World

FAMILY MIRACLE MISSION

Jonah, 9, and Josh Newman, 12, of

40'

West Bloomfield and Mitchell Bleznak
of Farmington Hills and Julia Bleznak,
12, of Bloomfield Hills ride camels at

the Nokdim Bedouin Camp.

_.._„

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Family participants experience
Israel en masse.

Don Cohen

Special to the Jewish News

Jerusalem

or several days this week,
more than 700 Detroiters
are exploring and experi-
encing Israel together, as both
groups of Federation's Family
Miracle Mission converge on
Jerusalem to celebrate Chanukah
as well as some b'nai mitzvah
together before going separate
ways.
One group departed later from
Detroit and will return later than
the first. For many in the first
group, the first stop was to plant
trees at a Jewish National Fund
forest, where participants were
excited for the chance to plant the
trees themselves and see them

F

itary bases, including Hatzerim
actually in the ground. Then the
Air Force Base outside of
whole group headed to the Neot
Beersheva, Shifta Base where
Kedumim Biblical Nature
artillery units are headquartered,
Reserve, a beautiful area in the
and another base near Mitzpe
hills on the road to Jerusalem
Ramon. At Hatzerim, participants
that has been reclaimed by
were briefed on the Sikorsky
botanists, archaeologists, biblical
Black Hawk helicopter, touted an
scholars and others to recreate
outdoor museum of aircraft doc-
the look of the land in biblical
umenting the military history of
times. It is constantly being
Israel, and had lunch with pilots
developed with walkways, plant-
and other personnel.
ings, landscaping and animals.
Lisa Berman of Farmington
At The Red Sea
Hills made the time to sit on a
People caught up on sleep during
large boulder and draw the
the ride south to Eilat, where mis-
scenery with colored pencils she
had brought for that purpose. Her sion goers had the opportunity to
take an off-road jeep ride through
art teacher had encouraged her
the hills surrounding Eilat,
not to bring a camera, but to get
snorkel in the coral reef, visit the
in touch with the land by draw-
underwater observatory and
ing. She was excited to be able to
aquarium, and go to Timna Park,
do so.
the oldest known site for copper
Before the day ended in Eilat,
mission goers visited various mil- mining in the world.

A hike in the park led to
Solomon's pillars, with etchings in
the rock by the Egyptians and the
remains of a temple built by the
Midianites. A brand-new theater
in the round with a revolving
floor explained the story of the
site.
At the park, Lori Weisberg of
West Bloomfield was already sold
on the Mission as she watched
husband Steve race with daugh-

ters Jessica and Madeline; brother
Matthew. was off exploring with
friends. "This kind of family trip
is great:' she explained. "Life is so
busy. How many times during the
_week does my husband have time
to race my daughters?" she asked,
with the obvious answer being
not enough.
The Weisberg kids have attend-

Mission on page 34

Joe Savin of Birmingham
Julie, Kimberly, 18, and Diane
wait for_ eir O ff

haei, Jeffrey, 15,

Eli of West Bloomfield

.

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December 29 • 2005

33

