I seek the peak of the mountain
It stands there tempting me with all its glory
Who would ever think such a desert pinnacle holds the key
The key to my new life
My life away from the obvious the mundane the stagnant
What would you do if given the choice?
Would you tame the desert beast or would you cower under your manmade tower
Do not fret for I am no fortune teller
But I do foresee adventure in your future if you choose to seek it
Seek it at the peak and let the mountain be yours
I wrote this poem in a writing class in less than 3 minutes. It’s not that I am a gifted poet or even that I write poetry, but it came to me naturally as if it was a no brainer.
The Negev for me is not just a place but a state of mind. For me it represents a new and exciting experience that few have had the chance to comprehend. The Negev, just like the old American West, has great potential, and like the gold miners of 1849, Ayalim and its students are the real pioneers of this move South.
Avdat by Egidius Bestubleven on Flickr
Currently both the South and North have much less infrastructure and opportunities than the center of the country. Israel cannot maintain its exponential growth without the successful integration of its northern and southern regions.
Imagine America without San Francisco, Los Angeles, or even Las Vegas. Yet for the longest time no one dared move West because it meant leaving the security of the already established east coast with cities like New York, Boston, and Philadelphia. It took a courageous few to leave their comfort zones and venture out towards unchartered lands.
Don’t just read about how the Negev was established, be a part of history and see for yourself.
Jeremy Kouffman double majored in History and Political Science at UC Davis. He is currently enrolled at Ben-Gurion University in Beersheva as a Masters student in History. He believes the world is flat and the myth of gravity will one day be proven false.
http://ayalim.org.il/masa/
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