Kol Nidre, 10 Tishrei 5776

Guidebooks often note that Israel is the size of New Jersey. While this may be true in the sense that the two have about the same area, the comparison still bothers me. I know Israel. I’ve spent time in Israel. Israel is a friend of mine. And New Jersey, you’re no Israel.

When people describe Israel, they mention the religious sites, the history, and the events. They talk about the physical beauty of the country. But they don’t tend to focus on the dramatically different landscapes and climates in this very small space, features far more varied than you would find in, say, New Jersey. This summer, I experienced several of them. One was the Judean Desert.

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