Founders

I visited David Ben-Gurion's house, Independence Hall, the original City Hall which has displays about the origin of the city, the Museum of the Diaspora/ a history of the Jewish people - not all on the same day, fortunately! The challenges and energy, bravery and vision of this place is a grand epic. There are so many attributes - the people in this land - that I am hopeful about resolutions to the problems they face.

Contrasts

If Jerusalem is a city of cats, Tel Aviv is a city for dogs and their owners. If Jerusalem is ancient with history that spirals, Tel Aviv is so new that it has photographs of nearly everything since it started (one exception being Canaanite ruins 2500BCE - but they have nothing to do with this city). If in Jerusalem one hears Arabic frequently, in Tel Aviv it is French, German, English etc along with Hebrew. Museums in Jerusalem invariably have religious themes - in
Tel Aviv the message is the building of Israel. Jerusalem is glowing sandstone exteriors; Tel Aviv has 2000+ Bauhaus residential buildings - in 1900 there were 3,000 residents. By 1930 there were 30,000! The Bauhaus/International Style is omnipresent - and provides the backround new construction. Tel Aviv University is a palate for 20th C architectural giants. Old Jerusalem wraps up its activities soon after dark; I've been told you can dance and party in Tel Aviv all night - I've heard the music. Galleries and graffiti, house museums of authors and poets, creativity is close at hand. Both cities are worth visiting, for sure. They give expression to dualities that challenge the people in this land.

A Nearly Perfect Day

Shabbat in Tel Aviv - no buses running, only the sheruts/cabs and streets are quiet. I headed for the Art Museum, found the impressive building, paid my fee and viewed many Impressionist and modern Israeli paintings, sculpures and installations. Tension and life! Accessible and challenging. Just before the museum closed, I bought a piece of cheesecake - and walking back to the hostel, stopped in a park to eat. It was like a fantasy: trees, flowers, blue sky, swifts darting high, pigeons, a pond: couples conversing, riding bikes, boys playing noisily with a ball,a toddler throwing pebbles into the water, a gentleman throwing bread to the carp and turtles, attendant with an elderly person in a wheelchair, a man pushing a stroller, and a couple that greeted me "Shabbat Shalom" and sat next to me on the bench. I think this was a view of the Good Life - like an interactive art installment.
I came back to my room, changed into my swimsuit and headed 2 blocks to the beach. The water was warmish and I could bob and relax - no big waves.
As I walked back into the hostel, the girl at the desk said I had a call from my son - "Hi Mom - let's get Clarissa on the phone and sing Happy Birthday to her!" which is what we did. About as close to a perfect day as I can imagine.

Jaffa/Yafo/Joppa

Another beautiful day - up to 24 C. From Greek mythology (Perseus rescues Andromeda) to Jonah being swallowed by a fish after leaving this port, Jaffa has ancient history. It was the seaport between Alexandria on Africa's northern shore and the East/Orient. It was fought over and conquered by Egypt in 1468 BCE when soldiers hid in clay pots/ gifts to the Princess brought inside the city walls. King David took it around 1000 BCE from the Philistines, and it was the main Judean port until King Herod built Cesarea. The Apostle Peter had a vision here about inclusion of Gentiles/lifting dietary laws. Crusaders made an appearance in the 12th C.; Napoleon arrived around 1800 and was given hospitality by a Jewish family - but for most of modern history, this was an Arab city. Jews left here to start Tel Aviv - but in 1948 many Arabs fled conflict and the ruined area was officially made part of Tel Aviv's municipality. In the late 1960's a restoration was begun and the rundown ruins transformed into today's artist/tourist/residential area along the Mediterranean. I joined a guided tour by a city resident who loves the mixture of people and the redevlopment efforts. She took our group through back alleys and opened our eyes to historic features. I stayed in the port and had a lovely fish dinner; walked down to the regentrification area in Adjamai; visited the Franciscan Church; admired the art in public places and enjoyed this place that so many have coveted. Evidently a multi-millionaire Muslim family from here exports pita bread to Massachusetts. So many cultural connections! I walked back to my hostel along the sea - got my swimsuit and went swimming/wave bobbing - ahhh.

Haifa - II

As I was saying, there is a cave in the church under the altar - Elijah's cave for Christians(...also by tradition a place where the holy family with Jesus hid from King Herod). But my guide book said that Elijah's cave was down the hill, so I started walking on a rough path - and lo and behold, the Jewish site of Elijah's cave! There were several members of the Jewish faith praying, men on one side and women on the other - this is one of the holiest sites in Israel, and it is hard to find. Then I went looking for the "Clandestine Immigration and Navy Museum" at the foot of the mountain (having planned to get out of the sun and learn about Israel in its own words) but because I was not with a group and could not speak Hebrew - the young men at the door asked for my passport - which was in Tel Aviv - and I was not able to enter the museum. I was very disappointed, as my guidebook had not suggested a problem like this. I caught a bus, wandered around trying to find the Bahai Gardens - THE tourist destination in Haifa - and finally found them/ 18 beautifully groomed terraces/ I was standing at the bottom and decided not to go into the ground, just peak through the fence. Decided to eat lunch and regroup - went to a restaurant in the German Colony (buildings constructed by Christian German Zionists who came to Palestine in the late 1800's beinging improved methods of transportation and agriculture to the land). Asked at the Tourist Office if the University museam was within walking distance, and the staff person laughed at me - "It will be closed by the time you get there!" and then turned to answer someone else's question. O K A Y Somehow I was missing Haifa's charm. So I decided to try one more thing - take the Carmelit/funicular/metro to the high class district on the mountaintop for the view of the harbor and coastline. It was striking - amd I decided to walk down and down and down, which was interesting for the architecture and obvious Russian Jewish area I was passing through. Closer to the harbor,the housing is very poor - mostly Arab Christians, I think. Tired but satisfied, I took the train and bus back to the hostel. A day in Haifa was enough.

Haifa

Haifa is a newer city - 19th C. many buildings, 20th C. for the port. But like everywhere else, it has an ancient past. I spent the day there, beginning with a train ride up the coast from Tel Aviv - about $7. Then got a taxi to the top of Mt. Carmel - of biblical fame as the place where Elijah hid in a cave from Queen Jezebel - this would be 3,500+ years ago. So those early Christians decided to come here and become hermits (12th C. Crusader era), but the Christian pilgrims wouldn't leave them alone - so they started a monastery for hospitality and became the Order of Carmelites - which had a rugged time when the Turks came into power and destroyed the chapel; which was rebuilt in time to extend hospitality to Napoleon in 1799 - but he lost - so the monastery was destroyed again. The current building dates to
1836. Sorry - it looks like the computer can't figure out if I am typing Engish or Hebrew.

Next stage

I am feeling hopeful now - and sorry that I have missed blogging for a few days - no access to computer. Now I am in Tel Aviv, and my travelling companions these past 10 days have scattered, but not without making plans to work for an end to the military occupation of the West Bank. We spent several days talking with Israelis who we can support.
"Combatants for Peace" is a growing organization of men and women, former members of the Israeli Defense Force and the Palestanian resistance who no longer believe force will bring a solution. They are creative, energetic and committed to doing things a new way. Their stories are poignant.
We met Palestinians who have been evicted from their homes, articulate women from a neighborhood that borders a growing Orthodox Jewish area in East Jerusalem (disputed territory). About 16 families have recently been affected on two streets - they had been up-rooted from their homes in West Jerusalem in 1948 and the Jordanians gave them these houses. They were forcibly moved, their furniture taken out, and that same day settlers moved in. We attended a demonstration in support of their cause, attended by about 200 - I held a sign in Hebrew saying "Stop Israeli policies that are racist." This particular location is organized every Friday, so the police, IDF, displaced persons, and demonstrators know the routine. Young boys come and sell beverages. The crowd is orderly, all ages, lots of international included. I talked to two Israelis that had formerly lived in Ohio! They both believe the house-grab actions taken by their goverment are wrong. I also talked to a diplomat and a Fulbright scholar - quite a mix of people seeking change.
Jeff Halper of the Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions took us on a walking tour of an older Jewish neighborhood, explaining Zionist motives and history. Then we heard a riveting 2 hour overview by an economist about how Israel's policies have intensified every decade since the 6-day war (1967)- and the expense of the occupation both to Israel and the international community - I kid you not, he made it interesting! After supper, an artist/psycho-therapist who helped organize "Women in Black" talked to us about the way the Israeli activists support one another. These women have held weekly vigils since 1993 and also been observers at check points.
The Presbyterian General Assembly will take up these issues in July, and I know this trip has given me valuable insights to share.

Military Occupation

What is it like in the West Bank where the Israel military controls the largest proportion of the territory - Area C? (Area A - under Palestine Authority totally; Area B - under Palestine civic governance but Israel oversight; Area C - Israel military control- according to the Oslo Accords). Jewish Israeli citizens must have a pass to enter, and few bother to come over the border from Israel - unless they are assigned as military personnel. Commerce is extremely difficult. Whenever stopped by the military, Palestinian citizens must be able to produce a paper showing they have a reason to be there even if it is their home. To go from one community to another means passing military checkpoints - and one can be detained for quite a while with no reason given. Any breaking of military law is subject to military detention and military courts. Any portion of the land can be closed off for security reasons at any time. If one is Palestinian, one must receive permission for any housing construction/addition - and this is frequently denied. If one is Palestinian, one must be able to show proof of ownership of the land - with documents - from before 1948. If this is missing, the military can clear the land by demolishing any construction and sell if to a Jewish family. Seldom are Palestinians allowed to buy new property; sometimes Palestinians sell to a third party and only later learn that it is being inhabited by Israeli settlers. Large tracts of land are consolidated and developed for Israeli settlers, some of whom move into nicely constructed "settlements" for economic advantage - and some of whom move to odd locations within Arab communities for ideological reasons. Settlements are strategically established to surround East Jerusalem and constrict Arab towns. Every settler is entitled to security protection by the IDF - Israel Defense Force - who will do nothing if a settler is disturbing the peace or trespassing on Palestinian land. Many settlements are provided with special roads that will take them into Jerusalem/Israel without passing through Palestinian settlements, and land/houses are taken from Palestinians to accomodate this. Sometimes these road cut through a Palestinian village, and the local people are not allowed on them - they can be detained. If a village is Bedouin, it will not have government-provided schools or health care. No permanent buildings are permitted - all have demolition orders. Water and electricity may be provided to a nearby Israeli settlement - but none will be made available to the Bedouins. Are you getting a picture? Everything possible is being done to keep a growing number of Israeli settlements (illegal according to international law) separate from the Palestinian population. The reality on the ground is bizarre, almost unbelievable. There is no balance of power, no equality. A Palestinian cannot fly out of Ben Gurion airport; they have to go into Jordan. If they need medical care in Jerusalem, they have to get an authorized pass to travel there...sometimes too late. Students who must pass through checkpoints will be late for class; many have lost jobs because of travel difficulties and not getting permits renewed.
If you want to know more, send me a comment or email and I'll suggest some webpages, including the UN. Look at a map of Israel - the "disputed territory" is where Palestinians and President Obama and I/human rights advocates want to end the occupation.

Palestinian voices

I am about to report on two VERY FULL days of visits with individuals who are strong advocates for justice. The last person was Sam Bahour, an American born in Youngstown, Ohio, who is Palestinian, married to a Palestinian, with two teen girls and all live in Ramallah. He is a business consultant and realist/writer on relations with America. He has been a force in economic development and is a supporter of a growing international movement for boycott, divestment from Israel companies until the occupation of the West Bank is ended. Now that was a loaded sentence and phrases I've learned about during trips into Palestinian cities and the countryside.
We visited Ata who lives close to settlers who regularly threaten his family. We visited the Christian Peacemakers Team in the Old City of Hebron - and my eyes could pick out the ring of settlements (400 Jewish settlers embedded in a city of many thousands). Then we heard from two family members who have set up a Tent of Nations on the top of a hill (their family land), for a children's camp and touchpoint for internationals who wish to show solidarity with peace and justice. Tired as we were, the conversation with Sami Awad, Director of the Holy Land Trust, was riveting as he talked about leadership and community empowerment and understanding the needs of the "other side." In no case was hatred for Jews evident - but identifying political practices of Israel that are destructive to Palestinian people and telling firsthand stories of incredible inequity - yes, I too will call the conditions in the West Bank an occupation by a foreign power.
On Wednesday (today) we went to Ramallah which is a cultural and political center for Palestinians. We heard from Defense for Chilren International about children in prison, recruited as informants, and used as shields for soldiers. Again settler violence was described and depicted in film. And we met with a PLO staff person in the Negotiating Support Unit - to hear about and ask questions about PLO perspectives and dynamics. This fellow was born in Australia from refugee Palestinian parents. The men who have returned to this country to serve are very impressive and persuasive. What they say reinforces what we have seen.

Bethlehem - different perspective

I have the good fortune to be in Bethlehem to learn a second time. I did walk into the historic church and lay my hand at the spot which is venerated as the birthplace of Jesus. I have also seen historic photos of this place, and realize it was really a small village, with donkeys and camels and simple people stirring around 150+ years ago - long after the orthodox religious folks began minding the place. The blowing dust is impressive today - blotting out the vistas. I also had time to wander, to get bandages purchased by the piece from a roll, to shop at the women's embroidery cooperative, and see the Lutheran Church which is a mission partner with Ohio Valley Presbytery.
But then there's the other part of the day: students from Bethlehem University speaking about the difficulties of paying fees and getting to class from Jerusalem throught the checkpoint. A professor said - if they are late - don't blame everything onthe occupation! In other words, you know to start early from home, to adapt, to be strong. The university has a heritage exhibit/collection to remind young people that Palestinian heritage is rich with art and versatility. Some of the impressive art is on the wall surrounding the city, making it an "open prison." Sometimes the wall separated a shop owner from his home - always it cut off customers.Our broup met the director of BADIL, a refugee advocacy NGO and heard about their sense that justice will only come through one democratic nation, where all can share land and resources. Most Palesinian refugees live in the diaspora - beyond the borders of the WEst Bank. We visited some who are second and third generation in Dheisheh Refugee Camp -set up by the UN after 1948. It is regularly entered by IDF - Israeli Defense Forces. Unemployment is 60% In an area set up initially for temporary tents, there are now 13,000 residents - the larges of 3 refugee camps in Bethlehem's territory. It is sobering and also inspiring - as the people build new stories on their homes for expanding family - and children attend school - and people walked along with our hosts and greeted us, perhaps glad they are not forgotten by the internationals...as we are called here. There were flowers planted, water tanks shared, and graffiti naming young men in prison who are remembered.

Jerusalem with different eyes

I have successfully met up with my travelling companions for the next phase of my travels. This is a group led by a Brit who works with the Israel Committee Against Housing Demolitions (there is an ICAHD US affiliate also). There are 12 of us from the US, Wales, England - one other Presbyterian (layperson from Santa Barbara), all interested in getting an up-close view of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, most have human rights background, most have not been in Israel before. We got settled into our Bethlehem hotel and heard from the manager about the flux in tourism - their #1 income source - according to political realities. This city is on the southeast doorstep of Jerusalem, but it is separated and nearly encircled by the (in)famous wall. I have a nice room, and meals are served on the top 4th floor with panoramic views of the area.
We began the day at the headquarters of ICAHD- and then walked through the Old City looking at the intentional placement of Jewish settlements in the Muslim Quarter. The history of the Jewish Quarter and the economics of the Old City are complex too. After lunch, we looked over the city at the winding wall and our guide talked about rationales for the zigging boundary - keep the most land in West Jerusalem and the least Palestinians, basically the larger strategy in line drawing. Saw the contrast of basic city services in West and East Jerusalem, also drowe into a settlement for a look/ quite modern and landscaped. One country or two? Arguments for both - sorry, I'm pretty tired and there was a whole lot of information to absorb. Fortunately, I have materials to bring home. We had a Palestinian dinner at the site where a Palestinian home has been demolished three times...and heard from the landowners. It is next to a Bedouin encampment, on the edge of Anata...a very poor Muslim town, which the prophet Jeremiah called home. His word from God seems to apply: I am not interested in your sacrifices when justice is not done to the poor. A very rich day of uncovering another layer.

Traveling

Finished at the dig site - have a certificate to prove it! which is helpful when the security at the airport ask what you've been doing in Israel. I took a taxi to the bus station in Tiberias - the driver wanted to drive me all the way to Tel Aviv airport for 400 NIS then 200 NIS - about $40 - special price - so he could pick up new arrivals there - but of course, I am not yet leaving the country. Caught a bus to Jerusalem. The country is so small (about the land mass of Massachusetts) that I recognize some familiar landmarks along the highways. The typical route goes around the West Bank; at one point the dividing wall is visible and I counted 11 minarets in the town on the other side. I am glad that I didn't try to rent a car - it's expensive and I haven't grasped the local rules - such as why police were casually patrolling with their lights flashing. On the toll roads, they photograph the license plate and bill by mail - no stopping. The Egged buses are very nice, air-conditioned, travelled by families and old and young people, foreigners and orthodox Jews, and lots of soldiers who show a pass and ride for free - with their rifles. The only problem is that around 5 p.m. on Friday they stop running because of Shabbat - until Saturday evening. Because I am meeting my next travel group on Saturday at 5 p.m. - I had to get to Jerusalem today, even though there wouldn't be much to see - because of Shabbat! I have had an easy day and picked up supper early at a market. No complaints. My room is in the Old City, and I have been people watching. By the time you mix customary dress of Orthodox Jews and Orthodox Christians with Muslims and modern teens, it's fascinating.

Dig III

Today I spent my time washing pottery - getting the dirt off piece by piece by scrubbing with a brush. It is done one bucket at a time; each bucket is tagged according to its location at the dig; most of the fragments are pottery shards but mixed in and sorted are bits of bone, shells, terrazo/mosaic or marble pieces of flooring, and occasionally a coin. The latter are placed in plastic bags and labeled. The pottery is soaked in water overnight, so this is a cool job sitting in the shade playing with water and mud. My favorite piece was a hunk of a Roman lamp.
There are people entering data into computers, bagging and sorting the few pottery pieces that will be saved. making drawings, and marking out the grid with surveying instruments for the next phase - which goes next week and then this fall. It seems a slow, labor intensive process. I will always appreciate in a new way the "ruins" I see in the future.
For the archeologists, the pottery is a language. It tells the approximate age of a dig level - our square in the site was lowered each day by 10-15 cm - the dirt sifted in one bucket out of 5. We did find a hunk of romanesque cornice, but then nothing more. Other squares found walls, flooring and architectural details. The site director thinks this was the courtyard area of a mosque. Finally the dirt was not sifted and at day's end our particular square hole was shut down.
There's an egret rookery off in the distance, white birds clustered in a couple trees. Two hungry female dogs wandered through - they have litters somewhere. Only portions of the site will be preserved; places like this are discovered in so many parts of Israel, whenever sewer lines or foundations for new buildings are being dug. Tiberias literally has pieces of pillars and Crusader era walls strewn about in every direction...tangible proof of powers that have come and gone. I find it humbling.

Field trip

Wednesday afternoon - the whole group headed by taxi around the south end of the Sea of Galilee - across the Jordan River (which is about 15 feet wide here) - up the dry hillside to the ruins of Sucita (Hyppos) - one of the decopolis, established originally as a Greek/Roman administrative center for the region. More recently, this was a military outpost for the Israeli army from 1948-1967 when Israel secured the Golan Heights. (I think if the US ARmy were stationed on top of ancient ruins, there wouldn't be much left to see - no offense). The original Roman roads, cistern and water system, reused remnants from temples that were incorporated into 4 byzantine churches (5-6th C.) and lots of interesting archeological elements are just sitting around, no security, no fence except to keep visitors away from potential mine fields. Great birds, strange plants. It's really incredible - pillars of granite hauled up the mountain, coming all the way from Egypt. Human beings do impressive work when they are determined. This town would have existed in Jesus' time - but we know of no connection with him. However, the winding road does connect the Sea of Galilee with Damascus - so perhaps Paul's encounter with Jesus occurred somewhere along this route.
Wednesday evening - lovely dinner, well-seasoned food - I skipped the salad bar - at the Scot Hotel. Rev. Colin kept the conversation interesting - comparing his assignment in Tiberias with his prior pastorate in Zambia. Memorable to be served on the outdoor patio by staff he knew by name.
Tiberias is in a great setting, except it is HOT already - I can't imagine it in July. While there are many Orthodox Jews who vacation here, it has a very secular feel with the tourist venues, shops, and eateries. It would feel quite isolated before the invention of the auto/bus due to the mountains ringing the lake.

Dig - Day II

4:30 a.m. came WAY too early today, but the birds are up and a nice breeze is blowing in from the Sea of Galilee, across the street form the hotel and the dig. I again mostly sifted and emptied buckets of dirt into a wheelbarrow. But I also got to handle coins including a quarter - a 1/4 piece of cut coin. In our square after much work - a lot by the Arab Israeli hired help - we discovered a buried cornice with Roman-era decor. It's comparable to the thrill of the hunt! Had an interesting conversation with a Greek Orthodox theology student - their New Testament is not translated... Also got a tour of the lay-out of our excavation - which is probably a mosque/ on top of one of the 16 synagogues that were one time in Tiberias. When Rome expelled the Jews from Jerusalem @ 110 AD, the Sanhedrin met here - and the city was about 40,000 (same as today). Okay - enough of that - It's just that I visited one of the synagogue ruins this afternoon with a great mosaic floor, featuring a zodiac with Hebrew labels with a Greek deity in the center - is that crazy?
There have been tourists to the hot springs since before Joshua entered the Promised Land. It's why Herod Antiapas built Tiberius here in 20 AD. So in honor of that rich heritage, I spent a couple hours at the modern Hot Springs - two warm pools and one normal, overlooking the waterfront. In general, it was another world though I did hear one person speak English. Relaxing, humm, will sleep well tonight. I hope you do too!

First day at a dig

There are 12 volunteers and 4 staff at our worksite which is sponsored by Hebrew University. We begin the day at 5 a.m. in the restaurant with cake and coffee and then walk to the site. Watching the sun rise over the Sea of Galilee was a beautiful experience. As a novice, it took me a bit of time to fit in. I ended up mostly sifting - which means that as a floor is dug up and the fill put in buckets, Matt and I sift 1 bucket out of 4, looking for pieces of pottery, glass, bone and shells. (Matt is my 7th Day Adventist friend.) Then we wheelbarrow the remains away. The staff measure and photograph every level; another volunteer makes drawings, another washes, counts and sorts the found pieces. There are 3 "rooms" of a mosque from the Byzantine period; I handled pottery from Roman times - I started out energetically - but was very grateful for the breakfast break at 9 a.m. and the fruit break at 11:30 and the ending at 1 p.m. by which time I was mostly observing..though I did help pick up tools. It's very warm, windy and sunny. I do remember walking back to the hotel and can say that having a cool shower waiting was my incentive. I'm beat!!!
My room has beds for three, a kitchenette, a balcony and Television - so come and visit me! Finally caught up on some news from the U.S. (exposives in Time Square, oil slick in the Gulf). Nothing bad from Ohio or Indiana... sending my love and prayers to you.

Sunday - amazing people

I really did think about going to churcc, and I did start the day with breakfast at the table with a Southern Baptist pastor, wife and two young sons who stayed at the same hostel. We had a very lively, cordial conversation - he stammered quite noticeably and I learned that he now teaches religion courses on-line for a living and is quite happy with the arrangement. They were all cheerful and happy to be heading to Jerusalem that day. I, on the other hand, had engaged a guide to drive me to Megiddo - the hill and site of at least 30 settlements from the stone age onward...and the biblical location for the ultimate fight between good and evil aka Armegeddon. Not exactly a cheerful theme, but interesting nonetheless for the conquerors who had come and gone at this hill, the last being about 500 years ago. This excavation is considered the cradle of biblical archeology, since digging began here in the 1920's. My Arab Christian guide let me wander - this is a national park - and picked me up at the other end after I had descended 280 steps through the water system - this being the reason human beings settled here in the first place.
Gabi the Gude has a brother named Pele - because the great soccer player Pele visited Nazareth, his father met him, and promised to name his first son after the athlete. They love socccer, wake up at odd times in the night to watch the World Cup on TV - and soccer is why so many Brasilian flags are flying in Nazareth.
I managed to haul my gear on the bus and arrive safely at my next hotel in Tiberias. Taking to the shoreline, I strolled past the Scottish church just as the pastor was walking out. Rev. Colin responded to my question - where is the famous Scot (5-star) Hotel by taking me to the grounds and showing me around. Then we had a cup of tea...and we have a "date" for dinner on Wednesday in the ritzy restaurant. He also said that the person who manages Nazareth Village was in town - She and I and my guide Nancy from there had a very delightful conversation in the watch tower of the hotel (the facility was originally a hospital). That provided additional insight into the Nazareth scene.
At 6:45 the people working on the dig this week hiked out to the site and had a bonfire and (strange) supper of potatoes, tomatoes, pita, etc. and I sat between a youth pastor from Canada who is in seminary and a Seventh Day Adventist medical school student from N. Carolina. We talked with Katarina, an 18-year old Portuguese (literally) world traveller who had just come to Israel by way of Nepal and India. She speaks fluent English because her dad is English. One more person to add to the day Carrie, a 64-year old resident of Jerusalem who grew up in Chicago and came to this country in 1968 to join a kibbutz and never left. So you can understand that Israel is a magnet for all kinds of people - a beautiful mixed salad!

Akko - Crusader's city

On the Mediterranean coast is an ancient city - Akko or Acre as it was known to the Crusaders. Google it if you want to know the history. I went to see it by bus from Nazareth on Friday - an interesting route through several small towns - many displaying rooftop flags of various nationalities...a lot of Brazilians around! Back to Akko, the Old City is a UNESCO Heritage Site. It is walled, fortified with a massive citadel built when the Crusaders used it for their headquarters. It fell into disuse, filled with sand, and was reinhabited by Al-Jasser, an Arab caliph some 200 years ago. The surface has buildings he had constructed to build up his wealth and authority - including a turkish bathhouse. Underneath, the Crusader fortifications have been "discovered" and dug out in more recent years, along with an extensive tunnel system. A huge hospital for crusaders was established, to care for the ill after their long trip and the injured from fighting. The determination of powerful men to leave their mark is incredible. Napolean was defeated here so never got a foothold Palestine. Later some large rooms were used by the British to hold Jewish rebels prior to 1948... so fighting in subsequent generations is commemorated, but today its a rather dusty, harbor town - with people living in the history for real. An art gallery, the fishing boats, a good shwarma sandwich and fresh citrus drink, catching the return bus by 2:45 because of Shabbat - the buses stop at sunset. A rather wierd experience, all in all.

Nazareth II

It has become a luxury to have extended time in Nazareth - not so many tourist buses here, though plenty of souvenir vendors. Breakfast included pita pizza/ cheese, herbs, vegetables and an omlet, coffee, fruit, olives/hummus. Most of the sites of interest are in walking distance - tried the local sweets - yummy. A place called Nazareth Village has been developed in the past 10 years (I had visions of Bible school) but it is effective in a quietly researches and authentic way - the actors are, after all, local men, women and children. The location belongs to the English-founded hospital and is adjacent to the YMCA and is established by local people (and a foundation in Mishewaka, Indiana!) The scenes are related to parables - winnowing wheat, a wime press, the carpenter's house, etc. The man who had the idea noticed that many tourists were coming to town looking for a way to connect with Jesus - and only saw the fancy churches and middle eastern architecture - so here is his idea, well researched, and not pushing any particular flavor of Christianity.
I also found the synagogue/church - where a Byzantine church was built over the site of the oldest synagogue - maybe a location for Jesus' sermon where "a prophet is not accepted in his own town." He was, after all, the son of Joseph, so the townspeople did not expect him to say that prophecies were fulfilled in their hearing."
The Fauzi Azar Inn, where I am staying, is managed by a young man who has helped establish The Jesus Trail - a four-day walk between Nazareth and Capernaum on the Sea of Galilee - they can transport luggage and arrange low-cost accomodations along the route. If I'd known about it earlier, I think I would have given it a try. Something about walking along streams, through fields on a marked trail, with the wildlife, is appealing in the springtime.
So I'm glad I did not miss Nazareth. This evening will be cool and relaxed. I am sleeping on a lower bunk in a "mixed" dorm with 10 beds. Earplugs come in handy. The bathroom is clean and convenient. The price is right.