The May 6th thru 17th, 2013

Amy and I caught a ride with Dick Eastwick to the Presbyterian Church about 5pm on the Monday the 6th, to begin the journey so meticulously planned over the last two years by brother David. We were joining about two dozen others (mostly members of our Church including our Pastor Bill Getman and his wife Sue) for a shuttle van ride to the Philadelphia Airport, pre-arranged by Ed Hess. After a lot of baggage was precariously packed in, David assigned himself the task of keeping the baggage from spilling over onto the other passengers.

On arrival at the airport, it was up to each individual to get through ticketing, checking of baggage, security, and the trek to the gate. We had hours to kill, and for some there was an immediate need to get some food and drink. Amy had passes for us to go to the USAIR lounge, which had complimentary drinks and light food. Robin & Bill Wright joined us there until it was time for the flight. David & Peggy joined the Giordanos in a restaurant. Others gathered at the gate to meet and greet some who had chosen not to take the shuttle there.

The flight was about 9 hours, and landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv in the afternoon, local time. We met our guide, Hela, after exiting immigration and customs. Amy had a scare as her suitcase did not appear until everyone else seemed have gotten theirs and left. We moaned, “Not Portugal again!”—referring to the nightmare of our lost baggage coming from Frankfurt to Lisbon last May. Though it turned out okay, this was not to be the end of our worries about lost luggage on this trip!

Hela directed us to the comfortable bus with our driver, Dov, waiting to load in our luggage and then negotiate the busy rush-hour traffic on coastal highways north to Netanya, an up-and-coming resort set on very high cliffs overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. It was so misty that we never really could get a good glimpse of the horizon, just a few boats not far off the shore. There was a beach far below us, and, since you could discern footsteps in the sand, we knew there must be some way down. The next morning on my walk I discovered some stairs leading down to the beach just south of a parking lot about a mile south of the Ramada Hotel where we stayed.

After settling in room 502, with a corner balcony overlooking the sea and the inland, we joined all the others for dinner. Here began the routine of lavish buffets that served as our included dinners. Amy delighted in the choices, as did most everyone, and I fortunately found some things I could eat. Right after dinner about a dozen of us (without pre-arrangement) crossed the street to the park strip along the edge of the cliffs for an after-dinner walk.

We explored the pathways heading north and took in the many sculptures located along our way and enjoyed the views until dark claimed our attention and we broke up and returned to get a good night’s sleep before the 6am wake-up call. These calls were for every room in our 1

group, every day of the trip. The call time varied each day but the latest was 7am, and that was the morning of our last day there. Mostly it seemed to be 6:15, with our included buffet breakfast available beginning at 6:30am.

Our bags were to be placed outside our room before we went to breakfast so the porters, by pre-arrangement (fees pre-paid), would collect them and gather them outside by the bus, ready to go. All that remained was for the bags to be identified by the owner, before they could be loaded into the bus. This was a security matter. All the bags were loaded into the bus while Amy and I were still looking for her bag! Finally a number of people began to search around, and we finally located it on another cart ready to be loaded into another group’s bus. Yikes! We tried to minimize the porter handling of our baggage after that….

A relatively short drive brought us to Caesarea (), a famous ancient port, that had Herod the Great’s seaside palace, a hippodrome, a crusader fort, and the amphitheatre that has been restored for use in concerts. This is the place where the Apostle Paul was held in a Praetorium, awaiting his voyage to Rome under the appeal to the Emperor as a Roman Citizen, having been charged with preaching the Gospel of Christ. It was here also that the Apostle Peter came after a dream that revealed he was not to regard as “unclean” that which God had made “clean”. Following this, Peter baptized the Roman Centurion, Cornelius, and began to include gentiles in his mission efforts.

Our first view of the portside was through a gate, on leaving the amphitheatre and it was, for me, breathtakingly beautiful. The water and beach, and the first good look at the Sea under blue sky and reduced haze. Herod’s palace was really on the sea, on a rock outcropping just above the sea level, but destroyed by the elements, including earthquakes, that had claimed all the grand efforts to make this a major port. It did not help that the Mamelukes leveled the place after seizing it from the remnants of the Crusaders. We had a look back in time through an orientation video in a small nearby auditorium. Looking south we could see in the distance through the haze the very tall stacks of the main power plant for we had passed on our ride there.

On the way again, we stopped to inspect the main aqueduct that had supplied old Caesarea, visible in a long section along the waterside, and then got a glimpse of that fashionable section of the new town where the only golf course in Israel exists and where “Bibi” Netanyahu lives. Not long after that, our luck gave out and the bus broke down, near Faradeis.

A decision was made to summon another bus, after attempts were made by Dov (with guidance over the phone from Mercedes mechanics) to deal with a faulty thermostat. The process took about three hours before the new bus and its driver arrived. The luggage was not transferred to the new bus as they expected the bus to be fixed quickly and to meet us at our destination, Tiberias, that afternoon. It did not quite work that easily. In the meantime, Tom Hinchey broke out the bagpipes to entertain those who got out of the bus for fresh air in the hot sun. I believe it was Doug Chase who located a vendor who provided the refreshing fruit 2

popsicles to everyone, at the expense of Pilgrim Tours.

Because of the delay, the visits to Megiddo and Zippori were scrapped. We stopped for lunch at the first of two Druse sect family-owned restaurants, featuring falafel and chicken schnitzel. We were famished and enjoyed the clean “sherateem” and satisfying food and drink. Many dined alfresco in the courtyard under a pergola amid beautiful flowers and a central fountain. Amy and I ate inside where it was cooler.

Next was Muthraqa on , the main peak of which overlooks the , and this was the purported site of the contest between Elijah and the prophets of Baal. There was a statue showing Elijah cutting off the heads of the prophets of Baal, and the story continues that the bodies were hurled down to a creek below. Looking down we could see where that stream might have been, and some friendly German tourists pointed out to us an “eagle” resting on an outcropping below us. On closer inspection of the picture I took, we found it looked more like a buzzard, but one that had been tagged.

On to Nazareth and the Church of the Annunciation that was relatively recently built and which literally covers the whole of the ancient village where Jesus lived as a youth and what they believe is the remains of the first floor of Mary’s home. Another timely visit to the Sherateem was appreciated and the moment recorded for posterity. Hela promised she knew where all these conveniences were, and I believe we were able to visit one just about every two hours during the whole trip! This fit my needs exactly!

The ancient synagogue in which Jesus may have worshipped and preached we reached by a walk through a local market area…souk…not very clean or friendly…uphill in a narrow cobblestone path. It is situated next to a Church and is part of that complex. We were allowed to come in and sit quietly while a number of young persons were being prepared for their first Holy Communion. I believe Peggy may have recognized the coincidence of being there but missing Maggie’s first HC at home. The rest of Nazareth seemed busy, crowded, and unremarkable. We were glad to arrive finally at the Leonardo Hotel in Tiberias, right on the Sea of , after passing through the town of Cana. There was a beautiful pool as part of the complex, and a dozen or so of us (including the Wrights, Chases, Woodlands, and Hesses), after the next day’s travels, indulged in cooling down our bodies in the pool and enjoying the waning sunshine and views of the far side of the Sea of Galilee.

Our room was #520 and faced the hillsides overlooking the town. David and Peggy deservedly got a beautiful suite overlooking the Sea and we delightedly accepted an invitation to join them after our swim for some wine and the fine view of the Sea and the far hills beyond lit by the afternoon slanting sun. All in all that may have been the most pleasant evening we had in Israel!

On our arrival, we had been treated to the usual complimentary cold fruit juice in the lobby and then we had been given the heads-up that Pilgrim Tours would be treating us to 3

complimentary wine while we waited for our first bus to arrive with our bags and then to have them portered to our rooms. The tour company was trying to mitigate the effects of the 3 hour bus breakdown on our morale. It worked. Most of us drank heartily, and at their expense!

After the usual buffet dinner, most of the group left the hotel to go to the waterfront walkway, there to see a short orientation on the Sea of Galilee and its Christian heritage. Robin fell asleep. Doug bought a Shofar, not the small or cheap kind but a real one, and got lessons from our host in the store who had invited us in for the movie screening. Some continued the walk outside afterwards but Amy was ready to retire.

The next morning, very early, we set off to see the Church of the Beatitudes, on the hillside of Tabgha, where Jesus was thought to have delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Hela had arranged for Sister Mary Rose to speak to us just outside the Church. We were reminded that Jesus would have been thoughtful of his listeners and provided a site where he not only could be heard easily by a multitude through favorable topographical acoustics, but also found a place with natural springs and tree cover for their comfort after a hot journey. Sister Mary Rose spoke of the teachings of Jesus, how he exhorted his followers to do good things, and she contrasted this with the Commandments which were almost entirely telling people what not to do. After all, His greatest commandment is to love, and Paul’s elaboration of what love means is so very positive in all respects!

As in almost all our very special visitations, the host Church had provided shaded areas where groups could sit and meet in a semi-circle, to read appropriate scriptures (as we did) and pray and contemplate. Hela would lead us in reading the passages and members of the group would take turns reading. Pastor Bill would often lead us in prayer afterward. In this way the group focused on what the site meant in the life and ministry of Jesus, and, though we knew we might not be at the actual spot, we knew we were very probably very near where these events and miracles took place. We may not have walked in His exact footsteps, but we must have crossed his paths repeatedly.

We continued on toward Dan, by way of the . On the road we could see the snow-capped peaks of Mt Hermon. The Hula is at the heart of the watering of as many as a 500,000,000 birds that migrate between Europe and Asia to Africa and back again with the change of seasons. At one point, Israel had drained the swamps there to reclaim land for agriculture and to use the water for needed irrigation elsewhere, But is seems they partially reversed that, to restore the ecosystem of the Hula (the Waters of Merom), for the birds and the long term viability of the area. We saw a brief orientation film and had an opportunity to wander the pathways through this wildlife preserve.

On arrival at Dan, Hela found that they had closed an important portion of the walkways there for improvements. So we contented ourselves with a relatively brief walk through lush woods, crossing roiling torrents of beautiful blue water of the river Dan, arriving at a large wading pond, where the significance of Dan was discussed. 4

This was the chosen capital of the ten tribes that broke away after the death of Solomon. They chose this verdant, well-watered area. And who wouldn’t have! It was cool and lovely. Rushing water seems so natural to us at home, but here it was such a rarity. All the water seemingly in the rest of the country is piped into the National Water System and then delivered where needed to maintain crops, animals and human life. It is a well-husbanded precious scarce resource deployed with much care and mostly with drip-irrigation. As we left Dan, we saw remains of one of the walls of the city.

On to Caesarea Philippi, now known as or Panis (a corruption of the name of the god Pan who was especially worshipped here along with many other gods). The main feature of this preserve is a huge cave in a huge cliffside. It is known as the Gates of Hell. Jesus came to this area and asked his disciples who they thought He was. It was here that Peter declared that Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus referred to this place when he said that the “Gates Of Hell” will not prevail against this faith Peter had professed. There are beautifully carved niches in the hillside as well and remains of temples to these gods. The water used to gush forth from the cave, giving it extra special attributes, but after earthquakes, so common to all of Israel, the water now flows out from under the cave and hillside into shallow pools.

Leaving here, we traveled around a great hill on top of which the was situated. Though it was listed for a visit, we had not the time and, as David explained, it is just ruins now. Nearby in these hills, we stopped for lunch at the second Druse sect family-owned restaurant. Chicken schnitzel for me again! Again, many dined alfresco on a veranda overlooking an adjacent, beautiful reservoir lake (actually a volcanic crater filled with water). On the road that day we passed right between two minefields, one Lebanese, the other Israeli. The border was right under us and the signs on each clearly marked the danger. We were in the . And we could almost always see the majesty of snow-capped Mt Hermon, the principal source of much of Israel’s water, as it flows through three rivers, the Dan, the Banias, and the Strike(?) through the Hula into the Sea of Galilee.

We passed several other reservoir lakes, perhaps used as fish farms, before ascending a very steep climb to the top of Ben Tel. There were numerous modern metal sculptures of animals and insects dotting the sides of the path from the parking lot to the visitor’s center at the very top. It was here that another group member snapped a shot of me as I was almost devoured by one of the monsters.

This has been a modern fortified place, with bunkers and a commanding view of the Road. The Israelis no longer use it actively for defense, so it is open to the public both a view of the Golan Heights border with , just below in the plains, and to emphasize how close Israel is to its enemies, Damascus being just 36 miles away! A United Nations Peacekeeping Force Headquarters was pointed out near the abandoned village below. It was along the road to Damascus that Saul had his vision that led to his conversion to Christianity and adoption of the name of Paul. 5

Next was the Golan Heights Winery, for a tour and sampling of their wines. Our host and guide was entertaining and informative. David couldn’t guess his age but believed he was actually much younger than he looked. We visited the bottling line plant and then enjoyed sampling wines bottled under the names of Yarden, Gamla, and Golan Heights. We particularly liked (and bought) some of the dessert whites, a Muscat and a “Heights” (read “Ice”) wine. The expense of the winery tour and tasting was borne by Pilgrim Tours, once again to make up for the bus breakdown. On the way back to the hotel, we passed the ruins of the village of Migdal, traditional home of Mary Magdalene, and the fisherman’s tower that gives the town its name. Nearby work on a parking lot was stopped when excavations showed additional ancient foundations.

We rounded out the day by our visit to the pool and an after dinner ride by the bus to a local Diamond Merchant. It was an operation that featured too many salespeople with little better to do than constantly approach to help and then say oh take your time only to be approached quite quickly again by the same person or someone else. A couple of people found things to buy but most determined the best course was to leave and wait outside for the bus to open its doors!

The next day, reunited with Dov and our first bus after its repair, we set out for Mt Arbel, above the , the heights above and slightly north of Tiberias where the crusader army issuing forth from Jerusalem in 1187 with all its reserves from other attempted to punish but instead fell into a mortal trap. Though warned not to be separated from sources of water, they were trapped attempting to descend to the Sea Galilee near Tiberias and destroyed. This event led to the surrender of Jerusalem and the general retreat of the Christian armies from Palestine, and a distinct ebbing from the high point of power of the Kingdom there, as portrayed in the movie, The Kingdom of Heaven. We were able to go right to edge of these cliffs to see the horrible dilemma the Crusaders had faced. It seemed a strange coincidence… that they had recently created a reservoir nearby on these heights, to provide water to Tiberias. We had great views of the Sea of Galilee though the early morning mists always seemed to plague us.

We descended from the heights to the seaside of Tabgha, where the ruins of an ancient Church have been built upon by another old Church (The Church of the Primacy of Peter) built with local black rock to house the outcropping where Jesus may have fed the multitudes. Nearby were seven springs to provide fresh water to the multitudes who sought Jesus. It was on this seaside that Jesus promised to return to see his disciples after his Resurrection. He made a charcoal fire and grilled fish for the returning fishermen disciples and then gave them their mission to preach to the world and exhorted them to be fishers of men (and women and gentiles). The water level was very high and to create a beach area, gravel had been spread. This was a very moving time for many of our group. Our gathering met under the shade to read the Gospel and pray, but also walked the water’s edge and waded in. Nearby we saw the large rodents without tails. Some looked for a heart shaped stone. 6

After a short drive to Ginnosar, we visited a relatively recently discovered and now preserved fisherman’s boat from the time of Jesus. Its preservation after discovery was a major project! Right after that we embarked on a large wooden boat to cross the Sea to our luncheon appointment at the kibbutz of Ein Gev. Tom, in full kilt and other Scottish regalia, piped us down the causeway and onto our vessel. We stopped in the middle of the Sea for devotions, for prayer, for singing of our National Anthem, and for contemplation. The sound of the bagpipes echoed across the water again and we relaxed to enjoy the rest of the ride. The flags of Israel and the US flew together at the mast. The boat had a large tarp covering except for the bow. Unfortunately Peggy seems to have spent more time on the bow without sunscreen than she should have….

Above the Kibbutz are dramatic hills including a Tel on which you could see the switchback ascending trail. The restaurant is one of the main features of the Kibbutz, founded in 1945, and it is well-known for the St Peter’s fish (Tilapia) locally caught and fried. David indulged in pasta whereas I somehow screwed up my courage to try the fish. Tom showed me the best way to tackle eating it, ignoring the head and the eye staring at me, I tore off the side fin and gently pulled up morsels including the skin, taking care not to pull up the fine bones. It was so good (and no, I was not that hungry…) that I flipped it over and ate the other side, along with delicious French fries. And no, I did not attempt to eat from the head (or tail) though some did. Outside the restaurant was a lovely garden with a fountain and a beautiful view of the Sea. Nearby was Kursi, said to be the place where Jesus cast out the demons in the man, and sent them to the swine that then ran off the cliff to their death.

On the way back to Tiberias, we stopped by Bethsaida, the old village ruins, to see another location where Jesus preached. And then it was on to Korazin for a similar look at what remained of this preaching site, also destroyed by earthquakes. David found his rightful seat in the Synagogue, after Tom vacated it. These two villages, along with , formed a geographical triangle within which most of Jesus’s teachings took place. David reminded us that the fisherman would take Jesus, at his request, back and forth on the Sea between these towns that were located on either side of the Jordan River mouth (which also represented a border between two jurisdictions under the Romans: Herod Antipas and Herod Philip).

I completed an exploration (in the daylight, at the end of the next day’s tour) to the end of the little commercial district of Tiberias, and up the hills by the Scots Hotel into the main town along the remaining walls and gate area. By then, that day, it was Shabat and the traffic, both vehicular and pedestrian had almost ceased. It was a bit eerie, and I momentarily wondered if I would be arrested for sauntering around, noticing it was mostly only police cars cruising around by then!

While I was out, the ladies had retired to a special gathering to help prepare for the evening Shabat meal and rituals. Dov was to be featured to read and preside at this eve of the Sabbath but due to some delay Hela had to find a Rabbi to handle the toasting with the sacramental 7

sweet wine. I guess it was the custom to fill your glass to the brim, at least that’s what he did, using the remnants of everybody else’s bottles. Brother David was greatly disappointed with how this all turned out, but we all accepted it and then retired for the next day’s long journey to the Dead Sea.

The next day, after we bid goodbye to our Leonardo hotel in Tiberias, we headed north to Capernaum. On entering this Christian compound, we were “luckily” able to look into the area brother David called the “harbor”, where the acoustics were said to very good, and offshore of which Jesus may have been in a boat to preach to those on the hillsides. Nearby was the modern Catholic Church dedicated to St Peter and sited right over top of what is believed to be the ruins of his house. Signs of fishing activity and Christianity were found within the ruins. The entire floor of the Church was made of plexi-glass type material so the services are held literally over the ruins and in sight of them. Around the Church are the excavated ruins of the rest of the village, also probably destroyed by earthquakes and not rebuilt. The Church building looks like a flying saucer landed in the middle of the town. Outside the gates to this area was a full statue of St Peter.

Our next stop after following the shores of the Sea south was Yardenit, right on the Jordan as it flows out from the Sea of Galilee south to the Dead Sea. Although the traditional baptismal site of John the Baptist was as the Jordan flowed into the Dead Sea at Bethany over Jordan, this spot is where many pilgrims come to be immersed. The facility for a small fee provided a white loose fitting gown, changing rooms and showers. We were so fortunate to have our pastor, Bill Getman, there to perform the services of re-dedication (by immersion, or anointing by water or oil) for 22 of us including the Clerk of Session, Mary Stringfellow, and the Moderator of the Board of Deacons, my brother David. Not everyone participated but everyone became a witness.

There was a lot of embracing, in the water after the ceremony and then on the land with the observers. A video was created to capture these moments. As Bill quoted Maggie Sell, there can be moments when it is “thin”, the closeness between God and Man, and this was such a moment for me and it showed. Amy chose the anointing with oil since the descent into the water was a bit treacherous for her. David chose immersion and I helped with this on his left side and Bill on the right. I chose kneeling in the water and anointing with water since my ears are so susceptible to infection. Then off to the showers and changing for the day. We had been rightly warned to be sure to wear something under the gown! Some had swimsuits, others had something more exciting…but everyone wore something! Lunch was at the “Aroma” and adjacent restaurants at a gas station/shopping area not far away.

The long ride then began, through the forbidding landscapes of the Jordan Valley, with the river and its much reduced flow disappearing from sight. The first stop was Scythopolis Nysa (Beth Shean) and its dominating Tel. Once again, many cities built over top of the previous one ruined by an earthquake. The Romans abandoned the Tel and built below but it also was destroyed in the same way. But the ruins of the Ampitheatre, Forum, main street, Baths, and 8

Temples had been excavated completely. The ruins of the Bath were most instructive and a large scale model of what the buildings on the site would have been helped a great deal.

We skirted Jericho at a safe distance, but I got a distance shot with a zoom. A Palestinian governed territory, it was not a place to visit. So on to the site of the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, at , south of Jericho, north and east of the Dead Sea. The orientation film centered on the Essenes, a sect of purist Jews who sought refuge in the wilderness near a spring to prepare for the destruction of those in authority who they felt had corrupted the Jewish faith and practice. Some have asserted that John the Baptist had joined them for awhile before beginning his public ministry, and baptizing at the nearby Jordan River. The scrolls are attributed to them, and the finding of these scrolls in caves very near their settlement took almost two millennia, when a goatherd boy cast a stone into a cave and heard a smashing sound. We read now in the newspaper how bits of these scrolls are still being sold over the internet by the descendants of the finders. Other major segments were sold and carefully evaluated over decades, finding their way into the Israeli Museum, where we would see them later in the trip. The scrolls were believed to be hidden to keep them from the hands of the Romans who are said to have destroyed their settlement.

Then on to the Leonardo Privilege hotel in Ein Bokek, at the northern edge of the southern portion of the Dead Sea. That Sea is evaporating at such a rate that it has already been split in two main parts, connected by a small waterway and supplemented by a parallel canal that is attempting to get water right from the Jordan to the southern portion more quickly to keep it from disappearing altogether. The salinity is now about 70%, and increasing at a rapid rate with the evaporation. Apparently the Israelis are mining the deposits of salt and perhaps other minerals left as the flats dry out.

We were in room #711, with a beautiful view of the Dead Sea (especially arranged through the good offices of brother David). We were invited for some wine before dinner on their balcony, which was a sweeping vast affair with very comfortable stuffed chairs and vistas of the full Dead Sea and hills beyond. This certainly matched up with their suite which was very luxurious. Unfortunately, we were to be there only one day. At this Hotel, it was all-inclusive, with drinks (red or white wine) served without additional cost. So we took advantage of the wine both on arrival and then after dinner, as we sat on a very large patio like balcony outside the main lounge. The Spa was on the lower level, near the pool. An earlier bus stop at the AHAVA retail store provided the ladies with all kinds of creams and lotions and then sign-ups to have massages, facials, etc. scheduled at the spa in the next Hotel.

We were cautioned to avoid getting any of this water in our eyes or to ingest any. So when we took our dips in this warm, beautiful blue and clear solution, we could stand, sit, float on our back but not dive in or roll onto the stomach. Sunday morning a group of us made our way down the hillside to the public bathing area. At the very edge of the water were salt crystal deposits formed into crusty bits and strips. The sand was not good enough for making sandcastles…I tried. 9

We also had been warned not to shave the day before or that morning as the salt would really sting. We saw several women lathering up with mud to cover the total body as another part of the “cure”. Bathing in the salt water is supposed to be very good for many skin ailments.

It felt very good to relax on my back without fear of sinking or getting my ears wet as we would just really float on the water. Standing in waist high water you could put your hands out straight to each side and feel the very strong resistance to bringing the arms back down to your legs. The care needed to keep from splashing anyone was the worst when you tried to get back up from floating, tucking your knees to your chest and then using the arms to push back to get the requisite force to go forward into a sitting type position, them dropping the legs to stand. All in all, it was an interesting experience but I prefer being able to splash and ride waves.

After I left, brother David was put to the test to rescue an elderly Brazilian woman who dove in and took the consequences. David got to her before the reluctant lifeguard could rouse himself. With Bill’s help he got her to the nearby outside shower to get the saline water washed off her. David reminisced about Pastor Bob Veon who, despite warnings, had done the same and had to be rescued. Amy came down for her dip later in the morning after some spa treatments she treated herself to (after all, it was Mother’s Day!) She admitted she enjoyed it but also was quite nervous with the part about getting out of the float position.

The day was quite hot and being so far below sea level there was no humidity so the heat was easier to bear. Our first stop was the famous flat-topped mountain (hey, in New Jersey, it is a mountain!) called . Famous in the history of the Jews for the 1000 rebels holding out against a Roman Legion, this was fashioned as a retreat for Herod the Great, complete with a palace, many cisterns, and an aqueduct. Our ascent was by a large cable car with spectacular views. We visited ruins of many buildings, including a Synagogue and small Church on vast plateau.

You could see the outlines of the various Roman Camps surrounding Masada and appreciate the effort put in by the Roman soldiers, in just a few months, to build a huge ramp across a valley and up almost to the top of Masada. Records indicate that the Romans breached the gates with a battering ram at the end of daylight and re-grouped with the intention of a full scale assault into the interior next morning. According to Josephus what they found that next day surely surprised them: all the inhabitants were already dead, killed through a massive suicide scheme. Only 2 women and five children apparently survived to tell the tale, having hidden themselves in a cistern to avoid this fate. Apparently the Romans treated them with respect and they were allowed to leave unharmed. This inspirational tale is one that still stirs the hearts of the Israelis, and a movie starring Peter O’Toole has successfully portrayed the full saga.

Generally the land along the Dead Sea was very forbidding. Rocky, sandy, bereft of any serious 10

vegetation except where the odd drip irrigation allowed otherwise. At , further north along the Dead Sea, the same was true, except for a spring in the hills that fed a small stream, waterfalls, and a wading pond. I do not know where that water ended up, but it was not water sufficient enough to feed into the nearby Sea. The group walked in the hot sun to a shady spot for our devotions and readings, recalling that this was thought to be where David sought refuge from the “mad” King Saul. The water flowed through the little glen but there was still very little vegetation. We all really started to feel the heat here. Some went on to see the pond and first falls. Other hearty souls made it all the way up the uncertain path to the higher falls and close to the spring source. Many retreated to the visitor center for some needed refreshment (including me!). The center featured a huge spiral umbrella-like thatched roof pavilion.

Moving on to Jerusalem, we had our last glimpses of the northern section of the Dead Sea, with the opposite forbidding Mountains of Moab in Jordan casting reflections on the glassy surface, appearing as if they were snow-covered. Suddenly as we were skirting Jericho, we turned west and ascended into hills finding ourselves almost immediately in a residential hillside area facing west. By special arrangement we were able to enter a secure area of very nice homes with lawns and plantings, looking like suburbia. But then we were surprised when the bus took a few more curves and ran along a steep left-side cliffside road that dead-ended. As we got out of the bus we realized that just to the other side was also a very steep drop off and we were at the end of a plateau. To the East was Jericho and the Dead Sea below us, to the west the outlying hills of Jerusalem, to the north forbidding lifeless brown hills. And the bus had to back up the road without us, then turn around safely, and again back up the road to reach us and safely take us off to our next vista, Mt Scopus.

At Mt Scopus Hela began her daily warnings to avoid the hawkers of goods. She sternly told us that if anyone gave in and bought, that person risked being inundated. Besides, she said, it was all junk and could be bought anywhere and for less. She said she would let us know when and where to buy decent stuff. The view from these heights, where the Hebrew University is also located, was our first of Jerusalem, the old city, the golden Dome of the Rock on the old temple mound, and the massive city surrounding it on all sides. The sun was getting ready to set and much of the city was already bathed in shadows, but it was nevertheless stunning. Our bus brought us into the heart of the city, through a tunnel and then right beside the old city walls and the Damascus Gate. Of course, we would be lodging at a Leonardo Hotel, room #1313 for us. We did not realize that this would be the beginning of a three day national holiday of religious significance.

Our view was north, opposite the direction of the old city, and we could open the windows to get in a breeze, and what strong breeze it was. Already the temperature was much more moderate, so much so that between the shadow over the pool, the cooling breeze, and the falling temperatures, I decided not to try the outside pool, not that day or any one as it turned out. Dinner was on the lowest floor, with the usual buffet. The lounge was on the floor above, the same where we entered, and we were able to enjoy some wine there every night. We got to 11

see David and Peggy’s room, they had a nice balcony but with the same basic view. They had us for a glass of wine that first night.

We heard much music and commotion outside that evening, and it turned out to be Israelis spilling into the streets to celebrate. The next morning we were bused to the Dung Gate, from which we passed through security and into the plaza facing the Western Wall (aka Wailing Wall) of the Temple Mound. Gathered there were many Orthodox Jews, placing written prayers into cracks in the wall, praying, and conducting some ceremonies regarding Bat Mitsphas. The little box strapped to the forehead was a special sight, and turned out to be a sign of devotion as it contained portions of scripture and was for the very devoted. Later we were to hear that a woman had strapped the same to her forehead for the same reasons and when she began this she started a riot, men throwing eggs, rocks, and the like at her for this “sacrilege”. This happened just two days earlier.

About 90% of the exposed surface of the wall seemed to be reserved for the men. The women were allowed to approach only on a raised restricted platform. Some of the men in our group deposited written prayers. I did not. I believe most of the women of our group were not prepared for this segregation. David scolded me for not praying at the wall, so I took the leap…. Then we were escorted for a walk down deep within the Western Wall, seeing ancient huge foundation stones, and reaching the Antonia Fortress area underground just before turning and retracing our steps. Every man had to wear a hat or a yalmuke before entering.

Within these (Rabbinical) tunnels Israeli women pushed their way past us to reach areas against the subterranean portion of the Wall where they could pray without interference or trouble. There were no excuse me, pardon me, or thank you for getting out of my way…that we found is the way it is in Israel, especially in Jerusalem. Above the wall it was easy to see the golden dome of the Mosque, reminding all the Jews, even the men, that they cannot go there, as it is Muslim turf. But they have hope…someday…it will be restored to them and the Temple will rise anew.

Leaving through the Dung Gate, Hela purchased some loaves of Jerusalem bread and hyssop for dipping, asking everyone to give it a try. She pointed out bits of hyssop growing right out of the cracks in the city wall near the gate. This herb was used in the mixture of liquid given to Jesus on the cross to ease his suffering.

From this vantage point we could see across the Kidron Valley to the Mt of Olives and the huge number of graves covering that hillside. The Jews believe that the Messiah will come through the Golden Gates of the Temple, so they all want to be buried as close to the gates as possible, to be first in line, so to speak. Sounds pushy to me. Jews also do not allow cremation. Apparently it is the largest cemetery in the world, with 750,000 buried thereabouts.

From the Temple side of the Kidron, I snapped a picture which turned out to show the general descent from the top of the Mount of Olives, through some of the graveyard, past the Church of 12

Mary Magdalene with its Eastern Orthodox golden onion domed spires (gift of Czar Alexander III in honor of his mother), along a tree-lined steep paved road, and by the Chapel of Dominus Flevit (Jesus Wept) aka the teardrop church, through the very large altar window of which a cross can intersect with (and nix out?) the golden dome of the mosque on the Temple mound.

From this little oasis, the descent continues to the remains of the garden of Gethsemane, where 2000 year-old olive trees are cordoned off from the public but arrayed with flowers and pathways fully visible. Adjacent within the general garden area is the Basilica of the Agony (also known as the Church of All Nations), with its classical basilica facade, multi-domed roof, and interior caretaking of jutting portions of rock as one might picture Jesus weeping beside while praying.

Nearby, we had our group picture taken after a robed monk ejected me from the Church for its noon-time closing. From here we had a good view of so-called Absalom’s tomb, done in a neo-classical Hellenic style. From the heights of the Mount of Olives, I could get very good close-ups of the Temple Mound overall, its Golden Gates, the golden Dome of the Rock building (not a mosque), and the Al-Aksar Mosque currently being used, with its gray dome and roof.

That afternoon we went to the Holocaust Museum (Yad Vashem), lunching there first, and then letting Hela guide us through the outdoor portions, with the monuments including the memorable portrayal of a teacher trying to protect his students (from the attempts to take his pupils to concentration camps and then succumbing and joining them in their fate), special experiences such as the memorial for the children, and dedications, such as trees planted for heroes who tried to help Jews, including Schindler.

After she led us to the beginning of the inside portion, we were on our own for several hours experiencing the full effects of the horrors inflicted on the Jewish people of the world during those years, including the documented post-war immigration-rejection by Western countries of masses of Jewish refugees. On these sober thoughts we returned to the hotel.

The next morning we returned to the Dung Gate area, but did not enter, instead crossing the street near the remnants of the famed lower level triple doors and double doors of the Wall (that led through tunnels and stairs to the top level of the old temple mound, ways that Jesus would likely have entered from the Kidron Valley areas). In this way we reached the Gates of the City of David, marked by arches and a large golden lyre. From this spot we had another good look across the Kidron and down the near slope. In this area the excavations have shown King David’s original smaller city and ruins of what they believe was palace, from the roof of which he watched Bathsheeba undress to purify herself on her roof, lower down the hillside. The rest is history, and his undoing.

From here we descended into Hezekiah’s water tunnel. Built to carry spring and aqueduct water to cisterns and the pool of Siloam, the Jews constructed this under their King’s orders as 13

preparation for an assault on Jerusalem by the Assyrian King Sennacherib. The Assyrians had already easily conquered the northern kingdom of the ten tribes. Doug Chase fully prepared for the trek, even hiking up his shirt to keep it from getting wet. Frank Giordano borrowed Amy’s white and pink flipflops (he averred he never had worn flipflops of any color previously).

Each of us was given a small LED keychain flashlight to help us find our way. Some of our group chose to take the other tunnel, one that was reliably dry and not as long or narrow. We met again after reaching the pool of Siloam, and seeing the ancient open stairs from there that would have carried pedestrians up the hill to the temple, recently excavated within areas where it is possible. Much of that part of the hillside is Arab homes, and we saw for ourselves how they were packed in to the area and heard they do not want to move. At one point in the wet tunnel, early on, it was almost waist deep, but from there on it was mostly ankle deep, but quite cold and definitely rushing along; I’m glad Amy did not try the wet and so was she. We crammed into two small vans hired just to get us out of the congested area and back to our big bus.

A short ride took us up Mt Zion to the Church of St Peter in Gallicantu, possibly the home of Caiaphas the High Priest at the time of the crucifixion of Jesus. Here it is felt it was, and not at the Temple, that the elders of the Jewish faith met and tried and condemned Jesus. Here Jesus would have been taken from Gethsemane up the stairs from Siloam to this house and cast into a dry cistern used as a dungeon. Here Peter the frightened disciple was likely to have denied Jesus three times in the courtyard, as commemorated by a group of statues including a Roman soldier.

Shortly afterwards we arrived near the Zion gate for a short walk past a statue of David with his Harp to visit what is believed to be the Upper Room. In such a room, Jesus hosted the Last Supper, before retreating to the Garden of Gethsemane for prayer and the subsequent betrayal and arrest. Here also on Pentecost the Holy Spirit visited the disciples after the Resurrection, to empower them to be the missionaries of Christ. The Crusaders made this room into a gothic style great room, with beautiful arches and pillars of stone. There were also some additions by the Turks. The net result was that, although it was on the second floor of a building, it was hard to imagine this as a simple room that Jesus would have chosen to sup with his disciples….but somewhere, probably very near if not here…it all happened.

We then slipped through the Zion Gate, into the Armenian Quarter of the Old City and then seamlessly into the Jewish Quarter where we lunched in a great open city square called Rova (Hurva). The group split up and sought food at different establishments. Amy & I shared purchase of a pizza with Peggy O’Neil, and brought the food to a kind of picnic table under a tree at the edge of the square. Afterward we enjoyed perusing the goods in an adjacent shop which both Hela and David favored as reputable.

David bought a couple of things (or more) before the group reunited to take a little tour of the nearby “Broad Wall” excavations, showing remains of the wall at the time of the first Temple, 14

at Hezekiah‘s time, and the Roman Cardo. We then hustled along skirting the plaza of the Western Wall of the Temple Mound and the security points to reach the Davidson Archaeological Center near the Dung Gate. Unfortunately, the Center was already closed, much earlier than hoped, because there was another Jewish holiday, Shavuot (Feast of Tents). This was greatly disappointing. We had hopes of trying again before we had to leave Jerusalem, but it could not be done.

So Hela called Dov and tried to get him to come pick us up at about 3pm rather than closer to 5pm. The long delay meant we mostly sat on a wall outside the Dung Gate and talked while watching numbers of Orthodox Jews hurrying this way and that, trying to catch buses nearby before it was too late. Here we saw our first Orthodox Jews in huge round fur hats. I dared to photograph one gentleman, and he seemed to notice even though I was using a zoom. Later we were given the scoop that these were worn by Orthodox Russians, and only by the first born male had the privilege. Frank and I had a nice chat on our impressions of Israel, up to this point. There was a lovely sunset despite the clouds. The holiday had begun in earnest. The elevators were operating on the Shabat plan. We went to the lounge and enjoyed some wine before dinner. Others decided to go to the nearby Great Synagogue to witness the proceedings.

Next day there was early morning rain. Our bus was unable to deliver us to our intended destination due restrictions on travel in the Jewish Quarter. We had to hike in the showers to the Lion Gate to begin our traverse of the Via Dolorosa. First we stopped at the pools of Bethesda. Here Jesus performed more miracles, but here also has been built the Church of St. Anne, a basilica with fantastic acoustics. As a group we sat in the pews near the back, had some devotions, and sang together, “Holy, Holy, Holy”, pausing to let the echo of each verse return to us before proceeding with the next. I dreamed of singing with our choir or a small ensemble under these conditions with the pure sounds, it was heavenly, inspiring, and unforgettable. From here we joined the Via Dolorosa, a narrow way, paved with stone, passing by the walls of the site of the Antonia Fortress.

Within the Catholic Church facility run by the Sisters of Mt Zion, we entered on the right, and found what is believed to be where the Romans may have held Jesus, complete with a floor carving of the scheme of the game of kings, played by the Roman soldiers. It is said that by means of this game, the choice of making Jesus king for the day occurred. This accounts for the crowning of him with thorns, and the posting of the sign above his head on the Cross, stating here is the “King of the Jews“. Here he would have been scourged, humiliated, beaten, cursed, spit upon, and prepared ultimately to have to carry his cross to Calvary. We sat in a semi-circle to ponder these things with readings from the New Testament. On such a stone floor, here Jesus’s blood was first shed. Below this area were also old cisterns used by the Fortress.

Outside, on our way again, we passed under an arch and then by a curved arcade of arches, representing the Roman architecture of the city of Hadrian’s time (Aelia Capitolina), and on by all the other stations of the cross celebrated by Catholics. After traversing even narrower paths, with shops crowded on either side, temptation was too great, and many of our group 15

started to drop out to shop. Finally we assembled outside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, to understand what was thought to be within the building. This included both the rock of Calvary of the Crucifixion and the Tomb of Jesus from which he was Resurrected. The crowds were great, with this being the ultimate pilgrimage site.

It was obvious that groups from all over the world were here that day, just as they are every day. I found it very hard to picture the reality of the original site, before walls and stairs and hallways were erected. We saw the tip of a rock under an altar where a woman abased herself bodily with wailing and spoken prayers, as a long line of other believers waited for their turn. Below in a crypt area adjoining a worship area with an altar, was what appeared to be a cave or crypt that might have been the Tomb provided for Jesus. But these two sites seemed almost one below the other vertically, and that seemed too convenient for my thinking.

After exiting we made our way to the Jaffa Gate, by the Citadel also known as Herod’s Fortress of Herod and the Tower of David. We stopped for quiet contemplation at the nearby Protestant Church. The sherateem there was much appreciated, before exiting the Gate and descending the hill to meet our bus for a ride to Bethlehem and lunch there. On the way we again saw the prominent Windmill, erected on a hillside as a monument. The way to Bethlehem was not very long, and the passing through the Palestinian Authority checkpoint went smoothly. Dov seemed to command respect, and no one boarded the bus to check our passports as we were warned would happen. The exit from Bethlehem also went without a hitch, as Dov is an army veteran and seemed to know the Israeli soldier (a young woman) well enough to get a smile from her. Again no one searched or boarded the bus.

The bus rolled into a large parking lot for the Nissan Restaurant, owned by Christian Arabs. It was pretty much a set meal, two choices, but orders were taken and we were served individually! The facility was quite large, clean, well-maintained, and featured a huge tiled mural of the Wise Men seeking and finding Jesus at his birth. I noticed to the sides were curtains that could be drawn to cover over this Christian religious artwork. I supposed they would do so to accommodate banquet/wedding gatherings of a non-religious or Muslim folks. Very business-like.

They we were given plenty of time (and encouragement) to shop down the slope at the owner’s other enterprise (a factory/retail store?) a place full of Christian religious souvenirs, especially including olivewood carvings. Brother David had told me to save my shekels to buy here (as there is no VAT and the purchase supports 600 Christian in Bethlehem). And we did. I think almost all of us. Amy got a beautiful cross of Jerusalem necklace. I pondered a number of carvings and succumbed to the image of Jesus, The Good Shepherd. Then it was on by bus to the bus terminal where we disembarked and had to ascend the hill on foot to the plaza outside the Church of the Nativity at Manger Square. It was an old basilica, with many pilgrims, and a long line to get down to crypt type area below the back of the altar. There was a 14 pointed metal star in the floor, with an opening in the center that was the traditional site of the birth of Jesus, the number 14 representing fourteen generations in the family descent from David to 16

Jesus.

Adjacent was the manger, a carved, curved indentation in rock, surrounded by black fencing that made it hard to see and photograph because of the crowds. We had waited our turn but were frustrated by the lack of courtesy by other pilgrims, so that our guide had to ask for them to leave. Our guide, Ashraf, had joined us at the bus station, Hela having left us on the way out of Jerusalem (since Jews are not really welcome in Palestinian areas and are at risk since, once on their turf, Jews are subject to Palestinian authority). Our guide proved to be excellent, knowledgeable and inspirational.

He told us that the normal television coverage of Christmas in Bethlehem is actually filmed at the adjacent Catholic Church, not in the Basilica under the control of the Orthodox Christians. He showed us the tiled floors of the original church on the site exposed by excavation beneath the current later church building. He talked about the statue of St Jerome, the translator of the Bible, who is always pictured with a skull at his feet. The statue was in front of the Catholic Church, for he spent most of his life in Palestine in his work. Nearby was equestrian statue of St George the Dragon Slayer. It was also explained by our guide that he was the hero (not originally of England—that only after the 3rd Crusade) but of the Holy Land.

Then we had just enough time to descend back to the bus station and get to the Shepherds’ Fields gardens before it closed. Here our guide showed us the way through the paths by a Chapel and then into a cave. Within this large area, our group listened to him as he detailed the historical and religious importance of the lambs raised for Temple sacrifice in these fields and of Jesus being wrapped in “swaddling clothes”. It was known that the lambs to be sacrificed at the Temple were specially raised. They could not be allowed to have their feet dirtied in the soil, or they would be defiled and unworthy of being sacrifice. So the feet of the lambs were swaddled.

Our guide also made an excellent case that the space we were in was much more likely to have been the actual birthplace, rather than the other site that had been shown to us. Constantine’s mother, Helena, after she converted to Christianity (and she persuaded her son to also convert) sought out all the significant sites of Christ’s life, and the site under the Church of the Nativity is what she was shown, so tradition stays with that. But our group felt the tug for this site.

The next morning began our last day in Israel. They loaded our luggage in the bus and we set off for the Garden Tomb, near the Damascus gate. An alternative to the Via Dolorosa path for the Crucifixion is the scourging of Jesus at the Citadel, where Pontius Pilate would have had residence when he came from Caesarea (his seaside headquarters) to Jerusalem for the Passover time. From there the soldiers would have taken Jesus to Golgotha, also known as Calvary. Golgotha means “place of the skull.” Adjacent to the Garden Tomb area, and clearly seen from a small platform, is a Cliffside that has indentations and juttings that easily appear to be a skull-like face. Below the Cliffside is a bus station parking lot. But within the garden area 17

there is a wine press, and groves of trees and well groomed pathways among flowers. And there is a cave whose entrance has been closed up to just a door and a high ventilation shaft.

The layout of this tomb is that of an ancient one, with a preparation area to the left and a burial raised area to the right. The whole area is so well maintained, peaceful, and within a reasonable carrying distance for a dead body that the idea that this really might be the actual burial area of Jesus is very believable. This area is maintained by Protestants and it is their view that the latest archaeology and biblical references together make this the most likely area.

Pastor Bill led us once again in devotions, readings, prayer, and contemplation, in a small raised area of the Garden. This was the right experience for us, a quiet place so full of opportunity for reflection, compared to the bustle of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There was a nice shop within the complex and our last sherateem before boarding the bus to the Israeli Museum on the way out of the City. As we were negotiating the way into the Museum parking lot, Peggy O’Neil shouted out for us to look at an altercation taking place over a parking spot. It spoke volumes on the way some people operate. We entered the museum to find the outdoor location of the model of the city. So impressive and detailed. We had time to view it and photograph it from every angle and then adjourned to lunch in a small sandwich shop, taking our carry-out food to a shady spot.

The group gathered again under Hela’s guidance to visit other parts of the museum, including a look at the “Hershey chocolate drop” white tiled roof of the central museum building (with water spraying all over it to help keep it cooled down in the hot sun) and adjacent outdoor sculptures. Then inside to see lots of the Dead Sea Scrolls preserved in a circular room of several open levels. Our next stop on the bus was the Valley of Elah where youthful David and the Israeli army confronted the giant Goliath and the Philistine army. We were encouraged to make the trek down to the stream bed in the hot sun and choose “5 smooth small stones” as David had but to keep them as mementos. My brother David re-enacted a “charge” down into the stream bed from the Israeli side. (You can ask him why he did it….)

Then the road led us to old Joppa, with a beautiful view of the Mediterranean Sea, the beaches of Tel Aviv, a very distant view of the three colossal smokestacks of the power plant north at Caesarea Maritima, and a clean sherateem! The bus had trouble manoeuvering in the old narrow streets, ran over a curb and jammed the back door of the bus. We all exited from the front and made our way up a street to the Maganda restaurant for dinner. It was a kind of shiskabob as a main course but the food was served to us at the crowded tables. We had wine and great merriment in our last meal together. On the way to the airport, Hela prepared us for the routine at Ben Gurion Airport, in the exiting of the country. She told us what to say right down to what had been “given” to us by people in Israel (a hat, a map, and 2 olivewood cups!) Then her benediction was: “Do not let the next three hours ruin all the enjoyment you have had over the last ten days in Israel!” Could she be serious? What were we in for? I can say that when we reached Philadelphia, and gathered in the great arrival hall after exiting immigration, 18

customs, agriculture, etc., we celebrated heartily with the blasts of the Shofar by Doug Chase. I believe we were more than celebrating Ed Hess’s birthday; we shouted aloud for safe delivery through the Ben Gurion gauntlet, through the night skies for almost 6,000 miles, and to our own wonderful country, by the Grace of God.

It only remained for our hired vans to pick us up (and then get temporarily lost and take a crazy detour) to get us to our church in Haddonfield arriving about 6:30 am. Bryan Dunn was there waiting to take us home. The more we think about all we saw and did, the more we appreciate all that my brother did in preparation for this trip, for all that Hela did for us while privately dealing with her own issues at her home. This was, for me, more than a trip, it was a dream come true.

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