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NatureBy Solly SteeleA Walk onthe Wild SideMark Neyman, The National Photo CollectionRed Carpet. Come spring and wild flowers adorn the Gilboa.The Big Walk. All ages participate in the annual walk heldeach March.Every spring, wildflowers carpet the green mountainrange of the Gilboa in a swath of purple, violet, red, pink,white and yellow. It is no wonder that more and moreoverseas visitors are joining local Israelis to explore thismajestic mountain range rich in flora as it is in ancientbiblical history.pectacular!” was the way Mark Reichenberg from“SKfar Saba described the view as he disembarkedoff the bus to start the eleven kilometer walk from the topof Mt. Gilboa to the finish at Ma’ayan Harod. Stretchingout his left arm, Mark points towards Mt. Tabor – the siteof the battle between Barak and the army of Jabin duringthe leadership period of Deborah, the only woman tobecome a Judge in ancient Israel - and then moving hishand across to the right, he animatedly exclaims, “Seekids, you can see the snow on Mount Hermon.”From the heat of an ancient battle, to the chilly peaks ofa faraway mount, a colorful tapestry of past and presentmesh in visual harmony.The Reichenberg family was amongst some 12,000participants who could chose the 5 kilometer ‘family’track, the 11 kilometer ‘regular’ route, or the 20 kilometer‘international’ track organized each year by the IsraelSports for All Association. “Last year we had over 500foreigners, many of them who came in groups fromGermany, Holland, Belgium and quite a number fromthe Far East,” says Hagay Herzel, Chairman of IsraelSport for All Association. Asked what is special aboutthe Gilboa Big Walk, Hagay began panting as if he hadjust completed the walk in a rush to get the words out.“Firstly, let me say that this walk is quite unique in thatit is no less a cultural activity than a sports event. Thisis what our overseas participants say every year. Why?Because when they walk elsewhere in the world, theymainly come across professional walkers or at leastvery serious walkers. Here their walk not only connectsthem to the land of Israel but the people of Israel.They discover not only new sights but insights intoour Israeli way of life – notably how we are such afamily-orientated society.” It is this characteristic saysHagay “which illuminates the Gilboa walk no less thanthe glare of the sun upon our colorful wildflowers.” Hewas right. Families of three generations were walkingtogether – grandparents, children and grandchildren,Spring-Summer 201226