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On a trip to Israel in March my wife and I got a chance to see historic sites, hike in national parks, sample the food, and experience the existential reality of Israel today. We visited major archaeological sites, of course, but also got a sense of recent Israeli cultural and political issues. What an interesting and complicated place it is.
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| Israel: vulnerable and nationalistic |
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| Israelis have made the desert bloom with high quality fruits and vegetables |
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| Tel Aviv is modern and secular |
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| The northern city of Safid (Tzfat) is a center of Kabbalah, or Jewish mysticism |
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| The Western Wall in Jerusalem is Judaism’s most sacred spot |
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| The wall is actually a retaining wall that supported the second temple, destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD |
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| Boys serve in the armed forces for at least three years, girls for two |
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