The 5th and 6th day of our stay in Israel was spent in Tel Aviv. At 915am, after breakfast and communion with Aunt Judy, we were transferred from our hostel in Jerusalem to the other Abraham hostel in Tel Aviv. It was still too early for check-in so we just hung out at the lobby and watched the online webcast of our church service back home.
It was raining in the morning that it made us worry a bit if the bike tour will push through or not. Eventually, it did. Not because it stopped raining, but because our guide and everyone in our group was super ON regardless of the weather.
When we reached the beach side, we were welcomed by very strong winds. We had to get down and roll our bikes, afraid of falling off. Amazed that some swimmers are training in this kind of weather. We even saw one guy surfing by himself. Our guide says the only sport that an Israeli made it to the Olympics was surfing.
The tour also led us through old Jewish settlements that remained to date. Its interesting to learn history of other countries and how it shaped the modern day world.
Back at the hotel by 4pm and checked in for the night. After settling down, we walked along the Rothschild Boulevard looking for a place to dine. We were shocked by the meal prices! It’s like minimum $20 for a basic meal. And so we ended up eating happy meal at McDonalds, at $12 each.
On the way back, we dropped by AM/PM to shop for groceries. It’s a good thing that we have a shared kitchen at the hostel. We can afford to cook meat! Haha..
Next day after breakfast, we left for a kibbutz experience at Maagan Michael. What’s a kibbutz? It’s an Israeli community settlement, usually agricultural, organized under collective principles. So basically, people get to share common ownership. Income collected and business profits are distributed among families. There’s free housing, education, laundry services, food, medical services, etc.
What I am puzzled about is the fact that kids live together with their peers. They only get to spend time with their parents between 4-7pm each day, if they want to. I wonder how can family values be instilled in them if they’re not with their own family. It’s only after they reach a certain age do they start living with their parents. But I think it’s a good thing that they are taught the value of responsibility when they start working at age 14.
As we walked towards the Mediterranean Sea, we saw a few of their companies dealing with all sorts of business – fishery, farming, water desalination, manufacturing of equipment, sports gear distribution, etc. On the average, an individual is getting $3,000 per month without having to pay for living expenses. That’s good money right? Budget per household varies according to the number of children and age.
It is through this common income and profits that they also take care of the senior citizens’ needs. Those who are less mobile get a free personal buggy. Those 35 years old and above are transferred to the more “atas” estates in the kibbutz.
During lunch time, we got to eat at their common dining room. All we had to do is select one dish from each section and need not pay. We notice a bunch of cute kids sitting together. Surprisingly, we also bumped into a Filipina who happens to live in the kibbutz. She just came out to get her merienda (afternoon refreshment).
Back at our hostel, we geared up for an Israeli cooking workshop. Such an abundance of color and healthy food! By that I meant, loads of vegetables. Hehehe… Twas a fun experience altogether.
