WALKING "INSIDE" THE LAND OF ISRAEL
On the side of Tekoa Canyon, a 15-minute walk from our home, are two
large slabs of rock that resemble the two Tablets of the Law that Moses
brought down from Mt. Sinai. Right above them is the entrance to the
Haritun Caves, one of the largest cave networks in the Middle East. The
caves in Tekoa Canyon are of prehistoric origin and the Haritun Caves
take their name from the Byzantine monks who lived in the area (the
remains of their monastery are still standing).
This year on Israeli Independence Day, our family decided to walk
inside the Land of Israel and visit the Haritun Caves, with room after
room of wondrous natural formations extending far into the mountainside.
Our guide was our son Akiva, 13, who has become an expert at finding his
way through the labyrinth of passageways. A visit to the cave is not
recommended for those out of shape. There are certain spots one must
jump across, crawl through, climb up, and slide down. With candles and
flashlights in hand, we enjoyed hours of exploring the secret underground
world, occasionally meeting other friends from Tekoa with the same idea.
