Holy Land Pilgrimage

  DAY 13

It’s a beautiful day in Tel Aviv. We have just been to the market and what a wonderful experience.  One of the great takeaways from our trip is the realization of how much we love the Israeli people. They have been wonderful to us this whole trip. From friends of friends to total strangers to Israeli soldiers and police. Everyone says “thank you for coming”; wants to engage you in conversation and seems really interested in our story and where we’re from. Today we met an artist, (named Naama Yarmuch, and actually we met her husband Lipa) and bought a piece of her art. We hit it off and had a conversation about many things. As we talked, he insisted that Susan call his wife and tell her what she said about the art. Twenty minutes later we left his table. It’s been that way throughout. We really love it here.

  Caleb and Joshua in Hebrew                 Olive Pizza- Yum      Guy on stilts selling Pizza 

Today we discovered that Israel sends a half a Billion barrels of water to Jordan each year. They do it to be good neighbors and in hopes of continuing the peace they have enjoyed with the Kingdom for many years. They also do it because Israel is one of the most creative and industrious societies in the world. (have developed a de-salinization method to convert water from the Red Sea into usable water) And don’t forget, Israel uses 95% of its water every year. It is not in abundance. Right now they are way short of rainfall and are praying for rain. Somehow, I know it will come. G-d loves His people and this land. (When you see what the Israelis have done with this land, you can certainly see its potential for being the land of milk and honey) One day He will return and all Israel will proclaim “Baruch Haba BaShem Adonai.”

Susan is just going to have to cut back on scrapbooking (yeah, that will happen)because we are coming back, and using scrapbooking money to fund it. (Ade! Help!!!)

Shalom

Pray for the peace for Jerusalem

 DAY 12

Well today was another great day, but a bit bitter sweet as well, since we had to say goodbye to our new friends. The day started in Eilat with a nice cool morning. We started a long drive back to Tel Aviv and the departure of everyone in the group except Susan and I. We are leaving tomorrow evening about 11:20pm. We got the dates messed up since we made our own flight reservations to arrange to use points for an upgrade. So tomorrow will be a day to sleep in (we need it) and take it easy.

As we left beautiful Eilat, our first stop was the Oceanarium. An aquarium that has a nice feel to it. It’s not large but focuses on the local sea life. We spent a couple of hours there. Next we visited Ramon Crater. This is Israel’s answer to the Grand Canyon. It is a natural “Cirque” created by erosion from the north winds. It’s huge and has a dramatic view. We then visited Be’er Sheva, which means the “Well of The Oath”. Here Abraham made a covenant with Abimelech.  It’s the well that Abraham dug when he finally came to the place where G-d sent him. Be’er Sheva is the southern-most city of ancient Israel and it is also where G-d spoke to Hagar when she left Sarah and Abraham. We went into the well which is located in a Tel. They have dated the well to the proper time. It is still intact. It’s cisterns were dry, so we were able to walk in and get a feel for its size We had to wear hard hats.

 Mine is a cooler yellow than hers           If Abraham ever finds out!                    Cistern 

Next we went to the Valley of Elah where David fought Goliath. Oh yes, he won. This was really neat. We saw the two opposing hills where the Israelite and the Philistines were set to confront one another. You could see where Goliath probably came to taunt  the Israelites. Then we walked down the creek bed where David selected the five smooth stones for his sling and then ran out to confront Goliath. Of course the land and the creek have shifted over the years. But the two hill sides seem to hold with location and description. We then went down into the creek bed to select our five stones to bring home. We also learned something  today that I had never heard of before. Remember in the book of Ruth, Naomi had 2 daughters-in-law; Ruth and Orpah. Naomi told them to go back to Moab to their families after all three women’s husbands died. Ruth refused, but Orpah went back. Well according to the Talmud in Sota Ch. 14. Goliath was the grandson or great-grandson of Orpah. And we know that David was the great-grandson of Ruth. Like I said, we all just heard that today and I haven’t had time to research it at all yet, but if it is true, that sure makes you reflect on the Sovereignty of G-d. Of course, everything about Israel puts that foremost in your mind.

   Looking for David's stone                         Oh here it is!                        You can sense David and Goliath

There seems to be a dispute!   No Henry, yours is the one that missed!

As we drove to the city, our guide told us how important Christians support for Israel is. She told us how her son was severely injured in 2006 in the war with Hezbollah in Lebanon. The medical staff was sure that he was not going to make it, but if he did he would not have a good prognosis. She said that within 24 hours she received several calls from members from the Christian group she was the guide for, and was told that Christians all over the United States was praying for him 24/7. Sometime later, when her son came out of surgery the nurses were crying. When she inquired as to what was the matter, they told her they could not believe how he had improved; they thought he wasn’t going to make it through the surgery. She told them about all the Christians that had been praying, and told them that it was due to the power of prayer.  And he is fine today. And she is so thankful to G-d and to the Christians that have come into her life. She told us that Israelis are beginning to appreciate that Christians have an understanding of G-d’s plan for Israel; That we are important supporters because of our Jewish roots being tied to the Abrahamic covenant.  She said that Israelis are very loyal to those they see as friends and for us to keep praying for the people here and for the country. She said that is why you see Coca Cola and Subaru are so popular here.  During the Arab boycott of Israel that went on for years, many companies honored it. For example, Israeli’s love Coke. Why, because Coke has been with Israel for years. Pepsi honored the Arab boycott until a few years ago, as did all the Japanese auto makers except Subaru. So guess what cars you see the most of in Israel?

Susan’s ankle rash is getting better thanks to Terry Carlson, a doctor on the trip who became a friend and has helped Susan throughout the ordeal. He and his wife Cindy gave her their Benadryl spray, told her how to apply it and the cortisone, and asked about her several times a day since it happened. These are good people.  Susan is back to being mean as ever. I haven’t been sick or in pain at all. I just have swollen ankles and a rash that was growing. I made the mistake of “google-ing-‘ a rash on the ankles in Israel’”. I won’t do that again. It had over 10,000 sites on the subject, the main focus being on something called “The Rift Valley Fever”. It is a zoological virus that is killing donkeys and camels (hmmm where have we seen those before?) and it has been transmitted to humans in a few cases. (So far eleven people have died and I am quite sure it was due to riding in a racing sulky at Petra Downs.) Luckily the red ankles was the only symptom I had in common with that, and thought it would be safer to stick with the “latex allergy” diagnosis; especially since my medical degree needs updating.

In the last few days we have had a wonderful experience “connecting” with the group. It has been both light and seriously moving as we shared our stories. For example Henry is retired from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. He and his wife both worked there. Henry piloted the Voyager spacecraft. How great is that? He is a genuine wonderful soul that we got to know late in the trip. We found out that a little over a year ago, his wife Susan was diagnosed with cancer. She lasted six months. Although Henry said that that was the hardest six months of his life, their story was compelling. Citing Job 13:15 “though He slay me, yet will I hope in Him.” Henry talked about their faith and Susan’s comments that if G-d willed her to spend more time here, or to come home, either way she won. It was a statement of trust and hope. Henry said last year was the worst year of his life, but he got through it and has a great outlook for the future. His children now think he is going to be OK. We know he will be. He’s a great guy with an infectious smile and a solid knowledge of scripture. What a great experience for us to meet him. Like Lee said, the last week especially the last few days, have been truly amazing as the group started opening up. Two women sat in the back of the bus and whenever we approached a new site, they would read the related scripture verses. They also had beautiful voices and sang in perfect harmony together leading us all in the songs and hymns that we all love back at home. Several people shared their morning devotions and how G-d had led them to a specific scripture that morning. I loved these times because it just seemed like the hand of G-d was leading us where He wanted the group to be spiritually; especially when we were up in the Golan Heights and also over in Jordan. When we first went up to the Syrian border, you could have heard a pin drop in the bus. It really was intense for those of us whose only frame of reference was the news. And there was also some tension when the Jordanians took all of our passports at the border crossing in Jordan; especially when we were told that we could not take pictures until further notice. But that soon went away, and I was a little sad to leave Jordan so soon.

The children were so warm and friendly, and they acted just like kids laughing and giggling and flirting. I remember on the walk back from Petra the other day, 2 kids about 12 rushed me to sell me some postcards. (a boy and a girl) At first I brushed them off, but the price was too good (15 postcards of Petra for $1.) and I wanted them to check the spelling of the various landmarks and to fill in the gaps in my journaling.  So I turned around to go back, and the boy got to me first. He, in typical pubescent fashion, was disgusted because the girl was competition. He said she was always getting in the way and trying to take his customers. I laughed and said that maybe she just wanted to be with him. He said in a very serious voice. “Yes lady, she is to be my wife”. I was so dumb-founded, but when he said, “ but I haven’t decided yet” I cracked up.  I enjoyed them so much that it wasn’t until later that I noticed everyone of the postcards was in Arabic so I don’t have a clue what I am looking at. But it was worth it.

PS: (the stone I told you about the other day was the Eilat Stone, not the Jerusalem stone)

 DAY 11

Is this Israel or Jordan, Jerusalem or Petra or Aqaba? No, it’s Eilat the Jewel of the Red sea! (It is where Solomon’s copper mines were and it is also where the Jerusalem Stone is mined. It is a beautiful stone like turquoise, lapis lazuli, jade and malachite all rolled into one stone.) After more than a week and many one day stops it is easy to get confused. However as we near the end of the trip it is both exciting to know we’ll soon be home and at the same time sad we’re leaving some new friends and ending a great adventure. We are both exhausted. We have done more physical activity on this trip than our last five combined. It was not unexpected and we tried to prepare for it – we’re just tired. But it’s a good tired.

 Across the bay is Israel (Eilat)               Truly  Five Star quality                                  View of Eilat 

                                                 Intercontinental Hotel Aquaba, Jordan

No trip with Susan is complete without a crisis. (I do my best not to disappoint, but I thought I had it covered already with the fractured thumb.) We always keep several ready, in case they are needed. But as usual, Susan has risen to the occasion. Remember yesterday we talked about Susan having a rash that (we thought) was caused by the socks she wore? The socks that I bought her! Well once again I am exonerated. It wasn’t the socks. (maybe) We don’t know what it is yet but we do know that several other women on the trip have it now or have had it for almost five days and I did not buy them socks! (In fact I seem to have been the only one wearing any socks at all. Some had on capris, others long pants. Some wore tennis shoes, some wore sandals. The only thing in common is a red rash and swollen feet. It is really strange. They have been using cortisone on it and it looks much better on them after five days.) Imagine some lonely bug, poisonous plant or toxic dirt or alien spore out in the desert waiting years, maybe thousands of years. Hey this could be a new Indiana Jones movie. And along comes SUSAN. The child  spore says to the mother spore, “Now, momma? Now?” “NO, my son”,  says the mother spore, “Be patient; watch and learn. You’ll only have one chance to get this right. HERE, see the one sitting down with the big feet and endlessly journaling? She is our target. It will be easy, she hasn’t moved in ten minutes.” Nuff said, you get the picture. (I’m guessing Lee has spent a little too much time in the sun. What’s your guess?)

                                           Ouch!  It wasn't the socks! (it was alien spores)

                                                       Once again I am exonerated

This morning when the rash still looked angry, I decided I had to try and find a drugstore or “Pharmacia.” In Israel and Jordan nothing medical or pharmaceutical is sold over the counter anywhere, but from a drugstore. So at 8:00AM I left in a Jordanian Taxi driven by a probable Hamas death squad member to find an “open” drugstore. (He was a kindly old grandfather.) The Concierge at the hotel said it would be “no problem.” Translation: No problem for the Concierge. (He did go outside to hail you a cab.) The first three drugstores that  we visited, were closed. The fourth that was open was staffed by a single woman who was a recently retired member of the “seventy virgins” and not happy with infidel men. (He has such a positive spirit, doesn’t he? That’s my guy”!) I asked for Benadryl. Five times I asked. We played charades. I acted like a Bee biting her arm. She brought me insect repellent. I said no and made a mark on my arm . she brought me After bite. This went on for a while. Finally another man came in and they laughed at me. (They were humoring this masochistic infidel) I said “Emergencia,” and that got their attention. I said cortisone and they brought some tubes, which checked out and I agreed to buy. The (grandfatherly) cab driver who had been waiting for me throughout all of this was smiling as we drove back to the hotel. When I got the toll I understood why he was smiling. (He was such a big help, and Lee felt better once he was able to find the steroidal cream. And the benevolent grandfatherly taxi driver was able to get Lee back to the hotel with 10 minutes to spare to gobble down his breakfast before we once again climbed on the bus. My hero once again came to the rescue. Poor Lee did have a rushed beginning to our day. I thought I should go with him to provide a visual ‘show and tell’ due to the language problem, but Lee had a good point that we couldn’t find anyone to tell that we had left the hotel in case we were late.)

We then had to transfer across the frontier into Israel. This can be tricky and can take as long as five hours. We made it in 90 minutes. Early is definitely better. (And the fact that the tour agency did a good job organizing this departure.) I guess it is because Marv has done this so many times, but even he and his staff were amazed at the quick turn-around.

Red Sea - Eilate a European favorite       Our Hotel -- Princess                      The Aquarium

Eilat is a true resort town. It was founded in 1949. It is a key destination for Europeans (especially Swedes) throughout the winter months. It is a temperate climate in winter but brutally hot in the summer. Still, it’s a beautiful place. Once we made it back to Israel, it was another boat ride, but this time on the Red Sea. Marv said, "you’ve now been to the Red, the Dead and the Med.“ The cruise today showed us the incredibly close proximity of Egypt, Israel, Jordan and Saudi Arabia in this spot. All are visible and within 5-7 miles of one another. Egypt is visible only a quarter mile from our balcony. There were also gorgeous hotels, lots of shopping and too many boats and ships to count. It was very picturesque down here at the waterfront dock.

   Our hotel right on Egyptian border           Floating in the Red             Four countries within 5 mi.

The Captain stopped the ship fired up the grill and said “go swimming while we fix lunch.”  With one huge splash, I was in the Red Sea. (I took pictures and journal-ed; Someone has to be the detail person.) It was wonderful and the salt content is higher than our ocean which is 3%. Here it is about 5% and more salt equals more buoyancy. By comparison, the Dead Sea is 30%. We had a great time of relaxation and fellowship, as everyone knew the trip was coming to a close. Oh yes and the food is getting better. For our friends Vito and Amy Rulli, we actually had hamburgers and hotdogs on the boat. There are McDonalds and Burger King’s everywhere in Agaba and Eilat. FRENCH FRIES !! YEA!! I know we never ate camel, but sometimes it seemed like it. (That is true, however you will not be surprised to know that Lee did not break his record. No vegetable crossed his lips. But neither did any sausage or bacon here in Israel.) There is one mystery of this area I was never able to solve. What is it with ice? You’d think it was gold. It’s hard to find, and when you find it, you get two cubes MAX. I have been looking in the commodities markets with gold, silver and oil, but I can’t find it. It will remain with horseradish as one of the great problems the world has not yet mastered.  Tomorrow we head back toward Tel Aviv and frankly I can’t tell you what we’re going to see on the way. You see, I’m a short-timer now. I can hear the engines of our Boeing 777 revving – somewhere. (We will first go to the underwater observatory here in Eilat, then to Sappir Park, Beersheva, Ramon Crater, the Valley of Elah and Emmaus as we work our way to Tel Aviv. Finally we will drop off the majority of the group at the airport and then we will spend the night at the Dan Panorama in Tel Aviv and fly out Tuesday night and be back home Wednesday afternoon. So you will probably receive one more travel update from us. Erev tov and Shalom Aleichem!!)

DAY 10

  As you read this, feel my PAIN!        "Susan, it's time to ride!"                 Susan's "Carriage from Hell"

NOTE:  Susan just told me that she wants to "edit" my posting -- "Danger Will Robinson"

(As is normally the case, Lee’s side of the story needs correction, so below you will get “the rest of the story!) Today was all about discovering Petra and it was a full day. We stayed at a wonderful resort right at Petra with wonderful food, unbelievable views and the best part was we didn’t have to drive 40 or 50 miles in the morning to get there. With the light of day, (remember we came in after dark) this place was an unbelievable sight. The size of the mountains combined with the fusion of colors and flowing rock formations is unrivaled. Probably the closest thing to it from a geological perspective is in Moab Utah.
Since we have had over a week of walking long hard days, we (Lee - there was no “we” in this decision) decided to rent a carriage to take us down to the first stop on the trip, the Nabatean Temple. From there we were to walk the rest of the way and pick up our carriage up on our return. This was to cut out more than half of the days estimated 3.6 miles of walking on rocky uneven terrain. Sounds reasonable right? Especially since Susan has experience some swelling in her ankles after this week+ journey. (It had nothing to do with the walking. The 88 year old retired missionaries were beating us. The problem with the swollen feet was due to “new socks” Lee bought for me to hike in. Problem  #1 we didn’t know they had Latex in them and #2, we didn’t know Susan was allergic that severely to Latex. So aside from my turning into “Elephant man” I have two perfectly symmetrical rashes about 3” wide encircling both ankles. It is very attractive. Remember, he bought the socks) When we  saw the carriage that was to carry us down to the temple, Susan balked faster than a Kentucky Derby three year old entering the gate for the big race. (I wasn’t the only one balking. The horse took one look at us and thought “are you kidding me?”) But I prevailed on her sense of logic, adventure, economics, duty, honor, courage  , (he bullied me)… and finally she got in the carriage. Once in, she wanted out, but I’ve been working out lately and I held on fast. We were off and trotting down a rocky path, on “little bitty” wheels. With no shock absorbers on this carriage, which looks more like a child’s toy (a racing sulky is more like it. A child’s toy suggests fun-it wasn’t) than a vehicle for off-roading,  we were bouncing like a couple of Mexican jumping beans (no slight intended to our brothers to the south.) As we hit the caverns through which we had to travel for 2/3’s of this journey the rocks turned to a mostly smooth stone path. That’s good right? Wrong! In a moderate down sloping grade, ‘said horse’ pulling ‘said brakeless carriage’ began to pick up speed and lose footing. We were slipping and sliding like a 1950’s sock hop. The driver kept repeating “out of way” which means “two fat people in a run-away brakeless carriage is coming in your general direction.  Failure to dive into the rocks is a decision you make at your own risk”. (At least we think that is what he was saying. He was speaking Arabic for crying out loud! For all I know he could have been trying to sell his sister to Lee and my demise was the “bride price”)
That driver was a pro. He steered that poor horse past six or seven imminent collisions. Meanwhile, Susan is threatening me with death by “spoon”. She is trying to jump out, or grab a passing limb. Finally after screaming death threats at me, (Aside from the hyperventilating, I didn’t make a sound, but he did get “THE  LOOK” several times.)  I think the driver though he might be collateral damage in this conflict so he stopped said horse on a flat section we came upon. (The driver was oblivious to my concerns. He was busy figuring out how to introduce Fatima to Lee. And he did not stop; he slowed down on a turn, as another reckless carriage was approaching SO I jumped out before either of them realized my intentions. Lee’s thinking “crap” I have to walk back, and Gunga Din is thinking, “but what about Fatima?”)

 "They're off" scary huh??            See the Locals? Notice any FEAR? (no)     We're about to hit ..(nothing)

   NOTICE: Don't show this to young children, they may need counseling from the shear HORROR

  That's it, Susan has left the Carriage             Why am I NOT riding? Come back!

Susan was out of the carriage faster than the falling exchange rate. Try as I may, nothing would get her back in . So we left our expensive carriage after one third of the journey down. I said I’d meet him at the Temple at 1:15pm for the return trip, and Susan said forget it. (No I said you’d go alone and oh by the way look into another room)
When a day starts like that in the Pinkard family, it does not get better. (Are you nuts? Most every day starts that way- I’m just thankful he didn’t know about the camel transport at the time) What did get better was this excursion. You all simply have to see the pictures.  Petra which will play no insignificant role in end-times, has been occupied by Romans and others since 500-600 BCE. (That’s B.C. for the politically incorrect)  actually had people living in there until 22 years ago. It is a remarkable place to be sure.

 No riders? did they Jump?         The stairs go back and way up!       Great colors and formations

                                                               Amazing Petra!  (not Alexzandreta) 

   Much is still buried                    Huge burial tombs                                  Roman Theater

            "Hey Mr. want a ride?"                      Ever smelled a camel?                     More Roman structure

    Seats, just when needed                 Cool shade and cold Coke                     The food was great! 

So we walked back to the Temple (after walking throughout the entire compound, which I never knew existed. It truly was amazing), then over a MILE up a moderate grade through the tunnels, in a hurry (did I mention that we were in a hurry because someone was stopping every minute to either take a picture or “journal.”) (And your point is?) So we’re “hurrying” on a hot day up rocky terrain to make a bus that has threatened to leave us if we are not there. Oh, and I’m carrying a 25 pound back pack with Susan’s camera, telephoto lens, spare shoes,(a tiny pair of Crocs) picture hard drive, and sweater in it. I know I must of mentioned that. You see I thought it wasn’t a problem because WE WERE RIDING IN A CARRIAGE!!!

        Shus! Don't tell her!                    My Carriage is still out there                   Not up here 

  Tombs for GREAT kings and small       Nabatean's started it, G-d finished      Incredible crafts & Jewelry

                          Our Group                                    "He can't take it anymore"                 Me either (bedraggled)     

We made it back to the bus, (before 2/3 of the rest of the group) and passed out for the two hour ride to Aqaba where we are now. (And he hasn’t even thanked me yet, for all the exercise he got. I was simply taking his interest to heart and acting as his personal trainer. And he was able to do a good deed for the day by giving his return ticket to a bedraggled soul who truly wanted and needed and appreciated the ride.) 

 DAY 9

We are now in Jordan, and it is very different than Israel! We’ll tell you how it’s different, but first, let us tell you how we got here. This morning was a 5:30 wakeup (yuck.) We left knowing that we would drive for over five hours today and it took even longer. Our first stop was after about two hours of driving as we crossed the border into Jordan. We first had to go through the Israeli Passport Control which took about an hour. We moved to a Jordanian bus and picked up our Jordanian driver and guide named Ramses. He is a very nice Jordanian Christian. In Jordan about 5% of the population is Christian, mostly Roman Catholic, and Greek Orthodox, but there are also some Protestant denominations. However, Ramses entire village is Christian.

We then drove through several miles of “no man’s land” before reaching the Jordanian Passport Control. (They took our passports and we took an hour break. After an interesting water closet break that only the pictures I took could describe (this is Susan’s aside here) we got our passports back and drove onto the Kings Highway to “Bethany on the other side of the Jordan” (John 1:28) also known as Wadi Kharrar. This is also in the Judean wilderness where Jesus went and was tempted.) This is the Bethany where John the Baptist (upon seeing Christ approaching) said “Behold the lamb that takes away the sins of the world.” From where we parked the buses, we still had a hike in to the site. There we found an excavation where three churches were found built on top of each other over the last two millenia. This indicates a very important place. In this case the site is a ways from where the Jordan river flows today, but the excavation showed that the river once ran through the site. There is even a platform of the type used in baptisms of the first century church. We then hiked down to the Jordan and put our hands in. It was  nice to actually feel the flow of such an important landmark. 

 Excavated three ancient churches on top of each other --   a sign of a significant place.  John the Baptist

likely met Jesus here.  The water path, stone platform, all fit and  the Jordan was likely here 2000 yrs. ago

Note: Jordan is so different from Israel. First, it is much poorer and filled with Bedouins who heard sheep and goats, ride camels and basically look like they did a hundred years ago. It’s like a modern society versus a pre-modern society. Maybe Amman is different but what we saw was clearly an agrarian society.  (However, the Jordanians really respect and honor the Bedouin society. They are the militia/border patrol/ homeland security for the Jordanians. They are mounted on camels and basically keep the law and order in this vast wilderness; No one wants to mess with them.)

From there we crossed Jordan’s wilderness area with mine fields (clearly marked) on both sides of the bus. A reminder that we are sojourners in a troubled land. We came to a little town called Madaba. And believe it or not, we had some excellent spaghetti, some type of relish called Mohammara that totally cleaned out our sinuses, and REAL COCA COLA (YEAH!!!)  Most all the people we have met have been really friendly, and hospitable.  (My only complaint would be that you have to bring your own toilet paper to the ladies room. At one of the rest areas a man stood outside the ladies room with a shoebox for money and a box of Kleenex. It was $1 for 2-3 sheets. However, my favorite was at the Bethany baptismal site. A very nice young man stood outside the ladies rooms handing out 3 squares of toilet paper to each woman. It was free, but it was also only 3 small squares of toilet paper. I thought Sheryl Crow had invaded the Holy Land.)

We then moved on to Mt. Nebo. What a view. From there you can, on a clear day, see Jericho, Jerusalem, the Dead Sea, and Amman. Today was a clear day. Mt. Nebo is where G-d buried Moses, after he was allowed to “see” the promise land. After the drive up the winding mountain road with no railings, we were sure that we were about to enter the Promise Land sooner than we had anticipated. (but our Jordanian bus driver is incredible. I also took pictures of the Elusive Moabitian Black Iris which is Jordan’s national flower, and only grows for a short period of time and only in the area.  We also went to the mosaic factory where the handicap do beautiful work creating and crafting hand- made mosaics. I wanted to bring you all back a little souvenir and help the handicapped, but at $280US for a 5 inch tile and that is after a 15% discount, I thought better of it. Maybe next time. NOT!)

    Roman tile Mosaic amazingly shows lions and bears                Mt. Nebo Exibit 

                                                            MT Nebo

Resting place of Moses   Art of Moses' "snake"    Where G-d let Moses "view" promise land.  

And now we are in Petra. We arrived after dark, but what we did get to see of the area was breathtaking. G-d sure does good work.  We took a detour to come in through a back mountain road and see the sunset from the mountain cliffs. It was spectacular! And now we’re trying to rest up for a long full day in Petra. Petra is where they found the Holy Grail In the last Indiana Jones movie The Last Crusade. (We are extremely excited. So goodnight and G-d bless you all. This trip has reinforced the blessings we have in you, our family and friends. Thank you for your prayers, love and support.)

 DAY 8

We got up this morning knowing that this would be our last day in Jerusalem this trip. Our first stop was Yad Vashem (meaning name and memorial, so in other words- a tomb), the Jewish holocaust memorial. Words, pictures and firsthand accounts simply cannot give it the positioning it deserves. It has been recently redone and they took out much of the most graphic horror. However, the current memorial is very well done and honors the lost and the survivors, but still gives the same sense of horror. It actually takes you on a journey of the geopolitical circumstances that existed in the years leading up to the war. It is scary that we are hearing some of the same anti-Semitic  rhetoric today. It also depicts the development and execution of Hitler’s “Final Solution” for the Jews. It deals with this horrific part of history from a macro perspective, from a German perspective, but most importantly from a personal human perspective. They honor the victims with their story. Of the millions killed 1.5 million were children. This place will make you hurt inside. It will make you mad. I only wish it would make more people realize that we possibly could face something similar from Islamic terrorism, and that the Jews are still in danger of anti-Semitism.  But then it is impossible to accept that this could have happened in the first place – but it did.

                                               Yad Vashem : The Holocaust Memorial

                                                               May the world NEVER forget

We also had to say goodbye to new friends and prepare for the trip to Jordan. We did a bit of backtracking today. After Yad Vashem, we went back to the Arab sector of Jerusalem. We came in through the Lions Gate also known as the Sheep’s Gate, and St. Stephen’s Gate. From there we passed down the Via Dolorosa to an area we know for sure that Christ walked. I’m talking about the pools of Bethesda. Specifically where he told the man who couldn’t walk to get up and be healed. Authorities have excavated the pools and they know exactly where they are. So that was exciting.  We went into St. Anne’s Church which was one of the only churches not destroyed by the Muslims when they took over the city. The reason is probably due to the incredible acoustics. We sang hymns and choruses and I want to tell you it was amazing. It was purchased by the French years ago and given to the Catholic church who oversee it today. (While in there we met a lovely group of Messianic Jews from Nigeria. After we sang and left the church we listened to the Nigerians singing praises  G-d in their language. I am sure it was such a sweet sound to His ear.)
From there we went to Golgotha and the Garden tomb. We heard all about the how the place was excavated and when you look at Golgotha (Calvary) you see the “skull” in the side of the hill. But it is a guesstimate as to where the Crucifixion site actually was. At the top of the hill where the crosses would have been there is a Muslim tomb. It is as if they have gone to all lengths to cover up any evidence that Christianity ever existed. The Garden tomb was like it looks on TV. Most of us have seen it. The evidence that it could have been a tomb created for Joseph of Aramethea makes sense. There is a garden there that dates to before Christ’s time, based on the discovery of a huge Cistern built by the Romans to feed water to the area. It was a beautiful place, due to the funding and work to keep it that way. Whether it is the actual site or not really doesn’t matter. What matters is that the tomb is empty, and that it serves as a reminder of the greatest gift of all time. We had a peaceful feeling while we were there, but more because of what it represents rather than that it was the actual site.  It was a great way to say farewell to the city.
Susan and I are both coming down with colds, as are many in the group. But thanks to good ol’ Tylenol PM and Advil, we are troopers. We’re all popping pills and trying to stay hydrated. Pray for our save journey and recovery from this bug.

 DAY 7 

Well today we had to say goodbye to part of our group who had signed up for only the Israel part of the trip. It’s a little sad since we’ve experienced the joy of a spiritual Journey together. One couple is Vito and Amy Rulli. Vito pastors a small church in upstate Indiana. From a strong Catholic background, he found the Lord and He led him down a path of service. We’ve had great fun together exploring the Holy Land and ribbing each other about our heritage. I told everyone that Vito is Don Vito Corleone’s (the God Father) grandson who had to leave Las Vegas because of the whole Freddo, Moe Green incident -- Lots of fun. Tomorrow we spend one more day in Jerusalem, then it is on to Jordan.
Last night we learned about Zion’s Hope’s mission here in Jerusalem and heard several speakers talk about both the trials and blessings of their mission here. We got to meet Zvi Kalisher,  a holocaust survivor, a decorated soldier and author who tells his story in Israel My Glory magazine.  His mission focus is to the ultra orthodox Jews – Zvi must be a tough and amazing guy. We listened to and sang songs with a young Russian immigrant who was wonderful and so passionate. The Russian immigrants continue to pour into Israel. We think something big is going to happen here soon –pass it on.
This morning we went to Ben Yehuda Street to see the shops and stores (window shopping – right!). We ran into so many Christians who are living and working here. They would often just come up to you on the street. For example, as we were taking pictures a young man came up and asked if we wanted him to take a picture. We said yes thanked him,  and then he asked if we were Christians. Specifically, Christian Zionist and we said yes.  We learned that he was a Spaniard who relocated to Melbourne Florida. Reuniting with family, he learned he was actually a Sephardic Jew. So he made a decision to move to Israel four years ago. He is a messianic Jew and a journalist no less.  The Christians we met here are, whether protestant or messianic, are simply “on fire” for the Lord.  It was really encouraging and such a contrast to what we see in Europe and America. Throughout the afternoon we kept meeting people from our group and laughing about so many thing as we showed off our “treasure” that we bargained so hard for. Susan found an original part of Jesus’ cross – imagine that!! One of our friends in New York was born and raised at 4 Ben Yehuda Street. So of course we had to take a picture of us there “for a visit.” While we were there, we experienced a crazy person ranting and raving as he walked down the promenade. For a moment I thought we were back in New York. But the IDF were there and didn’t seem concerned so we just continued on. 

    So I had a sauna??     Don Vito really is connected!               Ben Yehuda Street, hey Ita!

We just got back from an afternoon visit with some friends of friends that now have become our friends. What great people. Maya is an accomplished jewelry artist and Udi is an accomplished painter, and he sculpts in bronze. They live about twenty minutes out of Jerusalem near Bethlehem. We also saw the wall that Israel is building to protect itself from Islamic radicals. Maya told us that until the wall was built, people would shoot at them as they drove home and kids would throw rocks down on the cars as they sped down the freeway. Can you imagine living like that? No wonder it is working this is a BIG wall!

        The "Palestinian" WALL                                    Bethlehem                                  Udi and Lee

Everywhere we went (bakery, McDonalds, etc.) there were guards that looked into purses and backpacks as you entered stores. It may sound scary, but it’s not. It is a security process and it is working.  We had a great time drinking “good” coffee, (Susan had water-aside from the fact that Susan doesn’t care for coffee, this “good” coffee could caulk a house), and we talked about life, politics and Israel! It was interesting and engaging -- a wonderful experience. They made us promise to come back next year. Are you kidding me! NO PROBLEM! We also returned through the Israeli “Green Zone” a mountainous area like one of our national parks. It was beautiful and similar to New Mexico or Colorado. Please pray for Maya and Udi to come to the Lord.

                 Maya and Udi                                  Bronze art                                The Green zone

Everywhere you look here there is history. Moreover there is history in the making. While we were here Condoleezza Rice was also here pressing the Middle East Peace initiative. At this point in Bush’s presidency it seems a little disingenuous and more about legacy than peace. Sorry, but that’s the way it feels. We have met wonderfully friendly Arabs and Jews on the trip. When you look at the situation the two groups, most of which work together regularly, should be able to resolve major differences and coexist. Except for the fact that the Enemy who prowls this area.

                                 Looking on the city from the Mount of Olives is incredible! 

DAY 6

Well, after a magnificent warm up we finally got to the main course. Today we walked for miles and experienced some of the best and worst of the holy land. With a early wake-up and short bus trip, we came to a park-like Hill overlooking the city. What a view, it took several minutes to take it all in. We were on the verge of entering this great “City of G-d” and simply had to stop and take in the visual panorama.  As we did, we noticed something interesting. There are cemeteries clustered on both sides of the Kidron Valley that runs up to the old city from south to north.  On one side Arab graves and on the other Jewish graves.  It is another reminder how far apart the cultures are, even though in the city they seem to co-exist on a daily basis. It also indicates that people want to be buried here. It really feels like the center of the universe. Everywhere we looked there were olive trees, some new and some old. We were standing on the Mount of Olives. Where Christ taught His disciples about the Day of The Lord, the Rapture of the church etc. There are olive trees everywhere inside and outside the city but this was special.

As we walked down the hillside toward the city entrance we came upon an old church with a small group of very old olive trees in it. It was well kept with blooming flowers and raked grounds. We were at the Garden of Gethsemane. These trees were unbelievably old. In fact they don’t know how old, because of how the olive tree ages. It expands outwardly as it rots away internally. As a result there are no rings to tell how old it is. Most historians say that these trees are the oldest things in the city. They are magnificent things to see. They look a little surreal as their huge trunks reach up to their new limbs, leaves and olive blooms.

                                                              The Garden of Gethsemane

NOTE: Churches, especially old ornate, dank churches and Cathedrals are not high points of interest for either of us. So don’t expect a lot of commentary because frankly, most of them we didn’t go into.

We, like many people, thought that most of the architecture of the Herod the Great was destroyed and no longer existed. We were wrong. There is a lot of it left. The Jews focus on the Wailing Wall of the old city because of its proximity to the where the Temple stood and specifically where the Holy of Holies stood. However, around the outside perimeter of the city you can still see, walk on and sit on much of Herod’s handiwork. The work of Herod as seen in the architecture and craftsmanship, not to mention the sheer size of the stones he used in this mammoth complex was truly a wonder.  Some were 30 metric tons in size (that’s metric tons.) By comparison, the muslin work in restoring the platform to put the Temple Mount on it was like comparing a Boeing 747 to a paper airplane.

This is Susan. One of the fascinating things for me after visiting Caesarea Maritime, Caesarea Philippi, Masada and now Jerusalem is just how much Herod the Great was an architectural and engineering genius. He was crazier than a loon, and epitome of evil, but he was a genius. The physics, the mathematics and the paradigms he shifted just blow me away, not to mention the logistics of supplying his fortresses with necessities, extravagance and luxury. But His evilness stood out to match his creative genius. We all know about his having all male children under the age of 2 slaughtered for fear of losing his throne, Or killing the one wife he loved Miramne, and their 2 sons for the same reason; but did you know that he wanted so badly to be lauded that he ordered his men to kill all the leaders in his kingdom when he himself died, so that the weeping for them could be mistaken for crying over him. It is incomprehensible the depths to which man can descend.

                             Our first look at the Roman distruction            It's beautiful even in distruction 

                                               Foundation stones weigh 30 metric tons each!

             The Western wall                        Women and men go seperately             The Tunnel

                     In the Arab section                                       Stations of the cross

 DAY 5

This is now officially the best trip we have ever taken. Sorry Italy, sorry Alaska, sorry Singapore, Hawaii, South America, Steamboat etc. etc. Of Course we knew it had to be, but the real thing is – nothing comes close.
This has been a long day. We got up early to a very cold morning and almost missed a wonderful experience. We almost talked ourselves into staying in the Meridian hotel and not going to swim in the Dead Sea. But Susan saved the day. She said “we’re going” and of course Lee being the Gentleman that he is, let her think that it was settled and we went. This water is the most dense and salty water in the world. As a result, when you go in, you float! You simply can’t sink. I don’t mean you float a little. I mean the water tries to spit you out! Anyway, we took pictures and we’ll share them with the spectacular views of where we were. It was fun, but people spend big bucks to go there for some kind of health benefit from the water. I don’t buy it.

       Roman view of Masada                   Looking down on Herod's balcony             Model of Herod's palace

Their view of  the Roman approach       They must have felt invincible        Then the Roman's built a ramp 

      It's a rugged walk down                 "I'm waiting to carry my wife"           We came from way up there?

            "Oh Jerusalem!"                              If only wall's could talk                        Yes, we are really here!     

DAY 4

      It's DEAD but beautiful                               Susan floats too                                    A manly float

Hello from the Dead Sea. We are really tired,  but not EXHAUSTED like the last two days,  so we promise to type more coherently and use spell check :-)  We are currently at the Dead Sea in a Meridian hotel (beautiful) in Ein Bokek, Dead Sea, Israel.  In the morning we’ll go swimming (floating actually) in the Dead Sea. It is so full of salt (the world’s saltiest water.)  that you can’t sink. Then we are off on another day of discovery including Masada. I (Lee) have been anxiously awaiting Masada, and as we approached the Dead Sea the driver pointed it out on the right. Let me just say it is dramatic at first sight.
Today we visited Beit She’an which has one of the best preserved ruins in all of Israel. (it is believed to be named after a Canaanite god).  It was amazing to see the Theater which is the best preserved in Israel. The Romans use of acoustics is amazing . It still works after 2000 years. We also saw the Roman public toilet attached to it. Words alone cannot describe this facility, so I will wait for the pictures before describing it.
From there we went to the Jordan River, where a Baptism service was held. We didn’t go through it, but it is something to think about for next time. It was beautiful and moving. Being there causes one to stop and reflect on how G-d has used this landmark throughout scripture.

     Roman "public" toilets                 A "Working" Roman Theater      Beit She'an is incredibly preserved

From the Jordan River, we crossed the Israeli border through armed gates into the “West Bank.” It all went very well, however our bus became very silent as we continued on, contrasting the Israeli neighborhoods with the Arab and Bedouin ones. Our guide kept teasing us about how non- talkative we had suddenly become. We saw sheep being herded (on foot) on a hillside the way it would have been a thousand or more years ago. The trip was worth it since the destination was Qumran. We saw a film on the findings and saw one of the caves and possibly others in the distance where the scrolls were found.

One of the 11 Qumran caves (they didn't make it easy!)         More valuable than GOLD

And we rounded out the day with our photo being taken with a local. It is a lovely picture just Lee, me and the camel. (whose owner, acting more like an agent, negotiating a fee for the privileged of being seen with his camel). It was a great day and now we’re off to dinner and then bed.

             The Jordan                                     The Baptism                                    The Millstone

                                                                                                                                 (it's gonna hurt)

 DAY 3

Just a quick note to mention something interesting. Remember when we were watching the Ray Vander Laan series and he was talking about Jesus taking the disciples to a pagan site to ask them if they knew what it meant to follow Him? That site was a huge cave where the pagan god Pan was being worshiped. A spring was flowing out of the cave and the pagans built fires and held ritual sacrifices there in the mouth of the cave. We were there today and it was just as depicted in the film. Just as dark, just as unsettling!

We visited Tiberias, went on the Sea of Galilee, then went to Capernaum, Caesarea Philippi and to the Mt. of Beatitudes. We crossed the Golan Heights, went across the staging area of the troops during the last war with Hezbollah. We saw the Syrian border (100 yards away) and came up to the border with Lebanon. We could see the signs indicating a "Mine Field." You may remember hearing on the news about Israel finding a 2000 year old boat encased in mud. The story broke several years ago. We saw that boat today – amazing.

                          Synagogue at Capernaum                                                          Tiberias on Sea of Galilee

   The Galilee was special                       A time to reflect                       2000 yr. old boat from Jesus' time

  Inscriptions from Jesus' day                 2000/yr. old olive press        Historical evidence of Jesus & Peter

Depiction of Ark of the Covenant       Peter's House (under a church)             Capernaum is so peaceful

So why olive trees? They are everywhere and it's a fair question. It's not for olive pizza, although that is a rare treat. It's for the oil. In ancient Israel, they used it in many ways. From lamp fuel, to personal care (bathing and perfume), to cooking and probably countless other applications.

Israel is an AMAZING country, and the people are wonderful. When you are here you really get a sense of what stewardship they have had to take on in this part of the world. We have been able to see the stark contrast between Arabs and Jews. It permeates every aspect of their lives. Here are a couple of examples:

First, Arabs are very individualistic people by nature. If something is theirs, the will fight to protect it. They won’t share with even their own people. However, how they view that individuality is interesting. For example, all the Arab apartment building have a different satellite dish for each apartment – no sharing and no trust. Israeli buildings are cable served. Israeli settlements have nice lawns, are well kept including common areas. By contrast, Arabs dump trash out their windows. Why? Because if it is outside, it doesn’t belong to them. Their apartment may be exquisite. It is not for lack of money. It’s about their attitude and world view.

 DAY 2

It’s spring in the Holy Land, and it is lush, green and alive. The olives are on the  trees, flowers are blooming, fields are green and this looks like one of the most serene places on earth. Of course looks can be deceiving.  

  The 4000 yr. OLD City gate                Looking on Armageddon              Hidden well        To City Gate

Today was another incredible experience for us. We were up early and off to Caesarea (Maritime) with its recently excavated Palace of Herod the Great and it’s huge hippodrome. This is an incredible place and was only recently excavated. We explored the 25 different conquests of Tel Meggido, saw the ruins, walked through its 4000 year old city gate and climbed down through its hidden well and secret passages. From atop of he Tel, we could see the plain of Meggido. You just had to pause and reflect on the past and future significance of this place. We then went on to  Nazareth with its many contradictions of life. It’s big and clearly divided by its various faiths. And from the high places of Nazareth we looked out on the plain of Armageddon in the Jazreel valley. Napoleon called it the most perfect battlefield on earth. Now we know why. We ended the day in Tiberias at the Sea of Galilee. It was an inspiring day and it’s only day two.

     Tel Meggido                                      The Jazreel Valley                               Walking up the Tel

Tomorrow we start the day off with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. The food is still terrible – I’m wasting away. When traveling remember anything that rhymes with aweful (Fahlaful -- fried bean curd) probably is! A coke is four dollars! Gas is $7.50 a gallon and the internet cost $15 to connect for 24 hours. But hey we are in Israel and the dollar is falling faster than the values of our Presidential candidates! We’re living on about three hours of sleep a night and just waiting to “hit the wall.” We’ll have time to sleep when we get home.

Shabbat Shalom bat! Erev tov. 

NOTE: Susan is writing/editing in RED

 I am not calling you a creature. I said hello daughter, good evening. This is the first I have gotten to communicate to you since we arrived. Today we had a very busy day which began with a 5:45am wake up call. 
We visited Caesarea Maritime, Mt. Carmel, Mount Meggido which is really Har Meggido in Hebrew which is really
Armaggedon.  It overlooks the Valley of Jezreel (also known as The Kidron Valley) on the NE and is facing Nazareth.  It is a tel which is a hill or mound of previous civilizations layered on top of each other. In this case, it is 25 layers of previous civilizations on top of each other. We walked all the way up on the trails and all the way down in the water system. We ate lunch at a Druze restaurant. We had falafels. I had a coca cola and lifesavers. I am not a big hummus fan; I know you  love it.  We also visited Nazareth. Tonight we are in Tiberias at the Sea of Galilee. Our hotel is right on the beach here. Tomorrow we will walk to the marina and take a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, go to Capernaum, Mount of Beatitudes, Golan Heights, Caesarea Philippi, and then have a special dinner on the shore of the Sea of Galilee.
Our guide is a Messianic Jew from French Morocco. His name is Tito which is derived from Abraham via the name Alberto. (long story) Our driver is Doo-Doo which is the nickname for David. All the Davids in our group have strongly protested. Well I have got to get some journaling done and go to sleep. Thank you for your prayers. We are truly having a wonderful time.
We  keep getting warned by locals, about the highway robbery of using the hotel phone and we haven’t had any free time to explore any other options. So we'll email rather than call. Well I can’t keep my eyes open right now so I am going to bed without journaling. Try to call tomorrow around 3:30 pm your time; that will make it about 10:30 pm here. As of 2am this am, we are now 7 hours ahead of you. They just lost an hour due to daylight savingings time. Kiss the babies for us—Love you

        Marv's Overview                              Caesarea (Maritime)                      Recently excavated

  DAY 1

Well, the Eagle has landed. We are in Jaffa right now and had a great afternoon. A few of us took a walk with Marv down to the Med and to an Israeli "mall" of sorts. Susan went in the Mediterranean (feet only) and said it was really cold. We're with a good group of people. I have already had some good discussions. I think this is going to be a great trip. So far, we get a lot of history, cultural and Bible commentary from "Tito" our guide. Of course Marv is here for the main commentary when he brings us together as a group. There is a lot to take in. It's like drinking from a hydrant.

       Lee meets Doo Doo                                   Tito our guide                             Marv and group taking a break

CLICK ON MAP, THEN GO TO COLLECTIONS, (THEN MY COLLECTIONS) THEN SELECT "ISRAEL"

This is a dream of ours to visit the Holy Land, while we are young enough to truly travel and enjoy it. So for Susan's birthday, we decided to join Marv Rosenthal's (Zion's Hope) trip to Israel and Jordan. For years we have followed Marv's bible teaching, through his books, CD's, conferences and through his commentary in Zion's fire, his incredible magazine. During the next two weeks, we will visit sites of biblical sgnificance and overnight in various Israeli cities and in Jordan. This Blog is intended to share some of our experience with others. Particularly  those who have encouraged us and supported us in prayer.

Enjoy!