This past weekend I had the incredible opportunity to spend Shabbat on Mount Gilboa, a mountain located in the north of Israel.This mountain boasts a fantastic view of the valley below. Additionally its signature winds provide relief from the near inferno of the Beit Shean sun. I lodged at the kibbutz Ma’aleh Gilboa, a traditional kibbutz which provided an unexpected religious experience. I do not normally daven in a setting with almost no musical melodies and a mechitza, which was the case there. However, this is not what I would like to tell you about.
Mount Gilboa provided an exhilarating spiritual occurrence, which to me trumped the religious element. The tight sense of community within the kibbutz was not dissimilar to that of a family. Their community was so strong, I could feel the bonds. This is something I found especially fantastic because the theme of this ICNext mission is exploring the Israeli family.
However, another interesting spiritual thought crossed my mind.
Mount Gilboa was the site of several biblical events which incorporated family, especially dysfunctional family. It manifests most recognizably in the story of King Saul’s death, which coincidentally occurred at Mount Gilboa. The story is pertinent because Saul and David were in many senses (both in the literal and spiritual planes) family, as David was Saul’s arms bearer and also married to Saul’s daughter.
In essence, what caused me to have such a deep spiritual experience was the stark contrast between the tightly joined community of the kibbutz, a family, and the unfortunate situation of Saul and David, two of the most important figures in the bible.