Newark & Tel Aviv

Waiting at Newark Airport to board our El Al Flight to Tel Aviv

Safely back on the ground at the Tel Aviv Airport

Tiberias

View of The Sea of Galilee from our hotel parking lot in Tiberias

Mount of Beatitudes Chapel on the Mount of Beatitudes

The mountain is topped by a Catholic chapel built in 1939 by the

Franciscan Sisters with the support of the Italian

ruler Mussolini. The building was

constructed by the noted architect Antonio

Barluzzi is full of numerical symbolism. In front of the church, the symbols on the pavement represent Justice, Prudence,

Fortitude, Charity, Faith and Temperance.

Inside the church hangs the cloak from Pope

Paul IV's visit in 1964.

Plain of Gennesaret

The Mt. of Beatitudes overlooks the four-mile long Plain of Gennesaret, an area famed for its fertility. Josephus said this plain was the location of "nature's crowning achievement." Several times the New Testament records that Jesus was in this area including when he healed the multitudes here and faced Pharisaic condemnation for ritual impurity (Mark 6-7).

Fish and Loaves Tabgha

This Byzantine mosaic is preserved under a modern church today, but it was once part of a church which commemorated Jesus' feeding of the 5000.

The Byzantine pilgrims were mistaken in locating this miracle here because Scripture says that it took place in a remote place by Bethsaida. The artist was apparently unacquainted with the fish in the lake as none have two dorsal fins.

Courtyard outside the Church of Loaves and Fishes

Tabgha

The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to him all they had done and taught. Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, "Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest." So they went away by themselves in a boat to a solitary place. But many who saw them leaving recognized them and ran on foot from all the towns and got there ahead of them. When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.

Mark 6:30-34

The Church of the Primacy Tabgha

Elam Summey reading John 21:15-19

outside the Church

When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me more than these?" "Yes, Lord," he said, "you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my lambs." Again Jesus said, "Simon son of John, do you truly love me?" He answered, "Yes, Lord, you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Take care of my sheep." The third time he said to him, "Simon son of John, do you love me?" Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said "Feed my sheep. I tell you the truth, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go." Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, "Follow me!"

John 21:15-19

Tabgha

Peter's Primacy

In John 21, Jesus met again with the disciples for the "last breakfast." Here he restored Peter to himself after the disciple's three denials by asking him three times if Peter loved Jesus. Catholic tradition associates this event with the naming of Peter as the singular leader of the church. The rock below is the traditional place where Jesus stood and called out to the disciples.

Tabgha's Harbor

Evidence of ancient boating activity at Tabgha is found in the recently discovered harbor on the shore. Visible when the water level is -211.50 m or lower, the curved western breakwater was 60 meters long. Another 40 m breakwater ran perpendicular to the shore and protected the 30 m wide basin which was entered from the east.

Tabgha is the traditional location for the calling of the disciples. It is believed that here Jesus walked along the shore and called out to Simon Peter and Andrew who were casting their nets into the lake. Walking along, Jesus saw two other brothers, James and John who were preparing their nets with their father Zebedee. Jesus called all of these men to follow him.

Two miles west of Capernaum is what Josephus referred to as the "well of Capernaum." Undoubtedly a popular fishing spot of the locals because of its famous "seven springs," Heptapegon (today the name has been corrupted to Tabgha) is the traditional location for several episodes in Jesus' ministry.

Capernaum

A few days later, when Jesus again entered Capernaum, the people heard that he had come home. So many gathered that there was no room left, not even outside the door, and he preached the word to them. Some men came, bringing to him a paralytic, carried by four of them. Since they could not get him to Jesus because of the crowd, they made an opening in the roof above Jesus and, after digging through it, lowered the mat the paralyzed man was lying on. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven." Now some teachers of the law were sitting there, thinking to themselves, "Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?" Immediately Jesus knew in his spirit that this was what they were thinking in their hearts, and he said to them, "Why are you thinking these things? Which is easier: to say to the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up, take your mat and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins . . . ." He said to the paralytic, "I tell you, get up, take your mat and go home." He got up, took his mat and walked out in full view of them all. This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!"

Mark 2:1-12

In existence from the 2nd c. B.C. to the 7th c. A.D., Capernaum was built along the edge of the Sea of Galilee and had up to 1500 residents.

Today the ruins are owned by two churches: the Franciscans control the western portion with the synagogue and the Greek Orthodoxy’s property is marked by the white church with red domes.

The Synagogue Capernaum

The dating of this synagogue is debated, but it is clearly later than the first century. Excavations have revealed a synagogue from the time of Jesus with walls made of worked stone and 4 feet thick.

These earlier walls were preserved up to 3 feet high and the entire western wall still exists and was used as the foundation for the later synagogue.

Jesus was confronted by a demoniac while teaching here (Mark 1:21-27). In Capernaum, Jesus healed the servant of the centurion. This Roman official was credited with building the synagogue (Luke 7:3). In this synagogue, Jesus gave sermon on the bread of life (John 6:35-59).

The House of Peter Capernaum

Excavations revealed one residence that stood out from the others. This

house was the object of early Christian attention with 2nd century graffiti and a 4th century house church built above

it. In the 5th century a large octagonal Byzantine church was erected above

this, complete with a baptistery. Pilgrims referred to this as the house of

the apostle Peter.

Sea of Galilee

The peaceful calm of the Sea of Galilee can quickly become transformed by a violent storm. Winds funnel through the east-west aligned Galilee hill country and stir up the waters quickly. More violent are the winds that come off the hills of the Golan Heights to the east. Trapped in the basin, the winds can be deadly to fishermen. A storm in March 1992 sent waves 10 feet high crashing into downtown Tiberias and causing significant damage.

The Sea of Galilee is fed by the Jordan River, rainfall and springs on the northern side. More properly designated a lake; the Kinneret (the OT and modern name) is 13 miles wide and 7 miles long. At its deepest point the lake is only 150 feet deep. The rabbis said of it, "Although God has created seven seas, yet He has chosen this one as His special delight."

Yardenit

Yardenit is situated at the Southern end of the Sea of Galilee, at the place where the Jordan River flows out of the Sea on its way down to the Dead Sea. Along with Capernaum, Mount of the Beatitudes and Tabgha, Bethsada, Kursi and Korazin, it is one of the most important sites in this area.

People come from all over the world to visit this unique site. In the year 2000 more than one million visitors came here.

The "Community Wall" welcomes the visitors at the entrance to Yardenit. It describes the Baptism of Jesus Christ with the text taken from the new Testament written by the Armenian artist Hagop Antreassian in both ancient and modern languages.

One can also see links of a basalt pipe that were split from the "Bereniki Aqueduct" that used to run nearby. The Aqueduct was built in the 4th century during the Byzantine period; it carried water from the source of Yavniel to the old site of "Bet Yerach" and Tiberias.

On The Road Galilee

Sepphoris

Josephus called Sepphoris “the ornament of all Galilee.” Herod Antipas chose this site in 4 B.C. as the capital of his government. He most likely built the theater as well. Josephus said Sepphoris was the largest city in Galilee and an exceptionally strong fortress at the time of the First Revolt in 66 A.D. The people of Sepphoris supported Vespasian in the Jewish Revolt, surrendering to the Romans and thus preventing the destruction of the city (War III.2.4). They even minted coins in honor of Vespasian as the “peace maker.”

"Mona Lisa"

At the summit near the theater is a large dining room floor from the beginning of the 3rd century A.D. The house was built around a colonnaded yard and had two floors. The building included a central triclinium and was most likely the home of an important Gentile person. It might have been the city or district governor. The triclinium mosaic includes 1.5 million stones in 28 colors. The beautiful woman in the mosaic is known today as the “Mona Lisa of the Galilee.” She is depicted wearing a laurel garland and earrings. A similar figure was on the southern side of the frame and can still be partly seen today

Colonnaded Street Sepphoris

Sepphoris was rebuilt and fortified after Galilee came under the rule of Herod Antipas. He made Sepphoris his capital until he built Tiberias in 19 A.D. Some scholars believe that Joseph and Jesus may have helped in the reconstruction of Sepphoris. Since Herod Antipas rebuilt the city about 4 B.C. and since stone is the main building craft of the area, Joseph, living in the nearby Nazareth, was probably a builder in stone as well as wood. Sepphoris was about an hour’s walk from Nazareth. This colonnaded street was built in the Roman period and was one of the main streets of city.

Nile Mosaic

In one large building are many mosaic floors, including the Nile mosaic in the largest room. This mosaic shows festivities in Egypt when the Nile reached its peak. The lighthouse from Alexandria, the Pharos, is also depicted. This was one of the seven wonders of ancient world. The tower in the center of the hunting scene is a Nilometer, which was used to measure the rise of the Nile during the inundation.

Cana

Above: Greek Orthodox Church in Cana

Left: Replica of a stone jar representative of the ones that held water that Jesus turn into wine.

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus' mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus' mother said to him, "They have no more wine." "Dear woman, why do you involve me?" Jesus replied, "My time has not yet come." His mother said to the servants, "Do whatever he tells you." Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, "Fill the jars with water"; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, "Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet." They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside and said, "Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now." This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed in Cana of Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.

John2:1-11

Inside the Greek Orthodox Church of The Wedding Cana

Nazareth

Nazareth is the largest Arab city in Israel, with a population of 60,000, once split nearly evenly between Christians and Muslims, but now nearly two-thirds Muslim. The two groups have lived harmoniously, though a dispute erupted in 1999 over the desire of Muslims to build a mosque near a church. Nazareth was apparently never an important site in Jewish history; it is not mentioned in the Old Testament or rabbinic literature, though Jews certainly lived there in Jesus' time. The first reference is in the New Testament (John 1:45) and, even there, the town is referred to in a negative way ("Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" 1:46) For Christians, Nazareth is important because it is the place where Jesus spent much of his life. The Church of St. Joseph's Carpentry contains ruins dating to the 1st century, and is revered as the original workshop of Joseph and home of the Holy Family. The site actually was abandoned for many years until Franciscans bought it in 1754 and set up a chapel dedicated to Joseph. The church there today was built above the ruins of a 13th century Crusader church. Nazareth is located between the open space of the Jezreel valley and the mountainous regions of the Galilee. The valley and its history were well known to the Jews of Nazareth in the time of Jesus. During the first 20 years of his life that he spent in Nazareth, Jesus had many an opportunity to walk on the mountain ranges, to look over and think about the history of his people. The great battles that had taken place in the valley, together with the great hopes that were dashed with their losses, must have affected and shaped his view on life. The valley of Jezreel, as it is seen from Nazareth, is a natural battlefield. This fact must have influenced the idea of "...all the holders of swords shall fall by the sword," (Matthew 28:52). Another geographical area adjacent to Nazareth was the lower Galilee and the Beti Netofa valley.

The Basilica of the Annunciation Nazareth

The Spanish pilgrim, the Lady Egeria, who visited Nazareth in 383, was shown a "big and very splendid cave in which Mary lived. An altar has been placed there." This was probably the larger of the caves enshrined in the grotto of the present Basilica of the Annunciation. By Roman Catholic tradition, it is the place where the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary.

By 570, a church had been built on the site. A 4th- or 5th-century Greek mosaic inscription was found, with the dedication: "For Conon, Deacon of Jerusalem".

The Norman knight Tancred, Prince of Galilee, immediately ordered the construction of a new cathedral above the cave in the center of the town. It was the largest of the Crusader-built churches, and the Anglo-Saxon pilgrim Saewulf, visiting in 1102, described it as "a very noble monastery" (he also reported that the town had been entirely laid waste by the Saracens). This Crusader cathedral was apparently damaged by the earthquake in 1170. Repairs began, but were not complete when the Crusaders suffered defeat at the Battle of Hittim and were expelled from the town.

Designed by the architect Giovanni Muzio, the present Basilica of the Annunciation is built on two levels. The upper level follows the outline of the 12th-century Crusader- cathedral (a nave, flanked by two aisles), and partly reconstructs the eastern apses. The lower level enshrines the Byzantine grotto.

The new basilica, the largest Christian sanctuary in the Middle East, was dedicated in 1964 by Pope Paul VI during his historic visit to the Holy Land, and consecrated on 23 March 1969. A second, ecumenical service two days later included the participation of prelates and clergy from the Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Coptic, Ethiopian, Syrian and Lutheran churches.

Greek Orthodox Church of the Annunciation Nazareth

The Greek Orthodox have their own Church of the Annunciation where they believe Gabriel appeared to Mary.

This church was built nearly three centuries ago over the well where Mary is said to have drawn water.

Pilgrims to Nazareth in the Byzantine period were also shown a cave with a spring from which Mary drew water (possibly the spring beneath the present Greek Orthodox Church of the Archangel Gabriel), and the

"synagogue" where Jesus read from Isaiah. Various accounts mention church buildings at all three sites. These early churches apparently survived the Arab conquest, because the pilgrim Arculf, a bishop from Gaul visiting in

670, saw two "very large churches" in the town. But by the time of the Crusader conquest in 1099, all the Christian holy places in Nazareth were in ruins.

In the sixth month, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary. The angel went to her and said,

"Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you." Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and

he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?" The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the

Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For

nothing is impossible with God." "I am the Lord's servant," Mary answered. "May it be to me as you have said" Then the angel left her.

Luke 1:26-38

Beth Shean

Located 17 miles south of the Sea of Galilee, Beth Shean is situated at the strategic junction of the Harod and Jordan Valleys. The fertility of the land and the abundance of water led the Jewish sages to say, "If the Garden of Eden is in the land of Israel, then its gate is Beth Shean." It is no surprise then that the site has been almost continuously settled from the Chalcolithic period to the present.

Beth Shean Excavations

Excavations were conducted in 1921-33 by the University of Pennsylvania under C. S. Fisher, A. Rowe, and G. M. Fitzgerald. At that time, almost the entire top five levels on the summit of the tel were cleared. Yadin and Geva conducted a short season in the 1980s, and Amihai Mazar led a Hebrew University excavation in 1989-96. The main finds on the tel include a series of temples from the Middle and Late Bronze Ages.

Megiddo

Inhabited from the Chalcolithic period, Megiddo has approximately 26 levels of occupation. American excavators from the Oriental Institute worked from 1925 with the ambitious goal of excavating every level in its entirety. The made it through the first three levels before concentrating the work on certain areas.

Middle Bronze Gate

Strongly fortified throughout the ages, Megiddo boasted a stone Syrian-type gate in the days of Canaanite inhabitation.

This gate is later than the bent-axis gate (straightened to accommodate chariots) and earlier than the famous "Solomonic" gate, part of the construction of King Solomon described in 1 Kings 9:15.

Early Bronze Altar Megiddo

Part of a large religious complex from the third millennium B.C., this sacrificial altar is striking in its size (10m diameter) and location (behind the temple). A staircase leads up to the altar, a small temenos fence surrounded it, and large concentrations of animal bones and ashes were found in the vicinity.

Tunnel to Spring

This Iron Age tunnel connected the bottom of Ahab's shaft to the spring. Before its construction, Megiddo residents had to leave the city walls in order to get water from the spring.

This tunnel was hewn from both ends at the same time (like Hezekiah's Tunnel) and its builders were only one foot off when meeting in the middle.

Mt. Tabor Mt. Carmel

From Megiddo you can see Mt. Tabor to the south and Mt. Carmel to the north.

Haifa & Mount Carmel

Since 1987 work has been under way to enhance the surroundings of the Shrine of the Ba'b by constructing 18 monumental terraces from the foot to the crest of Mount Carmel, nine above and nine below the Shrine.

The formal path of the terraces has landscaped gardens bordered on both sides with informal plantings, recreating the natural landscape of the area and featuring native trees and wildflowers. Flora of different hues have been combined with grass, different ground covers and trees to present a tapestry of beauty throughout the year.

During one of His visits to Haifa in 1890 Baha'u'llah pointed out to His son 'Abdu'l-Baha the spot on Mount Carmel where the mortal remains of the Ba'b, the Prophet-Herald of the Baha'i religion, should be laid to rest, and instructed Him to build a befitting sepulcher for them.

Haifa

Haifa is home to 250,000 inhabitants, members of five different religions, living side by side in harmony, peace and mutual respect. A rich tapestry of contrasts and colors, varying cultures, and ethnic groups makes up the fabric of life in Haifa. Secular, Religious and Ultra-Orthodox Jews live side by side with Christians, Moslems, Bahai and Druze.

Haifa, Israel's third largest city and northern capital is the heart of it all! Situated in a broad natural bay between the beautiful Mediterranean Sea and the inspiring Carmel Mountain, the city's terraced landscape offers a rich variety of breathtaking panoramas, giving the observer the sensation of being on a heavenly peninsula. To the Northeast, across the sparkling waters of the harbor sits the medieval walled fortress city of Acre. Directly North, if the weather is good, beacon the heights of Rosh Hanikra, the white cliff, checkpoint on the Israel-Lebanon border. Further East towers the snow capped peak of Mount Hermon.

The Stella Maris Church And Monastery Haifa

Excavations on Mount Carmel in 1958 uncovered what is

accepted as Elijah's altar, the cave where he lived, the fountain of Elijah, and the remains of an

ancient monastery.

So Obadiah went to meet Ahab and told him, and Ahab went to meet Elijah. When he saw Elijah, he said to him, "Is that you, you troubler of Israel?" "I have not made trouble for Israel," Elijah replied. "But you and your father's family have. You have abandoned the LORD's commands and have followed the Baals. Now summon the people from all over Israel to meet me on Mount Carmel. And bring the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal and the four hundred prophets of Asherah, who eat at Jezebel's table." So Ahab sent word throughout all Israel and assembled the prophets on Mount Carmel. Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." But the people said nothing. Then Elijah said to them, "I am the only one of the LORD's prophets left, but Baal has four hundred and fifty prophets. Get two bulls for us. Let them choose one for themselves, and let them cut it into pieces and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. I will prepare the other bull and put it on the wood but not set fire to it. Then you call on the name of your god, and I will call on the name of the LORD. The god who answers by fire-he is God." Then all the people said, "What you say is good." Elijah said to the prophets of Baal, "Choose one of the bulls and prepare it first, since there are so many of you. Call on the name of your god, but do not light the fire." So they took the bull given them and prepared it. Then they called on the name of Baal from morning till noon. "O Baal, answer us!" they shouted. But there was no response; no one answered. And they danced around the altar they had made. At noon Elijah began to taunt them. "Shout louder!" he said. "Surely he is a god! Perhaps he is deep in thought, or busy, or traveling. Maybe he is sleeping and must be awakened." So they shouted louder and slashed themselves with swords and spears, as was their custom, until their blood flowed. 29 Midday passed, and they continued their frantic prophesying until the time for the evening sacrifice. But there was no response, no one answered, and no one paid attention. Then Elijah said to all the people, "Come here to me." They came to him, and he repaired the altar of the LORD, which was in ruins. Elijah took twelve stones, one for each of the tribes descended from Jacob, to whom the word of the LORD had come, saying, "Your name shall be Israel." With the stones he built an altar in the name of the LORD, and he dug a trench around it large enough to hold two seahs of seed. He arranged the wood, cut the bull into pieces and laid it on the wood. Then he said to them, "Fill four large jars with water and pour it on the offering and on the wood." "Do it again," he said, and they did it again. "Do it a third time," he ordered, and they did it the third time. The water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench. At the time of sacrifice, the prophet Elijah stepped forward and prayed: "O LORD , God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, let it be known today that you are God in Israel and that I am your servant and have done all these things at your command. Answer me, O LORD; answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again."

Then the fire of the LORD fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, "The LORD -he is God! The LORD -he is God!" Then Elijah commanded them, "Seize the prophets of Baal. Don't let anyone get away!" They seized them, and Elijah had them brought down to the Kishon Valley and slaughtered there.

1 Kings 18:16-40

Caesarea Maritima

Herod's Harbor

This site was insignificant until Herod the Great began to develop

it into a magnificent harbor befitting his kingdom. The harbor

was built using materials that would allow the concrete to

harden underwater. The three-acre harbor would accommodate 300 ships, much larger than the modern harbor existing today.

The Theater Caesarea

Herod the Great also constructed a theater with a seating capacity of 3500. According to

Josephus, this is where the death of Herod Agrippa occurred, as recounted in Acts 12. The theater was covered with a skin covering (vellum), and visitors probably brought cushions with

them to soften the stone seats.

When we entered the theater, we noticed a group of Korean tourist below us on the stage singing.

It wasn’t until we got settled that we realized they were singing ‘How Great Thou Art’ in Korean. When they finished we politely applauded. Then they stared singing ‘Amazing Grace’; we all joined

in, in English of course, and sang two complete verses with them.

Promontory Palace Caesarea

Josephus called this a "most magnificent palace" that Herod the Great built on a promontory jutting out into the waters of Caesarea. The pool in the center was nearly Olympic in size, and was filled with fresh water. A statue once stood in the center. Paul may have been imprisoned on the grounds of this palace (Acts 23:35).

Notice the column from the previous city where only the top of it is protruding from the ground.

This stone found here has the name Pontius Pilate engraved on it.

The Aqueduct Caesarea

The lack of fresh water at Herod's new city required a lengthy aqueduct to bring water from springs at the base of Mt. Carmel nearly ten miles away. In order that the water would flow by the pull of gravity, the aqueduct was built on arches and the gradient was carefully measured. Later Hadrian and the Crusaders would attach additional channels to Herod's aqueduct.

Qumran

The Cave Where The First Dead Sea Scrolls Were Found Qumran

The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls ranks as one of the most prominent archaeological events of the twentieth century. Because of their unearthing, we now know more about the Essenes than any other Jewish group of the Second Temple period.

Bedouin shepherds discovered the first seven scrolls in 1947. Since that time, over 700 manuscripts have been found in eleven caves surrounding Khirbet Qumran (Caves I–XI), the site of an abandoned community located on the northwestern corner of the Dead Sea.

The archaeological case for connecting the scrolls with the community at Qumran was originally made by Roland de Vaux, the initial excavator of Khirbet Qumran. His conclusions have since been accepted by most researchers. De Vaux upheld the linkage by observing that the pottery in the caves can be dated to the same period as the abandoned site (I CE), and, moreover, that inscriptions on ostraca (potsherds) found at Qumran match the style of writing found in the scrolls.

The link between the scrolls and the Essenes has been ascertained through a comparison of the sectarian writings with descriptions of the Essenes found in the first-century writings of Philo, Josephus and Pliny the Elder. Although discrepancies exist between the accounts, the similarities are striking and have convinced most researchers that the Dead Sea sect and the Essenes are one and the same.

In his description of the sect, the Jewish philosopher Philo pointedly mentions that the Essenes met in "sacred places [hierous . . . topous] which they call synagogues [synagôgai]" (Prob. 81). He goes on to write:

There, arranged in rows according to their ages, the younger below the elder, they sit decorously as befits the occasion with attentive ears. Then one takes the books and reads aloud and another of especial proficiency comes forward and expounds what is not understood

Prob. 82-83

Jericho

This sycamore tree in Jericho is a big tourist attraction

Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' “But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount." Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."

Luke 19:1-9

Ruins at Jericho

So on the second day they marched around the city once and returned to the camp. They did this for six days. On the seventh day, they got up at daybreak and marched around the city seven times in the same manner, except that on that day they circled the city seven times. The seventh time around, when the priests sounded the trumpet blast, Joshua commanded the people, "Shout! For the LORD has given you the city!

When the trumpets sounded, the people shouted, and at the sound of the trumpet, when the people gave a loud shout, the wall collapsed; so every man charged straight in, and they took the city.

Joshua 6:14-16 & 20

Jericho

Neolithic Tower

After Jerusalem, Jericho is the most excavated site in Israel. Charles Warren in 1868 sank several shafts but concluded that nothing was to be found (he missed the Neolithic tower by a foot!). Germans Sellin and Watzinger excavated 1907-13, Garstang 1930-36 and Kenyon 1952-58. Since 1997 an Italian-Palestinian team has been digging.

The Neolithic tower (upper left) was discovered and excavated by Kathleen Kenyon in her Trench I; it was built and destroyed in Pre-Pottery Neolithic A, which Kenyon dated to 8000-7000 B.C. The 8m diameter tower stands 8m tall and was connected on the inside of a 4m thick wall.

On the basis of this discovery, archaeologists have claimed that Jericho is the "oldest city in the world." Clearly such monumental construction reflects social organization and central authority, but there are good reasons to question both its dating to the 8th millennium B.C. and its function as a defensive fortification.

The Old Jericho Road The road from Jericho to Jerusalem is steep, rough, barren & quite scary for a tour bus. Be assured prayers

were being whispered as we rode in the bus along this very winding and very narrow road.

Mount of Olives

Palestinian Refugee Camp on the Outskirts of Jerusalem

Jerusalem

St. Charles Cathedral Jerusalem

We worshiped and took communion here Sunday

Masada

The ancient fortress of Masada is located near the western shore of the Dead Sea about ten miles south of the town of En-gedi. Situated on top of a cliff rising over 1,200 feet above the surrounding desert, the fortress was originally constructed during the reign of Alexander Jannaeus (103–76 BCE) and later extensively expanded under Herod the Great (37–4 BCE), who added two luxurious palaces, a Roman bathhouse, twelve huge cisterns, and a number of other structures.

According to the Jewish historian Josephus, near the beginning of the Jewish War, a large band of Sicarii (Jewish revolutionaries) somehow managed to take possession of Masada from the attending Roman garrison. Josephus goes on to describe in detail the campaign undertaken against the Sicarii in 73 CE by Roman legions under the command of Flavius Silva. The lengthy siege of the fortress ended with the Romans breaking through the defensive walls only to discover that all but a few hidden women and children had committed suicide.

Masada was first systematically excavated between 1963 and 1965 by a team under the direction of Yigael Yadin. The excavations uncovered evidence of occupation from the time of Jannaeus through the Byzantine era, including a period of habitation by the Jewish rebels. During the first season of excavation, a structure that Yadin subsequently identified as a synagogue was uncovered in the northwestern section of the upper plateau of the fortress. Built into the casemate wall that circles the plateau, the rectangular building measures 15 x 12 meters and was constructed in two distinct phases.

The first phase, dated to the period of Herod, was possibly used as a stable. Upon occupying the fortress, the rebels transformed the building into a synagogue, adding benches along the walls, with columns intervening between the seating and the center of the hall--a configuration characteristic of the Galilean-type synagogue. Fragments of Deuteronomy and Ezekiel scrolls were discovered in a back room, which appears to have been the temporary residence of an attendant, quite possibly a priest.

Masada

Looking out over the Dead Sea from Masada

Siege Camp King Herod’s residential palace

A solid wall was built surrounding Masada and connected the 8 Roman camps. It was 6 feet thick and 7 miles long and built to prevent escaping. An

estimated 9000 soldiers plus support personnel and slaves conducted the siege. Szoltan discovered the

first Roman siege camps in 1932.

On the northern edge of the steep cliff, with a splendid view, stood the elegant, intimate, private palace-villa of the king. It was separated from the fortress by a wall,

affording total privacy and security. This northern palace consists of three terraces, luxuriously built, with a narrow, rock-cut staircase connecting them. On the

upper terrace, several rooms served as living quarters; in front of them is a semi-circular balcony with two

concentric rows of columns. The rooms were paved with black and white mosaics in geometric patterns.

The Dead Sea

The Dead Sea is located in the Syro-African Rift, a 4000-mile fault line in the earth's crust. The lowest point of dry land on earth is the shoreline of the Dead Sea at 1300 feet below sea level. That the lake is at the lowest point means that water does not drain from this lake. Daily 7 million tons of water evaporates but the minerals

remain, causing the salt content to increase. Figures for the Dead Sea's salinity today range from 26-35%.

Charlie Taylor and David Smith float in the water. The salt content is so high that you can’t sink!

Jerusalem & Gethsemane

East Wall of Jerusalem from Gethsemane Looking across the Kidron Valley

Kidron Valley

Kidron Valley runs between the east wall of Jerusalem along the Temple Mount, and the Mount of Olives, and extends through the Judean desert. The spring of Gihon is located there, the main water source for Jerusalem.

King Hezekiah built a tunnel to bring water into Jerusalem in preparation for the Assyrian siege. King Asa burned the idol made by his grandmother Maacah at the Kidron Brook (1 Kings 15:13), and king Josiah had Hilkiah the

High Priest destroy all the equipment used in the worship of the pagan god Baal, in the fields of the Kidron Valley (2 Kings 23:4). Today, the Valley is a beautiful place to take a walk through the Archaeological Gardens.

The tombs of Absalom, Jehoshaphat, Zechariah, and St. James also are found here.

Garden of Gethsemane Mount of Olives

Adjacent to the Church of All Nations is an ancient olive garden. Olive trees do not have rings and so their age can not be precisely determined, but scholars estimate their age to anywhere between one and two thousand years old. It is unlikely that these trees were here in the time of Christ because of the report that the Romans cut down all the trees in the area in their siege of Jerusalem in 70 A.D.

The Church of All Nations

The Church was built by the Italian architect Antonio Barluzzi between 1919-1924. The name

commemorates the contributions made by many countries to its construction. It is also known as the Basilica of the Agony, in reference to agony Jesus

suffered on the eve of His Passion.

On the site of the present church there was a fourth century Byzantine "elegant" basilica as it is called by the IV century pilgrim Egeria. A new basilica was built

on the site during the Crusader period. Some remnants of the original Byzantine mosaic paving can still be

seen inside the church.

In front of the high altar there is a large fragment of rock on which Jesus is supposed to have prayed the

night before the Passion. The rock is entirely surrounded by a crown of thorns in wrought iron. In the apses there are several mosaics representing Christ in Agony being Consoled by an Angel, The Kiss of Judas

and The Arrest of Jesus.

Church of St. Anne Jerusalem

This church, erected during the first half of the twelfth century, blends admirably traditional Romanesque

features and the architectural principles followed at the time of the Crusades.

It is numbered among the longest preserved sacred places in the city, since according to tradition it arose

over the place where once stood the house of Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Virgin, who is supposed

o have been born here.t

Pools of Bethesda

The Pool of Bethesda is very close to the Church of St. Anne, near the Lions Gate. The imposing

remains of a pool with two baths and five porches confirm the story told in the Gospel according to

John. There was once a gate there called the Sheep Gate, near where a sheep market was held, and animals to be used in the city's sacrifices were

washed in the pool. In this place Jesus performed the healing of a cripple (John, 5:1-9).

Via Dolorosa Jerusalem

1. Christ condemned to death; 2. the cross is laid upon him; 3. His first fall 4. He meets His Blessed Mother; 5. Simon of Cyrene is made to bear the

cross 6. Christ's face is wiped by Veronica; 7. His second fall 8. He meets the women of Jerusalem 9. His third fall 10. He is stripped of His garments 11. His crucifixion 12. His death on the cross 13. His body is taken down from the cross 14. His body is laid in the tomb.

Map of The Via Dolorosa The 14 Stations of the Cross

Via Dolorosa Jerusalem

The Fifth Station

Here, Simon the Cyrenaean helps Jesus carry the Cross.

As they led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene, who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

Luke 23:26

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The tomb in which Jesus was buried and the name of the church built on the traditional site of his Crucifixion and burial. According to the Bible, the tomb was close to the place of Crucifixion (John 19:41-42), and so the church was planned to enclose the site of both cross and tomb.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher lies in the northwest quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem. Constantine the Great first built a church on the site. It was dedicated about AD 336, burned by the Persians in 614, restored by Modestus (the abbot of the monastery of Theodosius, 616-626), destroyed by the caliph al-Hakim Bi-Amr Allah about 1009, and restored by the Byzantine emperor Constantine Monomachus.

In the 12th century the crusaders carried out a general rebuilding of the church. Since that time, frequent repair, restoration, and remodeling have been necessary. The present church dates mainly from 1810. This site has been continuously recognized since the 4th century as the place where Jesus died, was buried, and rose from the dead. Whether it is the actual place, however, has been hotly debated. It cannot be determined that Christians during the first three centuries could or did preserve an authentic tradition as to where these events occurred. Members of the

Christian Church in Jerusalem fled to Pella about AD 66, and Jerusalem was destroyed in AD 70. Wars, destruction, and confusion during the following centuries possibly prevented preservation of exact information.

Inside the Church of The Holy Sepulture

Picture depicting the Anointing of the Body of Christ

Inside the church is a rocky outcropping which is the traditional place where the cross was placed. Archaeological excavations have demonstrated that this site was outside the city but close to one of its gates and thus would have been a good location for a crucifixion. Today this chapel is controlled by the Greek Orthodox Church.

The Edicule

This structure preserves the location of Christ's tomb. Though the cave here was carved away by a Muslim ruler 1000 years ago, a clear history remains that this has been the revered location of the tomb. Al-Hakim's efforts to destroy the tomb (and Christianity) in 1009 were not the first.

Earlier the Roman emperor Hadrian erected a large platform of earth over the whole area for the construction of a temple to Venus. Jerome adds to Eusebius' statement that a statue of Jupiter was on the site for 180 years (140-320 A.D.) When Constantine converted the empire to Christianity, he had the pagan temples dismantled, the earth removed and a church built over the spot.

First-Century Tomb

The best piece of evidence that the tomb of Jesus was in this area is the fact that other first-century tombs are still preserved inside the church. Called the "Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea," these burial shafts (kokhim) are clearly from the time of Christ's death and thus attest to some kind of burial ground in the area. Combined with the evidence from tradition, this church is most likely the true location of the Christ's death and burial.

On the Streets of Jerusalem

The Western Wall of the Temple

The Western Wall in the midst of the Old City in Jerusalem is the section of the Western supporting wall of the Temple Mount which has remained intact since the destruction of the Second Jerusalem Temple (70 C.E.). It became the most sacred spot in Jewish religious and national consciousness and tradition by virtue of its proximity to the Western Wall of the Holy of Holies in the Temple, from which, according to numerous sources, the Divine Presence never departed. It became a center of mourning over the destruction of the Temple and Israel's exile, on the one hand, and of religious - in 20th century also national - communion with the memory of Israel's former glory and the hope for its restoration, on the other. Because of the former association, it became known in European languages as the "Wailing Wall".

Bethany

Bethany is a village about a mile and three quarters east of Jerusalem. It is frequently mentioned in the Gospels (Mark 11:1, Matthew 21:17, Luke 19:29, etc.). According to Christian tradition it was home of the sisters Mary and Martha, with whom Jesus lodged, and the scene of the resurrection of their brother Lazarus after he had been interred for four days (John 11).

At the end of the fourth century, the Byzantines built a church and adjoining monastery at Bethany which was renovated in the following century; it was named after Lazarus, and from this comes the Arabic name of the village, al-Azariyya. During the Crusader period, the church was regarded as the property of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and underwent extensive alterations, but it was destroyed in the sixteenth century and a Greek monastery now stands in its place. The ancient site of the church was apparently near the present Catholic monastery Ras al-Shayyah.

Lazarus’ Tomb

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said. "But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days." Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. Then Jesus looked up and said, "Father, I thank you that you have heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I said this for the benefit of the people standing here, that they may believe that you sent me."

When he had said this, Jesus called in a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet wrapped with strips of linen, and a cloth around his face. Jesus said to them, "Take off the grave clothes and let him go."

Luke 11:38-44

The Church of the Ascension

The Church of the Ascension was built on the site where Jesus was taken up into Heaven (see Acts 1:6-12). The church was built in the fourth century, was destroyed in 614 by the Persians, and was rebuilt in the 12 century by Crusaders. It came back under Moslem control during the 13th century 'holy wars.'

When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Luke 24:50-53

The Dome of the Rock

The plot of land on the elevated stone platform known as Haram Ash-Sharif on Temple Mount, upon which sits

the Dome of the Rock, is particularly sacred. The site was consecrated by the Israelites of Exodus and later, according to Jewish tradition, Prophet Abraham (AS) prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac upon a rock that

protruded from the centre of the platform. Later still, upon the same platform, Solomon erected his temple.

For Christians, in addition to the Old Testament Jewish associations, the Temple Mount was revered because of its place in the life and ministries of Jesus Christ. For Muslims, the rock was sanctified by the story of the

Prophet Muhammad's Miraaj or Night Journey to Jerusalem and then, from the top of the rock, his ascension to Heaven.

The building encloses a huge rock located at its centre, from which in the Jewish tradition this is the Foundation Stone, the symbolic

foundation upon which the world was created, and the place of the Binding of Isaac.

On the Temple Mount, Jerusalem

The Garden Tomb

"After this Joseph Of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took away His body. Nicodemus also, who had at first come to Him by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds' weight. They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, as the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there."

John 19:38-42

The Garden Tomb is one of the two strongest possibilities for the burial place of Jesus Christ after He was crucified at Calvary. It was discovered by Christian Gordon in 1881.

The interior of the tomb measures 14 feet / 4.3 meters wide, 10 feet / 3.0 meters deep and 7½ feet / 2.3 meters high. Only one of the two graves inside appear to have been used, yet it does not appear as though the body had been left there for very long - there are no bones or other signs of natural decomposition.

The interior meets all of the requirements for the account in The Bible - there is room for Peter and John to enter (John 20:3-9), and a place for the two angels to sit when they spoke with Mary of Magdala (John 20:10-18).

The Garden Tomb

An example of a tombstone and the track in which it rolled

Bishop Charlene Payne Kemmerer, Bishop of the Western North Carolina Conference, leading the

worship service at the Garden Tomb Inside the tomb in the garden

Golgotha

Golgotha the common name of the spot where Jesus was crucified. It is interpreted by the evangelists as meaning "the

place of a skull" (Mathew 27:33, Mark 15:22, John 19:17) This name represents in Greek letters the Aramaic word

Gulgaltha, which is the Hebrew Gulgoleth meaning "a skull." It is identical with the word Calvary. It was a little knoll

rounded like a bare skull.

Bethlehem

Manger Square, Outside the Church of the Nativity

Star of Bethlehem

The site that commemorates the birth of Christ is the Church built

here in 385 A.D. by Helena, Constantine's mother. Portions of the floor can still be seen today. The church building found at this

site today was erected by Justinian.

Inside the church is the traditional site of where Jesus was born. In this Catholic church a star has been built to commemorate this event. This can be seen here to

the left.

Model of Jerusalem in the Second Temple Era

The reconstruction of Jerusalem at the time of the Second Temple, on the grounds of the Holyland Hotel in Jerusalem, enables a glimpse at yesterday's scenes. A visit to the site serves as a time tunnel, carrying the

visitor far into A.D. 66, before Jerusalem was ransacked by the Romans.

This unique site, on this magnificent hill, is built to a 1:50 scale with authentic construction materials -

Jerusalem Stone, Marmor, Steel all based upon historical material all meticulously carried out.

Eilat, Israel

Eilat is the last town in Israel before crossing the southern border into Egypt

Mount Sinai

St. Catherine’s Monastery is in the foreground

St. Catherine’s Monastery

St Catherine's monastery sits in this beautiful valley in the shadow of Mt. Sinai, or Gebel Musa (Mountain of Moses) as it is called locally. You can visit the monastery to see the old bones of deceased monks. The monastery is also the place to start the climb up Mt Sinai. We stayed in a village a couple miles from the

monastery and rose in the wee hours to start the climb. It was just starting to get light when we set out and was really quite cold up here in the clear mountain air.

St. Catherine's Monastery was constructed by order of the Emperor Justinian between 527 and 565.

On the Road in Egypt

We went under the Suez Canal Dad at the Suez Canal

The Nile River Cairo

We took one of these boats and cruised around on the Nile

Cairo, Egypt

The city of Cairo covers an area of more than 175 square miles, though it is difficult to separate the city from some of its immediate suburbs. Bracketed by the desert to the east, south, and west and bounded by the fertile Nile delta to the north, Cairo sits astride the river, though it spreads farther on the east bank than the west. Cairo also includes several river islands, which play an important role in the life of the city. As the region's principal commercial, administrative, and tourist center, Cairo contains many cultural institutions, business establishments, governmental offices, universities, and hotels, which together create a dense pattern of constant activity.

Traffic congestion is a growing problem in Cairo.

The Great Sphinx

The Great Sphinx is to the northeast of Chephren's Valley Temple. Where it sits was once a quarry. Chephren's workers shaped the stone into the lion and gave it their king's face over 4,500 years ago. The

sphinx faces the rising sun with a temple to the front which resembles the sun temples which were built later by the kings of the 5th Dynasty. The figure was buried for most of its life in the sand. King Thutmose IV (1425

- 1417 BC) placed a stela between the front paws of the figure. It describes when Thutmose, while still a prince, had gone hunting and fell asleep in the shade of the sphinx. During a dream, the sphinx spoke to

Thutmose and told him to clear away the sand because it was choking the sphinx. The sphinx told him that if he did this, he would be rewarded with a kingship. Thutmose carried out this request and the sphinx held up

his end of the deal.

The sphinx is built of soft sandstone and would have disappeared long ago had it not been buried for so long. The body is 200 feet (60m) in length and 65 feet (20m) tall. The face of the sphinx is 13 feet (4m) wide and its eyes are 6 feet (2m) high. Part of the uraeus (sacred cobra), the nose and the ritual beard are now missing. . The beard from the sphinx is displayed in the British Museum. The statue is crumbling today because of the wind, humidity and the smog from Cairo. Attempts to restore it have often caused more harm than good. No

one can be certain who the figure is to personify. It is possible that it is Chephren. If that is so, it would then be the oldest known royal portrait in such large scale. Some say that it was built after the pyramid of Chephren was complete. It may have been set as a sort of scarecrow to guard his tomb. Still others say it is the face of his guardian deity, rather than Chephren himself. The image of the sphinx is a depiction of royal power. Only

a pharaoh or an animal could be shown this way, with the animal representing a protective deity.

Rug Factory and Outlet Store South of Cairo

Museum at the Village of Mit Rahina

The Colossus of Ramesses II Mit Rahina

The Colossus of Ramesses is an enormous statue carved in limestone. It is about 33.8 feet long, even though it has no feet, and is located near the village of Mit Rahina. A small museum has been built to

house this magnificent piece. The fallen colossus was found near the south gate of the temple of Ptah, located about 100 feet from the huge limestone statue of Ramesses.

The Pyramids The Giza Plateau

When it was built, the Great pyramid was 145.75 m (481 ft) high. Over the years, it lost 10 m (30 ft) off its top.

It ranked as the tallest structure on Earth for more than 43 centuries, only to be surpassed in height in the nineteenth century AD. It was covered with a casing of stones to smooth its surface (some of the casing can still be seen near the top of Khefre's pyramid). The sloping angle of its sides is 54 degrees 54 minutes. Each side is carefully oriented with one of the cardinal points of the compass, that is, north, south, east, and west. The horizontal cross section of the pyramid is square at any level, with each side measuring 229 m (751 ft) in

length. The maximum error between side lengths is astonishingly less than 0.1%.

Giza

Taba, Egypt

View of The Red Sea from our room at the Taba Hilton

With its five star hotels, Taba is a meeting of borders. It overlooks Jordan, Israel and Saudi Arabia, and Egypt has major plans for this area as a tourism center. It currently has good restaurants and beach cafes,

and the border can be crossed on foot, with bus service into Eilat.

Pharaoh's Island, crowned by a Crusader fortress. This fortress was begun in 1170 by Salah ad-Din, and

has recently been resorted.