Last Post from Israel

Today is Wednesday, November 9. Today was a day in Jerusalem on your own. Some chose to sleep in and some chose to go shopping in the Old City. 19 of the group took an optional tour which included the Israel Museum and the Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial. The Israel Museum included a model of Jerusalem and the Shrine of the Book. Walking around the model of Jerusalem, Peter quizzed the group on locations of various buildings, valleys, etc. By the time we made it around “Jerusalem” – I think we had it! The Shrine of the Book, with its distinctive onion-shaped top, contoured to resemble the covers of the clay containers in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. The Shrine of the Book houses the prized Dead Sea Scrolls and the Bar Kochba letters as well as items from the Community at Qumran.

The Yah Vashem Holocaust Memorial is a vast, sprawling complex with many sections. The Holocaust Museum is housed inside a long, tunnel-like structure that finally ends in a panoramic terrace with vistas of the Judean mountains. The museum is designed to help give a personal dimension to the overwhelming six million human beings who fell victim to the Nazis. Moving video testimonies by survivors dot the long, meandering line of exhibits that detail the suffering of Jewish communities throughout Europe, from the beginning of the Nazi persecution to its horrific end.

The Avenue of the Righteous is an avenue lined with trees planted in tribute to each individual non-Jew who saved Jewish lives during the Nazi era – many of these heroes sacrificed their own lives and the lives of their families. Among them were those who tried to save Anne Frank and her family in Amsterdam.

The Hall of Remembrance is a huge stone room, like a crypt, where an eternal flame sheds somber light over the plaques on the floor commemorating Bergen-Belsen, Auschwitz, Dachau, and other concentration camps.

The Hall of Names contains more than three million pages of testimony, as well as the names, photographs, and personal details of as many of those who perished in the Holocaust as Yad VaShem has been able to gather. Stepping into the hall one’s eyes are lifted to pictures and personal information about a vast number of individuals – looking downward into a kind of pit is a black pool that captures the image of those seen upward as well as one’s own reflection.

A special memorial to the Children of the Holocaust is hauntingly moving, donated to Yad VaShem by a husband and wife whose own young child was murdered by the Nazis. It commemorates more than 1.5 million children. Entering the room – you must hold on to the rail because it is dark – the room has the appearance of a starry night. Somber music is playing as the names of the 1.5 million children are read by various voices. A stirring memorial – which left me in tears, speechless, upset, troubled, and bewildered how humanity can treat humanity with such disdain. God help us!

Returning to the hotel – we bid farewell to our excellent tour guide – Peter. Trying to stuff everything we brought plus what we bought into our suitcases. Dinner tonight at 7 p.m. Wake up call at 12:30 a.m. Bags out at 1 a.m. and depart at 1:30 a.m. Arrival in Atlanta around 9:45 p.m. on Thursday evening.

Shalom!

Tuesday, November 8

Today is Tuesday, November 8. Earlier start today! 6 a.m. wake up, 6:30 breakfast, 7:30 depart. Our drive this morning took us along the Dead Sea. Our destination was Masada. Masada is located atop an isolated, diamond-shaped rock mesa, with sheer cliffs on all sides. On the eastern side – the side towards the Dead Sea – the elevation drops nearly 1100 feet. The top of the mesa is about 1520 feet above the level of the Dead Sea. That makes the mesa a few feet above sea level since the Dead Sea is 1400 feet below sea level. We did not to take the snake path, which wound its way up the side of the mesa, but chose the cable car instead. Arriving at the top – it was quite warm. We were advised to drink 4 bottles of water today due to the heat and the elevation.

The word “Masada” is derived from the Hebrew word that means “fortress” or “stronghold”. King Herod had a number of palaces. Two of them were located at Masada. The Northern Palace is often called the “hanging palace” because it seemed to hang on the side of the mesa on three levels. The other palace – the western palace – was located on the western side of the mesa. During Herod’s occupation of the site, a casemate wall was erected around the top of the mesa – 4250 feet in total length.

Masada is most known for what happened here between 70 and 73 CE. It probably started earlier. When the Romans, in the late 60’s CE, set out to quell an uprising among the Jews, they destroyed Jerusalem and, in CE 70, burned the Temple. During this time, some Jewish zealots overcame the small Roman garrison at Masada, taking control of it. The Romans began a siege on Masada shortly after the fall of Jerusalem. At the time, there were nearly 1,000 Jews living atop this fortress. The Romans, under the leadership of General Flavius Silva, began building an earthen ramp that would extend from the valley on the west side to the top of the fortress. The ramp was built on the western side because the elevation there was much less. The ramp that was built can still be seen today. The final and successful Roman assault on Masada occurred in CE 73. What the Romans found when they poured over the top of cliffs is not what they expected to find. What we know about what happened comes only from the 1st century Jewish historian, Josephus. When the Romans took the fortress, they found only two women and 5 children alive. Almost 960 people had committed suicide. (At Masada – part of the movie set from the movie starring Peter O’Toole could still be seen at the base of the mesa.)

Leaving Masada, we were off to Qumran. Prior to visiting the ruins of Qumran – we had lunch! You guessed it falafel or chicken snitzel. Some chose salad instead.

Our tour of the ruins of Qumran began with a film that gave us a visual history of Qumran and the discovery that was found there. In 1947, two Bedouin shepherds discovered the first 7 scrolls. They were trying to find some stray goats, and thinking they may have entered a cave, they tossed some rocks into one cave hoping to scare the goats out. What they heard was the breaking of pottery. More than 825 scrolls and more than 100,000 scroll fragments were found in 11 caves total. We saw the cave where the shepherds discovered the 7 scrolls. We also walked through the remains of the community that existed  during the time of Christ. However, none of the Scrolls refer to Christ nor any of his followers. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls provides manuscripts that are at least 1,000 years older than the Masoretic text which was compiled in 916 CE as the Hebrew scriptures. We saw a copy of the one of the Dead Sea Scrolls. The originals are in the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem.

Leaving Qumran we traveled to a beach on the Dead Sea. Along the way, Peter pointed out Mount Nebo. According to ancient tradition, this is the mountain from which Moses saw the Promised Land before he died. Since we were traveling in “the promised land” – it was interesting to see the Dead Sea and barren land around the bus. Peter said, “Perhaps he could see the Mediterranean Sea in the distance” (50-70 miles away). 

At the beach, 5 individuals decided to go for a swim. The Dead Sea is the lowest place on the face of the earth. It is 30% salt, thus making it 8.3 times as salty as the ocean. Swimming in the Dead Sea – one is able to float without even trying! The mud is used for beauty treatments. Several put mud on them. We’ll see what happens! J Once the swimmers had showered and changed clothes, we were off to Jericho.

Jericho is also known as Tell es-Sultan. The “city of palms” spreads out on the west side of the Jordan River at 825 feet below sea level. Based on archeological finds, archaeologists have claimed that Jericho is the “oldest city in the world.” During our visit to Jericho, we visited a local gift shop which sold blown glass and dates. The blown glass was quite durable as we saw a salesman bang two glasses together. The dates were wonderful!! We also tried sycamore nuts. Leaving Jericho proper, Peter pointed out the location of what might have been the Old Testament Jericho. We heard the story of the temptations of Jesus read as we drove to a spot where we could see the Mount of Temptation in the distance. On this site tradition says that Jesus spent forty days and forty nights fasting and meditating during the temptation of Satan. A Greek Orthodox monastery is on the site. We were on our way to see a sycamore tree in Jericho commemorating the story of Jesus and Zaccheus. Due to a Muslim festival in town – the road was blocked so we moved on and made our way back to the hotel for the evening.

Back at the hotel – we bid farewell to Joseph – our bus driver on our pilgrimage.

Shalom!

Jerusalem Continued

Today is Monday, November 7. Our day began as most days on the trip: wake up at 6:30, breakfast at 7, leave at 8. Departing the hotel we made our way to The Church of Saint Peter in Gallicantu - a Roman Catholic church located on the eastern slope of Mount Zion, just outside the Old City. According to tradition, this was the place of the palace of high priest Caiaphas, where Jesus was brought to jail after his arrest. On the basement of the church is an array of caves. These were cut into the rock under the houses of the ancient city. According to the tradition, these caves included a jail where Jesus was held after his arrest. On the north side of the church is an ancient staircase that leads to the valley of Kidron. It is perhaps the passage from the upper city to the lower city Jesus walked during his night of persecution. The church takes its name from the Latin word "Gallicantu", meaning cock-crow. This is in commemoration of Peter's triple rejection of Jesus "... before the cock crows thrice." (Mark 14:30)

During our visit to the church we visited the caves and the pit. Reading various scriptures in the church, the pit, and the courtyard provided us with material for reflection and meditation.

Leaving the church we made our way to the Garden tomb located north of the Damascus gate. Entering the gardens we entered a world of quiet and peace in the midst of the noisy world surrounding the garden. Our tour guide was British – appropriate since the Garden Tomb Association is a British private charity. His name was Roy. He was quite engaging. He and his wife spend 3 months volunteering in Jerusalem. He pointed out a barren knoll next to the Garden that fits the description of Golgotha. In 1885, British General Charles Gordon recorded after visiting the place that he saw what looked to him like a knoll in the shape of a skull. In the garden is a tomb carved out of solid rock. We visited the tomb. Inside, it had a wailing room and two chambers. Roy told us that when Joseph of Arimethea came home and told his wife that Jesus had been buried in their tomb, she said, “How could you allow this to happen? Our tomb?” He replied, “Don’t worry, it’s just for the weekend!”

After visiting the tomb, we made our way to an area where we could observe communion. We began by singing a verse of “Because He Lives” followed by a verse of “The Old Rugged Cross”. A service had been put together by Mike Watts. Phill and Jim Bross carried out the service – sharing the elements – and sharing words from scripture and from the Didache. We closed by holding hands and singing “Bless be the Tie” as well as other favorites.

We had lunch together at the Ramat Rachel Hotel (Jerusalem’s version of Morrison’s). You could get chicken schnitzel or various other meats, a salad, etc. It was very good. We had a relaxing meal which gave us the opportunity to meet some of the folks we have been traveling with.

Following lunch it was off to the Mount of Olives - East of Jerusalem and across the Kidron Valley from the Temple Mount. At our drop-off point – there was an opportunity to ride a camel – some did it! It appeared the camel was not very happy.

Going down a rather steep hill, we arrived at an area where we could have a seat – the Temple Mount was in front of us – the Kidron Valley below. Peter shared information about the area and quizzed us on locations we had previously visited – most of them we could see from where we were sitting. He also shared a reading from a book by Jonathan Sacks.

According to Jewish tradition, the Messiah will appear here and bring the dead back to life. Therefore, the hillside became the holiest cemetery. The hillside is covered by thousands of grave stones. In front of the Golden Gate which has been closed with bricks is the Muslim cemetery.

Jesus went up onto the Mount of Olives many times. He would have traveled over it making his way to Bethany. The story of Jesus’ triumphal entry (Luke 19:28-44) begins on the Mount of Olives. It is also here that Jesus wept for Jerusalem. On the site is the Church of Tears commemorating this moment. On the outside of the church there are tear jars – one in each corner. The church is also made of chalk – the discoloration makes the church appear to be crying. Leaving the church, we walked downhill on the road called the “Hosanna Road” – in commemoration of Christ’s triumphal entry. This road took us to the Garden of Gesemane.

Gethsemane literally means “oil press”. Even though we call it a garden, it really was an olive orchard, as it is today. Some of the olive trees we saw were hundreds of years old! It was in this garden that Jesus prayed, “if it be your will, let this cup pass from me, but not my will but Thy will be done.”

At the Garden of Gethsemane is The Church of all nations or the Basicilica of Agony. The Catholic church enshrines a section of stone at the altar that is believed to be where Jesus prayed on the night of his arrest (Matthew 26:36). The Basilica of Agony was built with funding from 12 different countries which gave it its nickname. The church was dark inside. The stainglass was alabaster. Above the altar the mosaics portrayed the feeling of being in an olive orchard.

Leaving the Basicilica we made our way back to the hotel with dinner at 7 then off to bed after another long day.

Shalom! Pray for Jerusalem.

Jerusalem

Today is Sunday, November 6. Our day began with a 6:30 a.m. wake up call. After breakfast, at 8:00 a.m., we made our way to the Old City. The bus dropped us off at the Lions Gate or St. Stephens Gate and we were on foot the rest of the day.

We walked to the Pool of Bethesda (“house of mercy”). The pool, which is believed to be the site mentioned in John 5, was discovered in the 19^th century. For some the pool was quite bigger than they pictured in their minds. At the pool we heard the story from John 5 and then had a joint prayer of healing.

Next to the pool is St. Anne’s Church – a beautiful 12^th century Crusader church built in Romanesque architecture, erected over the traditional site of the birthplace of Anne (Hannah), the mother of Mary. Once we got seated in the church, Phill led us singing “Amazing Grace”. The acoustics were wonderful and we sounded pretty good! Hard to believe a 12^th century church beats any church I have been in lately in regard to sound quality. After we sang, a group from Germany sang a song – in 4 part harmony – beautiful! Then, a woman began singing “Great is Thy Faithfulness”. The visit to St. Anne’s was a moving experience!

At a model of Jerusalem, Peter (our tour guide) took a moment to share with us how Jerusalem has changed over the years. Many might think they are walking where Jesus walked when in fact they are multiple stories or layers above where Jesus walked. On the model, the valley of Gehenna was pointed out. Gehenna was a garbage dump – “it became the common lay-stall garbage dump of the city, where the dead bodies of criminals, and the carcasses of animals, and every other kind of filth was cast.” Gehenna is often referred to in the NT and in the Qur’an as a place of torment or punishment.

The model helped us to get an orientation of the Old City before we began our walk on the Via Dolorosa. A church was near the model – the church of the Condemnation. We entered the church which was the 1^st station on the Via Dolorosa. In the silence, Phill led the group in singing “Were you there?”

Leaving station 1 – we made our way on the Via Dolorosa (Way of Grief or Way of Suffering). The path led us through crowded market areas to open courtyards and finally to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The church stands on the site that is believed to encompass both Golgotha and Calvary, where Jesus was crucified and where his tomb was located. The church currently houses multiple groups of people from various backgrounds. Today, one of the groups was having a celebration. Because of this, we were unable to enter the “tomb”.

After the Church, we had lunch – falafel and grilled chicken pita pockets. Following lunch, we did some shopping then made our way to Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity. In order to get to Bethlehem, we had to go to the West Bank which meant we had to go through a check point at the barrier wall. When we arrived, we were anticipating about an hour wait. It took us about an hour from the time we arrived to the time we departed. The Church of the Nativity was built above the Grotto of the Nativity to commemorate the place of Jesus’ birth. In the eastern side of the grotto is a circular recess, containing a large star which designates the spot, as tradition has it, where Jesus was born. The star has fourteen points and is inscribed with a Latin inscription which translates: Here Jesus Christ was born of the Virgin Mary. During the 7^th century, when the Persians invaded the Holy land, they destroyed all Christian churches they found except the Church of the Nativity. According to legend, when the Persians saw the mosaics depicting the wise men from the east coming to pay homage to Jesus, they were astonished by the sight of the Persian sages. Out of respect for them, they left the church intact. There was a crowd of people that made their way through the Church of the Nativity. Based on the amount of pushing and shoving, I doubt Jesus would be pleased.

Leaving Bethlehem required us to go back through a checkpoint. Our wait to get through (with 10 cars in front of us) was about an hour. By the way, the wall is covered with graffiti and messages and reminded me of the piece of the Berlin wall I saw in Berlin in May 2010. I think it is time we cried again, “Tear down this wall!”

Back at the hotel we met Olga Nawas – one of the family members who runs NAWAS International Travel. She was a delight to meet – warm and personable. With a few hours before dinner – some rested. We had dinner at 7 p.m. (roast beef, chicken, and dessert!!) After dinner we had our last Bible study session prior to communion tomorrow. Mike Watts led us in a study of the Lord’s supper in Paul’s writing which refers to the body of Christ and the cup of salvation. After the study it was off to bed!

Shalom! From Jerusalem

Shabbat

Today is Saturday, November 5. At sundown last night, Shabbat began. The customs associated with Shabbat are many and varied. First and foremost, it is a day of rest, on which all productive work is forbidden. According to Jewish law, any activity connected with fire is forbidden, and religious Jews do not turn electricity on or off on Shabbat and do not travel. Turning the lights on before sundown and leaving them on throughout Shabbat requires no work. Many Jews spent the night with their families in the hotel for Shabbat. It was quite noisy at dinner and into the night. There is a special Shabbat elevator that is used on Shabbat. The way it works – it stops at all floors so you don’t have to push a button.

Our morning began with a wake up call at 7 a.m. followed by breakfast. We were off at 8:30 a.m. There was a bicycle race near the hotel so we were able to leave 30 minutes later.

Leaving Tiberias we made our way to Cana. In Cana, we visited a Franciscan church commemorating Jesus’ miracle of turning the water into wine. At the church was a small chapel where Phill led in a service of renewal of vows for three of the couples (Bob and Ellen Strickland, Bill and Betty Loy, and Terry and Jean Smith). It was a touching service. We even had a “you may kiss the bride” moment at the end. Following the renewal of vows service we got to see a stone jar like one would have looked like in the miracle story. Leaving the church we had a wine tasting in one of the local shops. Wine from Cana! There was a choice of non-alcoholic and alcoholic. There have been some that have purchased wine here as a wedding present for someone getting married.

Leaving Cana, we traveled to Nazareth and visited the Church of the Annunciation. The Church is a Byzantine church built over the place where it is believed that the angel Gabriel announced the birth of Jesus to the Virgin Mary. In 1966 the Roman Catholic church began constructing a new basilica over these remains and today this church is the largest church building in the Middle East. The church was beautiful! The front of the church illustrated the five elements of life (earth, fire, air, water, and love). “The Word became flesh and dwelled among us!”  (There is a great message here.  Google it by looking up the Church of the Annunciation.) In Peter’s (the tour guide) comments, he spoke of the “upper room” (Greek – Katalooma (check spelling – internet not available while typing this) and his comments were very informative and opened many minds. We spent a good amount of time looking inside the church before going back to the bus to make our way to Bethlehem. It was quite a drive traveling along the west bank on Highway 6. We could see some of the Jewish settlements especially around Jerusalem.

On the ride to Bethlehem, Peter shared a good deal of information regarding the history of Palestine/Israel – and how the division of the country came about. He shared the information but stressed, “you must make up your own mind.” I was deeply disturbed when we passed through the WALL that surrounds the west bank in order to enter Bethlehem.

Once in Bethlehem, we ate lunch (about 2:30 p.m.). We had falafel or grilled chicken in a pita pocket. It was delicious! The chicken was cooked on a gyro looking device.

Following lunch we drove to Shepherd’s Field. There is a church located there and the basement of the church is a cave very much like a cave that would have been present in the time of Jesus’ birth. We heard the Christmas story and sang Christmas carols in the “cave” church. It was a touching moment to sing “O Little Town of Bethlehem” in Bethlehem – which isn’t so little anymore.

Leaving Shepherd’s Field we went shopping (ughh!). The shop had items made of olive wood and mother of pearl as well as jewelry of various kinds.

We then made our way to the Church of the Nativity only to discover it closed right before we got there. We’ll have to schedule for another day while we are in Jerusalem.

We did receive some disappointing news when it was discovered that the Temple Mount would not be open from Sunday through Wednesday. (we leave on Thursday) So, we will not be able to go on the Temple Mount. We’ll see it from the Mount of Olives but we will not set foot on it.

Since the Church of the Nativity was closed, we went to the Western Wall (Wailing Wall). Women went in the right entrance. Men entered on the left. Men who didn’t have on caps or hats picked up yamakas on the way to the Western Wall. After a time of prayer at the Wall we made our way back to the bus and on to the hotel!

Arriving at the hotel at 7 p.m., we had dinner at 8 p.m. (a wonderful selection of salads, meats and desserts). Then, off to bed!

Shalom!

Sea of Galilee

Today is Friday, November 4. Our morning began with a view of the Sea of Galilee from our hotel windows. It was hard to believe I was in the place where Jesus lived and walked until I looked on the hotel wall and it said, "Jesus slept here!" 

Breakfast was a multitude of options: pancakes, omelets, vegetable quiche, herring, etc. Thank God for coffee!! Following breakfast we made our way to the Jordan River. One in the group from SC was going to be baptized today. The leader of the SC group, Dr. Jim Bross, performed the baptism in the Jordan River and also administered sprinkling to those who would like to be sprinkled. The place where the baptisms took place was quite a set up! Multiple entry points into the Jordan with concrete steps and medal fencing forming various baptism "pools". To be baptized - a white garment is rented along with a towel. (Bathing suits were worn underneath) Changing rooms are available with showers, etc. The cost of the rental is $10 and you receive a certificate of baptism in the Jordan. The baptisms were administered accompanied by catfish swimming close by as well as a frequent river rat that made its way into the "pool". For a benediction we sang the Doxology - it was truly amazing - when we sang "praise Him all creatures here below" - a school of fish poked their heads out of the water and it looked like they were singing with us! 

There were hundreds being baptized at various "pools". There was also a gift shop! Seeing the whole operation I found myself wondering WWJD? 

From the Jordan River we traveled to a port on the Sea of Galilee. There we boarded a boat designed like a boat Jesus would have traveled on when on the Sea of Galilee. In the distance we could see Capernaum and the Mount of Beatitudes where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount. Dr. Bross and I decided to forego the canned music during the boat ride. We decided, "why mess up a moment for meditation?" It was quite pleasant hearing the waves hit the side of the boat as we journeyed across. On our journey, we stopped the engines and read the story of Peter walking on the water and the story of Jesus calming the storm. After reading the story, we sang "Peace, Be Still". Peter, our tour guide, shared a parable about two bodies of water - the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Both bodies of water receive water from the Jordan River. However, only the Sea of Galilee gives back. In our own lives we may be one to receive but are we also someone who gives in return?

After our return to shore, we made our way to Capernaum, the home of Jesus. There we saw the remnants of a "second" century synagogue and the location of the home where Jesus lived. Peter, our tour guide, spent a good amount of time helping us to understand what the home would have looked like and what the community would have looked like where Jesus lived.

After Capernaum, we went to see the House of Peter which is located on the shore of the Sea of Galilee where the story of breakfast on the beach with Jesus took place. Here, Peter and others were fishing but not catching anything - Jesus told them to cast on the other side - they did and their nets filled to overflowing. It is also here that Jesus asked Peter three times - "Do you love me?" Within the church at the altar is a rock that many believe is where the breakfast was served. Several took off their shoes and waded in the water.

Lunch was at a local restaurant that served St. Peter fish (tilapia). Some had the fish -head and all - others enjoyed beef kabob or chicken. 

Following lunch we saw the Church of the Beatitudes near Tabgha - located on the traditional site of Jesus' delivery of the Sermon on the Mount. The church is octagonal - 8 sides for the 8 beatitudes. The church is Byzantine style with a mosaic tile and marble. The grounds were beautiful!!

Our last stop for the day was Tabgha - Greek name Heptapegon - "seven springs". At Tabgha, the Church of the Multiplication of Loaves and Fishes commemorates the miracle of Jesus' feeding five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. A Byzatine mosaic floor in the church portrays a pair of fishes and a basket of 4 loaves - the one missing? -Jesus, the Bread of LIfe!

Back to Tiberias for the evening! We will depart in the morning at 8 a.m. for 5 nights in Jerusalem.

Shalom!

The Journey Has Begun!

Throughout history many have made pilgrimages. I can only imagine that one point in time preparing for a pilgrimage meant being sure the elephants were ready. For us, our pilgrimage took us from Atlanta to Dulles Airport in DC, from DC to Frankfurt, Germany, and from Frankfurt to Tel Aviv, Israel. Herding the group through each of the airports help me relate to the elephant handlers on ancient pilgrimages. The only exception - cleaning up the mess! (Note: At times I have had to take care of that as well. :) )

After about 27 hours since we left the church parking lot, we checked into our hotel in Nentanya, Israel - a beautiful hotel on the Mediterranean Sea. After a buffet dinner (fish, beef, pasta, various salads, various hummus, bread, and an assortment of desserts) we had a Bible study led by Rev. Mike Watts. In preparation for our trip to Mt. Carmel, we read the story of Elijah and asked the question, "What is a prophet?'

After a good night's sleep - we awoke to a beautiful morning and view of the Mediterranean Sea. Following breakfast and check out - we made our way driving along the coast - to Caesarea Maritima  - "Caesarea by the sea". 

At Caesarea Maritima we visited a Roman outdoor theatre constructed by Herod. Sitting in the theatre we heard the story of Peter and Cornelius. At the same site are the remains of the Pulmonary Palace of Herod (built between 37-4 BCE), Hippodrome, Port, and temple.

Leaving Caesarea Maritima we made our way to Haifa - a port city on the Mediterranean Sea. in Haifa, we saw Mt. Carmel - more of a mountain range than a single mountain. Here, we visited the Stella Maris church - a Catholic church - entering the church a group had gathered and they were singing a hymn together - sounded German - I did not recognize the hymn tune. It was beautiful! In this church - under the altar is the "cave" where Elijah was hiding from Jezebel and God confronted him. 

Leaving the church we drove to a lookout to see the Bahai Temple and gardens - quite a layout! We were told that in the Bahai faith - members contribute $1 per day to the Bahai faith. I believe I am right in saying that there are about 2 million members - translating to $2 million per day. They purchased the side of Mount Carmel where they are located.

Leaving the Mt. Carmel area we drove through the countryside and various small towns until we reached an area where we ate lunch. Prior to lunch we went to the Carmelite Monastery - saw a statue commemorating Elijah's slaughtering of the Baal prophets. Here we also heard again the reading of the story in 1 Kings 18. From the roof of the monastery we could see the valley of Jezreel. Leaving the monastery we had lunch - fallafel or chicken schnitzel. Very good!

Following lunch we drove to Megiddo - a tell made of 26 layers of the ruins of ancient cities and overlooks the valley of Jezreel. The museum gave a replica of the structures discovered at Megiddo. At Megiddo is also a water system that brought water into the city. Many in the group made their way down 186 steps to the base of the system to see the workmanship. Prior to our entering the tunnel it started raining. (According to the tour guide, it is the first rain he has seen in a long time.) Somewhat wet and worn out - we made out way to Tiberias. We saw Mt. Tabor along the way. We experienced road construction (made the Atlanta folks fill at home).