Israel Post #6

Another great day for the 2009 Israel group! Today we slept a little later than usual. When we left our hotel our bus took us high into the mountains of Eilat, right along the Israeli-Egyptian border. We stopped briefly at the checkpoint at the Israel-Egypt border (the Israeli soldiers did not want us to alight from the bus), and then retraced our steps a little to Mt. Yeoash. Seven of us climbed to the top with our guide and had a phenomenal view into Egypt, across the gulf into Jordan, and, in the distance, Saudi Arabia. After our climb we joined the others at the bus (where two Israeli soldiers who had stopped for a coffee break (they had their own water boiler) allowed us to take pictures with them). We then spent the first part of the afternoon at the Eilat Aquarium which is both above ground and below the water. The fish and the corals we saw were incredibly colorful! It was mid-afternoon when we returned to our hotel for some scheduled relaxation time which most of us spent at the pool or the magnificent beach. You would not believe how clear the water is, yet how blue it appears as well! Once the sun set (around 4:30), I went jogging along the promenade. When I left, the mountains were aglow with the colors of sunset; on my return the lights of Eilat and of Aqaba, Jordan (right across the bay) were aglitter. What a sight!

Tomorrow it's into the Negev as w make our way to Tel Aviv.

Wish you were with us!

Rabbi Androphy