Business suits off, hiking boots on
Photo: Ilan Lorenzi
Breathtaking scenery
Photo: Shai Mahalal
Businessmen blaze the Israel trail
Jewish National Fund sponsors series of one, two day hikes to cover the 940 kilometer Israel Trail
One foot after the other, goes the saying. This is also how the Jewish National Fund suggests one hikes the highways and byways of Israel.
However, since the 940 kilometers (584 miles) of the Israel Trail are not easily completed in one stage, the JNF is making it possible to join smaller organized hikes that are being planned every few weeks at different section of the route. (Ynetnews will be following the groups as part of its project 'Trailing Israelis on the Trail.' )
The northernmost section, from Beit Ussiskin to Matzuda, is the first part of the project. The first group consisted of CEOs and managing directors of the country's leading companies and their families, as well as a few journalists. Among the hikers were Giora Bar Deah of Strauss-Elite, Shaul Shelach of Elite, Yigal Gali of Maabarot and Shai Doron from the Israel Biblical Zoo, whose seven year old son was outstanding in completing the entire trek.
Water, flowers and scenery
The first day's theme was water, and crossing the Hatzbani River was the high point of the day. The second day included a walk along the slopes of the mountain: Ups and downs, lots of scenery and even more colorful wildflowers; poppies and anemones, pink and white cyclamens, purple irises, the white blossoms of the Syrian pear tree and much more. From the heights, one could see soaring eagles and even deep green parrots and among the rocks, small creatures. Pure, unadulterated nature.
It was strange to meet up with people, who we are accustomed to seeing stuffed inside a business suit photographed against a backdrop of the view out of the window of their office on the who-knows-what-floor of the high rise building, wearing JNF t-shirts and wide brim hats and unable to hide the satisfaction and glee radiating from their faces.
They needed to roll up their pant cuffs when we crossed the river and to help one another as we descended some of the steeper, winding parts of the trail. But everything was done with joy and a sense of communing with nature and with the place.
The night was spent in a Bedouin tent. We drank good wine and ate food from the Galilee accompanied by guitar playing that lasted until everyone crawled into their sleeping bags and the lights went out. Even the blue-and-white JNF box was there waiting for donations.
"It was hard," many of the participants admitted, "but it was a wonderful feeling."
Public invited
The JNF invites the public to join one of the hikes along the Israel Trail. The treks will be spread out across the year. Every month, a group will hike for two days, between 15 and 25 kilometers a day.
The hikes are accompanied by JNF guides and include encounters with people from the area, stories of the past and plans for the future.
The JNF is also offering a walking series to better hikers.
There is a fee for the hikes to cover the guides, the security and the escorts (about 90 NIS a day) and the number of participants is limited. Hikers receive a special JNF passport at the end of the hike indicating which parts of the trail they have walked.
