FOUNDED IN THE ARAVA

Tsukim, Israel

August 2020

By Ross Belfer

A terrain with biblical proportions should never be overlooked. Earlier this summer during a lull in corona cases, my wife and I joined a pack of friends to seek respite in the Mars-like landscape of Israel’s Arava Desert.

The stillness of the desert allows you to feel the wind as it gives a gentle brush across the flat-topped Acacia tortilis tree. Its not the lap of luxury that makes the Arava simple but the sheer magnitude of space and transcendent atmosphere that defines the new luxury. Fresh air, unfettered. Clear, starlit skies where the moon plays the centerpiece to the fold. An unwavering spiritual aura in a land before time.

Slow-cooked meals with a bounty of local wine. Golden hour with a holy light shining upon us. One can feel connected in this place, to each other and to one’s self. There is another world awaiting in Israel’s Arava Desert. Best not wait too long to experience it yourself.