Lisa Saltzman Mishli

Season Finale

30 May 2022

The final hike of the season was an easy 10-kilometer walk, mostly downhill, and much of it on paved surfaces. We started in Tiberias at 7 a.m. The plan was to finish by noon and avoid the blistering afternoon heat. Throughout the morning we enjoyed stunning views of the Sea of Galilee (the Kinneret). Our hike was punctuated by stops at vista points.

Daunting but Not Difficult

15 May 2022

The high cliffs of Mount Arbel dominate the landscape surrounding Tiberias. For years I've viewed the Arbel from afar while heading north on the highway towards the Galilee. I've come closer on 4x4 offroad excursions. But I've never climbed the mountain. So I eagerly awaited this Israel Trail hike, though with some trepidation.

Yom Hashoah on the Israel Trail

2 May 2022

An Israel Trail hike on Yom HaShoah might not be a typical way to observe this solemn day. But it is not inappropriate. Were we not hiking, many of us would have been working in an office, or at home like me, stopping only for a moment of silence and not otherwise engaged. Today I spent time with a group of people who love this land as much as I do, wending our way through a ravine filled with stunning cliffs and fragrant wildflowers, and admiring the construction achievements of the state of Israel.

The Mystical and Virgin Meron

21 February 2022

I was especially excited about this hiking segment on the Israel Trail since I had never before explored Mount Meron. Neither hiking, nor jeeping, nor orienteering had ever brought me here. It was all going to be completely new to me. Tia declared it my “virgin ground.” Before we set off, our guide Avi gave us good advice on climbing, pacing, taking breaks (“don’t sit down!”), and eating (“don’t eat your sandwich!”), to help us reach the summit of the Meron.

Five Crossings

5 February 2022

Just as I was leaving home to drive north with Tia the day before our Israel Trail hike, the group received a message of from our guide Avi. "Wonderful news! The lower Dishon Stream has begun flowing. Expect to cross ankle-high water. Make sure you have dry shoes and socks ready to change into at the end of the hike."

Snow Time on the Israel Trail

24 January 2022

Heavy rain postponed our monthly Israel Trail hike from December to January. Heavy rain the day before our January hike changed the plan again. For safety reasons, we would skip the Lower Nahal Dishon segment, and do the Upper Nahal Dishon segment. As luck would have it, overnight the temperatures dropped to freezing. The rain turned to snow, and we began our hike in Nachal Tzivon with snow on the ground. Tia and I had spent the previous night in a guest room on Kibbutz Tzivon, arriving just before the snow started falling. I didn’t think it would last long, and was surprised to find snow on my car in the morning. Fortunately, the sun was shining, and temperatures warmed just enough to melt the ice on the roads.

Autumn Day on the Israel Trail

28 November 2021

The first heavy rainfall of the season finally arrived the weekend before the hike. The rains were followed by a few days of sun and cooler temperatures. Put that together with the geological wonders of the Naftali mountain range and the scenic vistas of the Hula Valley. The result was a perfect autumn day for hiking on the Israel Trail.

Back to the Back

31 October 2021

Cousin Tia and I returned to the Israel Trail last week for our second hike with Avi and Al Hashvil. To reduce the climbs and increase the descents, the direction of the hike, from Tel Hai to Yiftah, was inverted. To simplify logistics, the group gathered at Tel Hai and a bus took us to the starting point near Yiftah in the Hills of Naftali. I said I would be happy to serve as the group's rearguard once again. Escort Omri set a channel on the walkie-talkie and handed it to me. I sensed some amusement, or perhaps urgency, in his giving me the device before I could change my mind.

The View from the Rear

2 October 2021

It's been nearly a decade since I last hiked the Israel National Trail regularly. As the years passed, it seemed I'd never return to hiking the trail. But then my cousin suggested we join an organized group. It meant paying someone to handle the logistics, and making a commitment to do ten hikes a year. Although I still work, I decided I could and should treat myself to a day off once a month to hike the trail. So now that we completed the first hike, how did it go?

My Memories of Frank Gilford and the Yom Kippur War

9 April 2021

Israel Memorial Day 2021 - יום הזכרון תשפ"ש | After finishing college in the USA, Frank Gilford and his wife Susan made aliyah in 1978. Sadly, Frank died in an accident during IDF training in 1982. Susan remarried and remained in Israel. She recently contacted me, asking if I could share any memories of Frank and the Yom Kippur War, so that she could relate them at her community's Memorial Day service. In 1973 she and Frank had not yet met. Following is my response. | Frank and I arrived in Israel on September 12, 1973. We belonged to a group of 35 high school graduates from all over the United States, who had been members of the Young Judaea Zionist youth movement. Many of us knew each other from Young Judaea activities in our local areas, and from the…