Sunday's Adventure

I know I have not posted Shabbos in Israel yet..... but I am having picture issues.. so we will move on to Sunday. It was a great day!!!!

The First great was for Sam she called us to wake us up.. that is a whole other story. But we were called a 6:08 am and we were at the train station by 6:52 a.m. and from there our adventure really begins. We took the Israel Rail to meet Yorum and David Shein in Binyamina and it was so worth the 2 1/2 hour 2 transfer train ride. Now I have to apologize because Sam would not let me take pictures and Bubbie and I had already decided it would probably not be a good idea but I bet they would have let me.

Our first change was in Beit Shemesh and there was standing room only so we stood and sometimes sat in the entry area of the train with about 15 young soldiers male and female some with their guns others with just a back pack and some with both. We had mostly Army but some Air Force. Most of the kids were talking among themselves but it was just a very grabbing to see these kids (they are the same age as Celia, Nathan and Sam) accepting this responsibility and realities of their life and love of country. They were all very proud of what they were doing.

I was talking with one girl Ayala (spelling does not count) who is stationed in Ashkelon (yes that is where Sam wanted to go) she is part of a surveillance unit. She also helped me figure out how to read the train schedule. We parted company with her in Lod. But with her instruction we stayed on the train until Tel Aviv Mercaz where we met Ayir who was also going to Benyamina to his military base. He is 21 years old and a foot soldier (he broke his leg trying out for paratroopers) he was very sweet and sat with us all the way to Benyamina. He has one more year on his tour of duty but he is not sure what he is going to do when he gets out. Bubbie and I had a wonderful time talking with him but Sam told us it was time to stop making friends.

So we got off the train in Binyamina and were met by David and Yorum. Our first stop the house the Yorum was born in. I knew Yorum was educated in agriculture however I didn't know that

he had a family farm. We paid a call to Netty a neighbor that had lived in the area longer than Yorum, and then we were off on our adventure. The first stop was Binyamina Winery, origionally a perfume factory started by Baron de Rothschild in the 1920's and later closed until 1990 when it came back as a winery. It was a great tour and actually my favorite stop of the day. This winery does make only kosher wines so while we were in the actual winery we had a mishkea along with us to make sure that we did not touch anything that would make it no longer kosher.

After the tour we started to taste. First we had a sweet partly dry Muscato which Sam and David like a lot. We had two reds which were good and then a dessert Cassis, they also make an Amaretto.

We had a great time and this was my favorite of all the wineries we went to today.

Next it was lunch time and as for as Yorum we should have been playing "memories" when he took us to a place of his youth... I can't pronounce the name of the place but it was good ... so good that David had two and showed us the finer art of two fisted falafel eating.

After lunch we went to Tishbi Winery which I also enjoyed. It was a nice little winery and we were able to find the Israeli version of Two Buck Chuck. 19nis ( at 4.2 nis per dollar it is about $4 per liter) pour your own bring your own bottle and cork your own. It is a wonderful small family run winery and we really did enjoy our visit. We just wish the English speaking tour guide would have been there. But Yorum was and he did such a good job.

And last but not least was the town of Zichron Ya'acov which has been producing wine for the last 119 years... yes it has been around longer than Israel has. We went to the Carmel Wineries of Zichron Ya'acov. Now I will tell you that the wines were nice and the knowledge of the person running the testing was very good. But there was just something about this place that I didn't feel to welcome. Now it could have been timing but it could also be the fact that they are the oldest and largest wineries in Israel. But I will tell you that it was worth it all for the look on Sam's face as we tasted a very very dry Merlot Cab blend.

Well that was it for our wine tasting... but the day was not over. Yorum took us up the coast to Ein Hod a wonderful little artist village that is overlooking the mediterainian. From there we did a little driving around and got to see the Yeshiva that Yorum went to as a teenager... we also go to hear all kinds of stories from his youth. From there we drove to Haifa and we were able to take a quick drive around before we had to catch the train in Lev Hamifratz.

It was a wonderful day we were able to see so much of Israel, Sam will be able to take the trains all over Israel and Yorum has not lost his touch when it comes to driving like an Israeli. A Great Big Thank You to Yorum and David for a wonderful day that will not be forgotten.

There are a few more pictures that just don't want to load at this time so.... check back soon to see some more of our adventures in Israel.