Organizing a group out of the accompaniers to hold a day-trip for communities of the northern Palestinian Jordan Valley – two weeks ago, a group came of Farisiya, and this week this group.
We rode two Palestinian buses filled with children, women and men, about 90 Palestinians and 10 accompaniers. The route of the trip included three destinations: the Hisham palace, cable bar to the Qarantal Mountain, and a recreation area that includes a huge playground and wave pools, two children pools, and a slide taking one into a large pool. What can we say?
The sites were nice. As though they waited for us. We were alone everywhere.

Hisham palace, north of Jericho, is special in its mosaic floor throughout. Columns and their heads. The palace was built in 724 by the Muslims. It was destroyed in an earthquake 25 years later, at 749 and its construction was never completed, but it is renovated and maintained. I saw a man sweeping the mosaic floor. Outside there is a bathhouse that has remained and a mosque that did not survive. The Palestinians suffered from the heat and wanted to continue. Luckily there was an air-conditioned room that projected a film about the place.

From there we went to the Qarantal. Actually, inside Jericho. The station is where the cable car leaves to the Qarantal. Several minutes inside the cable car. Before boarding, we ate a breakfast they had prepared. Along the sidewalk was an outer water duct where one could wade. Children got it immediately and their great fun began.

Going up to the cable car we were there alone, too. We learned fear. One shepherd told me, I am with sheep on the earth, how do it ascend in this thing? He came up, filled with fear and swore he wouldn’t come down in it, but did. A heavier shepherd was not able to come down and took a taxi cab. The women and the children carried their fears bravely. Including myself. I told some child who would not come: come and we will be afraid together, and he showed such bravery! Much more than his Dad.

There we received popsicles, and continued to Banana Land, a recreation center that includes pools, large playgrounds and benches and rest time.
Indescribable joy.
We were there for four hours, joy peaked, and we bought a delicious lunch for everyone.

The photos show some of this (watch the video)