the Sea of Galilee

the sea of Galilee is actually a lake. it is 13 miles long and 8 miles wide. there was not sand around it that i could see, but rather volcanic rock and other large rocks lining the shore.

it was some of the most beautiful water i have seen in person. the color was such a wonderful deep blue.

during our stay near the sea of Galilee we traveled to Nazareth, Tel Dan, Laish, Caesarea Philipi, the Jordan River, Capernaum, and the Mt. of Beatitudes. there were many interesting things to see and learn. (for a little more info and pictures on these, check out my facebook album)

we took a boat ride across the sea and while on the boat our guide pointed out to us that 2/3 of Jesus' adult ministry took place on the NW area on the sea

this and to the left and right a bit span the majority of Jesus' ministry

these are the places of many miracles and parables and things that i pictured entirely wrong in my head as i learned about them on the flannelgraph.

but now having seen them, re-reading and re-learning them it is much more clear to understand the significance of some things and the simplicity of some things. many of the places we saw are the place believed for certain events to have happened. they may not be accurate, but with the evidence given about the locations, they make up the best bet for the location.

things like the sermon on the mount, the feeding of the 5,000, the healing of the paralytic, Jesus telling Peter 'upon this rock...' now i have a mental image for them. and for me a mental image and hands on experience make all the difference in learning. i cannot be told how in just words. i need to see and touch things.

on our boat ride i was able to see the shoreline of the sea where Jesus and the disciples spent much time. we learn about the teaching and the ministry that happened. but i wonder what their recreation was like. did they take boats rides for fun or was that too much like work? did they have picnics by the water or was life then more intensive so they didn't do those things? did they go for hikes for fun or since they walked everywhere anyway, they didn't enjoy a good hike like we do? maybe i'm naive, but i can't help but wonder more about the mundane details of their lives.

this was in the middle of the sea of Galilee.

the water was sooo deep in color and beautiful. just think this is the same body of water Jesus walked on and calmed the storm. this was a little more than amazing to me.

aunt cherry, dad, me, and uncle paul on the Galilee boat ride

Yad Vashem

While in Jerusalem we had the opportunity to visit Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial Museum. It was an overwhelming experience to say the least.

"And to them will I give in my house and within my walls a memorial and a name (a "yad vashem")... that shall not be cut off."

(Isaiah, chapter 56, verse 5)

As the Jewish people’s living memorial to the Holocaust, Yad Vashem safeguards the memory of the past and imparts its meaning for future generations. Established in 1953, as the world center for documentation, research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust, Yad Vashem is today a dynamic and vital place of intergenerational and international encounter.
(taken from the about page on the website.)

for some reason, i have always had a fascination with the history and stories of the holocaust. i think it started with reading the diary of anne frank and then number the stars and then other less known stories, as i could read about it all day long. so to visit this museum was a highlight (i feel weird calling it that) of my trip. i have been to the one in DC, but to visit this in the land of the Jewish people is so much more a privileged opportunity.

we were given an hour or so to move through the rooms at our own pace. you could spend days there and not even finish reading and hearing all the stories they have collected. so an hour, though a small amount of time, seemed good to skim the surface of each room.

this is looking down the main hall.

you zig zag through the building as it recounts chronologically the events that occurred during the holocaust. the building was all concrete and very cold and uninviting which adds to the experience as the holocaust was such a terrible time.

to think that one people group thought it best to exterminate another is unfathomable to me. and to think that we still do it is even more so unfathomable.

there were many quotes and stories to read and i'm sure many more that could be told.

the thing that touched me the most was the writing of the prisoners and victims that were found and preserved. they were in the most disgusting and horrifying conditions i have read about, but somehow, they still had hope. they still wrote beautiful poems. we were not allowed to take pictures in the museum (the ones i have shared are from google images) so i wrote a few of the quotes down in order to better remember the experience.

one quote that i found profound was from Kurt Tucholsky -

'a country is not just what is does, it is also what it tolerates.'

this has made me think more internally about life and not just what i do, but what do i tolerate that i should stand up against or for? how many things to do we let slide by and think someone else will handle?

another was from a boy named Abramek Koplowicz, he was killed in auschwitz at age 14 -

when i grow and get to 20, i'll travel and see this world of plenty,

in a bird with an engine, i will sit myself down,

take off and fly into space, far out over the ground,

i'll fly, i'll cruise and soar up high above a world so lovely,

into the sky...

for obvious reasons, this poem brought tears to my eyes and still does now. he thought the world was lovely, even though he was in a prison camp. he never reached 20 or saw a world of plenty. he died in those terrible confines. but still. he had hope.

and i guess that is all he could have.

one last quote that brings me to tears every time is from a Rabbi who was being taken to his death -

'do not think you will succeed in destroying the Jewish people. the Jewish people will live forever...when he had finished...he cried out emphatically "Shema Yisrael!" and all the Jews cried out with him "Shema Yisrael!"

i'm not sure why this touches something deep inside me every time i read it. it could be that we recite the Shema at my church. it could be the solidarity that the Jewish people kept during the holocaust. it could be the power with which i imagine him crying out. whatever it may be, the Jewish people are more beautiful and resilient a people than i could ever imagine and i think this quote gives that thought life.

the last two rooms at the museum were profound in a different way than many of the others. one had a display of names. these names and stories are known as 'Righteous Among the Nations'. they were people who risked their lives, families, and communities in order to save others. i was struck with the thought of: if i lived then and had the ability to hide Jews and others, would i have had the courage to do it? i deeply hope that i would have.

the last room, pictured below, is the Hall of Names. the room is two stories tall and lined with shelves in a circular room filled with binders containing all the known names of those that lost their lives during the holocaust. there is a cone in the middle of the room with photos as well. they had a room off of that room where you can access a database and find names that you might be looking for. although this room was a book recording deaths, it made me think of the book of life that is told about in the Bible. here, in this room, a list of all the people that have died a terrible death. but God has with Him a book of life for those that live by His word and who love the Lord their God with all their heart, soul, and might.

the Hall of Names

 

this must be out in the courtyard area. i did not see it in person, but found this picture when i searched google images. it is a tree with branches and leaves made of people.

they had a gallery of holocaust art as well. as i have written before, the art in Israel was fantastic. so many stories and things to be told. even at the holocaust museum, the art was so beautiful.

our guide shared with us a few thoughts about the museum and the holocaust. (his grandfather was a holocaust survivor)

he told us that you will see many school groups and the young military groups often at the museum. they are there to learn about what happens to a people group when they do not have a nation/home.

he also shared the thought that although this seems horrible to us, it is all part of God's ultimate plan and that the Holocaust itself could be the catalyst to bring true the prophecy of Ezekial 37.21

then say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I will take the people of Israel from the nations among which they have gone, and will gather them from every quarter, and bring them to their own land.

Airports, Plane Rides, and Security

on both ends of the trip, of course, were plane rides and airports. the 3 airports we had the pleasure of using were Charlotte, JFK, and Tel Aviv. Of the three, the JFK was the most troublesome. The others weren't bad at all.

i met the three guys from Charlotte at the airport and they recognized me by my work shirt that had the town name on it. i hadn't thought of that perk to wearing the shirt, i had just thought it was comfy. but note taken if ever meeting people in the airport again.

the plane ride to JFK was full. there were zero empty seats. i sat next to a rather quiet individual who was on his way to Prague. we were the very last seats in the plane. next to the bathroom. and having this seat gave me the great pleasure of being the bathroom monitor. i didn't really mind, but the door does have that little sign that says occupied and vacant. i was an unnecessary link. after sharing a laugh or two with my seat buddy about how we couldn't hear a word the flight attendant said we parted ways and headed to our connecting flights.

once in JFK i lead the pack to the next gate. i think they were a little taken back that they didn't need to watch out for in the airport and rather i watched out for them.

after our almost mile long walk to our terminal we settled in for about a half hours wait to load the again totally full plane.

i started in the middle of my isle, but after the people next to noticed i was traveling alone i was asked to move and ended at the window seat. where i stayed for the entire flight. i did not get out of my seat for 12 hours.

we had 2 meals, one i got the chicken. i will not do that again on a plane. the other i accidentally got the kosher. that i would do again. it was pretty good.

on this plane there was one screen for each section so we all had the same movies. i slept mostly, but i watched one movie. the ides of march. it was terrible. i mean it was entertaining, but the story line was highly depressing. i just don't see how that is a good choice for a plane ride.

then, we landed. and i stood up. my legs still worked.

coming into the country was pretty easy. they looked at our passport, stamped it, and sent you on your way. we picked up our luggage, all of which was there, and headed to be picked up by pilgrim tours.

we had to call the tour company to find our guide as he was already with uncle paul's group. once we found them we promptly loaded the bus and headed to the hotel.

now fast forward 9 days to leaving the Israel.....

we were dropped off at the airport pretty early, but that was ok with us. while waiting to check in we participated in the memorial day moment of silence. at 8pm in the whole country a siren sounds and everyone stops what they are doing to have a moment of silence remembering the lives lost. it was a strange but beautiful moment.

about an hour later we went to check in.

i thought that i had made it through a trip without being thought suspicious. i thought wrong. they go through every item in your suitcase. no matter if you are suspicious or not. every item. (i could hardly close the bag back) apparently there was something in mine that they thought should not be there so they checked it extra close and kept it til the check in opened and escorted me to the security check in. where i went through a special line.

once we were through we then waited.

this airport was not as crowded as JFK. which was a good sign for the state of the plane ride.

we boarded. i was all the way at the back on this flight. i thing the plane may have been longer than my house. but this was a blessing if i have ever had one. the back of the plane was practically empty. everyone got there own section. so we all did a little victory dance when the flight attendant informed us that the doors were closed and spread out to our home for the night.

this plane also had individual screens in the seats! i spent about 20 minutes overwhelmed with the choices of movies. so i watched a few and listened to some music. (i was very excited to see the steep canyon rangers on the play list as they are local band to brevard, NC and i have seen them a few times at local festivals.) and slept here and there in between.

this was a fantastic plane ride. i didn't make the poor choice on the food, i remembered my note to self. i got up and moved around a little. i watched pleasant movies, not depressing ones, and i didn't need to worry about drooling on my neighbor as i slept.

then we go to JFK.

not so fantastic. customs took an hour. then you have to recheck your bag and go back through security. this took another 45 minutes. then we had to catch a bus to our terminal. by the time a bust showed up, it was the wrong one, but close enough. so i opted for this one and left the guys i was with behind. i ran through the terminal home alone style and made just as loading started. i would have missed the flight had i walked. the guys made it just as the final boarding call rang over the speakers. if i never have to fly through JFK again, that would be fine by me.

this plane ride however was also pleasant. everyone had their own seat. i caught a nice nap and we landed safe and sound in charlotte as planned.

again, our bags all showed up just fine and we parted ways and went home to our usual lives.

airports are a weird place. but an interesting place. hopefully my life will allow me to use them more often to find new ways to see the world and those that live in it.

please excuse this interruption from our regularly scheduled broadcast

i have much more to write about Israel...but would like to take a small break to write about something else today.

my all-time favorite band:

i stumbled upon them, i think, in the 8th grade when one of their songs was on a $1.99 sampler CD from the christian book store. i had saved my lunch money for months and purchased my very own CD player that year. since that was before i had an income other than lunch money and before itunes and barely in the time of the internet, i just listened to the one song repeatedly.

since then they have added 2 guys to the band, released 7 more full length albums (8 total), and toured seemingly non-stop.

as the albums were released the band seemed to grow and change. but what kept me on the SF train for so long is that they seemed to grow and change in the same ways that i was growing and changing. when i worked for Habitat they did a tour that benefited Habitat and wrote a song in regards to the topic. i did not get to go to a show on that tour, but none the less i was a proud fan.

the sound on the most recent album, Vice Verses, is quite different than that of the first, Legend of Chin.

although it is debated as to if they are a christian band or christians in a band, to me their music connects somewhere deep inside that other music and lyrics cannot.

i have seen them 5 times live in the past 10 years. 3 of these times my friend chelsea was in attendance (1 of which i did not yet know her). the other 2 my friend haley was in attendance (i did not yet know her at the first either)

haley and i attended my 5th show (her 7th) this week and they were as good now as they have ever been, better really.

during the song 'where i belong' there was a more worshipful presence to me in that room than at most church services i have ever attended. the song is pretty self explanatory in that it is about this world not being our home. toward the end the lines that really seem to reach that deep down place inside are this:

And when I reach the other side
I want to look You in the eye
And know that I've arrived
In a world where I belong

someday, we get to reach the other side and look God in the eye and know that we are where we belong. before singing this song, jon paused to ask that the people near someone in a wheel chair would kindly move so that they could be sure to see. someday there will be no need for wheelchairs. someday God will bring us all back to the original state of his creation. someday.

i feel like i could write more about my journey through life with switchfoot, but this post is long enough for now.

so to my fave band and possibly the only thing that i have consistently liked since the 8th grade, thanks for a good show monday and the encouraging and soul touching lyrics that are present on every album.

in one of their photo books the drummer, chad butler (my fave, who i share a birthday with 10 years separated) is quoted as saying something along the lines of: 'there is nothing worse than a clear photo of a fuzzy concept. so here's to fuzzed out photos with clear concepts and the fantastic memories that go with them.'

i think i have the words a little wrong, but you get the idea. since reading that quote i have always loved the above photo from the 4th show that i saw them (along many of the other terrible photos i have that bring to mind a wonderful memory).

Mt. Carmel, Jezreel Valley, Mt.Megiddo

After Caesarea by the Sea we went to Mt. Carmel where we looked over the the Jezreel Valley (also known as the Valley of Armageddon from Rev. 16.16) and then went on to Mt. Megiddo.

Mt. Carmel is the place where Elijah called on God to beat the prophets of Baal in 1 Kings 18.

i think one of the things that really stood out to me about this story is that they were on top of the mountain without flowing water and Elijah calls for his alter to be soaked in water. so not only was he calling on God to prove Himself, he was putting a whole lot of extra effort into doing so. it was not a small hill.

there is now, with most traditionally holy places, a catholic church located on the mountain top.

me and dad atop mt. Carmel

after mt. carmel, we went on to eat lunch at little place where i had my first ever falafel.

once we had eaten lunch we loaded the bus and went on to Tel Megiddo. this was a little more of a hike than anything else we did. however, after this location we ended up editing a bit of our trip as one of the sweet ladies from uncle Paul's church had a spell and passed out at the top.

a Tel is a place where civilization has been built on top of civilization. there are a many layers to Tel Megiddo. there were more than 25 different civilizations on top of each other here.

view of the Jezreel Valley from Megiddo

multiple layers of civilazations are visible here.

the round stone work in the middle is an altar used to sacrifice to pagan gods.

according to a sign at Tel Megiddo: 'Due to the unique continuity of its occupation, and the scope of its excavations, tel Megiddo is considered the ‘cradle’ of biblical archaeology and the ‘laboratory of modern research methods.' so much history in one place.

to look over a place that is a natural crossroads and battlefield through all of history and prophesied to be in the future is rather overwhelming. to think of all the lives that have been lost and changed because of this site is unfathomable.

what's even more unfathomable and overwhelming is to think that God loves us so much that He is going to come back and defeat all the powers of darkness in that place.

again, i can only begin to imagine what this valley would say if it could tell it's story.

Favorite Things (or lack there of)

upon returning, the first question many people ask is, 'what was your favorite thing that you saw or did?'

to them i have just been shaking my head and responding, 'i don't know.'

we saw and did so many things, that it is very difficult to choose a favorite. so the things i have narrowed it down to would be:
- seeing the various landscapes and ruins in general so the stories in the bible will be more accurately imagined in my mind
- watching a different culture live their every day life
- the art that was all over the streets of the cities and the museums

so as a lover of art and creating things, i will share some pictures with you of a few of my favorite sculptures and mosaics:

 mamila ave, jerusalem

 mamila ave, jerusalem

these dancers twirled together are very contra-esque

 mamila ave, jerusalem

sea of galilee

this entire bench is a mosaic, done by a kibbutz member and visiting youth

netanya, mediterannean sea

 this is a mosaic, about 6 feet tall

 tiberias, sea of galilee

the leaves are the hebrew alphabet

masada, near the dead sea

there was a small art gallery at the entrance