Jerusalem, Passover Trekker’s Paradise

Passover in Jerusalem, Israel.

Visitors arrive from around the world to celebrate

  spring and the holiday of Freedom

by eating matzah and enjoying holiday tiyulim, trips.

Birhat Kohanim at Kotel on Pesach 5777

Today, tens of thousands gathered at the Kotel,

the Western Wall, for Birkat Kohanim,

the Priestly Blessing, which is broadcast on loud speakers to the assembled

and to a world-wide audience on web cams.

The day was warm and overcast,

and there was no morning rain to interrupt the prayers.

The intermediate days of the holiday

are a popular time for Israelis to hit the road

and experience the natural beauty of Israel.

Roads have certainly been improved,

but the heavy holiday traffic

can make a short trip into a long one.

My first rule for a tiyul is to not to sit in traffic

 for extended periods of time.

Hiking train Israel Nahal Katlav

One of the Keren Kayemet, JNF, national parks

is located outside of Jerusalem, near Bet Shemesh,

with an information area next to BarBehar

Nahla Katlav trail

Off we went to explore Nahal Katlav.

This nahal, a dry waterbed,  is a tributary of the Sorek River.

Israeli hiking trail Nahal Katlav

The path begins with a jeep friendly road and good signs

explaining the various trails.

Hiking in Nahal Katlav Jerusalem HIlls

Oh, the beauty of the Judean Hills in spring!

The Israel Foreign Ministry calls Israel a “trekker’s paradise.”

View Jerusalem Hills

Looking down at the white and winding train tracks

below it is hard to disagree.

From the simple black trail, we started on to the blue trail,

Israel hiking trail in Judean mountains

which went down the mountain.

Flowers on trail Nahal Katlav

The red kalaniot are still in bloom,

and first buds of the Red Everlasting, Dam Hamakabim,

Wild flowers blooming in Judean Hills

and other colorful wild flowers lined the twisting trail.

Spring wheat in Jerusalem Hills

New wheat, bright green in color, grew near wild mustard.

Katlav is a evergreen shrub-like tree with red bark.

I did not get any photos of the katlav,

Israel nature path hiking trail

but I thought these trees along part of the path were interesting.

We were told that our tiyul, trek, would take two hours,

but it was much longer.

I never would have gone if I knew how challenging

the twisting trail down the mountain was going to be.

It was easier to admire the view and photograph

from the flat parts of the trail.

Nature trail Israel Nahal Katlav

After a while, walking and walking,

another blue trail sign assured us we were not lost.

Ah, but after going down towards the nahal,

Hiking trail Israel

except for being helicoptered out,

the only way out was to climb all the way back up to the road.

We saw hundreds of families

out for their Passover tiyul,

most of them were using the easier trails.

Thousands more families filled other park areas,

from north to south.

It is a holiday miracle more are not seriously injured.

I was especially happy to be in car on the way home

with everyone eating ice cream when it started raining.

and only had to imagine wet, slippery rocks.

I survived my Passover tiyul and

the seder plates are packed away until next year.

Every traditional seder ends with

Pesach seder plate for Happy Passover greeting

“Next Year in Jerusalem.”

Time to go see what else is happening on

the real Jerusalem streets now.

Still overcast, but rain has not started….yet.

11 thoughts on “Jerusalem, Passover Trekker’s Paradise

  • April 13, 2017 at 12:03 pm
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    Happy Passover!
    Nice to see the Israel hills and flowers and trails,

    Next year in Jerusalem!

    Reply
    • April 13, 2017 at 4:19 pm
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      Thank you!
      Moadim l’simcha.

      Reply
  • April 13, 2017 at 4:08 pm
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    Thanks, Sharon. As always, your posts are terrific. Spring in Israel is outstanding! Moadim l’simcha! Carole

    Reply
    • April 13, 2017 at 4:20 pm
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      Thank you! Moadim l’simha

      Reply
  • April 13, 2017 at 4:38 pm
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    on the nachal katlav trail we try to come with two cars and leave one in the train station parking lot at the bottom of the trail – that way you don’t have to hike back up. And there are variations on the theme.

    Joel Harband

    Reply
    • April 13, 2017 at 4:57 pm
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      Correct, there are simpler trails and treks, we took an “intermediate” one, and was not as easy as thought it would be, though even the three year-old managed and other families passed in opposite direction. Cars were all at top parking lots.

      Reply
  • April 14, 2017 at 3:48 am
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    Once again i thoroughly enjoy your post. The scenery is beautiful, the accompanying comments are interesting and the photography is excellent. Thank you so very much. I wish you and your family moadim l’simcha, Shabbat Shalom and Chag Sameach.

    Reply
    • April 14, 2017 at 5:36 am
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      Once again, a big thank you for commenting. Shabat shalom and Chag Sameach to all Down Under!

      Reply
  • April 14, 2017 at 4:11 am
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    Chug Samach to all. We joined the thousands in the strange, “wintery, summery” April day, exploring the hills and fields filled with our beautiful people and flowers.
    Today, Friday morning in Israel, is still overcast, warm and then chilly but to be here in our land with Jerusalem so close, during the High Holy Days is an uplifting experience which I can never get used to.
    Even from Thursday, we wish each other Shabbat Shalom and now with Shabbat and
    Chug Pesach- double blessings all around for everyone. B”h

    Reply
    • April 14, 2017 at 5:39 am
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      Friday, late morning, and finally a bit of blue sky is peaking out from white clouds over Jerusalem, but it is still cool. (I said out loud it would get colder, as I put away the extra comforter from my bed yesterday!) Shabbat Shalom and chag sameach! Always great to see a comment from you.

      Reply
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