At Eyal's invitation and thanks to the Israel Tourism Association, photographer Thomas and I sat with excitement on an El Al plane full of rabbis, Israeli businessmen and Jewish families the day before. As we landed, I looked in horror at the concrete desert of Tel Aviv. Behind us sat three women who immediately started singing in a frenzy of happiness. The day before in the newsroom, my colleagues asked me if I was crazy to fly to Israel. The withdrawal from the Gaza Strip was in full swing. Around 5000 journalists were on the lookout on the Gaza Strip. A different wind is blowing there. Israel always casts a heavy shadow in the media. Infected by these influences and the strict but friendly security measures for El Al guests at Frankfurt Airport, I didn't know what to make of the joyful singing and relaxed attitude on the plane. I was simply happy and excited to see the historic Sea of Galilee.
For Eyal (the new Israeli hope in the World Cup), the lake is just a great summer surfing spot. Until a year ago, he hardly realised the significance of the sacred sites. It was his girlfriend from Brazil, Worldcupper Juliana Farias, who was almost blown away when she went surfing off Capernaum during her visit last year. (Bible quote: And behold, a mighty storm arose on the lake, so that even the boat was covered by waves).
You can find out more about the Sea of Galilee adventure in the free PDF download.
