All the cartons with my stuff are concentrated in piles in the living room. Almost Independence Day, I got the key to my house. How exciting. Finally, my own apartment after many years of renting. On the one hand, it's a mess, I don't have a refrigerator yet and I have to paint the house and tidy everything up. On the other hand, there is a great and double joy: Independence Day is close and so is my independence in my own apartment.
The eve of the holiday arrives, and I go out with relatives to celebrate with everyone in my new city, Beit Shemesh. Many people are happy in the streets, singers and dancers perform on the main stage, food stands, a big happening, very crowded and lots of joy. In preparation for moving from the big city Jerusalem to Beit Shemesh, I had a dream: to start going on nature trips. Now I can begin to fulfil it.
A month after moving into my apartment, I joined a cycling group in the city. We went on rides in the city and surrounding area. For my first ride with them I arrived by riding from the house about 8 km away to the meeting point. I didn't have a car yet. We rode along the Sculpture Trail in Tzora Forest. From that day, Sculpture Trail, became my home route. Every few days I got up at 5 a.m. or went for a ride in the enchanted forest at noon.
Slowly, I got to know more trails in the forest. From time to time, I saw the sunrise from Tel Tzora in the heart of the forest, on which there are historical remains of cisterns, ancient winepresses, caves, and tombs. The place is identified with the biblical Tzora, the hometown of Samson the hero. I also saw foxes, jackals, deer, and Bedouin shepherds with sheep. Sometimes I also saw partridges running in panic with their chicks or a turtle crossing the path.
In winter, many cyclamens, anemones, daffodils, and many other flowers bloom in the forest. In summer, fig and carob trees and prickly pear bushes provide delicious and nutritious fruits. Scattered along the way are environmental sculptures and stunning scenic views. The combination with the forest, the blossoms, and the spectacular views from there is always uplifting. The connection to the Bible also adds to the experience as a daughter of the Hebrew people, Samson's people.
Over time, I joined another riding group to experience rides in other parts of the country. And again, to my delight, the route we take on many of the rides is Tzora Forest. How wonderful is the smell of pines combined with the smell of the earth and the camaraderie of the group on these early mornings.
Later I purchased a car. Many mornings after the night's work at the post office, I would come home through the forest and go up to Tel Tzora and wait for the sunrise while my beloved city Beit Shemesh is seen from there. I would sit there and listen to the sounds of Eurasian jay birds and the rustling of pine trees in the wind, sometimes while closing my eyes.
One day I saw in the distance some fox cubs resting in the sun. I was obviously very excited. Wow! The next day I brought the simple camera I had at the time and took a video. On another day, a deer was standing on the path right in front of me. I aimed my camera at him but hop! He jumped up and disappeared quickly. So, on these bike trips alone and with the group in my region and around the country, I began to photograph and fell in love with photography.
And now, 19 years have passed, and Independence Day has arrived. I'm back in my favorite forest where the day is full of families who spread out picnic mats and came to celebrate. Walking the paths, looking at the environmental sculptures and landscape, listening to the wind. Again, I climbed to the top of Tel Tzora through a path with bible verses from Samson's story, while swallows circling above me, looking at Beit Shemesh that has developed a lot. Old vs. New.
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