Israel Day 8 - Southern Wall, Western Wall, Jewish Quarter, House of Caiaphas, Garden Tomb

Southern Wall Excavation

At the Southern wall of the Temple Mount there is an important archeological dig. It has uncovered areas that date to before the destruction of the temple in 70 AD. There are city streets, Mikvehs (ceremonial washing) and a large set of steps that would have led into the temple area. All of this was there when Jesus visited the temple.

Ruins the Southern Wall of the Temple

Western Wall

The Western Wall is a portion of Herod's Temple (the Temple wall, not the city wall). Jews call it the Western Wall. Because of all the people praying there, others called it the "Wailing wall" but our guides didn't seem to like the term. We were invited to write down our prayer requests and stick them into the wall. There is even an email address you can write to and they will print your request and place it into the wall. As the guide said, "does it help, who knows, but it can't hurt" (as opposed to just praying normally I suppose). This was a pretty solemn and intense place. Yes, God is everywhere, but he is definitely here at the Western Wall.

Praying at the Western Wall

Jewish Quarter

When the Old City was taken by the Jordan in 1948, the Jews were expelled and the Jewish Quarter was destroyed. But there was a blessing in this. When the Israel retook Jerusalem in 1967 they were able to do extensive archeology that wouldn't have been allowed otherwise. They found portions of Hezekiah's wall. The quarter was rebuilt and is very modern looking.

New buildings in the Jewish Quarter

House of Caiaphas

Just outside the Old City, on the southern side is the House of Caiaphas. Caiaphas was High Priest when Christ was crucified. This was also the place where Peter denied Jesus the third time. Archeological evidence is pretty clear that this is an authentic site. There are ruins of a 1st century street, a dungeon etc... Of course a modern church is built on the site.

Church at the House of Caiaphas

A Garden Tomb

Our final stop was a place called the Garden Tomb. There they have uncovered a rich man's garden and a tomb. Near by there is a stone outcropping that arguably looks like a skull (i.e. Golgotha, Place of the Skull). We had a tour led by the local guides and a communion service. If this is not the actual location of Christ's crucifiction and burial, it gives a nice feel for how it would have been like as the gardens have been restored.

Israel Day 8 Gallery

More Info:
Southern Wall
Western Wall
Jewish Quarter
Garden Tomb

Israel Day 7 - Temple Mount, Pool of Bethesda, Via Dolorosa, Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Temple Mount

We started the day up at the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock. The Dome is a a Moslem shrine (not a Mosque) which supposedly houses the stone on which Abraham almost sacrificed Ishmael (according to the Moslems). The Temple Mount area is the location of Herod's Temple but is now controlled by the Moslems and no archeology can be done there.

Dome of the Rock

Pool of Bethesda

This site is almost certainly the actual Pool of Bethesda that Jesus visited and healed the invalid. Since the city has been built up over and over, the actual location is well below the current "ground" level.

Pool of Bethesda

Via Dolorosa and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre

We walked the Via Doloraos, the traditional path of Christ has he carried the cross from judgement to crucifixion. The stations of the cross are marked as you go. This is through the Moslem quarter of Jerusalem and leads the the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. Many believe that this church is the actual site of the tomb and the crucifixion. Basically the church is a large building built over a garden and a hill. You go upstairs the see the site of the crucifixion and you can go down to the tomb though mostly the site is filled with religious trappings. So rather than get a feel for the actual historic site instead you are impressed with peoples' veneration of the site in the past 2000 years.

Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Israel Day 7 Gallery

More Info:
Temple Mount
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Pool of Bethesda

Israel Day 6 - Mt. of Olives, Gethsemane, Upper Room, Holocaust Museum

I am definitely not a city person. Even though Jerusalem is perhaps the most important city on Earth, I would have much rather have been in the countryside. These last few days were very dense with information and here more than ever each place was significant in many ways. Many of the sites were indoors or very constricting so I don't have as many good pics of my time in Jerusalem. I'll try my best to remember the highlights.

Mount of Olives

First stop of the day was the Mount of Olives. It is a hillside just to the east of the old city.

Got to figure out that fill-flash thingie

Garden of Gethsemane

From the Mount of Olives we walked down to the Garden of Gethsemane. This is very likely the site of the actual garden where Jesus prayed just before being betrayed. There are some very old olive trees there though at least one source states they couldn't have been there during Jesus' day (did you know olive trees don't have rings?). The Church of All Nations is there which houses the traditional site of Jesus' prayer that night.

Very old olive tree in Garden of Gethsemane

Upper Room, Tomb of David

We then visited the site of the Tomb and City of David. This is one of the oldest sections of Jerusalem, built when it was much smaller. It is also the site of the upper room and the Holy Spirit outpouring on the Day of Pentecost.

Holocaust Museum

At the end of our first day in Jerusalem we visited the Holocaust Museum. I have not been to the one in D.C. so I can't compare. It is not laid out like your typical museum. You are led through zig-zagging halls that move through events in the 19th and 20th century leading up to the Holocaust and the founding of the State of Israel.

Israel Day 6 Gallery

More Info:
Mount of Olives
City of David
Holocaust Museum

Israel Day 5 - Bet Shean, Qumran, Masada and the Dead Sea

Bet Shean

Bet Shean was a Roman city built up during the 1st century B.C. It was one of the cities known in the NT as the "Decapolis". There are very extensive ruins and we didn't have time to explore them all. It was midday so my pictures look a bit washed out. Otherwise, a beautiful place.

Ruins at Bet Shean

Qumran

Qumran is the site of the Dead Sea Scrolls. They were originally discovered by Bedouins near the time of the establishment of Israel (1948). The site was later thorougly excavated and many more scrolls found. They have found at least one copy of every book of our Old Testemant except for Ruth and Ezra. Other writing of the Essenes where also found. Later in the trip we visited the Shrine of the Book in Jerusalem where the actual scrolls are on display.

In the parking lot of the Qumran site there was a guy giving camel rides for $3. It was pretty entertaining and about 10 people went for a ride.

Camel Rides - $3

Masada

Masada was definitely one of those times when wished I was on my own and not with a tour. The tour guides led us to interesting highlights and gave us lots of good information but I wanted to linger more. Also, there is a surpentine trail to the top that I would have loved to climb to say I did it. And the views are quite spectacular. But in a tour such as ours there are schedules to keep.

Anyways, Masada has lots of history. It was orginally built as a palace for Herod the Great (who according to the tour guides was a bit of a nut). During the Roman seige of 70 AD Masada became of last place of refuge for those fleeing Roman rule. Before the Roman's finally broke in, the 900 jews committed mass suicide rather than be ruled by the Romans. Today, when the recruits of the Israel Armored Corps take their oath of allegiance, they do so on Masada to remind each generation of the price their forefathers paid for their nation. They cry: "Masada shall not fall again!"

Roman encampments as seen from the top

The Dead Sea

At the end of the afternoon we were taken to a beach on the Dead Sea. Swimming in the Dead Sea was more a novelty than anything else. You couldn't get water on your face or in your eyes and the shore was soft mud, deep holes and rocks. The water was thick and oily. Now I can say I did it but it was pretty gross. Being so bouyant was fun, however. I've done the Great Salt Lake and the bouyancy is about the same but the Great Salt Lake was not as slimely and the shore was not rocky. However, at the Great Salt Lake you have to walk quite a ways in the water to get in deeper than your knees. Sorry, no pics.

Israel Day 5 Gallery

More Info:
Bet Shean
Qumran
Masada
The Dead Sea

Israel Day 4 - Capernum, Caesaria Philippi, Golan Heights and Tel Dan

Capernum

At the authentic ruins of Capernum there is a Synagogue and the house of Peter. The synagogue was built later than the 1st century but was most likely built on the ruins of the 1st century building. Under the "imported" stone of the building you can see the foundations of another builing that was made with local volcanic stone. The 1st century synagogue would have been the site for a number of Gospel events. There is another building which may have been the house of Peter. There is a church built on stilts over the site.

Synagogue at Capernum

Caesaria Philippi

Caesaria Philippi is at the base of Mt. Hermon and is the site of springs feeding the Jordan River. The site was also the center of a Greek pagan temple in the 3rd century. No biblical account exists of Jesus visiting the city itself but Peter's confession and the transfiguration were nearby (Matt 16:13).

Springs and ruins at Caesaria Philippi

Golan Heights

The tour took us to an overlook in the Golan Heights. The Golan Heights were taken from Syria during the Six Day War in 1967. Before Israel occupied the heights, they were used by Syrians to daily shell the towns in the lower areas on the west side of the Sea of Galilee.

Tel Dan

We visited the Tel Dan Nature Preserve. There was a short hike through the woods to the site of "High Place of Jeroboam" with evidence of a 4 cornered altar. At that site are some beautiful views of the countryside. There is also a gate which dates back to 1800 B.C.

Gate from the Middle Bronze age that we weren't supposed to go into

Israel Day 4 Gallery

More Info:
Capernum
Caesaria Philippi
Tel Dan

Israel Day 3 - Sea of Galilee, Mount of Beatitudes, Tadgha, River Jordan

Sea of Galilee

On the morning of the third day we took a boat ride from our hotel in Tiberias to the "Jesus Boat" site. At that site they found the remains of a wooden boat that was dated to the 1st century. The boats used by Jesus and the disciples would have been very similar to this one. Sorry, no pics of the historic boat. The boat ride itself was quite nice, gorgeous scenery and perfect weather.

We took a ride on a boat just like this one

Mount of Beatitudes

We visited the "traditional" site of the Sermon on the Mount. If not the actual location, it may have easily happened nearby. At the site is a Catholic chapel and built in 1939 with some beautiful gardens.

Franciscan chapel at Mount of Beatitudes

Tabgha

Tabgha is two miles west of Capernum. There is lots of evidence that this location was used by Galilean fisherman for thousands of years. Therefore it is the traditional site of a number of Gospel events including the calling of the disciples, the resurrection breakfast and the loaves and fishes.
For lunch we ate a restaurant on the Sea of Galilee that served "St Peter's fish" (tilapia).

Having fun with our meal

River Jordan Baptisms

That afternoon we traveled Yardenit at the southern end of the Sea of Galilee. Here there are facilities for baptism in the Jordan River. Most of our tour group was baptized here and I think I have pictures of everyone. (If you were on the tour and want copies of my pictures of you contact me here and I'll get them to you.)

Israel Day 3 Gallery

More Info:
Sea of Galilee
Mount of Beatitudes
Tabgha

Israel Day 2 - Caesaria, Mt Carmel, Megiddo

Caesaria (By The Sea)

There are two towns called Caesaria in Israel, we visited both (Caesaria and Caesaria Philippi). Caesaria is a port city built up by Herod the Great. It is filled with Roman-style ruins: an Amphitheater, a Hippodrome and an Aqueduct. I had not expected to see so many Roman ruins in Israel but this was the first of several sites with Roman style architecture. They are continually finding new ruins and significant archeological sites in Israel and the Hippodrome here was only uncovered in the last 5 years. There was also a large Roman aqueduct. It was funny to see the beach-goers hanging out on it like it was just another public building.

Roman Aqueduct

Mount Carmel

Mount Carmel has some gorgeous views of the Valley of Jezreel, the site of future battle of Armageddon as well as Elijah's victory over the prophets of Baal. We went to the rooftop of the Carmelite monastery to take it all in. There I began to realize that the countryside of Israel is just gorgeous, that alone is worth the trip.

View from Mt Carmel

Megiddo

Megiddo is the first of many tels we visited. A tel is "an archaeological site in the form of an earthen mound that results from the accumulation and subsequent erosion of material deposited by human occupation over long periods of time." At Megiddo they have discovered at least 26 levels of towns built one one top of another. The name Armageddon is derived from the name Megiddo. There is also a tunnel at Megiddo built by Ahab to get to a spring outside the city gates. We were able to walk through the tunnel.

Ruins at Megiddo

Day 2 Gallery

Some more links:
Caesaria
Mt. Carmel
Megiddo