Joan Hulkower, Long Island

The week in Nahayria was great. One of the most memorable events was our meeting with Noam Shalit, the father of one of the kidnapped soldiers. We attended a dedication and tree planting ceremony with him. Hopefully it will bring attention to the government and public regarding the release of the soldiers. The war ended and they are still being held. We were devastated when we saw what happened to the Biriyah Forest, as that was one of our visits last year. It was so green and lush -- a wonderful place for families to enjoy a day in the forest. Now, all you can see is piles of dead trees and open spaces that have been cleared. We were thrilled to plant trees and bring this area back to life.

We were also invited to meet the owner of an art gallery that sponsored an art and photography exhibit calling on the government to bring back the abducted soldiers. It is called "Captured Moments" and features works by Udi Goldwasser, one of the captured soldiers who was an amateur photographer. The exhibit will be displayed in the Knesset next week.

We had some wonderful speakers while we were in Naharyia including Professor Baram, one of the world's leading authorities on Iran and Iraq. Hannah Bat Haim, a journalist and long time resident of Nahayria, also spoke to us about the city and what took place this summer. We were welcomed by the mayor of the city too.

Our next stop was the Dead Sea for some rest, recreation, and spa treatments. We toured Masada, hiked the Ein Gedi Nature Reserve, and learned about the Dead Sea resources at the Dead Sea Works. CAARI gives us a full spectrum of life in Israel!