  Our old dorm, which used to stand alone, is now crowded by the eyeglass factory, and is itself overgrown with trees and vegetation.  The community has joined most other kibbutzim in abandoning the communal lifestyle that was the hallmark of the movement.  Gone is the communal dining room.  Members own their own homes (though like cooperatives in the states, resale is restricted), and there are many people renting homes on the grounds who are not members - just people who have found a convenient suburb in which to live.   Most members now work at various occupations off the site.  The agriculture and dairy operation is licensed to outside entities.  Truth be told, the place looks a bit shabby.  Avner and Nancy both agree on this.  While some folks miss the community feeling that used to pervade, they seem to accept this evolutionary step in kibbutz life.

The memories of our time as young volunteers, and the friends who remain at Usha are what will keep me tied to that place.  It was wonderful to get reacquainted with Avner and Aviva and to spend time with Nancy and her family.  A special treat, the result of the death at age 92 of one of the kibbutz elders, was that Marlis came in from Germany and we got to spend an hour or so catching up.

And of course, there was biking.  Avner is an avid rider (he rides up the Carmel to Haifa for fun!), and he took us on a lovely ride up the coast to the border with Lebanon.  Then this morning he and I went out for another ride into the hills behind and around Usha (Israelis are big into off-road biking).  It was an opportunity to see parts of this area that I had never seen before.  And it felt good to be riding again (ok, perhaps I have become just a little bit more than just an enthusiast.).  Top on my list for the next trip is to spend as much time as Avner will give riding with him through the north of the country.

The time allotted to this visit is slipping away.  We left Usha and headed back towards Tel Aviv for lunch with Reuven, who was our American group leader in 1974.  Reuven is a kind soul, and so full of interesting stories and experiences.  I wish we had more time with him.  Reuven is a hiker - so also at the top of my list is to spend time hiking with him through the land that he has come to know by foot.

A quick dinner with my cousin Hagai and our friends Rachel and Zeev in Tel Aviv (Yaffo, actually), and to the airport.  As I write this last entry, we are in the air on our way back to the states.

It has been a wonderful trip.

Shalom,

Lester