Our last day at our beautiful
We stopped for lunch at maayan-harad where Gideon made his selection for the 300 man army. Well... it was God who made the selection because Gideon would have kept every man possible.
---emby
Saturday, June 9, 2007
May 29
Tuesday, May 29
---emby
---emby
May 28
Monday, May 28
Each day it seems as if our travels and sights become more and more exciting and fun... We haven’t had any wadi walks recently or muscle-straining hikes, but this morning we boarded a beautiful boat to traverse the northern shoreline previewing the rest of the day. Our captains graciously did whatever they could to make our ride memorable and pleasant (i.e. flying US and Canadian flags). Visibility on the sea gave us a great view in every direction. We even came upon a fishing boat about to pull in one of the first catches of the day. Cheering on the fishermen as they reeled in the nets made me think of nemo and the disciples all at the same time. Our captain also said that these fishermen probably cast and pull in the net about 10 times a day. Watching them pull it in just once seemed exhausting, and we didn’t even watch them cast the net.
Docking on the opposite shore, we headed into the museum that held the “Jesus” boat. Watching a short movie about the discovery during a drought, we learned about the 10-year excavation process.
We stopped at several churches today. First, we went to a small church in Tabga, the traditional sight for the feeding of the 5000 with five loaves and two fishes. The baby birds waiting to be fed in a small bird nest outside drew a larger crowd than the mosaic tiles inside the church.
The next church was the Church of the Beatitudes. Dr. C didn’t really lecture here, but allowed two professors from
We had three more stops: the “spaceship” church that sits above the traditional house of Peter in Capernaum; Korasin, a very hot black basalt town; and Beth-Saida, where we went jumping across piles of stones. These three towns make up the evangelical triangle.
Back at the ranch…I mean the kibbutz, we had a bonfire as the sun started to set on the sea. James gave a challenge asking what would make you willing to cross to the other side.
--emby
Thursday, June 7, 2007
May 27
more than being behind, i hate not being able to finish something. a little over a week later... here are the finishing touches to the galilee trip on which jenni has already posted pictures.
Sunday--May 27
while today wasn't the hottest on the schedule it definitely was one of the more uncomfortable with humidity, bugs, and several with a stomach sickness. today we spent more time near the jordan river and different springs which feed the bugs that wanted to feed on us. the first stop was hazor--one of the 3 sites with a solomonic gate. while explaining about the site, dr. c told us about some excavators that want to deny the existence of solomon and the tribe of israel instead dating things back to ahab. i don't really understand how they can deny israel and not ahab both are in the bible.
our next site, dan, produced solid extra-biblical evidence to the existence of israel. after a brief nature walk, we listened to a lecture on a tabernacle and alter built in the days of Jeroboam and looked across the border into Lebanon. continuing on the nature walk along the jordan, we came to the gate area where dr. c told us of 3 significant finds. the most important was the stele tablet with references to israel and the house of david. i am not sure how the excavators are trying to deny these writing?
at caesarea philippi, we picnicked next to the springs with our hummus and pita after reflecting on the site of peter's confession of who christ was--the son of the living God. jenni wanted to go hiking to the top of a hill she found (which later turned out to be nimrod's fortress), but there wasn't enough time. we loaded back onto the bus for our last stop at qasrin.
qasrin is a basalt village used to allow visitors to see what life might have been like back in the late BC. personally, i would never paint my walls black and with the limited lighting i think that the black basalt buildings would have eventually gotten to me, especially with all of my family and animals packed into the same house.
we wandered for a bit more and then headed back to en gev for more swimming in the sea of galilee and a late dinner.
Sunday--May 27
while today wasn't the hottest on the schedule it definitely was one of the more uncomfortable with humidity, bugs, and several with a stomach sickness. today we spent more time near the jordan river and different springs which feed the bugs that wanted to feed on us. the first stop was hazor--one of the 3 sites with a solomonic gate. while explaining about the site, dr. c told us about some excavators that want to deny the existence of solomon and the tribe of israel instead dating things back to ahab. i don't really understand how they can deny israel and not ahab both are in the bible.
our next site, dan, produced solid extra-biblical evidence to the existence of israel. after a brief nature walk, we listened to a lecture on a tabernacle and alter built in the days of Jeroboam and looked across the border into Lebanon. continuing on the nature walk along the jordan, we came to the gate area where dr. c told us of 3 significant finds. the most important was the stele tablet with references to israel and the house of david. i am not sure how the excavators are trying to deny these writing?
at caesarea philippi, we picnicked next to the springs with our hummus and pita after reflecting on the site of peter's confession of who christ was--the son of the living God. jenni wanted to go hiking to the top of a hill she found (which later turned out to be nimrod's fortress), but there wasn't enough time. we loaded back onto the bus for our last stop at qasrin.
qasrin is a basalt village used to allow visitors to see what life might have been like back in the late BC. personally, i would never paint my walls black and with the limited lighting i think that the black basalt buildings would have eventually gotten to me, especially with all of my family and animals packed into the same house.
we wandered for a bit more and then headed back to en gev for more swimming in the sea of galilee and a late dinner.
Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Wrapping Up in Israel
Well, I'm sure that whoever has been following our blog is wondering just where in the world are we...we arrived safely back home, but we wanted to finish recording our journey. (Internet access the last couple of days in Jerusalem was rather sketchy, making blogging rather difficult.) Mary Beth will finish up our Galilee trip, but I wanted to share from our last tour in Jerusalem till we arrived home.
On Thursday morning we rushed down to the bus station, meeting our group for our last tour, modern Jerusalem. We first stopped at Yad Vesham, Jerusalem's Holocaust memorial.
All the architecture was steel and glass, cold and harsh, like the times in which the Jews suffered. Those of you who have been to Holocaust memorials can probably relate.Talk about a way to start the day. This was my first trip to such a memorial, and I knew I was in for a jarring ride. The main hall, a long, triangular shaped, concrete tunnel, zig-zagged between "exhibits." Set up in a chronological progression, the hall started with remembrances of life before Nazi ideology and ended with a room filled with thousands of books recording the names and stories of millions of victims. The rooms in between told the story of the rise of Nazi power and propaganda, conquest of Europe, oppression of all people non-Aryan, and countless personal atrocities. We all know about the Holocaust...Hitler killed 6 million Jews...Stalin killed quite a few himself...nations around the world closed their doors to refugees...heroes sacrificed everything to ensure the survival of others. But you can have all of that knowledge and remain cold to the whole ordeal, that is until you see the individual human beings...a mother trying in vain to abort her baby so as to not bring him into Nazi abuse, a musician or artist portraying the scenes of the ghettos and death camps, sisters separated, a young man hiding in the woods as part of the resistance movement. It's vivid and mind boggling.
We asked ourselves, how could anyone do this to an innocent people? I think the answer is pretty simple actually. It's just man's depraved nature given wholly over to Satan. If not for the grace of God, any of us could do the same. God's redemptive love working in a life...well, it just keeps us from ourselves.
Well, on that note we continued the tour. I know. I was ready to pack up and go home and sleep after that. But nevertheless, we had a full day. We stopped next at the Jerusalem Museum where we saw the 1/50 scale model of Jerusalem in the second temple period as well as the Shrine of the Book (Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit). Let me just say, we spent precious little time there. The impressive museum deserves a whole day.
Next stop, to the north to Shiloh in the middle of the hill country of Ephraim--home to Old Testament worship, the tabernacle, and the Ark of the Covenant. This remote area is beautiful and actually rather significant. Due to the topography, the land is closed and difficult for invaders, making it the perfect place to safeguard the Ark.
We ended the day back in Jerusalem at the Garden Tomb, a much more "traditional" (but not necessarily accurate) location for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sure, the spot may not be correct, and we can just kind of smile at the debates people have over it, but an empty tomb still stands as a powerful reminder of our risen Lord.
Well, that's it for adventures in Jerusalem. The next day (Friday) Mary Beth and I took our final exam. We're happy to say that we both scored A's in the class. We spent the remainder of the day packing,
running into the old city to say goodbye to Moshe and Dov, exploring the cemetery on campus (where we re-erected a head stone), and making one last coffee run with some friends who have become so dear.
Our departing sherut picked us up at 12:45 am, and after a quick word of prayer with those who were kind enough to stay up, we were on our way. Let me tell you, after being up for 24 hours, going through 11 pretty intense security checkpoints, and having one last Magnum ice cream bar at 3:30 am, we were ready to go home. We found out that flying standby isn't so bad...when we received our seat assignments, we noticed we had seats 13 G/J...incredibly low numbers on an international flight. Oh yeah! We ended up in first class. We might have looked a little out of place, but it was the perfect way to ride home. We had a small mishap in Atlanta trying to get to Chicago. Our flight was full, so we missed the first plane and actually had to switch destinations, but the boys picked up our luggage, and we made it back just fine.
Ok...here's the important part of this post. I'm telling everyone who ever has or will read this blog...YOU MUST GO TO ISRAEL!!! Everyone must go. It's not just the food, the music, the sites, the history, the people, the religious experiences, the museums, the hiking, the international conflict, the education...it's the heart. Israel, the holy land, the holy city, it's the center of the world...and it's at the center of everybody's heart. Moshe's right...there's a reason why you go. God puts it in you. Your faith will be stretched, your life will be changed. It's worth it.
Well, as they say, "Next year in Jerusalem." I hope that's true for many of you.
Shalom,
Jenni
On Thursday morning we rushed down to the bus station, meeting our group for our last tour, modern Jerusalem. We first stopped at Yad Vesham, Jerusalem's Holocaust memorial.
All the architecture was steel and glass, cold and harsh, like the times in which the Jews suffered. Those of you who have been to Holocaust memorials can probably relate.Talk about a way to start the day. This was my first trip to such a memorial, and I knew I was in for a jarring ride. The main hall, a long, triangular shaped, concrete tunnel, zig-zagged between "exhibits." Set up in a chronological progression, the hall started with remembrances of life before Nazi ideology and ended with a room filled with thousands of books recording the names and stories of millions of victims. The rooms in between told the story of the rise of Nazi power and propaganda, conquest of Europe, oppression of all people non-Aryan, and countless personal atrocities. We all know about the Holocaust...Hitler killed 6 million Jews...Stalin killed quite a few himself...nations around the world closed their doors to refugees...heroes sacrificed everything to ensure the survival of others. But you can have all of that knowledge and remain cold to the whole ordeal, that is until you see the individual human beings...a mother trying in vain to abort her baby so as to not bring him into Nazi abuse, a musician or artist portraying the scenes of the ghettos and death camps, sisters separated, a young man hiding in the woods as part of the resistance movement. It's vivid and mind boggling.
We asked ourselves, how could anyone do this to an innocent people? I think the answer is pretty simple actually. It's just man's depraved nature given wholly over to Satan. If not for the grace of God, any of us could do the same. God's redemptive love working in a life...well, it just keeps us from ourselves.Well, on that note we continued the tour. I know. I was ready to pack up and go home and sleep after that. But nevertheless, we had a full day. We stopped next at the Jerusalem Museum where we saw the 1/50 scale model of Jerusalem in the second temple period as well as the Shrine of the Book (Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit). Let me just say, we spent precious little time there. The impressive museum deserves a whole day.
Next stop, to the north to Shiloh in the middle of the hill country of Ephraim--home to Old Testament worship, the tabernacle, and the Ark of the Covenant. This remote area is beautiful and actually rather significant. Due to the topography, the land is closed and difficult for invaders, making it the perfect place to safeguard the Ark.
We ended the day back in Jerusalem at the Garden Tomb, a much more "traditional" (but not necessarily accurate) location for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Sure, the spot may not be correct, and we can just kind of smile at the debates people have over it, but an empty tomb still stands as a powerful reminder of our risen Lord.
Well, that's it for adventures in Jerusalem. The next day (Friday) Mary Beth and I took our final exam. We're happy to say that we both scored A's in the class. We spent the remainder of the day packing,
running into the old city to say goodbye to Moshe and Dov, exploring the cemetery on campus (where we re-erected a head stone), and making one last coffee run with some friends who have become so dear.Our departing sherut picked us up at 12:45 am, and after a quick word of prayer with those who were kind enough to stay up, we were on our way. Let me tell you, after being up for 24 hours, going through 11 pretty intense security checkpoints, and having one last Magnum ice cream bar at 3:30 am, we were ready to go home. We found out that flying standby isn't so bad...when we received our seat assignments, we noticed we had seats 13 G/J...incredibly low numbers on an international flight. Oh yeah! We ended up in first class. We might have looked a little out of place, but it was the perfect way to ride home. We had a small mishap in Atlanta trying to get to Chicago. Our flight was full, so we missed the first plane and actually had to switch destinations, but the boys picked up our luggage, and we made it back just fine.
Ok...here's the important part of this post. I'm telling everyone who ever has or will read this blog...YOU MUST GO TO ISRAEL!!! Everyone must go. It's not just the food, the music, the sites, the history, the people, the religious experiences, the museums, the hiking, the international conflict, the education...it's the heart. Israel, the holy land, the holy city, it's the center of the world...and it's at the center of everybody's heart. Moshe's right...there's a reason why you go. God puts it in you. Your faith will be stretched, your life will be changed. It's worth it.
Well, as they say, "Next year in Jerusalem." I hope that's true for many of you.
Shalom,
Jenni
Friday, June 1, 2007
May 26th
we headed out early this morning with our bags packed for our 4-day tour of galilee. jenni and i threw both our things in my big suitcase (compliments of lauren) trying to save space because our last road trip was a little more primitive.
we stopped first at the glorious port city of herod the great, caesarea. after scampering around the ruins of herod's palace and the hippodrome, jenni, james, and i wandered into an antiquities store filled with ancient coins and jewelry. we found a widow's mite here now worth $80.
the next stop was mount carmel and the monastery commemorating elijah's "shootout" with the prophets of baal as dr. carl puts it. driving down the mountain, we stopped at a little cafe for a "feel awlful" falafal. these didn't taste quite the same as the jerusalem falafels we found.
from the top, we could see for miles around as well as most of the coast of the sea of galilee. after reading a few passages, we then climbed down the cliff face. there were handles and ropes to grab as you went down. the sun was sinking in the sky, when we met our bus. so we were glad to head to our hotel which was located right on the shores of the sea of galilee. jenni and i stayed in a little cabin about 500 feet from the swimming area. i won't forget swimming under the stars thinking that peter once walked on that water.
--emby
we stopped first at the glorious port city of herod the great, caesarea. after scampering around the ruins of herod's palace and the hippodrome, jenni, james, and i wandered into an antiquities store filled with ancient coins and jewelry. we found a widow's mite here now worth $80.
then to megiddo (the only thing i remember here was a fancy model with buttons that lit up) and our last stop, the cliffs of arbel.
"Flashlight Jenni"
on wednesday afternoon we finally made up our appointment to walk through hezekiah's tunnel which is part of the intricate water system used in old testament times when the city was under siege and to get water to the western ridge. we weren't able to go earlier due to our random hail/rain storm.
once we arrived at the old city of david, we made our way into warren's shaft. it was here that dr. carl announced to us that he wouldn't be going in with us and we needed to elect a leader. well, he basically did it for us. throughout the trip he has been borrowing jenni's flashlight because he didn't have his and hers is by far the most powerful of the group. thus, jenni became "flashlight jenni" and our leader.
once we arrived at the old city of david, we made our way into warren's shaft. it was here that dr. carl announced to us that he wouldn't be going in with us and we needed to elect a leader. well, he basically did it for us. throughout the trip he has been borrowing jenni's flashlight because he didn't have his and hers is by far the most powerful of the group. thus, jenni became "flashlight jenni" and our leader.
walking through the tunnel was very interesting. i was thankful to be in the front and not in the middle of 40 people with only inches on either side of me and above my head as water rushes across my feet. i also think the walk might be a little more intimidating if made with a lighter like one person we met. without jenni's 9-bulb LED light, we would have been in extreme darkness.
---emby
Top 10
in the time we have spent here we have discovered that there are some very essential things when living in israel and traveling all over the countryside in the heat of summer.
the top ten
10. Do NOT let your "bus buddy" run to the top of a tel (giant hill) 5 minutes before you leave. he will reek and drip and breath heavy for at least the next half hour.
9. Never expect hot water in your shower.. except for in the middle of a hot sunny day.
8. import your own smore materials. we have found several fire pits, but i have yet to see any marshmallows in the grocery store.
7. Do NOT open your eyes underwater while in the dead sea. contact john with further questions or comments
6. bring a frisbee. you are going to want something to do when you are waiting between classes
5. Make sure you pack some earplugs, unless you want to get up before 5 am. the birds sing quite loudly.
4. Don't underestimate the power of the sun. it will burn. bring sunscreen and then at least 5 gallons of lotion to bring the moisture back to the skin.
3. Come a day or 3 early... you will want to see the city, have time to recover, and get the bathroom to yourself.
2. Bring a water bottle.... and with that perhaps some lemons (buy those) OR you could bring the little packets of instant lemonade, propel, tea to take off the metalic bite.
1. Bring sunglasses. Otherwise you will be blinded by the white cenomanian limestone.
---emby, john, and jenni
the top ten
10. Do NOT let your "bus buddy" run to the top of a tel (giant hill) 5 minutes before you leave. he will reek and drip and breath heavy for at least the next half hour.
9. Never expect hot water in your shower.. except for in the middle of a hot sunny day.
8. import your own smore materials. we have found several fire pits, but i have yet to see any marshmallows in the grocery store.
7. Do NOT open your eyes underwater while in the dead sea. contact john with further questions or comments
6. bring a frisbee. you are going to want something to do when you are waiting between classes
5. Make sure you pack some earplugs, unless you want to get up before 5 am. the birds sing quite loudly.
4. Don't underestimate the power of the sun. it will burn. bring sunscreen and then at least 5 gallons of lotion to bring the moisture back to the skin.
3. Come a day or 3 early... you will want to see the city, have time to recover, and get the bathroom to yourself.
2. Bring a water bottle.... and with that perhaps some lemons (buy those) OR you could bring the little packets of instant lemonade, propel, tea to take off the metalic bite.
1. Bring sunglasses. Otherwise you will be blinded by the white cenomanian limestone.
---emby, john, and jenni
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