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Israel and Palestine
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February 2022

Israel and Palestine

A 27-day adventure by skip's retirement travel Read more
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    February 2, 2022
    skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelIsrael and Palestine

    Old City

    February 2, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C

    Here is a 1st glance at the Old City of Jerusalem. I will be back visiting this area a number of times while here. So I expect there to be a number of additional posts.
    The 1st picture is the Jaffa gate and some of the ancient city walls. This gate dates to the Ottoman period and was constructed during the rebuilding of the city walks in the 16th century.
    The 2nd picture is the Tower of David or the Citadel. This is now a museum, but was built as a fortification. This structure only dates to the Mamluk period, but it is built on the foundations of older fortifications dating back thousands of years.
    The 3rd picture is along David Street, the main street in the Arab Shuq. The 4th picture looks into a restaurant on David Street to show what the shop spaces in this part of the old city look like.
    The 5th picture is the Western Wall, sometimes called the Wailing Wall, one of the holiest places in Judaism. This is the retaining wall built by Herod to created the platform on which his work on the 2nd temple was built. So it is more thane 2,000 years old. It is a profoundly spiritual place where prayers are arising 24/7.
    The last picture is the entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or the Church of the Resurrection, as the Palestinian Christians call it. This will have its own posts soon.    Read more

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    Jerusalem overlook

    February 3, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ☀️ 14 °C

    For a 1st post from Jerusalem, here's a series of photos taken from the top of the tower at the YMCA Three Arches Hotel. I would have taken a continuous panorama, but the balcony isn't continuous: each of the 4 sides has an individual door and balcony.
    The 1st pictures look towards the old city (see what will probably be multiple posts). The pictures look around the tower, moving in a counterclockwise direction.
    My 1st impressions of being here are an interesting sense of comfort. I feel comfortable here. I've enjoyed the scale of the place, the diversity of people, traditions and cultures, the history and the food.
    One of the joys of travel is meeting up with travel friends. I enjoyed a beer with an Israeli friend I met at Uluru in Australia.
    I'll be in country for almost a month. Stay tuned.    Read more

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    The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

    February 4, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    This is the traditional site of Jesus'crucifixion, tomb and resurrection. Helena, Constantine's mother, identified this as the site based on oral traditions and information she received. She caused the original church to be built. While originally this was several chapels all near each other, today it is a single building that incorporates the area from Golgotha to the tomb with it's different elevations.
    The 1st picture is upstairs on the higher ground of Golgotha where the crucifixion took place. Under the altar table where someone is kneeling is said to be the actual rocky outcrop where the cross was placed. That and to either side appear to have 3 notches to hold the uprights of the crosses.
    The 2nd picture is down one level and is said to be the spot where Jesus was prepared for the tomb after being taken down from the cross. The marble slab here is not original as the original was being chipped away by pilgrims. This is located immediately inside the main entrance with the mosaic in the 3rd picture behind it. This mosaic follows Jesus as he is taken from the cross, prepared for burial and carried to the tomb.
    The 4th picture is the Aedicula that sits atop the tomb site. It is a small structure that has, like the church itself, been damaged and renovated many times.
    Inside the Aedicula is the tomb shown on n the 5th picture. I had the unusual opportunity for a private visit. The marble slab is not original. It, too was placed to stop damage by pilgrims. However, during the recent renovation, they found the original limestone shelf to be in tact under the marble.
    The last picture is in another of the chapels included in the building.    Read more

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    Ramallah

    February 5, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ 🌧 5 °C

    Ramallah is a small city not far from Jerusalem that serves as the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority. It is said that the Mediterranean is visible from here, but not today in the fog.
    The 1st 3 pictures are in Arafat Square. The center of the square or traffic circle is a water feature with a flagpole. The 2nd picture is a close up of that flag pole showing the sculpture of a young man climbing toward the Palestinian flag. It is said to represent the Palestinian people's struggling for a home. The 3rd picture is a close up of the lower part of the column with the flagpole/sculpture above.
    The 4th picture is lion square, so called because of the 4 lions in the center. They are just visible peeking over the canvas barrier in the center. They represent the 4 families of the 4 sons of the founder of the city. If you blow up the photo and look to the right, you'll see a green sign that might look sorta familiar. 😉
    The last 2 pictures are Yasser Arafat's tomb. If you look to the left of the mausoleum, you can make out the presidential office. Arafat's will says he is to be buried in Jerusalem. All the stone in the mausoleum and sarcophagus is from Jerusalem, at least temporarily meeting his final request.    Read more

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    Jericho

    February 5, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ 🌧 15 °C

    Jericho has several important distinctions. It is acknowledged as the oldest city in the world, dating back 11,000 years. It has the oldest city or protective wall. That's the one Joshua and company are said to have destroyed. It sits at the lowest elevation, 260 meters below sea level, of any city.
    Most of the pictures are taken at Tell es-Sultan, the archaeological site at the 1st permanent settlement here. The 1st picture is at the edge of the archaeological site. The prophet, Elisha, is said to have made unusable water here become potable. An adjacent pump house still sends water from this spring to the city. The 2nd picture looks down into what is known as trench 1 of the archaeological site. The bottom dates back to about 9,000 BCE. The round stone structure in the center is a silo.
    The next 3 pictures are all of the archaeology. The 3rd picture looks across part of the site and over a bit of modern Jericho to Jordan across the river. The 4th picture is of a residential area, and the 5th picture is a small section of that protective city wall.
    The last picture is taken from Tell es-Sultan. You may recall that Jesus was baptized in the Jordan just a bit down stream from Jericho (see posts of the site from the Jordanian side). This picture is of the Mount of Temptation where tradition holds that Jesus met the devil after his 40 days in the wilderness after his baptism. At the far left is a small bit of a monastery that includes caves that are said to be where Jesus spent at least some of those 40 days.    Read more

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    Grotto of the Nativity, Bethlehem

    February 5, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    This cave is the site traditionally held to be the place of Jesus' birth. It is the oldest extant site of Christian worship, predating even Helena's visit, it seems.
    The 1st picture is of the grotto from the far end. The altar at the far end is significant as the 2nd picture shows the silver star under that altar. This is the traditional site of Jesus' birth. The circle in the center is an opening to the floor of the cave as it was 2,000 years ago.
    The 3rd picture is down a few more steps from the section with the altar. The marble slab is at the site said to be where Mary and Joseph had the manger.    Read more

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    Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem

    February 5, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ 🌧 9 °C

    The Church of the Nativity is built upon the cave or grotto that is the traditional site of Jesus' birth (see another post). The original basilica was built by Constantine in the 4th century on the site identified by his mother, Helena, as that site. The 1st building was destroyed. The current structure dates to the 6th century and was built by Justinian on the foundations of Constantine's basilica.
    The panorama inside shows the building and some of the preserved and restored mosaics. The small section of floor mosaic is the only part of the Constantino's building.    Read more

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    Tomb of the Patriarchs and Matriarchs

    February 6, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    This is the site of the cave Abraham bought from the Hittites to use as a tomb for his wife Sarah. Later he was buried here by his sons Isaac and Ishmael. Also Isaac and his wife Rebecca plus their son Jacob and his wife Leah are buried here. The actual tombs in the cave are well below the mosque and synagogue in the building. The sarcophagi are representative but do not hold the remains.
    Great significance is applied to this site as this is the 1st recorded purchase of land (something like 3,800 years ago) in what became known as the promised land by an ancestor of the faiths. That is intentionally plural because Abraham is seen as the father of all 3 monotheistic faiths.
    The building here over the actual caves was built by Herod more than 2,000 years ago. In recent years it has been divided into a mosque and a synagogue. Each with its own entrance that is not accessible to people of the "other" faith. Christians can access both sides.
    The 1st picture looks at the 2,000 year old wall of the building. The 2nd picture is in the mosque with Jacob and Leah's mausoleums. The 3rd and 4th pictures are the sarcophagi of Abraham and Sarah. These are located between the two separated worship spaces so the Jewish and Muslim worshippers can easily see them.
    The last picture is another sarcophagus, Isaac, I think.    Read more

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    Hebron

    February 6, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 7 °C

    Hebron is the 2nd holiest site in Judaism after Jerusalem and 1 of the 4 holy cities of Islam. This is where Abraham settled and purchased the caves that are now known as the tombs of the biblical patriarchs and matriarchs (see another post).
    Hebron is an important economic engine in the West Bank due to it's limestone quarries, agriculture, pottery, glassblowing and dairy products.
    Politically, Hebron is described as a microcosm of the Israel/Palestinian issue. Administration of the city is divided between the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli military. The people are divided and rarely interact. It seems that there is much distrust and even fear of the other here. I found that most sad.
    The 1st picture looks over the city from high in the Israeli section of town. The large building is the tomb of the patriarchs and matriarchs (see another post). The small Israeli section is below and to the left of the tomb building. The rest is Palestinian, much of which can be seen in the 2nd picture.
    The 3rd picture is Beit Hadassah. This is now a cultural center that had previously been a charity and clinic for all the people of the region.
    The 4th picture is in the casbah and old market in the old city of Hebron. This is part of the Arab occupied sections of Hebron.
    The 5th picture looks up from a street in the casbah that doesn't have a roof. Notice the wire mesh that is placed to catch objects falling from above.
    The last picture is is a shop in the casbah that is being expanded and renovated into a museum. That is a mill used to grind sesame seeds for tahini and sesame oil. The entire process will eventually be shown.    Read more

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    Bethlehem and Beit Sahour

    February 8, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 14 °C

    A look at Bethlehem beyond the Church of the Nativity, and at Beit Sahour, the smaller town adjacent to Bethlehem.
    There is more to Bethlehem than just the famous church celebrating the birth of Jesus. Bethlehem is only a few kilometers from Jerusalem. Yet it is a Palestinian city. In many ways, it has become closely associated with the wall, the Israeli security barrier. The 1st picture looks at a portion of the wall on the Palestinian side. Much of the wall is painted with this type of art, mostly of protest. While I didn't get a picture, they seem to have a sharp sense of humor about the wall as evidenced by the pointedly named Walled Off Hotel. (Yes, it really exists). Likewise, in the protest style typical of "his" work, there are several Banksy works in Bethlehem. The 2nd and 3rd pictures are 2 examples.
    Beit Sahour is immediately to the east of Bethlehem. The name refers to the traditional understanding that this is where the shepherds were "abiding in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night."
    The 4th picture is taken from a rooftop in Beit Sahour looking over the town and across the valley to the east side of town. In the distance, you can make out some open fields. These are the fields where it is said those sheep and shepherds were hanging out that night. The last 2 pictures were taken adjacent to those fields.
    The 4th picture is in a cave church. Not surprisingly, this is called Shepherd's Cave. The site was originally a convent built by Helena who heard that this was the place the shepherd stayed when in these fields. The Franciscans also built a shrine here in the 14th century. The last picture is in the Gloria in Excelsis Deo chapel nearby also built by the Franciscans.    Read more

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    Mount of Olives

    February 9, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C

    The Mount of Olives is a ridge east of Jerusalem that overlooks the location of the Temple. It is so called because olive groves covered much of the ridge in ancient times. A bit farther to the east is Bethany, home of Martha, Mary and Lazarus. The Mount is the place of a number of events in Jesus' life.
    There are many churches here, 3 of which I'll mention. The 1st 2 pictures are the chapel of the Ascension. The original church dated to the 4th century. It was destroyed and rebuilt several times. The current octagonal chapel is built on the Byzantine and crusader structures. The 2nd picture is of the rock inside the chapel traditionally held to be the place from which Jesus ascended. The indentation is believed to be Jesus footprint.
    The 2nd church I'll mention is the Pater Noster. This site dates to at least the 4th century and was known as the Church if the Disciples and Ascension. There is some evidence that this is where Jesus taught the disciples the pater noster (Our Father). The current buildings date to the 19th century. The largest part of the site is a cloister and olive garden, seen in the 3rd picture. The 4th picture is in the church. Notice the plaques to the left and right of the altar. These are 2 of the scores of similar plaques around the site that contain the Lord's Prayer in more languages than I could count.
    The 3rd church I'll mention is actually my favorite, Dominus Flevit. Some of you may remember this from a sermon I preached. Dominus flevit means the Lord wept. This is traditionally the site where Jesus wept over Jerusalem. The 5th picture looks from inside the chapel out across the valley to where the temple stood in Jesus' time. The last picture is a detail of the front of the alter showing a hen gathering in her chicks under her wings and protecting them with her body.    Read more

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    Gethsemane

    February 11, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 8 °C

    The garden at the foot of the Mount if Olives, across the Kidron Valley from where the temple once stood. This is where Jesus prayed on the night after the last supper and before the crucifixion.
    The 1st picture is taken from the temple side of the valley looking back to Gethsemane. Part of the Garden is now the church with the 4 columns to the right of center. The 2nd and 3rd pictures are of the olive trees in the garden. The oldest of these trees is about 800 years, but olives extend shoots from the roots. So it is possible that some of these trees could be descendants of trees that were here 2,000 years ago.
    The 4th and 5th pictures are in the church in the garden, known variously as the Church of All Nations or the Basilica of the Agony. The 4th picture is in the nave, while the 5th picture looks closer at the chancel. Tradition says that the stone in front of the altar is the stone where Jesus prayed and suffered that night.
    The last picture is the view from Gethsemane to the mount where the temple stood on Jesus' day.    Read more

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    Masada

    February 14, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    Masada is the ancient fortress built by Herod the Great, more than 2,000 years ago. This was his place of safety, located on top of a high geological feature with only difficult access. The site is probably best known for the siege by the Romans at the end of the 1st Jewish-Roman war in 73/4 CE where the last rebels held out.
    My 1st impression was that the fortress is a lot larger than I expected. This is another example of mistaken ideas about what I expected.
    The 1st picture is of the mountain looking up to where Herod built his fortress. This was taken from the cable car that provides easy access to the top.
    The 2nd picture looks back down from the top. Notice the squares. These are Roman army encampments. There were 8 at that time, all connected by a wall that cut off any chance for relief to the rebels.
    The 3rd picture is of the model of the north end of the fortress. The 3 levels constitute Herod's palace.
    The 4th picture looks across the remains of the fortress, giving a sense of scale of the place. This is only half of it, looking south. There isn't any place to see the whole site at once unless you have a drone. The 5th picture looks north from about the same spot to show some of the ruins. Note that the palace in the 3rd picture is beyond what's visible here. If you look closely, you will see in some places a black line painted on the walls. This makes the extent of the ruins before restoration. Everything below the line is original in situ. Everything above the line is reconstructed.
    The last picture is the synagogue of the fortress. It is a well preserved part of the structure.    Read more

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    Qumran

    February 14, 2022 in Palestine ⋅ ⛅ 20 °C

    Qumran is a name familiar to many as the place where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Less familiar, perhaps, is the community that lived there, produced the scrolls and ultimately hid them in caves in clay jars before the Roman army arrived when putting down the rebellion in the late 60s to early 70s CE.
    The site is dated to the late 2nd century BCE during the Maccabean period. There is debate about who the people who lived here were. Some suggests Essenes, others suggest Zadokites who were opposed to the priest kings of the Maccabees. It appears to be an all male community, many of whom were scribes, given the many scrolls found here.
    The 1st picture looks from the community site up to the mountains and the caves. Visible in the center is cave 1.
    The 2nd picture looks across some of the excavated ruins. Lower right is a structure that appears to be a ritual bath or cistern. Ablutions we're required multiple times each day. Obviously, water is required for drinking, cooking and ritual bathing, which can be challenging in a desert environment. The 3rd picture is a channel for distributing water through the site. The 4th picture is at the end of one of the channels at a ritual bath.
    The 5th picture shows a restored whitewashed wall next to one of several kilns. It seems that they made their tableware on site, used it once and then broke it.
    The last picture is where they used the *single use, disposable" tableware: the refectory or dining room with the Dead Sea in the background.    Read more

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    En Kerem The Church of the Visitation

    February 15, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    En Kerem is the village where Zechariah and Elizabeth lived. Elizabeth was Mary's cousin and mother of John the Baptist. This is where Mary went to visit her cousin. The church is built on the traditional site of Zechariah's summer home, likely where the cousins met.
    The 1st picture is the front of the church with the mosaic of Mary riding a donkey to see her cousin. The 2nd picture is the outside wall which is covered with the Magnificat in many languages. Tradition holds that this is where Mary offered this prayer.
    The 3rd and 4th picture are in the basement of the building. This is a vaulted chapel. In the 3rd picture are some of the mosaics of scenes related to the visit including Zechariah in the temple, the visit and Elizabeth and John hiding in the well.
    In the 4th picture is the altar and, to the right, is the well where Elizabeth and John are said to drink and to hide.
    The 5th picture is upstairs in the main church with its frescoes showing the council of Ephesus where Mary was declared Theotokos, the wedding at Cana and more.
    The last picture is of one of several garden around the site.    Read more

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    Yad VaShem

    February 15, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ⛅ 10 °C

    Yad VaShem is the Israeli Holocaust memorial. They allow pictures only outdoors. So the bulk of what is here is off limits to the camera.
    The 1st picture is at the start of the site. The 2nd picture is outside the children's memorial. This part is stunning. It is a dark room with many, many lights like candles above, below and around. Each child who has been identified gets named aloud together with his home, in English and in Hebrew. The light, especially candles, are a Judaic symbol of life.
    The 3rd picture is of part of the main building that is cantilevered, with the other end buried. The last picture is a small exhibit before the entry that changes regularly. It's the only thing I could photograph.
    I can say that this museum is different in some ways. The main exhibit goes from showing European Jewry living out their lives before the rise of the Nazi party. It follows the rise of the Nazis, the gradually increasing oppression up to and including the death camps.
    I have been to the Holocaust museum in Washington and to Dachau, Auschwitz and Birkenau. All those place show the horror and let the visitor leave feeling that. This museum, in Israel of all places, doesn't do that. The exhibit continues on after the war. When I got to the section on the Righteous Among the Nations (the recognition of non-Jews who risked their lives to help), I felt a very different feeling. The horror didn't go away exactly, but it was at least partially replaced with a sense of what might be relief or, even hope of a future without horrors like the Holocaust I was and am most impressed by this.    Read more

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    Bet She'an

    February 17, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Bet She'an is an historically important city due to its location where the Jezreel and Jordan valleys meet. It is also along one of the best east-west caravan routes connecting the Kings Highway (the important inland caravan route through modern Jordan) with the coastal route from Egypt, making it a wealthy trading center.
    In addition, this is the city nearest Gilboa where King Saul and 3 sons were killed in battle with the Philistines. Their bodies were hung from the walls of Bet She'an.
    After extensive archaeological excavations, much of what is visible dates to the Ronan era when the city center moved down the hill to what we see today. The 1st picture looks along the main street called Palladius Street with some restored columns to give a sense of the place. This would be the Cardo if it ran the entire extent of the Roman city. To the right, is a basalt arch. This is one of the entrances to the theater in the 2nd picture.
    The 3rd picture looks over more of the ruins with the tel in the background. The tel is the location of the older, pre-Roman city. The 4th picture shows the Sigma and Tyche, a shopping and entertainment area that appears to have been upscale due to the size of the shops and the decoration (see the 5th picture).
    The last 2 pictures are original floor mosaics. The 5th picture is the mosaic in one of the shops here. It depicts Tyche, the goddess of the city's fortune. Notice in the 6th picture the layers. The patterned section is Roman while the lighter colored section placed on top is Byzantine.    Read more

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    The Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth

    February 17, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ☁️ 15 °C

    This is the church on the site where one tradition holds that the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary, telling her that she was to be pregnant and carry Jesus. Similarly, tradition says that this is the location of one of the churches founded by Constantine's mother, Helena. Church buildings were built and destroyed here several times. The current basilica dates to the 1960s.
    The 1st picture is of the facade of the basilica from the front courtyard. The 2nd picture is a statue of Mary located in the courtyard with a small labyrinth. Note the wall to the left. There are dozens of depictions of Mary, provided by many nations. Most reflect the culture of the nation that donated each of the pieces.
    The 3rd picture is of the main doors. You can follow the Gospel story in condensed form in the carvings that depict events from Jesus' life.
    This is a 2 story building. The 4th and 5th pictures are in the lower level. The 4th picture looks across the space. The recessed area in the center gives access to the grotto located to the left. The 5th picture looks into the grotto. This is believed to be the remains of Mary's childhood home.
    The last picture is upstairs in the main church. The dome sits above an opening in the floor that is above the grotto in the 5th picture. That connects the larger church with the actual site believed to be where the Annunciation took place.    Read more

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    Tzfat

    February 17, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ☁️ 13 °C

    Tzfat or Safed is a small town in the upper Galilee. It is at the highest elevation of any city in Israel. Over time it developed a wool and textile industry and became a center for the Kabalah or mystical Judaism. And it became one of the 4 holy cities of Judaism with Jerusalem, Hebron and Tiberias. Many of the buildings today are from the 19th century or reconstruction of older buildings due to done severe earthquakes up into the 19th century.
    The 1st 3 pictures are streets in the town. You will note a lot of blue paint. I'm told this is traditional here. The blue represents sky which is intended to confuse the devil if he shows up. So he leaves the town alone. The 3rd picture is in the artist colony. This is a significant group of artists and galleries with a great deal of impressive art.
    The 4th picture is in one of the many synagogues here. 5th is an outside gathering space.
    The last picture looks out from the hilltop. As this is the highest city in the country, you can see a long way.    Read more

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    The Mount of the Beatitudes

    February 18, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ☀️ 15 °C

    This is a memorial on the hill where Jesus is believed to have given the sermon on the mount. The site is likely up the hill from where Jesus taught. As far back as the 4th century, a small Byzantine church was located lower on the hill, closer to the Sea of Galilee.
    The 1st picture is of the church currently on site. It was built in the latest 1930s. The 2nd picture is inside the octagonal sanctuary. Notice each of the beatitudes is on the wall up high.
    The last 2 pictures are of the grounds and garden of the site.    Read more

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    Taghba, the Church of the Multiplication

    February 18, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    This is the site tradition says where the multiplication of the loaves and fish took place. It is also the village where the Jesus' 4th resurrection appearance occurred (see the Church of the Primacy post).
    The 1st chapel here dates to the 4th century and was built by Joseph of Tiberias, a member of the Sanhedrin who converted and was given authority to build churches in the Galilee by Constantine. It was dismantled and rebuilt several times over the centuries. The current building dates to the late 20th century.
    The 1st picture looks out from the cloister in front of the church into the central courtyard. The 2nd picture is the nave of the church. Notice the altar and the icons to either side. Close-ups of the icons are in pictures 3 and 4. The 5th picture is a close-up of the altar. There is a bare rock beneath the altar table. This rock is the traditional site where Jesus blessed the loaves and fish.
    The last picture is an interesting mosaic. It is essentially a Nile River mosaic that dates to the 5th century. It is thought that the 2nd church here was built by Matyrius, Patriarch of Jerusalem at the time. Matyrius was originally from Egypt, and this was a favorite motif in Byzantine art of the time.    Read more

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    Taghba, The Church of the Primacy

    February 18, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C

    Almost next door to the Church if the Multiplication is the Church of the Primacy of Peter. This is understood to be where Jesus appeared to the disciples for the 4th time. This is where Jesus cooked fish on the shore and instructed Peter to "Feed my sheep" 3 times.
    The 1st picture is a sculpture of Jesus giving Peter that famous instruction that reincorporated Peter among the disciples after his denial and reestablished his primacy among them.
    The 2nd picture is in the small church here that dates to the 1930s and incorporates elements from the 4th century building. The large rock in front of the altar in the 3rd picture is referred to as the Mensa Christi, or table or Christ. This is where it is believed that Jesus served breakfast that morning.
    The last 2 pictures are at the lakeside of the Sea of Galilee. The 4th shows the church, and the 5th shows more of what the shore looks like. Notice that the water level is high as it is the wet season.

    .    Read more

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    Capernaum

    February 18, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    Capernaum, located on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee was understood to be the base from where Jesus ministered. There are many events in his life that occurred here, including teaching in the synagogue healings, and more.
    Archaeologists describe Capernaum as a small town dating from the 2nd century BCE with a single main street. It appears that agriculture and fishing were the main activities here. That main street is shown in the 1st picture.
    The next 3 pictures all relate to the synagogue excavated here. This building dates to the 4th century. The 2nd picture is of the main room in the synagogue. The 3rd picture look down into an excavation in one corner of the building. This is thought to be remains of the 1st century synagogue. The 4th picture is of a line of decorations, mostly column capitals, from the synagogue.
    The 5th picture is a part of what is thought to be Peter's house. It is described as an insula, a building that gets added to as additional members of the family need a home. This house is both large and located in front of the synagogue towards the lake. This suggests that Peter's family would have had some wealth.
    You might notice a dark beam at the top of the 5th picture. This is part of the structure supporting the Franciscan church built above Peter's house that is shown in the last picture. The church is built in the round around a square, glass covered opening that looks down on the ruins of Peter's house.    Read more

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    Magdala

    February 18, 2022 in Israel ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C

    The modern municipality of Migdal dates to the early 20th century and is located at the site of the town of Magdala that dates to the 2nd temple period. Many consider this to be the birthplace of Mary Magdalene.
    One of the most striking things here is the new church overlooking the lake. The chancel is shown in the 1st picture. That "ship" in the front is the altar table that is, in turn, in front of the windows to the Sea of Galilee.
    The rest of the pictures are of the ruins of the ancient village. The 2nd picture looks along a main street over some ancient houses. The 3rd picture is of the Migdal synagogue. Note the traditional bench seats around the wall. In the center is a carved white stone shown in more detail in the 4th picture. This is not stone found locally. Its purpose is not known but has been suggested that it might be a place for placing the scrolls for reading. It is a piece that is said to be unique in Israel. The 5th picture is an original mosaic in situ along one side of the main room of the synagogue.
    The last picture is near the synagogue or perhaps within the building complex. It is said to be a mikvah or ritual bath for ritual purification.    Read more

  • skip's retirement travelskip's retirement travelIsrael and Palestine

    The Golan Heights

    February 18, 2022 in Syria ⋅ ☀️ 13 °C

    The Golan Heights is a plateau east to northeast of the Sea of Galilee. It was captured from Syria in the 1967 war and officially annexed to Israel in 1981. The Golan continues northwest to Mount Hermon that is partly in Israel, Lebanon and Syria. The last picture is a distant view of snow covered Mount Hermon (and, yes, they do ski there).
    The 1st picture is a long view of the Golan Heights from the road on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. The 2nd and 3rd pictures look down from an observation point near the top of the steep hillside of the heights, actually a 500 meter high escarpment. This is one side of the Jordan Rift Valley. I hope that gives you a sense of the steepness of the topography. The 2nd picture looks over the Sea of Galilee while the 3rd looks over the Hula Valley to the north of the Sea.
    The 4th picture looks across a small portion of the Golan plateau. This is a fertile area that has been used for agriculture. There are now many farms here.
    Given that the elevation is relatively high, this is one of the better places in Israel for orchards and vineyards. The last picture is of the 5 varieties of wine currently produced by the new (2 year old) Tel Vineyard. I enjoyed these wines at our tasting. The young vintner is extraordinarily talented. As the business grows, look for these wines, though it will be a while before they make enough to export.    Read more

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