Paula is adding pictures to several galleries including our Israel trip in 2008. Israel was a wonderful trip. Along with us on that trip, were our Friends Jay and Lori, Mom and Dad, and Mother in Law Nancy. Mom had just recovered from a broken ankle that summer, and the economic crisis had just occurred the prior month, the DOW had crashed 777 points in one day! (click on image for full group picture)
We started the trip with a brief stop in New York, where we visited Ellis Island, the Statue of Liberty, and walked amongst the Concrete Giants in every direction. The flight over to Tel Aviv, was memorable to say the least. Jay particularly enjoyed the “first light” Jewish prayers from the Orthodox men onboard, which we were found to be in the center of, since we had front row seats, well actually we had the very last row seats of the plane which placed us front row for the Jewish morning prayer service. Our trip started in Tarshith, we travelled up the coast to visit Mt Carmel, went to the Sea of Galilee and Capernum, the Jordan River where much Baptizing was done (and is still done), the Dead Sea, Saw Mt. Harmon (most likely site of the trasfiguration), visited Masada, (h)Armagedo, a bedouin village (where Camel riding is in vogue, and mom looks forward to her own Camel one day), and then finished up in Jerusalem for several days to mention a few of the trip highlights. A personal favorite was the Garden Tomb, a likely place where Christ might have been buried. The site is under British control interestingly enough. Most all of the “famed” popular sites have an almost 100% certainty of having no actual factual basis to their claims of historical significance. They have however, sought to find likely “visual” cues and places to so many actual events in the Bible, which provide one time to ponder events and the places that are so significant to Christians. Gesthemane garden for example, is a garden somewhere in the vicinity where the actual garden may have existed where Christ prayed and was arrested, and has a most impressive set of Olive trees, some reaching back to 700 years old, but in all likelihood is not the actual site. The garden gives one pause to ponder those sobering events 2000 years ago.
Most incredible was the wide range of fruits and vegetables that are grown all throughout Israel. Each evening meal included an assortment of well over 30 different fruits and vegetables. Lori made a bee line for the humas daily. Particularly enjoyable was the fact one did not have to worry about whether there was any unclean foods!
Particular noteworthy was the excursion out onto the Sea of Galilee where casting fishing nets was demonstrated. Our overnight stop at the Dead Sea included time to bath in the salt waters. Those area’s under Arab control are quickly noted to be declining in rapid fashion into disrepair. One story was told us that a very well run farm of rather large size, that had a value I believe in US dollars of 12 million, was purchased and given to Arab’s living in Israel to run. The sad fact is that a once prosperous farm that was productive, in tip top shape in short order became dilapidated and run down. From simple observation it seemed that the Arab’s were inclined to live on the dole and seek world sympathy rather than improve their lot in life.
Jerusalem is certainly in need of Christ to return. It’s a city that in every quarter strife exists, with no end in sight to the turmoil that constantly surrounds one at every juncture. We had a stop at a Christian Jewish Kabutz. A community comprised of Christian believing Jewish people. We asked them a variety of questions, one of which was what did they plan to do when they witnessed the abomination of desolation. They know the scriptures, however they are still mislead amongst the world’s deceived Christianity. We did find it interesting that during the Annual Feast of Tabernacles, they actually erect Tents (temporary dwellings) and live in them for the 8 days.
Most enjoyable was the time spent enjoying Israel with family and friends and pondering prophetic events soon to occur, and the “What might be’s” in the not too distant future.
Enjoy the pictures gallery, a most memorable trip.
Can be found under Picture Gallery, Other Trips, Israel 2008