Monday March 21st
From the Druze to Tel Aviv … the intrigue continues.
The day began at Dolphin Village in Moshav Shavei Zion, we were domiciled for just one night, one in which the electricity seemed to fail and the emergency lights came on in the deep of the night … but no worries. I did not take this as any ominous sign of things to come. This enlightening excursion has been anything but predictable, so this was par for the course, and I mean that in the most positive way.
Like many days, we have had to adjust our schedule. I wondered how the day would unfold. Covid had caused some bumps on the road, but Avi, Tsipy and Ellen unflinchingly guided us in new directions. As we had breakfast Avi would not readily reveal our first destination, but this was wonderfully OK. The suspense ended as we departed and to my delight I learned that we were en route to a Druze school. Druze? Before this tour, I knew nearly nothing about these unique people. Many days earlier in Jerusalem, Avi had mentioned them in passing, but now our group would get to see up close what this ethno-religious people was all about. In typical Avi style, we were given a brief but clear overview of the Druze and their place in Israeli society.
What Avi succinctly conveyed is that the Druze are a people numbering just 1.3 million, almost exclusively in the Middle East, but with a small number spread across numerous nation-states. While the Druze make up approximately 600,000 in Syria, 300,000 in Lebanon, and about 200,000 in Jordan, they are merely 130,000 of Israel’s 9.45 million people. Although a small fraction of the Israeli population, they seemed to have an outsized impact on the nation. Notably, unlike ethno-national groups such as the Kurds (who comprise parts of Turkey, Syria, Iraq, and Iran), there is no real no real Druze ethno-national movement for a state. In fact, the Druze are fiercely loyal to state protection by Israel. They are typically more affluent than other Arab populations, and they are generally more integrated into Israeli society than other Arab populations. Notably, Druze males tend to serve in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and oftentimes achieve high-ranked positions. To me, this presented another intriguing level of the demographic complexity of this unique nation.
My excitement grew as I learned we would be visiting not just any Druze school, but the top performing school in Israel. Sitting in the Central Upper Galilee region and in one of the highest villages in Israel, Druze Science high school welcomed us with open arms. I noticed immediately that the school displayed a mural of Martin Luther King Jr on the outside of the building. This was a bit puzzling at first, but the connections became evident as we got deeper into the event.
We began with a meet and greet with students and staff from the school, led by their principal. From the start, it was clear this principal was a dynamic and focused man, one who would not shy away from raining praise on his young school (established 2002-03). It was quickly evident that the Druze we met espouse a very proud background. The students seemed to beam with self-confidence, their command of English very strong and even nuanced. Without a doubt, this school strives to stand out.
To his credit, the principal backed up his claims by showcasing students and staff who were very polished and confident. We began with an ice breaking Pictionary-type game in the school’s auditorium. It was teachers versus students – not surprisingly the students came out on top. After all, the youth can communicate in ways that we all adults are just a tad slower, eh? Next up were two students from the school who led the student council.This male/female duo explained that they are proud of the democratic traditions and the “striving for equality” that permeates the school. I wondered if by extension was this emblematic of the Druze population? Was this their connection to the teachings of Martin Luth King Jr.
To transition we were treated to a young female student on guitar who sang the song “All of Me” by John Legend. It was intimate and special. This was followed by a gregarious and charming female student who gave a detailed overview of how important DARCA is to the economics of the school. I learned that the DARCA Network was established in Israel in 2010 and is sustained by donations from Israeli and international foundations, businesses, and individuals, all of this in addition to the budget provided by the Israeli Ministry of Education. I learned that DARCA’s primary goal is to strengthen under-served communities in Israel’s periphery by strengthening the local education system, specifically in high schools. DARCA places an emphasis on funding these schools in the so-called “geo-social periphery” with the goal of making them competitive with schools in affluent communities. In my quick estimation, DARCA seemed to be the lifeblood, (i.e., funding) from which school’s ability to travel, be part of Model UN, visit other high achieving schools etc.all were possible. While I could not ascertain in quick order, my impression is that DARCA is nonetheless integral to student success.
This success was put on full display by a young female student seemingly could have been giving a Ted Talk. Dressed for success, this poised and polished student thoroughly explained the school accomplishments, especially through Model UN. It made me wonder, was this student the “best of the best” or was she emblematic of this exceptional school? These exceptional people? Again, more questions than answers. So here she was, a female Druze student who was discussing with us her representation of China in Model UN, a student who was struggling to keep her own views on LBGTQ+ rights separate from that of the perspective of China. This, in my view, is a school that is dealing with the complexities and nuances of a modern educational vision.
After this, we transitioned to the teachers lounge in which our contingent of educators could interact directly with the Druze teachers. We proceeded to discuss issues ranging from how the school handled teaching and learning during the Covid-19 crisis to female Druze students avoidance of military service, and even why Druze schools do not necessarily need more specific integration with other Arab schools, at least in the opinion of the principal.
At this point, time was running short and we made our way back to the bus but not before posing for a group picture with the fellow Druze educators in front of the Martin Luther King Jr. mural. This final photo really encapsulated the story of our visit.
The day then transitioned quite a bit as we made our way to the Mediterranean Coast and to the Caesarea region. Here, we were given the opportunity to visit the Ralli Museums, ones that presented some ways in which Jews of Spain and Portugal were so negatively impacted by the Inquisition and other movements that either removed Jews from their land or even killed them outright. These museums contained impressive paintings and sculpture from numerous Spanish and Latin American artists, including Salvador Dali, many of which related to the suffering and persecution inflicted upon the Jews of the aforementioned regions. It was another sobering reminder of how Jews could not be safe and secure in most parts of the world. To me, it exhibited a powerful reason for why Israel exists today. This demographically complex nation, despite approaching 74 years since its independence and its contemporary position as a strong and prosperous nation-state, faces true existential threats. Moreover, simply being in the northern region of Israel and in proximity to Lebanon and Syria, the significant and real threats to Israel became very palpable.
From Ralli, we continued on to Caesarea National Park, where the ancient harbor ruins from the Herodian (King Herod) port city are located. In this ancient city, built by the Judean King Herod around the year 20 BCE, emerges one of the finest archaeological sites in the world.
To provide Caesarea with sufficient fresh water, Herod built an aqueduct that stretched ten miles north to the springs below Mount Carmel. As history unfolded, the Roman Emperor Hadrian and the Crusaders would build additional channels on top of Herod’s aqueduct. A portion of this marvelous structure still stands for visitors to enjoy. Just standing beneath its arches caused me to marvel at the time, skill, and ingenuity of those who constructed it over two thousand years ago. As Avi passionately conveyed, this site spoke to the importance of water in the land of Israel. Once we ventured outside the national park, we came upon an ancient aqueduct that supplied water to Caesarea in what can only be explained as an engineering marvel.
From here, we took our weary souls south along the coastline of the Mediterranean Sea and in short order were knocking at the door of the Tel Aviv region.
This day, like so many, featured more than the mind could truly absorb in one day. Yet we did it – we had arrived at our departing destination, Tel Aviv. As we rolled into the city from the north, it seemed so out of place with what we had been exposed to thus far in Israel. Ancient ruins, antiquity, the Sea of Galilee, and the rugged northern regions of the small but mighty nation suddenly became a thriving metropolis. We finally arrived in Tel Aviv and new wonders were laid out before us.