Independence Tyul

Today, we went on a tyul to learn about Israel’s Independence from the British. This tyul while long, was incredibly fun for a multitude of reasons. First, we went to Latrun, where we saw tanks some in use, but many out of commission due to the fact they were used in armed battles. The tanks were not only huge, but gave me a glimpse into the dangerous nature of fighting the battles for independence was. We also learned about how the tanks are constructed, unlike most war machines, Israeli tanks engines are in the front. This, gives Israeli soldiers an extra layer of protection, but, in order to do so, the engine will be damaged first in an attack. Although this may put the tanks out of commission, I think it is completely worth it to save potential lives. We also learned that the bullet leaves the tank at a slower rate in order for harmful gas not to be released inside the tank, making it safer for those inside. I loved learning about this because I think it is so important the measures Israel takes to secure its soldiers safety. 

After Latrun we went to Yad Mordechai, which was not only a kibbutz, but a super secret underground bullet factory during the battle for Independence. 45 Residence of the 75 kibbutz members worked in the bullet factory 25 feet underground. They were not allowed to tell anyone of their operations as they were putting not only themselves, but everyone around them in harm. I personally, do not know if I would be able to keep such a big part of my life a secret for so many years. Although this may have been an illegal operation, it saved and helped the lives of many Israeli’s as they fought to their death against surrounding Arab countries for Independence. This factory was not only super cool, but illustrated the lengths taken Israelis would go to to have a Jewish state. I loved hearing about their Jewish nationalism, and hope if I’m ever in a similar situation I will be as brave as those in the bullet factory. 

We then went to Tel Aviv, where we went to Independence Hall. This is the same building   where David Ben Gurion (the first Prime Minister of Israel) first declared Israel’s Independence on May 14th, 1948. Although the piece of land Israel was given basically only included the Negev and unimportant regions without the main settlements that Israelis had previously established, Israel finally had a state! The Jewish people finally had a home after a two thousand year struggle. This was so exciting, and I found myself having so much Jewish pride while hearing Ben Gurion’s speech and singing Hatikva. We also learned that America expressed it was in support of Israel only 11 minutes after the state was established. After learning this, I also found myself feeling proud to be not only Jewish, but also American. After Independence Hall, we went on a high tech scavenger hunt around Tel Aviv and learned about Israel’s numerous start up companies. Israel is home to most of the worlds thriving start ups, and it was so inspiring to learn about how innovate Israel is. Finally, we concluded our day by getting dinner in Tel Aviv, I of course got Sushi, and then headed home to Tzuba. Overall, it was an incredible and interesting day, it is definitely one I will never forget!