Israel

I was reading an email from John Hilton and I saw that he was leading a tour to Israel.  He said in the email that he had a few spots left.  I told Roy about it, and he said, "Let's go."  He called the travel agency, and after finding out about airfare, he booked the tour.  Afterwards, I found him looking up "Is it safe to go to Israel right now?"  Also, whenever we'd tell someone that we were going to Israel for a week,  they almost always asked, "Is it safe?"  We felt that if a tour guide was taking a group to Israel, then he must feel that things were going to be fine.  

Flying to Tel Aviv is no easy feat, there is nothing direct.  We flew into Amsterdam, arriving to the hotel at about 10:30 AM, too early to check in.  We left our luggage and shuttled back to the aiport, taking a train from there into the city to take a look around.  We hadn't really thought about touring in Amsterdam, but if we had, we would've either taken a tour to see the tulips (sold out), or gone to the Van Gogh Museum (also sold out).  Instead, we took a canal cruise and walked around, taking in the sights.

After spending a day in Amsterdam, we headed to Tel Aviv the next morning.  We arrived quite late in the evening (we missed the hotel dinner which we heard was fabulous), so quickly headed to bed.  In the morning we enjoyed a nice breakfast and met everyone on the bus.  Well, almost everyone.  There were about 6 people whose flights had been delayed and they didn't make it until Sunday morning.  While they were at the airport, a missile was shot from Yemen, missing the airport, but causing some damage around the area.  The people in the airport were herded into a bomb shelter.  At first they didn't really know what was happening because of the language barrier.  Apparently they didn't feel too nervous, but they said there were a couple of women that were crying.  This group caught up with us around lunchtime.

Overlooking Joppa, our first stop of the day.  Peter visited Joppa and healed Tabitha.  He also visited the home of Simon the Tanner.   Here he had his dream that would extend Jesus' teachings to the gentiles.

This is likely not the actual home of Simon the Tanner (note the writing above the door). Simon lived in "this" house and hosted Peter the Apostle here.  It was here that Peter raised Tabitha from the dead and saw his famous vision in which he was commanded to eat animals regarded as unclean in Jewish tradition.  When he refused, he heard a voice saying, "What God has cleansed you must not call common." Acts 10:15.  Peter interpreted his vision as divine permission to forego the Jewish commandments and to preach Christianity to the Jews and gentiles alike.

Caesarea Phillipi was a gorgeous spot.  At each stop we would read the scriptures that were associated with the area.  Herod built his home in Caesaria Phillipi.  You can see why it was a coveted spot.  It was near the ocean (note the bathing area in the picture) and so beautiful.  This is also where Agrippa says to Paul, "Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian."  Are we "almost" Christians?  or are we all in? 

This excavated stone had been found.  It was an exciting find because it has Pilate's name engraved in it.  This is one of the rare artifacts that reveals an actual name from Bible history.

After writing this much, I have realized it's an overwhelming task to do a travelogue for this trip.  We went quickly from one site to another and we saw a tremendous amount of historical sites and ruins.  Rather than erase what I've already done, I decided to proceed sharing just the highlights.  Admittedly, everything was rather a highlight, but I will refrain from over-sharing.

One of the highlights was spending three nights at the Sea of Galilee.  The name of the hotel was Magdala.  When the hotel was being built it was discovered that there were ruins at the site, so the hotel had to be built around the excavations.  There is a chapel on the grounds that was quite beautiful inside.  

This painting took up a whole wall in the basement of this chapel.  Notice the finger of the woman, reaching through the throng to touch the hem of the Savior's garment.  She had the faith to be healed.  As we reach toward the Savior, we too can find healing and comfort.  I know this because I have experienced it at a time when I thought I could not be comforted.  

Also in the chapel, but upstairs, there was this beautiful room with a replica of what the ships would have looked like during the time the Savior walked the earth.  I can imagine how the disciples would have been very frightened in such a small vessel when the storm came up.  Jesus had power over nature and proved it on this night.  He can also calm the storms in our lives if we will trust him.

These mosaics were also in the same building.  I am only showing a small portion of the mosaic with  Mary Magdalene.  She is reaching towards the Savior.  He has just rebuked the seven demons that were possessing her.  Notice them coming out from her.

I mentioned on Facebook that we had dinner with a Bedouin Sheikh.  He was our bus driver and assistant guide.  He invited all 47 of us to dinner at his home.

Roy, wife of Machmoud, Machmoud and me.

Macmoud's home.  He does quite well, but has been out of work without tourists for several years.

Macmoud's wife and daughters graciously made the meal.  It was quite the spread.  (In Jordan we came across Bedouins that lived completely differently from this man, they were truly desert dwellers).  Machmoud's family of four sons, their wives and children, all live in the home.  They are currently building another home behind this one.  

Many of the sites we saw (for example Peter's home and the place it's believed that Jesus was actually buried, also the Mount of Beatitudes) have been covered over with Catholic cathedrals or monuments.  Capernum, however, was just a beautiful site by the sea.  It was very peaceful and we enjoyed spending an hour or so walking around the area.  

Capernum

A tour of Israel wouldn't be complete without stepping into the Jordan river, where Jesus Christ was baptized.  This river can be accessed from Israel, or--across the river from Jordan.  We talked to several people in Jordan who had only ever seen it from the other side. 

After visiting the Jordan River, we went to Beth Shean, a Roman ruin.  This is where the Philistines found Saul and his three sons lying dead on the battlefield.  The Philistines took off Saul's armor and placed it in their temple and hung the four bodies on the wall.  After hearing the news, the men of Jabesh Gilead traveled all night to take Saul and his sons down from the wall and give them a proper burial.  

I thought their common latrine was of interest.  After a performance in the stadium, the people could use the latrine.  These "seats" were plentiful.  I'm sure the stench was amazing.  Where my feet are is in the first picture is where clear water ran to clean yourself after using the facilities.

Swimming in the dead sea was definitely a highlight.  In order to stand up, you had to do a crunch and push your legs down.  This was the natural position when we were in the water.

On Roy's birthday we finally made it to Jerusalem.  The first stop: Dome of the Rock (temple grounds to the Jews and Christians.  The Jews are not allowed on the grounds). The amazing thing was that for about 10 minutes we were the only group in the area; apparently that is extremely unusual.  Through the whole of our time in Israel we never had to wait in line for more than a few minutes, the tourism is down so much.  In fact, on our last day in Israel we ran into a tour director.  He was leading a very small group into Masada.  He saw our group and got a little teary eyed.  He said he was so happy to see such a large group of tourists.  I said, "Yes, we're spending money in your country."  His reply, "it's not about the money.  It's about not feeling alone; about feeling support from the outside world.  We had several people say, "Thank you for coming to Israel."

At the Dome of the Rock.  Roy was given this skirt to cover his legs since he was wearing shorts.

This priest was at the Church of St. Anne, a saint purported to be Mary's mother.  Of course, there are no scriptural references to this, but there was a sweet statue inside of Mary as a child with her mother reading scriptures to her, "Deuteronomy 6:4 "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD." The priest took a minute to speak to our group.  He was very nice.

Another special moment was at the Garden Tomb.  We had a very short line to wait in and then we were able to enter the tomb.  It's not thought to be the exact place where Christ was buried, but it felt humbling to see what the place of His burial might have looked like. The picture that looks like a fireplace is in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is where it is believed the actual tomb was.  If you reach your hand down inside that star, you can supposedly feel the stone of the burial place.  This is another example of a Christian church building a monument and hiding what would be so beautiful if left alone.

This is the place that's believed to be the actual place of the cave where Jesus was born.  Of course, it's been covered with the Church of the Nativity.  We were told we could touch the stone by reaching our hand inside the hole.  It's a little different to us as members of the restored church, but you could see it was an important symbol to people of other religions who love the Savior.

In Jerusulum we walked through Hezekiah's tunnel.  It was knee deep water most of the way.  It was fun, but I have to admit I was a little claustrophobic.  I had a tall man in front of me and Roy behind.  It took about 1/2 hour and at some point I wondered if we would ever finish.  Three people in front of me had head lamps, so I kept thinking I was "seeing the light at the end of the tunnel," but mostly I was wrong. Still, it was interesting.  Two groups of people planned the tunnel and started digging it on opposite ends.   When they were finished, they were only slightly off.  It was built about 2700 years ago and was a well-planned water management system.  It was dark, but the flash makes it look light.  At the end of the tunnel we found the Pool of Shelah, which is mentioned in Nehemiah 3:15

I didn't know Roy took this picture, but we found that smoking is alive and well in Israel and in Jordan.  There were many people smoking with these hookah pipes.  They seemed to be popular, sadly.

We saw these men heading to the wailing wall in preparation for Shabbat

At the wailing wall.

Of course, the people on our tour were all wonderful.  It's a different experience traveling with people who are all like-minded religiously.  This is Rock and Tracy Allen.  We came up as 3rd or 4th cousins on the family search  app.  It's hard to get a picture with these armed women, they usually refuse.

On Saturday morning we finally made it to Gethsemane.  We were told that if we were there on the night that Jesus was there, we would certainly have seen him.  This is me with our guide Machmoud.

Roy in Gethsemane
Both Roy and I felt a good Spirit in this area.  Neither of us had any "aha" moments while we were visiting Israel, but we did have good feelings in many places.  If we really want to feel the Spirit, we can go to the temple or stand in other holy places.

On Shabbat we visited the Jerusalem Center.  The students do their Sabbath services on Saturday, too.  Roy, (overlooking the city)

Catharine and Roy

Jerusalem

Immediately following church, we boarded the buses for one more stop in Israel.  Masada.  It was different because it was not a site where Jesus walked.  It was also very hot.  Herod had built a palace there on a rock mountain.  He had ingeniously created a water system so he could not only have water to drink, but to bathe, too.  It was cool inside the thick rock (in the places where the ceilings were still in tact).  At some point Herod abandoned his palace and years later, it was the place of a genocide.  Jewish rebels hid out there following the destruction of Jerusalem (66-83 CE). Rather than allow themselves to be captured, they ended all their lives. (The animal is an ibex)

In Jordan we said goodbye to John and is daughter Ann Marie.  Other people flying home had had to change their flights, too.  Some were coming into Jordan the next day, and others left from other neighboring airports.  Most flights into and out of Tel Aviv were cancelled after the missile was shot from Yemen.

Roy and I were very lucky this trip.  We didn't lose our luggage and none of our flights were delayed (more than a few minutes).  We had several people who never got their luggage in Israel, and a couple got theirs on the last day.  

I'm going to end this blog entry now, and I'll write another one about Jordan and London.  I also received a few cute pictures from family while we were gone, so maybe I'll be able to include this in part 2.