Life in Israel continues to be interesting and full of opportunities. I have met a woman who owns the local pharmacy near Jaffa Gate. She was born in Nazareth, grew up in Brazil and lived in Southern California for years. Now she is back in Israel. She is always so helpful to me. This is one of the highlights for me--meeting the people who live in the land.
My artist friend, Annie, and I met for coffee last week but she could not come to our Shabbat dinner because she became ill. She is now trying to decide whether she wants to move to Belgium or Japan. She's very much into the environment and wants to look out on green spaces not tall buildings.
We hosted a former Taylor student and her boyfriend for Shabbat dinner at JUC on Friday. Allison Barlow graduated from TU in 2009 and teaches at the Anglican School here in Jerusalem. She loves living here. It has been good to get acquainted with her. We worship together at Christ's Church in the Old City. By the way, a choir from Tanzania was at church on Sunday and we heard the most beautiful music filling this Victorian styled neo-gothic church. They were dressed in choir robes and sang with such gusto. The messages on Jesus' journey to Jerusalem in Luke's Gospel have been very meaningful to me.
Larry was surprised on Friday night when the JUC cooks brought out a lovely huge chocolate birthday cake for him at the end of our Shabbat meal. The students loved it. They had made a huge birthday card for Larry with photos of him from some of our Field Studies on the front and
each one signed a note. They are a great group! On Saturday, Larry's birthday--yes, another year older, we wandered through the Old City and revisited David's Tomb, the Upper Room, and the Dormition Abbey. What a beautiful church with some gold mosaics. It's so intriguing to have all of these sites within walking distance and to observe tourists (pilgrims?) from all over the world coming to visit. Jerusalem truly is a crossroads. That evening we celebrated Larry's birthday with a dinner at The Grotto in Bethlehem right next to one of the three "Shepherd's Fields." The Wrights joined us for a good evening of conversation and great food--Lamb, Chicken and Beef shishkabob and all these little salads. I told Larry he will never forget celebrating his birthday in Bethlehem. The economy there is beginning to turn around as evidenced by more businesses and more tourists.
Last Thursday a Westmont college student and I spent our afternoon baking two Pumpkin Rolls for our Ladies Tea on Saturday afternoon. Other staff members made other "goodies." I shared briefly at the Tea on "Seven Tips/Lessons I Wish I Had Known as a JUC Student." I tried to give them some tips I had learned over the years that would have helped if I had known them sooner but that is life. You have to live it to learn some important lessons. I just wanted to give them a head start. The gals are great and were so generous in their feedback.
I'm wrapping up my project of cataloging the Lindsay Collection and should be finished by next week--after our trip to Jordan. We catch the bus at 6:00 am in the morning and we will have long days in Jordan. I'm particularly excited about seeing Petra.
I finished a book by Peter Hellman titled Avenue of the Righteous. Hellman selected four people from many who have been honored at Yad Vashem for their hiding Jews during WWII. The stories were amazing and how they survived. They are also referred to as "Righteous Gentiles"
by some. Hellman personally interviewed these families and recorded all they had gone through. Their commitment to those they hid, inspite of danger, is an example to all of us. He has written more in this area but this was the first of his books I have read.
Students here are wrapping up papers and projects as there are only two weeks of classes left and then finals week. Amidst all of this our dinner cook formed a class to teach whoever wanted to learn how to crochet a hat. I'm trying to tackle this and thought it would be good to crochet on the flight home--if I cannot sleep on the plane. We will be on the plane all night. Ugh! I'm trying to be positive and think in terms of all the good reading I can get done, etc.
Till next time. Jordan here we come!
Joyce Helyer's Blog
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Visit to Ramallah and More Info About Galilee Trip
What a day we have had! My class, Palestinian Society and Politics, visited Ramallah with Professor Bernard Sabella. We were treated like VIP's. Ramallah is the current headquarters for the Palestinian National Authority. We were able to meet with Dr. Sabella's daughter who works for Al Haq, a non-profit human rights group monitoring human rights violations in Gaza, Israel and the Palestinian Authority. The very dedicated staff explained their mission to us and gave examples of how they document violations and how they distribute the information. From there we visited the Holy Family Catholic Church and met with the priest who treated us to Arab coffee and cookies while explaining some of the issues his parishoners encounter. From there we visited the PNA Headquarters and met with four of the Parliament members and we were allowed to ask questions and hear their reasons for why they feel the recent peace talks have not succeeded. The facilities there are very new with a lot of security. It was fascinating to hear from these individuals including a woman who works in the areas of education and promoting awareness of women's issues. We were taken to several different locations and found Ramallah to be a thriving city--congested and under a great deal of construction. I remember being here in 1968-69 and there is little that resembles that small town then.
Dr. Sabella wanted us to visit Yasser Arafat's memorial so that was the next stop on our tour.
The Japanese government funded the construction of the memorial that overlooks a reflecting pool and military guards surround the tomb. A wreath was provided to the class to place by the tomb. I must admit I had mixed feelings about this aspect of the trip. Arafat is considered to be the "father" of the Palestinians. Again, I was impressed with the personnel they had at each site and the Director of Protocol who was with us the whole time. They dress in suits and ties and maintain a professional attitude in all they do. We were just a group of students dressed very casually but we were made to feel very welcome. We then proceeded to the office of the Negotiations Unit who provide information and position papers for the Palestinian peace negotiators. They gave us a power point presentation while we drank delicious sweet tea and they reviewed all their points justifying the Palestinian cause and the issues they confront with the Israelis. These two sides are still very far apart and in a conversation with one of the staff I was told one of the greatest obstacles is the lack of respect shown to the Palestinians by the Israelis at checkpoints, by the military, and some of their leaders. I personally feel that it is difficult for the Palestinians to grasp how concerned Israelis are about their personal safety in light of their history. It's certainly a dilemmna that should call all of us to prayer for both the Israelis and the Palestinians. So much good could be accomplished in this land that would benefit everyone. May God grant wisdom, integrity and justice to all those who make day-to-day decisions for both peoples. I really felt privileged to have the opportunity to hear the longings and desires of the Palestinians while also trying to understand the importance the Israelis attach to their security after surviving the Holocaust and believing there are leaders and nations who threaten them and want to see them destroyed. We ended our day with a wonderful Arab meal in a restaurant in Ramallah featuring barbequed kitchen Middle Eastern style. Very tasty.
November is upon us with a rush of activities. Sunday night at JUC's Fall party we were judges for the costume contest. The students were really creative and it was fun to see what they put together. The "party" included a walk through the Protestant Cemetery right behind the school where famous archaeologists are buried along with many British soldiers, and the school's founders, Dr. and Mrs. G. Douglas Young--president when we were students here. With flashlights in hand we maneuvered our way to various areas while listening to Dr. Wright's many stories about those who are buried here.
Monday we toured the Israel Museum and the 2nd Temple model of Jerusalem with a Rabbi who teaches here at JUC. The Israel Museum is very modern and recently renovated with great displays. The temple model is amazing and gives one a great perspective for the size of Jerusalem during the time when Jesus would have visited the Temple. I'm sure you can find some photos of this on the Web.
As a follow up to our Galilee trip, I just wanted to mention a few things that I thought were humorous, at least to me. While we stayed at Kibbutz Ein Gev they provided delicious meals for us. The first night Larry and I had wonderful roast beef in a great sauce, at least we thought it was roast beef. The next morning the students told us that we had eaten "tongue." I was surprised, needless to say, but have to admit it was very tasty. Chalk up another "interesting" experience. My other funny experience has been with the W.C.'s in Israel. In other words--the Water Closet. When we were at Capernaum I had to pay two shekels to use the WC and when I went inside I thought it was a little messy but knew they had over 1,000 tourists that day so wasn't surprised. What did surpise me, however, occurred when I was just getting ready to leave the stall and the door flew open and here was the man who took my two shekels with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth asking to add more paper to each stall. Not even a knock on the door! When I visited the Israel Museum which had very modern and nice facilities I came out of the stall and almost bumped into a young man mopping the floor in the ladies WC. Everything is so laid back here that it takes a little getting used to, but I'm learning to go with the flow and feel that's all part of the experience! C'est la vie!
I finally had tea and croissants with my artist friend, Annie. Her photo taken in September is posted on my blog. She still plans to leave Israel and cannot decide between Belgium and Japan. She is coming to have Shabbat dinner with us this week and we look forward to hosting her.
We leave for Jordan next Thursday and will be gone for four days--our last field study trip. This Saturday JUC is hosting a tea for our women students and I will be sharing "Seven Tips I Wish I Had Known When I Was A JUC Student." Several of us are preparing food and I will be baking a Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll. Dianne Wright's kitchen is great for cooking for large groups. The weather now feels like an Indiana fall to me and it's getting cooler but still in the low 70's. We miss our kids and grandkids and enjoyed Skyping with them over the weekend.
I want to wrap up this segment of my blog by sharing with you an experience I had last week that reminded me again of how much God cares about us even in the little things in life. Last Wed. morning as I went to insert my right contact lens I discovered it was not in my case. The left one was there but not the right one. I was shocked and wondered what did I do? After our return from Galilee, I was so tired that I thought I must have dropped it without realizing it. Needless to say, I searched several restrooms to see if I had dropped it in one of them. No contact lens. I even found out which eye doctor I would go to about a replacement and wore my glasses all day. About 5:30 pm when it was dark I went back into the restroom and a glint caught my eye. There on the counter was my contact lens! All I could say was Thank You, Lord. How it got there I do not know. The cleaning lady had cleaned the counters that day, I had been in and out and never saw it but I did that evening. God was merciful to me in my tiredness and sloppiness. Isn't it great that nothing escapes God's attention. As a tender-loving Father he takes care of all our needs. I am so grateful!
Dr. Sabella wanted us to visit Yasser Arafat's memorial so that was the next stop on our tour.
The Japanese government funded the construction of the memorial that overlooks a reflecting pool and military guards surround the tomb. A wreath was provided to the class to place by the tomb. I must admit I had mixed feelings about this aspect of the trip. Arafat is considered to be the "father" of the Palestinians. Again, I was impressed with the personnel they had at each site and the Director of Protocol who was with us the whole time. They dress in suits and ties and maintain a professional attitude in all they do. We were just a group of students dressed very casually but we were made to feel very welcome. We then proceeded to the office of the Negotiations Unit who provide information and position papers for the Palestinian peace negotiators. They gave us a power point presentation while we drank delicious sweet tea and they reviewed all their points justifying the Palestinian cause and the issues they confront with the Israelis. These two sides are still very far apart and in a conversation with one of the staff I was told one of the greatest obstacles is the lack of respect shown to the Palestinians by the Israelis at checkpoints, by the military, and some of their leaders. I personally feel that it is difficult for the Palestinians to grasp how concerned Israelis are about their personal safety in light of their history. It's certainly a dilemmna that should call all of us to prayer for both the Israelis and the Palestinians. So much good could be accomplished in this land that would benefit everyone. May God grant wisdom, integrity and justice to all those who make day-to-day decisions for both peoples. I really felt privileged to have the opportunity to hear the longings and desires of the Palestinians while also trying to understand the importance the Israelis attach to their security after surviving the Holocaust and believing there are leaders and nations who threaten them and want to see them destroyed. We ended our day with a wonderful Arab meal in a restaurant in Ramallah featuring barbequed kitchen Middle Eastern style. Very tasty.
November is upon us with a rush of activities. Sunday night at JUC's Fall party we were judges for the costume contest. The students were really creative and it was fun to see what they put together. The "party" included a walk through the Protestant Cemetery right behind the school where famous archaeologists are buried along with many British soldiers, and the school's founders, Dr. and Mrs. G. Douglas Young--president when we were students here. With flashlights in hand we maneuvered our way to various areas while listening to Dr. Wright's many stories about those who are buried here.
Monday we toured the Israel Museum and the 2nd Temple model of Jerusalem with a Rabbi who teaches here at JUC. The Israel Museum is very modern and recently renovated with great displays. The temple model is amazing and gives one a great perspective for the size of Jerusalem during the time when Jesus would have visited the Temple. I'm sure you can find some photos of this on the Web.
As a follow up to our Galilee trip, I just wanted to mention a few things that I thought were humorous, at least to me. While we stayed at Kibbutz Ein Gev they provided delicious meals for us. The first night Larry and I had wonderful roast beef in a great sauce, at least we thought it was roast beef. The next morning the students told us that we had eaten "tongue." I was surprised, needless to say, but have to admit it was very tasty. Chalk up another "interesting" experience. My other funny experience has been with the W.C.'s in Israel. In other words--the Water Closet. When we were at Capernaum I had to pay two shekels to use the WC and when I went inside I thought it was a little messy but knew they had over 1,000 tourists that day so wasn't surprised. What did surpise me, however, occurred when I was just getting ready to leave the stall and the door flew open and here was the man who took my two shekels with a cigarette hanging out of his mouth asking to add more paper to each stall. Not even a knock on the door! When I visited the Israel Museum which had very modern and nice facilities I came out of the stall and almost bumped into a young man mopping the floor in the ladies WC. Everything is so laid back here that it takes a little getting used to, but I'm learning to go with the flow and feel that's all part of the experience! C'est la vie!
I finally had tea and croissants with my artist friend, Annie. Her photo taken in September is posted on my blog. She still plans to leave Israel and cannot decide between Belgium and Japan. She is coming to have Shabbat dinner with us this week and we look forward to hosting her.
We leave for Jordan next Thursday and will be gone for four days--our last field study trip. This Saturday JUC is hosting a tea for our women students and I will be sharing "Seven Tips I Wish I Had Known When I Was A JUC Student." Several of us are preparing food and I will be baking a Pumpkin Cream Cheese Roll. Dianne Wright's kitchen is great for cooking for large groups. The weather now feels like an Indiana fall to me and it's getting cooler but still in the low 70's. We miss our kids and grandkids and enjoyed Skyping with them over the weekend.
I want to wrap up this segment of my blog by sharing with you an experience I had last week that reminded me again of how much God cares about us even in the little things in life. Last Wed. morning as I went to insert my right contact lens I discovered it was not in my case. The left one was there but not the right one. I was shocked and wondered what did I do? After our return from Galilee, I was so tired that I thought I must have dropped it without realizing it. Needless to say, I searched several restrooms to see if I had dropped it in one of them. No contact lens. I even found out which eye doctor I would go to about a replacement and wore my glasses all day. About 5:30 pm when it was dark I went back into the restroom and a glint caught my eye. There on the counter was my contact lens! All I could say was Thank You, Lord. How it got there I do not know. The cleaning lady had cleaned the counters that day, I had been in and out and never saw it but I did that evening. God was merciful to me in my tiredness and sloppiness. Isn't it great that nothing escapes God's attention. As a tender-loving Father he takes care of all our needs. I am so grateful!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Photos from Galilee and Life at JUC
My artist friend, Annie, at her exhibition at Jerusalem's Lutheran Redeemer Church.
This is a photo of our room at JUC. That is Larry's desk in the background and my desk is out of the photo.
Here is a photo of JUC's campus with some students on the lawn. The building has been here since 1853.
Larry and I at Caesarea on our trip up to Galilee. This is a beautiful city right on the Mediterranean. No wonder Herod built one of his palaces here!
Sunset over Bet Shean.
Joyce and Larry standing on top of the Arbel Cliff with the Plain of Gennesaret and the Sea of
Galilee in the background. Joyce climbing down the Arbel. Note the rope we held for part of the way coming down.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Four Days in Galilee
I think Galilee is my favorite region in Israel. What an amazing time touring this beautiful part of the country. And what a challenge it was for Larry and me. The highlight was climbing down the Arbel Cliff (photos to be posted soon) above the Sea of Galilee. We had a fantastic view with very little haze overlooking the lake and across to the Golan Heights. The bus took us to the top and we hiked over a distance for some comments from our fearless professor, Dr. Wright, and then we started down the cliff. At least the national park service provided iron hand grips to help us through the more difficult spots and a vinyl type rope that was horizontal to the face of the cliff while we inched along on about a four inch wide ledge. Yes, it was scary and I thought what am I doing. . .but we made it safely down along with grandparents of a JUC student who were 78 years old! We all climbed down and one of our students is overcoming her fear of heights so we were an encouragement to each other.
The days were long but we were able to come back each night to the Ein Gev Kibbutz at the base of the Golan Heights on the east side of the lake. They operate a guesthouse for tourists and provided a wonderful breakfast and dinner each day. We always have lunch at one of the sites we are touring and the school packs all we need so we make our lunch--mainly pita bread stuffed with whatever is sent. We also took a boat ride part of the way onto the lake and then turned around and headed out for the day. At the Mt. of Beatitudes we counted 28 tour buses. Dr. Wright says he has never seen it this busy. Most tourists do not travel where we go so when we encounter all these tourists it just doesn't feel the same, but my heart is blessed that so many people from all over the world want to come to these special places. I over heard a woman pastor from Nigeria introducing herself to a priest at the site of Capernaum. So many interesting people.
Not only did we visit the very large sites of Hazor and Bet Sean, we also saw the synagogue at Chorazin north and above the Sea of Galilee. We traveled through the Huleh Valley that once was a swamp but now is one of the most agriculturally productive areas in Israel. We visited Dan and Caesarea-Phillipi and hiked to the Banias water fall. We rarely sit still on these trips!
We concluded our day on Sunday at the top of the Golan Heights and looked into Syria--we were only about 50 miles from Damascus with Mt. Hermon looming near us. We were at an old military outlook point that is now a memorial park with a coffeeshop. It was very cool there. We were able to go into the bunkers and catch a glimpse of what it must have been like to be stationed there. There are several Druze villages nearby with beautiful farmland. We were also able to look over into Lebanon and turning south we could see into Jordan. It's really an amazing place to be.
As I look at this land and experience it to a small degree, I stand in awe of how Jesus and the apostles traveled all over preaching the gospel and making their way down to Jerusalem through hilly and rough terrain. That is no easy task to walk all that way on foot. I know there were many small towns and villages along the way where people were healed and lives changed. We were at Nazareth on the top of the mountain and as I thought about Jesus growing up here and looking at the views he must have had, I felt very privileged to be there and felt that these experiences will help me be a better Bible Study teacher. The village is now a much larger city but the views are the same. Our field study trips are always asking questions about location, the international highway, why certain kings wanted that specific travel route, etc. We look at the passes armies have marched through and why. Megiddo is another amazing site that was huge. From the top of Mt. Carmel to Jezreel, I felt like we stepped back into the days of Elijah and the Kings of Israel. We saw the places where the Israelites turned away from the true worship of God to idols. How sad! There is a war ongoing for the hearts and minds of men and women, boys and girls and I believe Satan is doing all he can to turn people away from the true light. My heart has been challenged and renewed to be faithful to the end and to be obedient to the One who loves me and gave his life that I might be forgiven and live.
As we pulled into Jerusalem last night, everyone was weary and thankful to be back at our "home away from home," Jerusalem University College.
The days were long but we were able to come back each night to the Ein Gev Kibbutz at the base of the Golan Heights on the east side of the lake. They operate a guesthouse for tourists and provided a wonderful breakfast and dinner each day. We always have lunch at one of the sites we are touring and the school packs all we need so we make our lunch--mainly pita bread stuffed with whatever is sent. We also took a boat ride part of the way onto the lake and then turned around and headed out for the day. At the Mt. of Beatitudes we counted 28 tour buses. Dr. Wright says he has never seen it this busy. Most tourists do not travel where we go so when we encounter all these tourists it just doesn't feel the same, but my heart is blessed that so many people from all over the world want to come to these special places. I over heard a woman pastor from Nigeria introducing herself to a priest at the site of Capernaum. So many interesting people.
Not only did we visit the very large sites of Hazor and Bet Sean, we also saw the synagogue at Chorazin north and above the Sea of Galilee. We traveled through the Huleh Valley that once was a swamp but now is one of the most agriculturally productive areas in Israel. We visited Dan and Caesarea-Phillipi and hiked to the Banias water fall. We rarely sit still on these trips!
We concluded our day on Sunday at the top of the Golan Heights and looked into Syria--we were only about 50 miles from Damascus with Mt. Hermon looming near us. We were at an old military outlook point that is now a memorial park with a coffeeshop. It was very cool there. We were able to go into the bunkers and catch a glimpse of what it must have been like to be stationed there. There are several Druze villages nearby with beautiful farmland. We were also able to look over into Lebanon and turning south we could see into Jordan. It's really an amazing place to be.
As I look at this land and experience it to a small degree, I stand in awe of how Jesus and the apostles traveled all over preaching the gospel and making their way down to Jerusalem through hilly and rough terrain. That is no easy task to walk all that way on foot. I know there were many small towns and villages along the way where people were healed and lives changed. We were at Nazareth on the top of the mountain and as I thought about Jesus growing up here and looking at the views he must have had, I felt very privileged to be there and felt that these experiences will help me be a better Bible Study teacher. The village is now a much larger city but the views are the same. Our field study trips are always asking questions about location, the international highway, why certain kings wanted that specific travel route, etc. We look at the passes armies have marched through and why. Megiddo is another amazing site that was huge. From the top of Mt. Carmel to Jezreel, I felt like we stepped back into the days of Elijah and the Kings of Israel. We saw the places where the Israelites turned away from the true worship of God to idols. How sad! There is a war ongoing for the hearts and minds of men and women, boys and girls and I believe Satan is doing all he can to turn people away from the true light. My heart has been challenged and renewed to be faithful to the end and to be obedient to the One who loves me and gave his life that I might be forgiven and live.
As we pulled into Jerusalem last night, everyone was weary and thankful to be back at our "home away from home," Jerusalem University College.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Life in Israel--Week of October 18, 2010
Life in Israel continues to intrigue and challenge us at times. Each week seems to hold its own special adventures. It was so fun to see my sister Dorothy, and meet her friend, Dorothy Maurer from Roseville, CA. Larry and I enjoyed giving them our own personal tour of the Old City, several museums and special sites. We said good-bye to them on Monday and now they are safely back home but tired. We enjoyed several meals with them. We celebrated Dorothy's birthday at the lovely and historic American Colony Hotel in East Jerusalem. Their beef filet was delicious and what a treat for us to share this evening with Dorothy. Just before they left on Monday we had lunch together at another historic hotel--the King David. Sitting on the terrace and looking east across the Hinnom Valley, we had a perfect view of the walls of the Old City and we could see JUC's campus. It was a quiet refreshing time for us together.
We were soon back into our routines, if you can call it that, of laundry, work in the library (I'm making progress in cataloging the Lindsay Collection), reading, talking with students, etc. Larry found himself reading and grading about 26 mid-term exams from his Prophetic Landscape Class. I started reading Peter Hessler's book, River Town--Two Years on the Yangtze River. Peter was a Peace Corps English teacher in Fuling, China from 1996 to 1998. He won the Kuriyama Book Award and for those of you who want to understand China better I highly recommend his writing. He learned Chinese while he was there and it opened so many doors for him. He now lives in Beijing and writes for the New Yorker and has published another book, Oracle Bones. I feel like I have learned so much already about China and her people and I'm still not finished. This is one of our Reading Club books at Taylor for this year so I was delighted to find it here at JUC.
My saga with Annie, the artist, continues. We were scheduled to meet for breakfast but she did not show so I called her and she said she was in Galilee and that she just had to get out of Jerusalem because of her health. She told me she did not know yet if she would be back from Galilee in time for Shabbat dinner but feels since I don't leave until December we can still get together. She's an interesting woman!
On Thursday morning I visited the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, with one of our Taylor students, Esther Lang. We had to arrive early for an English tour but first we had to go through security and have our passports with us--a very tight security system. We could not bring anything into the Knesset building. Our bags were placed in another bag and a number assigned and this was in a separate security building away from the Knesset. The Knesset is very modern and sleek with a contemporary decor. On the way in we met an older couple from Sherman Oaks, California who sat next to me. The woman told me they had rented an apartment for a month to visit family here and to tour. They have been spending a lot of time in the Old City touring the museums to stay cool. What an interesting couple! He is a retired doctor from Nova Scotia but now lives in California and her brother had made aliya (meaning "going up" and the term used when one moves to Israel and becomes a citizen) and they wanted to see other relatives. She proceeded to tell me that her nephews have 12 and 13 children each and that their daughters are lovely and pure on the inside. She is troubled about her granddaughters in the US who have absorbed their culture in Southern California and do not dress modestly. What can I do she asked? As we were getting ready to start the tour, I just encouraged her to pray to God and ask for wisdom. It's amazing what people will tell you in a ten minute time period! They were very caring of each other and loved seeing everything.
Our tour guide was a young Israeli who took us into the plenary room where debates and laws are made and we saw a film explaining how the Israeli government functions. They have 120 members of the Knesset because after 586 BC there were 120 elders of Israel. How they form their coalition government is interesting and leads to all kinds of "problems." We saw three huge and very beautiful tapestries by Marc Chagall the famous Jewish artist. They had a very dreamlike quality to them and pictured the Jewish people in the past, important figures and events in Jewish history and then the future. He designed them then they were woven over a period of four years. I wish we could have had more time to examine them more closely. He also made mosaics for placement in the floor of the reception hall. He gave them as his gift to Israel. He did not speak Hebrew and never lived here but visited. The reception hall still held two beautiful vases of red roses from the tribute service held the day before to recognize the anniversary of the assasination of Yitzhak Rabin. Outside the Knessett is a huge beautiful Menorah given by Britain to Israel in 1956. On each branch of the candlelabra are carved biblical stories. The Menorah is the symbol of Israel. It was a very impressive tour and as we left here came a group of Israeli soldiers being given a tour. The military makes a point to educate their soldiers about their heritage by having them visit different locations in Israel and takes them to the Knesset.
Since we had taken a taxi to get to the Knesset, we decided to walk back to campus (about three miles). I'm getting my exercise and feel like my legs are stronger. If only my feet did not ache at the end of the day! We stopped and bought some freshly squeesed fruit juice along the way. Ahhh, how refreshing! These venders are all along the roads selling this wonderful fresh juice.
Last night we went back into the Old City for another organ concert but this one was not quite on par with our first concert with the organist from the Moscow Conservatory of Music. We heard several Bach fugues that were really very somber. Now we are back into travel mode today and packing and getting ready for our four-day trip to the Galilee. We look forward to exploring the area where Jesus called his disciples and wandered the hills of Galilee. We will be staying all three nights at a Kibbutz that operates a Guest House--Ein Gev at the base of the Golan Heights. Here we go again!
We were soon back into our routines, if you can call it that, of laundry, work in the library (I'm making progress in cataloging the Lindsay Collection), reading, talking with students, etc. Larry found himself reading and grading about 26 mid-term exams from his Prophetic Landscape Class. I started reading Peter Hessler's book, River Town--Two Years on the Yangtze River. Peter was a Peace Corps English teacher in Fuling, China from 1996 to 1998. He won the Kuriyama Book Award and for those of you who want to understand China better I highly recommend his writing. He learned Chinese while he was there and it opened so many doors for him. He now lives in Beijing and writes for the New Yorker and has published another book, Oracle Bones. I feel like I have learned so much already about China and her people and I'm still not finished. This is one of our Reading Club books at Taylor for this year so I was delighted to find it here at JUC.
My saga with Annie, the artist, continues. We were scheduled to meet for breakfast but she did not show so I called her and she said she was in Galilee and that she just had to get out of Jerusalem because of her health. She told me she did not know yet if she would be back from Galilee in time for Shabbat dinner but feels since I don't leave until December we can still get together. She's an interesting woman!
On Thursday morning I visited the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, with one of our Taylor students, Esther Lang. We had to arrive early for an English tour but first we had to go through security and have our passports with us--a very tight security system. We could not bring anything into the Knesset building. Our bags were placed in another bag and a number assigned and this was in a separate security building away from the Knesset. The Knesset is very modern and sleek with a contemporary decor. On the way in we met an older couple from Sherman Oaks, California who sat next to me. The woman told me they had rented an apartment for a month to visit family here and to tour. They have been spending a lot of time in the Old City touring the museums to stay cool. What an interesting couple! He is a retired doctor from Nova Scotia but now lives in California and her brother had made aliya (meaning "going up" and the term used when one moves to Israel and becomes a citizen) and they wanted to see other relatives. She proceeded to tell me that her nephews have 12 and 13 children each and that their daughters are lovely and pure on the inside. She is troubled about her granddaughters in the US who have absorbed their culture in Southern California and do not dress modestly. What can I do she asked? As we were getting ready to start the tour, I just encouraged her to pray to God and ask for wisdom. It's amazing what people will tell you in a ten minute time period! They were very caring of each other and loved seeing everything.
Our tour guide was a young Israeli who took us into the plenary room where debates and laws are made and we saw a film explaining how the Israeli government functions. They have 120 members of the Knesset because after 586 BC there were 120 elders of Israel. How they form their coalition government is interesting and leads to all kinds of "problems." We saw three huge and very beautiful tapestries by Marc Chagall the famous Jewish artist. They had a very dreamlike quality to them and pictured the Jewish people in the past, important figures and events in Jewish history and then the future. He designed them then they were woven over a period of four years. I wish we could have had more time to examine them more closely. He also made mosaics for placement in the floor of the reception hall. He gave them as his gift to Israel. He did not speak Hebrew and never lived here but visited. The reception hall still held two beautiful vases of red roses from the tribute service held the day before to recognize the anniversary of the assasination of Yitzhak Rabin. Outside the Knessett is a huge beautiful Menorah given by Britain to Israel in 1956. On each branch of the candlelabra are carved biblical stories. The Menorah is the symbol of Israel. It was a very impressive tour and as we left here came a group of Israeli soldiers being given a tour. The military makes a point to educate their soldiers about their heritage by having them visit different locations in Israel and takes them to the Knesset.
Since we had taken a taxi to get to the Knesset, we decided to walk back to campus (about three miles). I'm getting my exercise and feel like my legs are stronger. If only my feet did not ache at the end of the day! We stopped and bought some freshly squeesed fruit juice along the way. Ahhh, how refreshing! These venders are all along the roads selling this wonderful fresh juice.
Last night we went back into the Old City for another organ concert but this one was not quite on par with our first concert with the organist from the Moscow Conservatory of Music. We heard several Bach fugues that were really very somber. Now we are back into travel mode today and packing and getting ready for our four-day trip to the Galilee. We look forward to exploring the area where Jesus called his disciples and wandered the hills of Galilee. We will be staying all three nights at a Kibbutz that operates a Guest House--Ein Gev at the base of the Golan Heights. Here we go again!
Monday, October 18, 2010
Concerts in Israel
I realized this week that I have forgotten to share with you two free concerts we have attended over the last few weeks. One was an organ concert in Our Savior Catholic Church in the Old City. What a beautiful sanctuary with a huge pipe organ in the front of the church. We were blessed to hear an organist from the Conservatory of Music in Moscow. He played Bach and some of his own compositions and it was lovely. He was elevated above the congregation and I found it very interesting to view him through this huge crucifix that is in the center of the church by the altar. As I looked up, I felt myself moved by this very large image of Christ on the cross. Through icons and crucifixes, the Catholic Church emphasizes the Passion of Christ to a degree that I have not experienced in Protestant churches. I know that we emphasize the resurrection of the Lord and that he is no longer on the cross, but on occasion I think there is real value in contemplating all that Jesus endured on our behalf. It was a meaningful moment for me. Larry and I will be returning to another organ concert at the same church this week--all Bach. There is a special emphasis in the Old City during October on Thursday nights called the Knights of Jerusalem and the organ concert seems to be a part of this. There are actors in the streets dressed in medieval costumes with little dramas going on (all in Hebrew) and crowds come to walk the different 14 tableaux. Very interesting!
The other concert we attended was in the auditorium of the YMCA and was a premier of Esther Upham's Love Revealed performed by the Israel Chamber Orchestra with the Jerusalem A-Cappella Singers. It was absolutely lovely! Esther is a Mid-West woman born in Chicago and grew up in Indiana. She loves all things Judaica and wrote this wonderful piece that is all OT scriptures about the Messiah. I hope we will get to hear it again in the US some day. Taylor Chorale???? That night is memorable for another reason. I was fighting a cold and we found seats in the second row from the back. As the emcee introduced the program, she mentioned that it was being recorded so they requested no one cough. I was fine for about 15 minutes then I had drainage in the back of my throat so I got up to leave and go out the back but the way was blocked so there I stood in the corner with my face to the wall trying to blow my nose during the louder sections of the music. What a predicament! I finally remembered I had a cough drop in my purse and with a drink from Larry's water bottle I was finally okay and made my way back to my seat. How embarrassing! After I was seated, I heard all these other people coughing! In spite of all that, we really enjoyed this beautiful piece of music.
Larry and I have been taking my sister Dorothy and her friend (another Dorothy) around the Old City over the weekend to give them a more indepth insight into this part of Jerusalem. Is it ever crowded with tourists! We have both noticed how crowded the city seems and we heard from the Wrights that no one can get a hotel room in Jerusalem. Everything is booked. Dorothy took us to dinner at The Olive Tree Hotel last night and tour groups were coming in and some were leaving. We tried to eat in the dining room but it was reserved only for tour groups so we wound up in the huge lounge area and were served there. Tourism has really increased!
Our worship service at Christ Church yesterday was packed with people from Wales, Ireland, Seattle, WA, Denmark, Albany, CA and other places. Choruses are sung in English and Hebrew during the service. Every day seems to be an adventure for us! Dorothy leaves today to return home and we have so enjoyed her visit. What a treat. Several JUC students have family members visiting this week and we have a short-term Pastor's Group arriving today. More interesting people to meet.
The other concert we attended was in the auditorium of the YMCA and was a premier of Esther Upham's Love Revealed performed by the Israel Chamber Orchestra with the Jerusalem A-Cappella Singers. It was absolutely lovely! Esther is a Mid-West woman born in Chicago and grew up in Indiana. She loves all things Judaica and wrote this wonderful piece that is all OT scriptures about the Messiah. I hope we will get to hear it again in the US some day. Taylor Chorale???? That night is memorable for another reason. I was fighting a cold and we found seats in the second row from the back. As the emcee introduced the program, she mentioned that it was being recorded so they requested no one cough. I was fine for about 15 minutes then I had drainage in the back of my throat so I got up to leave and go out the back but the way was blocked so there I stood in the corner with my face to the wall trying to blow my nose during the louder sections of the music. What a predicament! I finally remembered I had a cough drop in my purse and with a drink from Larry's water bottle I was finally okay and made my way back to my seat. How embarrassing! After I was seated, I heard all these other people coughing! In spite of all that, we really enjoyed this beautiful piece of music.
Larry and I have been taking my sister Dorothy and her friend (another Dorothy) around the Old City over the weekend to give them a more indepth insight into this part of Jerusalem. Is it ever crowded with tourists! We have both noticed how crowded the city seems and we heard from the Wrights that no one can get a hotel room in Jerusalem. Everything is booked. Dorothy took us to dinner at The Olive Tree Hotel last night and tour groups were coming in and some were leaving. We tried to eat in the dining room but it was reserved only for tour groups so we wound up in the huge lounge area and were served there. Tourism has really increased!
Our worship service at Christ Church yesterday was packed with people from Wales, Ireland, Seattle, WA, Denmark, Albany, CA and other places. Choruses are sung in English and Hebrew during the service. Every day seems to be an adventure for us! Dorothy leaves today to return home and we have so enjoyed her visit. What a treat. Several JUC students have family members visiting this week and we have a short-term Pastor's Group arriving today. More interesting people to meet.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Negev Jottings
Three days in the Negev! We survived and enjoyed the experience in spite of feeling very weary. God’s wisdom in providing food and rest for the body was certainly evident to me as we awakened each morning feeling like we could do it all over again. We left Jerusalem Saturday morning and our first stop was just a short distance west of Jerusalem at Ein Sattaf where we climbed down to the springs. This area is a finger of the Sorek Valley which turns into the Elah Valley where David met up with Goliath. We found the National Park there packed with Israelis hiking and biking around the area. This was a very steep and rocky descent but viewing the terraced area and seeing a cave where a family might have lived was rewarding. The Romans channeled an aqueduct from this area to help irrigate the land. It was coming back up that just about wiped me out. I made it successfully but from there we visited Azekah and Lachish, with more climbing. The view from the top always makes the climbing worth it. JUC carries lunch for us so we have pita bread and make sandwiches with pickles, olives, hummous, cheese and tuna salad, if we choose. With fruit and some cookie or Israeli pastry we are set. Of course, there is always peanut butter for those who do not choose the Israeli lunch. We also visited Bet Shemesh in the afternoon—the area where Samson lived and attacked the Philistines. The views were wonderful and the area around these sites are built up with developments and agricultural crops.
We finished the day with a visit to Ashkelon, one of the five Philistine cities. We were studying how the hill country of Judea changes to the Shephelah, the flat coastal plain. Ashkelon is a beautiful city right on the water and the students had an opportunity to spend some time in the Mediterranean. Because two of our students had worked at the archaeological dig at Ashkelon some of us followed them around as they explained the site. It is huge. This is now a National Park so families were picnicking and enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. Beautiful palm trees and landscaped areas were all over. What a place to participate in a dig and then take a late afternoon swim at the end of each day! Many Russian immigrants have settled in the city of Ashkelon. From there we made our way to Beersheva where we stayed at a very pleasant Youth Hostel. They served us a wonderful hot dinner with three meats. We limped our way to our room while some of the students decided they wanted to check out the mall and get ice cream in Beersheba. Larry and I were asleep by 9:00 pm. Oh for the stamina and energy of youth!
On Sunday we started the day at the Beersheva archaeological site and were so impressed as we looked around and read the stories of Abraham. There is a replica of a four-horned altar found at this site (the original is in the Israel Museum) so several of the students had to have their photo taken laying on the altar and one enterprising student even had a rope with him so the others tied him up to represent what a sacrifice might have been like. Okay, you have to use your imagination! From there we were off to Arad (all of this in the desert area of the Negev) and then to Sde Boker, the retirement home of David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel. Ben Gurion believed that many Israelis would want to settle in the desert to help revitalize the land but much to his disappointment most Israelis chose to live in cities in other parts of Israel. Right next to Sde Boker is the great Nahal Zin (wadi/canyon) where we were supposed to do a hike that once you start you have to finish. The bus dropped everyone off at the bottom of the wadi then you walk out by some pools of water and up a 400 ft ladder. Larry and I decided to set this one out and instead walked around the upper areas. The site was beautiful and we could see the students at the bottom of the wadi. We were conserving our energy for the rest of the trip. (: Our final stop was at Mizpe Rimon a beautiful huge erosion crater—the largest in the world—25 miles long and about 6 to 8 miles wide. It reminded me of the Grand Canyon in one sense. Dr. Wright read Psalm 90 from the 1200 ft peak. It’s the type of place where you just want to sit, think, reflect and pray. “It was awesome,” as they say. While we were there we saw a herd of Ibex on the slopes—21 of them. The horns on these creatures are amazing. While Dr. Wright was reading, we watched Israeli jets flying over doing practice runs and some barely skimming the crater. It was while I was sitting there watching those jets that I was reminded again of the turmoil of the Middle East and to think these jets would be used in war if needed. It was a very sobering moment for me. These pilots are young men in their early 20’s and 30’s, for the most part, and have parents and spouses concerned for their safety just like we are for our soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Our final day started at Masada on the Dead Sea. This was one of Herod’s palaces and fortresses which Jewish zealots took over following the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD. Perhaps you have seen the TV movie, “Masada.” It took the Romans over two years to build siege ramps to reach the top of Masada and just before they broke through the wall the Jewish defenders all committed suicide instead of surrendering to the Romans. It’s an amazing site with a fantastic view to the north, south, east and west. We managed to walk up the siege ramp side which looks horrific but there actually are steps next to the siege ramp and we made it up in a little over 10 minutes. There was a race to the top between four male students. The JUC record was 2 minutes and 51 seconds. Josh from Indiana Wesleyan won the race that day in 3 minutes and 12 seconds but they all lost their breakfast when they arrived on top! Larry and I like to enjoy the walk along the way so we take it a little bit slower. We did take the cable car down on the other side.
We had our lunch on the Dead Sea and even grilled hot dogs. Not exactly like the parks in the US but adequate. Some of the students had a brief swim and found themselves feeling very oily when they came out of the water. From the Dead Sea we went to Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul and we climbed to the lower water fall where Larry and I enjoyed wading in the cool, clear water. Our final stop was at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. The flies were giving me fits there and at the Dead Sea. It’s amazing to think about this dedicated group of people who wanted to escape the corruption in Jerusalem and live closer to God in the desert. The remains of their ritual baths, the refectory, and other living quarters can be seen along with the caves where the scrolls were discovered. Such a sense of history here. They are called Essenes by Josephus and Pliny but the term they used for themselves was Yahad (meaning the community). We were two tired and dirty Americans when we got back to the campus. But, praise God for good food and rest which makes us get up the next morning and keep on going.
When we returned to campus we were saddened to learn that Nate and Paige’s dog Jessie was declining rapidly due to her cancer and they had to put her to sleep. It was a very sad day for them but we were thankful Nate was home from the tour to be there and help Paige through this. Alicia, Brad and the grandkids were able to connect with Nate in Dallas last Friday and spend some family time together.
Just an update on our friend, Annie, the artist. She didn’t make it to Shabbat dinner but sent me a note and wants to meet for coffee before she leaves. I’m hoping to see her this week and wonder if she is returning to Belgium. After our Shabbat dinner, the students at JUC had a coffeehouse with entertainment. What a delight to see the various talents from music to readings to silly songs that made us all laugh. We even had three baristas (JUC staff and a student) who made special coffees, chai tea, etc. I was particularly touched by Robyn who showed a video clip of her summer mission trip to Uganda where she worked with an orphaned boy who had a hearing disability. Robyn had planned to go to Uganda in the summer of 2008 and had the money raised but her health prevented her from going. She told us if she had gone then, she never would have met “Moses.” The missionaries asked her to help this little boy because he only arrived at the orphanage in 2009 and they could not really communicate with him. He was sad and by himself much of the time. Robyn shared with us that her mother’s first language was sign language as Robyn’s grandparents were both deaf. She knew some sign language and taught young Moses all summer. The expression on this little boy’s face totally changed to big smiles as he learned sign language and could begin to communicate. Robyn has committed her life to being a missionary in Africa. She’s a student at Eastern University and the one who survived the 10 foot fall I wrote about earlier. God uses these students in amazing and wonderful ways.
My writing is moving forward but a little more slowly this past week. We are off to Galilee on Oct. 23rd for four days. My sister Dorothy is now in Jerusalem finishing her tour and I look forward to seeing her tomorrow (Thursday) and helping to celebrate her birthday. I’m almost finished with the biography of Menachem Begin by Eric Silver. It has given me a better understanding of the Israeli political system and all their various parties as they form a coalition government after each election. If you want the history of the peace talks with Egypt and working with Anwar Sadat, you will find this most interesting.
I have much more to write and share with you but must wait for another day. Reading in I and II Kings right now and find Scripture more alive than ever as each location where biblical events occurred seem to leap out at me.
We finished the day with a visit to Ashkelon, one of the five Philistine cities. We were studying how the hill country of Judea changes to the Shephelah, the flat coastal plain. Ashkelon is a beautiful city right on the water and the students had an opportunity to spend some time in the Mediterranean. Because two of our students had worked at the archaeological dig at Ashkelon some of us followed them around as they explained the site. It is huge. This is now a National Park so families were picnicking and enjoying the late afternoon sunshine. Beautiful palm trees and landscaped areas were all over. What a place to participate in a dig and then take a late afternoon swim at the end of each day! Many Russian immigrants have settled in the city of Ashkelon. From there we made our way to Beersheva where we stayed at a very pleasant Youth Hostel. They served us a wonderful hot dinner with three meats. We limped our way to our room while some of the students decided they wanted to check out the mall and get ice cream in Beersheba. Larry and I were asleep by 9:00 pm. Oh for the stamina and energy of youth!
On Sunday we started the day at the Beersheva archaeological site and were so impressed as we looked around and read the stories of Abraham. There is a replica of a four-horned altar found at this site (the original is in the Israel Museum) so several of the students had to have their photo taken laying on the altar and one enterprising student even had a rope with him so the others tied him up to represent what a sacrifice might have been like. Okay, you have to use your imagination! From there we were off to Arad (all of this in the desert area of the Negev) and then to Sde Boker, the retirement home of David Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel. Ben Gurion believed that many Israelis would want to settle in the desert to help revitalize the land but much to his disappointment most Israelis chose to live in cities in other parts of Israel. Right next to Sde Boker is the great Nahal Zin (wadi/canyon) where we were supposed to do a hike that once you start you have to finish. The bus dropped everyone off at the bottom of the wadi then you walk out by some pools of water and up a 400 ft ladder. Larry and I decided to set this one out and instead walked around the upper areas. The site was beautiful and we could see the students at the bottom of the wadi. We were conserving our energy for the rest of the trip. (: Our final stop was at Mizpe Rimon a beautiful huge erosion crater—the largest in the world—25 miles long and about 6 to 8 miles wide. It reminded me of the Grand Canyon in one sense. Dr. Wright read Psalm 90 from the 1200 ft peak. It’s the type of place where you just want to sit, think, reflect and pray. “It was awesome,” as they say. While we were there we saw a herd of Ibex on the slopes—21 of them. The horns on these creatures are amazing. While Dr. Wright was reading, we watched Israeli jets flying over doing practice runs and some barely skimming the crater. It was while I was sitting there watching those jets that I was reminded again of the turmoil of the Middle East and to think these jets would be used in war if needed. It was a very sobering moment for me. These pilots are young men in their early 20’s and 30’s, for the most part, and have parents and spouses concerned for their safety just like we are for our soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Our final day started at Masada on the Dead Sea. This was one of Herod’s palaces and fortresses which Jewish zealots took over following the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 AD. Perhaps you have seen the TV movie, “Masada.” It took the Romans over two years to build siege ramps to reach the top of Masada and just before they broke through the wall the Jewish defenders all committed suicide instead of surrendering to the Romans. It’s an amazing site with a fantastic view to the north, south, east and west. We managed to walk up the siege ramp side which looks horrific but there actually are steps next to the siege ramp and we made it up in a little over 10 minutes. There was a race to the top between four male students. The JUC record was 2 minutes and 51 seconds. Josh from Indiana Wesleyan won the race that day in 3 minutes and 12 seconds but they all lost their breakfast when they arrived on top! Larry and I like to enjoy the walk along the way so we take it a little bit slower. We did take the cable car down on the other side.
We had our lunch on the Dead Sea and even grilled hot dogs. Not exactly like the parks in the US but adequate. Some of the students had a brief swim and found themselves feeling very oily when they came out of the water. From the Dead Sea we went to Ein Gedi where David hid from King Saul and we climbed to the lower water fall where Larry and I enjoyed wading in the cool, clear water. Our final stop was at Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered. The flies were giving me fits there and at the Dead Sea. It’s amazing to think about this dedicated group of people who wanted to escape the corruption in Jerusalem and live closer to God in the desert. The remains of their ritual baths, the refectory, and other living quarters can be seen along with the caves where the scrolls were discovered. Such a sense of history here. They are called Essenes by Josephus and Pliny but the term they used for themselves was Yahad (meaning the community). We were two tired and dirty Americans when we got back to the campus. But, praise God for good food and rest which makes us get up the next morning and keep on going.
When we returned to campus we were saddened to learn that Nate and Paige’s dog Jessie was declining rapidly due to her cancer and they had to put her to sleep. It was a very sad day for them but we were thankful Nate was home from the tour to be there and help Paige through this. Alicia, Brad and the grandkids were able to connect with Nate in Dallas last Friday and spend some family time together.
Just an update on our friend, Annie, the artist. She didn’t make it to Shabbat dinner but sent me a note and wants to meet for coffee before she leaves. I’m hoping to see her this week and wonder if she is returning to Belgium. After our Shabbat dinner, the students at JUC had a coffeehouse with entertainment. What a delight to see the various talents from music to readings to silly songs that made us all laugh. We even had three baristas (JUC staff and a student) who made special coffees, chai tea, etc. I was particularly touched by Robyn who showed a video clip of her summer mission trip to Uganda where she worked with an orphaned boy who had a hearing disability. Robyn had planned to go to Uganda in the summer of 2008 and had the money raised but her health prevented her from going. She told us if she had gone then, she never would have met “Moses.” The missionaries asked her to help this little boy because he only arrived at the orphanage in 2009 and they could not really communicate with him. He was sad and by himself much of the time. Robyn shared with us that her mother’s first language was sign language as Robyn’s grandparents were both deaf. She knew some sign language and taught young Moses all summer. The expression on this little boy’s face totally changed to big smiles as he learned sign language and could begin to communicate. Robyn has committed her life to being a missionary in Africa. She’s a student at Eastern University and the one who survived the 10 foot fall I wrote about earlier. God uses these students in amazing and wonderful ways.
My writing is moving forward but a little more slowly this past week. We are off to Galilee on Oct. 23rd for four days. My sister Dorothy is now in Jerusalem finishing her tour and I look forward to seeing her tomorrow (Thursday) and helping to celebrate her birthday. I’m almost finished with the biography of Menachem Begin by Eric Silver. It has given me a better understanding of the Israeli political system and all their various parties as they form a coalition government after each election. If you want the history of the peace talks with Egypt and working with Anwar Sadat, you will find this most interesting.
I have much more to write and share with you but must wait for another day. Reading in I and II Kings right now and find Scripture more alive than ever as each location where biblical events occurred seem to leap out at me.
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