Water and Fire

Last week on our Tuesday afternoon family desert outing, we visited a Nabatean well a few miles outside of Yeruham. (Remember the Nabateans?) Everyone took a turn drawing water out of the well.

Here's our neighbor Yair drawing water.

And here are three thirsty onlookers.

Lag B'Omer

Saturday night was Lag B'Omer, a holiday commemorating a number of events in Jewish history, including the end of a divine plague among the students of the great rabbinic sage Rabbi Akiva. According to the Talmud, the plague was sent because the students did not show each other sufficient respect as scholars. (Albany Law School colleagues: take note!)

At any rate, the holiday is commemorated by burning bonfires. We attended a bonfire with friends at which we roasted whole chickens in the fire, along with potatoes, corn, and marshmallows.

There was also singing.

And fireworks on a nearby hill.

En Yorqenim
This week on our desert outing, we went to En Yorqenim, a hidden pool in the desert just past the large crater.

Here the water cut a canyon into the ground.

And here are two intrepid travellers...

walking down into the canyon.

At the bottom we found the pool. Since the rains are long past, the pool was quite small.

But that did not stop our leader, Yael, from conducting boat rides.

Here's a motley crew.

After eating s'mores melted over an open fire, we headed back as the sun went down.