Bonding With Bedouins

This past weekend I stayed with a Bedouin family with Aviva and Gabby. All of us wanted to get out of Jerusalem, but we didn't want to go to Tel Aviv or Haifa. We wanted something different and something we could remember to take back with us to the bustling city of Jerusalem. As we were scrolling through Airbnb, Aviva bounced up with excitement and started raving about the Bedouin camp near Midreshet Ben-Gurion. Gabby then became excited too because she stayed in the Midrasha (nickname for Midreshet Ben-Gurion) with her class for six weeks. I was still on the fence about committing because I've never been to Southern Israel let alone in the middle of the Negev with people I never met. However, after the Pros and Cons list I wrote out I was all for it.

The moment we stepped off the bus, Gabby immediately became energetic. She kept looking around and began talking about where we were. She took us to her dorms and showed us what she wrote on the walls, then to her second favorite view (pictured above), and lastly to we took a nature walk through the park. The view was incredible. We were standing in front of the view taking pictures and starring. We took in the silence, something I was not used to for the past three months. The view didn't seem real. I sent my mom a photo and she thought it looked like the moon and I agreed with her. I thought about how big the world is and how I can't wait to see what other hidden wonders I will find.

An hour later, a man in a white Subaru picked us up. Aviva and Gabby described him as the "Berkeley Stereotype"; sandals, beanie, bead bracelet, etc. He was nice and he played "Purple Rain" as he drove off the road.

"We couldn't see anything except the desert," Aviva said. "It proves that the Bedouins really are nomads who live a quiet life away from civilization. It was interesting because we live in civilization where water and food are easily accessible. The people we met could still have a meaningful life without all the extra things."

As we circled around the tents, the driver mentioned the 15 families that used to live there and Gabby informed us about a new law that passed a few years ago that stated all Bedouin children must attend school and because of this law, many families left the desert to be closer to the roads and schools. When we got inside our canopy our host (Magdelen) brought us "Bedouin Tea" which consisted of black tea leaves, lots of sugar, and hot water and told us to call her מדבר אמא (desert mom - read the Hebrew right to left) and she told us we were her daughters and called us hers for the rest of our stay. She spoke in Hebrew, Arabic, and English and told us stories of how her family were Bedouins for the last 104 years and she loved the lifestyle.

When she left to make us dinner we walked around the camp. The sunset made everything look calm and beautiful. Aviva was distracted by the goats and Gabby and I were very entertained. Aviva kept looking back at us and shouting "They're exactly like dogs!", which made us laugh harder. We stayed outside until the sun was out of sight.

Before dinner Gabby told us about the time she slept at the Bedouin camp with her father. She went to Israel almost every year to visit her Aunt and every time they went, her father would also take her and her younger brother to a new place in Israel. Throughout our time here, she would tell us many facts about the Bedouin culture.

"I liked being with my dad because he is of Israeli heritage," Gabby said. "He was able to tell me a lot of things about the Bedouin culture, but I also liked being without him because I was able to learn on my own what Bedouins do and how they live their lives without asking my dad."

The fire roasted chicken, rice, stuffed peppers, and homemade pita bread with Israeli salad was the perfect meal after a long day of travelling. As we were eating she came back and encouraged us to come to the fire to drink more tea. When entered their tent immediate warmth from the people and fire welcomed us. They also spoke mainly in Hebrew, which wasn't hard to understand. We stayed in the warmth until the stars were shining brightly above us. Living in Jerusalem and even back at home, it's very hard to see stars. We stayed outside for a few minutes and while Aviva was exploring the hill under us, I looked up at the sky until my neck hurt. It was a cloudy night but that didn't stop the moon or stars from shining through.

Gabby's alarm woke us (Gabby and I) up at 5:50 AM just before the sunrise. I was debating if I wanted to leave the decently warm mattress and go out into the cold after a restless night, but once I saw the sky through the opening of the tent I knew what my decision was. I quickly woke up Aviva and grabbed my camera. The only other time I saw the sunrise was in the Grand Canyon when I was on USY on Wheels. However, this felt different. Aviva and I walked to the cliff side to get a better view then walked back and sat on the bench. It was silent and cold. The birds were awake and the sharp coldness of the desert was slowly becoming warmer.

After the sunrise we all went back inside the tent to get more sleep. Unfortunately, I still wasn't able to fall asleep so I went back outside. The sun was out and it was a lot warmer and I no longer needed my heavy jacket. I sat on a chair next to the picnic table for at least an hour before Magdenlen saw me and brought me breakfast and tea. Gabby came out shortly after and we talked and took in the view. Aviva joined a few moments later.

We started our hike back to the Midrasha close to noon. I was excited for the walk and just before we started on the trail we saw the Midrasha in the distance and looked over the cliffs that lead to the canyon. The grey clouds contrasted the green plants and dirt oddly well and we starred into the distance and carefully walked around the edge.

Gabby and Aviva were very understanding about my slow pace on the hike. There was a lot loose pebbles and large steps and I was worried about dislocating my knee again. Every now and then Gabby would grab my hand and help me down from a step or tell me where to step. At one point Aviva and Gabby encouraged me to slide down the steep part of the mountain, which was incredibly fun and I felt like I was on a never ending slide on a playground. The only time my knee became really sore was when we had to walk uphill on the road. At one point, a group of Ibex littered the road and we stopped so Aviva could take pictures.

Finally, we made it back to the Midrasha. Gabby gave us a small tour of her school and we ate a small snack on the benches near the freshmen (high school) dorms. After walking for a few more hours we sat at the cliff side where we started and watched the sun disappear behind the mountains.

I loved spending Shabbat in such an isolated location. It was a bonding experience without the pressure of it feeling like a bonding experience. I don't think I would want to go to a Bedouin camp with anyone else. Aviva and Gabby made the trip exciting, fun, and stress free. It was the perfect place for a quiet adventure.

"It was very memorable," Aviva said. It was something very different and it was a once in a lifetime experience, it wasn't a tourist attraction which made it more special and really immersed me in the Bedouin culture."