Tuesday July 2nd,
Good morning Netanya!
It’s amazing to wake up look out the window and see the beautiful Mediterranean right there in front of me.
Today we had a chance to enjoy the beach and relax a little from our usually hectic schedule. The water is just as good as it looked from our hotel; I really need to come back and spend more time here.
A funny thing happened on the way to the beach (some would just say it’s just another day in Israel), a parked car didn’t let the bus pass so some of us got off the bus to “help it” park a little better.
After the beach we boarded the bus and headed to Rechovot to visit an amazing place that was used to teach people to learn how to start and live on a kibbutz. But that’s not all this place did, it was also used as a secret underground ammunitions factory from 1945-48 and it was amazing to hear how they kept it a secret from all the people who would come for 3 months at a time and most importantly from the British. We learned how the workers would get in and out via a secret entrance under the washing machine and all the steps they took to keep the place a secret. They even had names for the people “giraffe” as they would be on top and see everything above but not have a clue about what’s going on under).
If I were to make a manual part of the index would have to look like a little this:
1. How to build an underground factory from start to finish in under 30 days while every move is being watched.
2. How to build an entrance under the laundry room
3. Train head of the laundry department to make sure the workers can come up for lunch, go in and out without any “giraffes” seeing
4. How to build a second entrance in the bakery to lower the equipment and seal the entrance by moving a massive oven on top.
5. How to create cover jobs for all underground workers (these covers would include having people outside of the Kibbutz doing their work and leaving the fruit or fish at designated spots for the workers to pick up and make as if they did all the work themselves)
6. How to build an underground tanning booth
7. How to designate and train a worker to remove ALL factory remnants (metal shavings etc…) from shoes and clothing
8. Equipment maintenance 101
9. How to build an underground range to test accuracy etc…
10. How to use a milk truck to transport the finished product and bring in new supplies
From Rechovot we headed south into the desert where we stopped at a place called “Sh’vil Ha’salat” (the Salad Path) and learned all about growing vegetables and herbs in desert soil. We got to pick and eat out own veggies and herbs make our own special herb flavored pita and learn about the amazing things you can do on land that so many would think unusable. Let me tell you, the taste was out of this world! If only all the vegetables I eat could taste this good.
At this awesome farm, we also met some really special birds and anyone who wanted got to hold and release one. What kind of birds you ask? Homing pigeons! After we let go of the pigeons we watched them fly in a circle and go back to the house.
Next stop the Bedouin tents our home for the night, where we got to experience Bedouin style food and Bedouin hospitality followed by a fire with marshmallows and a talent show by MY-279 that included everything from singing to acrobats and some serious juggling from our very own Bentzi.
As the fire starts to die down it’s time to get some sleep and all these thoughts are running through my head. I wonder if my pita would have tasted better with the lemon basil, or perhaps a lemon basil nana mix? Could they make the chocolate tomato with real chocolate inside? What is the world record for tomatoes in lips? When can i…………………
