, a land that extracts powerful feelings from each who makes a
pilgrimage there. No one walks away untouched. No one escapes the power of this place. Why Israel? Why is this piece of earth so saturated with all that is relevant to our humanity?
We are fortunate to have well-connected friends, Rachel and Jim Shipley in Orlando, who were able to make last minute arrangements for our tour for five. Sam Sutton accompanied us, as well as
Julie and Stuart Conway, from Stampede. This was miraculous, as we traveled the week before Easter, and during Passover, when Israel is packed with tourists from all over the world.
Whether it was planned, or sheer good fortune, we were guided by Abraham Daniel. Daniel, as he preferred to be called, has guided for twenty-five years, and his list of clients include
dignitaries from many countries. Daniel led us through the antiquities, giving the Jewish, Christian and Islamic ideologies. He also wanted to give us a modern perspective of what is
transpiring in boundary disputes. Political scientists spend their lives trying to explain the intricacies and intrigues of Middle Eastern politics. Meanwhile citizens, politicians, religious
leaders and terrorists all navigate the chess game called life in Israel. Passions run strong and the pace is fast in this small country with the dynamic population.
From the birthplace of Jesus Christ to the Holocaust Museum, Israel's impact is intense. Our pictures highlight the sites of Israel. One thing the photos cannot capture is the
Children's Museum at the Holocaust Memorial. We walked into a totally dark room with five lighted candles reflected in hundreds of mirrors. Two voices read the names and ages of a
generation of children who were murdered during the Holocaust. Just a man's voice, and a woman's voice, reading names and ages without stopping, just the candles reflected in
mirrors, just darkness. The impact is unforgettable. How could it happen? Maybe memorials like this will awaken the world to the evils of hatred, of man's inhumanity to man.
Masada,
the dramatic sheer sided plateau fortress is a hallmark of modern
day Israel. Originally a fort built atop the mountain by Jews sometime
a hundred years or so before Christ. Masada was later captured
by Herod. Herod added amenities with feats of incredible engineering
skill, and supplied this fortress to be a personal sanctuary and
retreat during revolts. Masada had not only subsistence capabilities
but also amenities designed to make residence there luxurious. The
fortress was later captured by the Jewish Zealots and was
the location of the murder/suicide of the Jews more willing to die
than be captured by the Romans and live in slavery.
Some Israeli soldiers today choose to take their oath of allegiance
on Masada as the ultimate pledge of loyalty to their country. The
pledge, "Masada will never fall again."
Caesarea,
a grandiose sea side complex was built by Herod as a tribute to
his patron Augustus Caesar. The cost of the project
diverted all revenues from Herod's domain for ten years. The
palaces, amphitheater, advanced water and sewer systems, massive
stone breakwater and harbor, all contributed to making this one
of the major architectural and engineering wonders of the era. Caesarea
was the site of incredible cruelty as well as the first Gentile
conversion to Christianity. The city has been captured and
changed hands many times. The Crusaders, who occupied it for
some time, built structures that are still standing. Perhaps
now Caesarea can once again be restored, bringing her vivid and
checkered past to light for the present generation.
From the desert regions of most of the country we climbed to the fertile Golan Heights where everything is grows in profusion, due to advanced agricultural engineering and state of the art irrigation methods.
The Sea of Galilee has yielded a wooden fishing boat long buried in the mud of the shore. The boat has been dated at the time of Christ. We were fortunate to meet the archeologist
responsible for the restoration of the boat and the new museum to house this important discovery.
We visited the probable site of Christ's baptism in the Jordan River, took a cruise on the Sea
of Galilee and visited the site of St. Peter's house. We lunched at the beautiful new facility of Bet Gabriel, on the Gallilean shore, built by a heartbroken mother in memory of her son who
was a casualty of AIDS. Bet Gabriel is the site of the signing of the Peace Accord between Lebanon and Israel.
We visited a kibbutz and had the best nut pie I have ever tasted. Stu then bought a whole nut pie "to go". We have not missed many food opportunities on these trips. I will say that
things changed dramatically when Passover began. Since all our hotels were Kosher, as well as most restaurants, we did eat our share of matzo crackers. Religion permeates life in Israel
whether it is eating Kosher or traveling the Via Dolorosa behind a monk in flowing brown robes. Bells toll, and Jewish men in the black hats with side curls walk toward the most
sacred site of the Wailing Wall. They are passed by veiled and covered women headed to a Mosque. Nuns, monks and priests are in evidence as well as your standard supply of
scantily dressed, camera toting tourists.
One of the least pretentious yet most powerful sites in Jerusalem is the Wailing Wall. Daily,
thousands of Jews visit the wall to pray, some wedging tiny written petitions to God into the cracks of this ancient structure. The wall is a popular site for bar mitzvahs and while we were
there the plaza in front of the wall was crowded with families and friends celebrating the traditional sacrament signifying a Jewish boys passage into manhood. The area for men and
women is separate, upholding tradition. The wall is accessible around the clock but you do pass through a security check to approach.
We visited the Old Market in Jerusalem and bought everything from gifts, to the panty hose I needed for the Papal Audience. Strange how a pair of panty hose bought in a foreign
bazaar fit better than the ones I buy in the department stores at home.
A real high point of our Jerusalem visit was Shabbat Dinner in the home of Tracy and
Maurice Amar and their delightful children: Bar, Orr and Shy. Tracy is the daughter of Rachel and Jim Shipley and although we had not met we were welcomed with open arms into
their home and by the time we left we had new friends. To be included in the wonderful private religious celebration of a family is a rare experience but when you are traveling in a
foreign land it is especially memorable. Tracy and Maurice are immigrants to Israel, Tracy from the US, Maurice from Morocco. They have traded life in the US for traditional, but less
easy, life in Israel.
We looked at ancient art and architecture throughout Israel but we also were impressed
with the modern museums, galleries and stunning displays such as the Chagall windows in a hospital. There are outdoor sculptures in parks and gardens commemorating the old and
celebrating the new. We saw a fine assembly of French Impressionists and visited the Gallery of Amelia Arbell, a friend of the Shipley's and well-known art dealer in Israel and other counties.
The city of Haifa is the site of the extraordinarily beautiful garden shrine and temple of the Baha'i Faith. Baha'i is an offshoot of Islam, the faithful believing that God teaches through a
series of prophets, and that religious truth is progressive and not final. The breathtakingly beautiful complex cascades through the most valuable real estate in Haifa, making both the
views of, and the view from the shrine and garden a site not to be missed. Baha'i is another illustration of Israel containing the birthplace of a worldwide faith.
Visiting Israel has opened questions as well as answers. Israel has whetted our appetite for learning more about many things. What an opportunity this has been, now we go on to
Rome. Until later. .
Israel,
the womb of major religions, the rugged land watered with
the blood of generations struggling for possession of this real
estate; struggling with their relationship to the Creator.