Galilee, 20-23 MAR 2010

We boarded our bus at Jaffa Gate and headed out at 7:30am on Saturday, heading northwest to the Coastal Plain & Sharon Plain. Dr. Wright had to return to the states as his dad is ill, & Cyndi Parker took up his mantle with the "Physical Settings" field study . . . she did a good job! We took sooooooooooooooo many photos, but posted the best representative of each site. We still haven't had success putting captions on the individual photos, so you'll have to do the work! I made several posts for this trip, trying to put photos & related text on the same page . . .

Our first stop was Caesarea Maritime, Herod the Great's magnificent palace site on the Mediterranean. I'm not sure I've personally seen anything more beautiful! It has been one of the highlights of my trip thus far. He built it in 28 BC in honor of his beloved Ceasar Augustus and it was a challenge of nature, jutting out into the Med. But we're finding out that Herod liked challenges! The hippodrome (open air stadium for horse & chariot racing), a portion of the aqueduct (photo of Nat on top), and theater still remain through preservation. The theater still has concerts. I would love to go to one, listening & watching the sun set over the Med, but haven't found the schedule of events yet. A portion of the incredible harbor remains, and a dive shop is available for anyone wanting to see the underwater antiquities.

It was from Caesarea Maritime that a Roman Centurion, Cornelius, saw a vision that told him to send for Simon Peter (Acts 10). After Peter's arrival, Cornelius and his family became the first New Testament Gentile converts to the Gospel. The apostle Paul became a Roman prisoner after a riot against what he taught broke out in Jerusalem. When a plot to ambush and kill Paul was discovered he was immediately taken, under Roman protection, to Caesarea (Acts 21-23). Soon after his arrival in Caesarea. Paul's case was heard by Roman governor Felix. The governor, however, kept Paul a prisoner in the city for two years in the hope that money would be offered to secure his release (Acts 24:26-27). It was only after Felix was replaced as governor, and Paul requested that Caesar himself hear his case, that he left the city.

I wanted to stay, but we then traveled northeast through the Carmel mountain range to Mt Carmel & the Jezreel Valley (Yizre'el). From every vantage on this trip, we could see Mt. Gilboa, Mt. Moreh & Mt. Tabor. We could see Megiddo in the distance and TransJordan beyond. Periodically, we could see snowcapped Mt. Hermon as we travelled to the Golan Heights.

Galilee, 20-23 MAR 2010

Along our drive, we saw several first century tombs right on the highway!

After a day of climbing & hiking, we made our way to Ein Gev kibbutz on the Sea of Galilee. This is where we stayed the three nights of our trip. Our cabana room was right on the water's edge with Tiberias across the Sea. It was absolutely beautiful! A kibbutz (Hebrew for "gathering, clustering") is a community in Israel that was traditionally based on agriculture. Today, farming has been partly supplanted by other economic branches. Kibbutzim began as utopian communities, a combination of socialism and Zionism. In recent decades, many kibbutzim have been privatized and changes have been made in the communal lifestyle. A member of a kibbutz is called a kibbutznik. Ein Gev has about 250 residents, with tourism and agriculture comprising its two main income-generating activities. The facility we stayed in is an actual tourist resort.

Sunday after breakfast (the food at Ein Gev is wonderful), we went to the ruins of Beit She'an which sits 17 miles south of the Sea of Galilee. Destroyed by an earthquake in 789AD, it was excavated in the '20s & '30s, resulting in exposing one column. It was again excavated extensively in 1989. The ruins visible today are a spectacular sight (photo of us in front of excavated ruins). Here sat an Egyptian governor's residence, so it became known by some as "Little Egypt". Beit She'an is where the decapitated bodies of Saul & his sons were brought after they died in the battle of Mt. Gilboa, Saul committing suicide after being wounded (I Samuel 31).
We drove past Harod Springs (no photo), where God instructed Gideon to cull the 32, 000 men down to 300 after telling him, "You have too many men for me to deliver Midian into their hands . . ." The final determination was down to the men who lapped their drinking water from their hands at the springs. It's a good read from the 7th chapter of Judges.

Galilee, 20-23 MAR 2010

Our next stop was Tel Megiddo, 25 times built & destroyed. King David built the 16th layer. The waterworks & stables were built by King Ahab for his many horses & chariots. British General Edmund Allenby conquered the Turks during a WWI battle here. The War of 1948 ended in the extensive plains of Megiddo in the Jezreel Valley, where many believe the battle of Armeggedon will take place. (Revelation 16:16 & 19:11-21) It was thrilling to contemplate, as believers will participate (v.14)! We took a photo of the site from the Tel. The landscaped farmland belies the Apostle John's revelation of blood as high as the horses' bridles.

We then drove to Nazareth and sat on a high overlook on the edge of town, over the Jezreel Valley. It is here that tradition says Jesus was taken by the crowd to be thrown down, and he ultimately walked right through the throng of people and went on his way (Luke 4:16-30). And sure enough, something quite good came from Nazareth. I took a photo of Nat on edge of the precipice.

On to Tzippori (Sepphoris) which governed as the capital of the Sea of Galilee until Herod Antipas moved the capital to Tiberias. We visited a Roman mansion which had lovely mosaics. And we saw ancient Cana in the distance. (No photos)

We drove up, up, up to the Turon Ridge and climbed, climbed, climbed a lookout built during the 1948 war. It provided an excellent view. We were not the only ones there though. An Arab family had apparently gone there for a picnic. They cranked up their music, the young started dancing, the men sat on a blanket and smoked their elaborate water pipe, and "Mama" fired up the grill! Well, that's all the JUC kids needed to see. One by one, they climbed down from the lookout and joined in the fun. Our bus driver, Hani, was delighted and broke out some snacks of his own. Soon it was one big party! After about an hour, we headed back to Ein Gev for another delicious meal and good night's sleep.

Day three started at Rosh Pinna in the Huleh Valley, an agricultural region in northern Israel. Rosh Pinna was founded in 1882 by thirty immigrant families from Romania, making it one of the oldest Zionist settlements in Israel. We then went to what remains of Tel Hazor (photo of Nat in front of part of the ruins), where Joshua defeated the king (and his kingdoms), ". . .not sparing anything that breathed, and he burned up Hazor itself." Joshua 11

We drove through Kiryat Shmona (no photo), on the western slopes of the Huleh Valley on the Lebanese border. The city was named for the eight people, including Joseph Trumpeldor, who died in 1920 defending Tel Hai (where we will return to this next weekend with another class field study & stay at a kibbutz). Kiryat Shmona's location close to the Lebanon border makes it a rich target for cross-border attacks. In the years 2000-2006, the locals enjoyed relative peace but suffered from loud explosions every few weeks because of Hezbollah anti-aircraft cannons fired at Israeli Air Force planes flying across the Israeli-Lebanese border. During the 2006 Lebanon War, the city was again the target of Hezbollah Katyusha rocket attacks. Approximately half of the city’s residents had left the area, and the other half who remained stayed in bomb shelters. During the war, a total of 1,012 Katyusha rockets hit Kiryat Shmona.

Galilee, 20-23 MAR 2010

We went to Tel Dan, identified with the Biblical city of Dan, the northernmost city in the Kingdom of Israel and known as Laish prior to its conquest by the tribe of Dan (Judges 18). It is a lush, beautiful place with lots of foliage, flowers, springs, flowing water, and a very refreshing wading pool! Including in the remains is the only mud brick arched gate in existence . . . for those interested. Jeroboam set up a cultic site here (I Kings 12). Got a photo of Nat rummaging through this site. From north facing embattlement trenches and a lookout, we saw the remains of a destroyed Syrian tank from one of the wars.

Our next stop was another favorite of mine, and mentioned in the gospels of Matthew & Mark. Caesarea Philippi, named for Caesar Augustus & Herod's third son, Philip. The territory first belonged to Cleopatra, but the beautiful remains are attributed to the Herod Family. Say what you want about Herod the Great & Sons, but they were absolutely ingenious when it came to building palaces! Caesarea Philippi reminded me of Petra, as the remains we saw are carved into the red rock mountain . . . absolutely stunning! Caesarea Philippi wasn't anything like I had pictured it in my mind all these years . . .

Galilee, 20-23 MAR 2010

We then went to the excavation site of Omrit. Located in the northeast corner of the Huleh Valley on the foot of the Golan Heights, the ancient site of Omrit sits atop a foothill of Mount Hermon. After a brushfire cleared the area and revealed some interesting hewn stone in 1998, archeologists from Macalester College of St. Paul, Minnesota began excavating. Thus far excavations have yielded three phases of Roman temple construction approximated at mid first century BC, 20BC and first century AD. It sits on the Roman road to Damascus and it is curious to ponder whether Saul of Tarsus had made it this far before his encouter with the Lord? We had a lot of fun crawling all over the site looking for treasures. I did find a small piece of marble which is interesting because it is not a stone native to the area and any marble had to be brought in from Greece or somewhere, but left it for the Macalester students. Nat gathered up some seeds of Israel's variety of our Texas bluebonnet . . . except much larger! Since the pods are still green, not sure if the seed will be viable but going to try them and see.

We drove past areas where battles took place in the 1967 "Six Day War" & the 1973 "Yom Kippur War". In both conflicts Israel won, pushing the border to Damascus and both times giving it back to Syria . . . mistake? Israel did keep areas atop the Golan Heights, primarily 2 extinct volcanoes which, allow excellent viewing and military vantages in regard to keeping an eye on any future military buildups. Plus, there is an additional buffer zone (DMZ) which is enforced by UN troops. During peace negotiations after '73 war, it is said Prime Minister Golda Meier gave Defense Minister Moshe Dayan strict instructions to "Keep the volcanoes." It was already dark when we arrived this site, but we'll be going again and take photos.

Another good night's rest, and we checked out of our rooms after breakfast on Tuesday. I made my way down to the water's edge, at least dipping my toe in the Sea of Galilee. I didn't test walking on the water. Nat never got in, but sure had fun saying, "I swam today where Jesus walked." Before leaving the area we went to Ein Gev Harbor, which is part of the kibbutz operation, and went out onto the Sea in one of their boats. We anchored in the middle of the Sea while Cyndi pointed out the physical settings around us as they relate to the Bible and places Jesus & his disciples would have been. Different political systems surrounded the Sea in that day. Locals would most likely cross the Sea by boat to avoid taxations on land, from one area to another.

On to Kursi, and the ruins of a Byzantine monastery. This is another site where tradition has Jesus healing the demon possessed. Cyndi used this opportunity to remind us that Matthew's gospel was written to the Jews, Mark wrote to the Romans, and Luke to the Greeks. Many times, depending on who Jesus was talking to as he traveled (even in regions surrounding the Sea of Galilee) He would caution the Jews, "Don't tell (what I have done for you) . . .", so as to not stir things up. Other times, He would say to the Romans, "Go tell . . .", because they weren't looking for a Messiah & Jesus then wanted to stimulate thought and discussion. I found this insightful. They not only grow huge "bluebonnets" in Israel, but take a look at the dandelion Nat is holding!

Galilee, 20-23 MAR 2010

On the drive to Capernum, we just had to stop and at least look at the Jordan River! Then on to Capernaum, where Jesus & the disciples spent much of their time while in Galilee. Matthew was a tax collector, and Jesus called him to follow here. The remains of Peter's home are here. A church has been built on top of it, but I was able to take a photo of part of it. All of the disciples, except for Judas, were from northern Galilee. Lots of good fishing at Capernaum! We've posted a photo of me with our leader & now good friend, Cyndi Parker! We're standing very near footprints of Jesus Nat discovered on the Sea of Galilee behind us . . . :)

We stopped the bus at a site where Jesus possibly taught His sermon on the mount. We sat in a wheat field while one of the students, Casey, recited the majority from memory. It was very enjoyable & peaceful. On the way back to J-Town, we drove through modern Tiberias & stopped at Mt. Arbel where everyone (but me) climbed down the steep cliff and explored the cave dwellings and then rock climbed back to the top. It would have been novice work for rock climber Natalie, but Nat had a great time!

Nat says that the Galilee is the only area of Israel he has seen so far that he would even consider giving up Texas to live in. Words are easy!

So, goodbye to Galilee until Thursday when we return with Dr. John Kaplan's "Historical & Social Settings of Modern Israel" class. This should be equally interesting as we travel the borders of Lebanon, Syria, & Jordan discussing the various military conflicts . . . just as long as we're not a moving target!

Shalom y'all

Easter & Passover in Jerusalem

Things are in high gear in J-Town as Easter & Passover are both being celebrated this week. The Old City is spit & polished and Israeli flags are flying high & proud!

Yesterday, after attending Palm Sunday services at Christ Church, we walked to the outside of the Old City eastern wall to watch the commemorative procession down from the Mt. of Olives and into the city. It wasn't a re-enactment with Jesus on a donkey, but a celebration with flags waving, drums beating, and the growing crowd singing & dancing. At the base of the mount, Nat & I saw a group of very enthusiastic people dancing their way down. I said, "I'd wager that the JUC students are involved in that!" And sure enough . . . by the time they passed us, they were yelling, "Nat & Shirley, come on with us!!!" So we did! It was so much fun! Tourists, local Believers, priests, nuns . . . all having the time of their lives celebrating the King of Kings! I noticed the streets & Via Dolorosa were lined with curious Jews. One Jewish policeman asked Nat to explain the palm branches we were waving. After a very good explanation, and a thank you from the officer, Nat said to me, "I should have said, 'You explain it to me . . . your people started it!' "

The crowd ended at the courtyard of St. Anne's Church (traditional site of Jesus' grandmother's house . . . Mary's mother). A live band was set up and the celebration continued. Nat & I finally gave up and made our way back to dinner. This evening is the beginning of Passover. For the past several weeks, the Jews have been systematically cleaning their homes and particularly removing any leaven. Stores have cleared their shelves for the week of any leavened products. Smoke is rising all over Jerusalem today . . . not from acts of violence, but as items removed from homes are burned. "Tradition, tradition!"

I would love to have been invited into a home for a seder meal, but alas, no. We had a pseudo sader (just fun to say) last Friday night as part of our shabbat. I enjoyed it, but not the same. We'll be gone on Good Friday for a three day field study to northern Israel, but will be back Saturday night. I'm planning to get up and join the crowds for the sunrise service at the Garden Tomb. Seems a shame to be here and not, huh?

Pesach Shalom y'all (Passover Peace)

Negev, Wadi Zin, Masada, Dead Sea, 06-08 MAR 2010

Negev, Wadi Zin, Masada, Dead Sea, 06-08 MAR 2010

Negev, Wadi Zin, Masada, Dead Sea, 06-08 MAR 2010

Negev, Wadi Zin, Masada, Dead Sea, 06-08 MAR 2010

Negev, Wadi Zin, Masada, Dead Sea, 06-08 MAR 2010