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In my last posting (Israel Trip Report) I made the point that Israelis no longer deserve their reputation as a prickly people. I then went on to describe the cultural and adventure highlights of their country. Having had more time to reflect, I regret glossing over the “people” aspect: as much as any of the sites we visited, we’ll remember many of the personalities we came across, both Jews and Arabs. Yes, we did encounter one less-than-fully honest taxi driver but practically everyone else we met was delightful, interesting or inspirational — sometimes all three. Too bad the Middle East headlines

In mid-June, my wife Maria and I headed off to Israel and Jordan with our two “kids”, Nick (16) and Isabelle (13), in tow. Though each kid had professed a strong desire to visit Israel, we were unsure how much they would enjoy a land long on archaeology, history and religion, especially during summer, when temperatures are often sweltering. In the past, our family trips have usually taken us to countries with a good deal of soft adventure and wildlife and a lesser emphasis on “culture”. Also, with Nick and Izzy solidly into their adolescence, Maria and I were praying