In Kadesh Barnea

Welcome to the next edition of our blog. We’ve been doing a day-trip in Kadesh Barnea, very close to where the Moshav we live is located. Moses and the Children of Israel were camped for MANY years at Kadesh Barnea – such a wilderness you would not believe! But in the midst of today’s journey of Kadesh Barnea, one will find wonderful treasures and places of creature comfort.

But nothing like golf courses, 5-star Hotels, Disney World or any facsimile thereof. You may remember the photos I sent of our own “home away from home” at our Moshav, but this selection of paragraphs and photos will be about other vacation spots and not too far from Be’er Milka! A 45-minute drive from where we live is a place roughly translated to The Bedouin Inn of Kadesh Barnea. This place is swarming with families, laughing children of all ages, finding lots to do in the desert not requiring electricity or modems or cell phones. There was such an electricity of togetherness in these several family groups – probably new lifetime friendships were being developed before our very eyes.

This “hotel” was no slouch either, note the gracious bathroom and the view you have brushing your teeth in the morning. Toilets lined one side, showers line the opposite side, and it was men & women together (like that will ever happen in America!).

Families either slept communally in a large room or had separate quarters that hung hammocks for beds. The host is this local lad whose picture I had to take! He asked why I wanted his picture, I answered “Because you have a great face!”

From here we took a hike to a blackened hill, known as the Hill of Writing. Ancient petraglyphs were scratched deeply into the rock, showing animals, birds, and ancient words. So our thought was, what blackened this hill? Not a tree in sight for lightning to hit. Hmmm.

Completing our day’s travel, we stopped by a new area that is part of Be’er Milka, begun through the ministry of Ronen Shalom, called Eretz Yah (God’s Land). We met Ronen and his American wife (Mariah) in Florida when we lived there. Early this year we had opportunity to buy an olive tree to be grown in this new olive grove (you can also buy a tree for a minimal cost, let me know if you’re interested).

The end of the perfect day was celebrated by entering our Friday evening event of Erev Shabbat, where The Light of the World is celebrated and honored by the lighting of the Shabbat candles, the Challah bread honoring The Bread of Life is passed around and eaten, and red wine is drunk honoring Him who gave His life that we might have ours. Shabbat Shalom!