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We are in Jerusalem and the group has gone to the Dead Sea, Qumran, and Masada today. I have stayed back at the kibbutz to work on the book about women that Jeff and I are writing. I had hoped to be able to update the blog during the tour and it has turned out that this is the day.

My flight to Israel was one of the best yet. I did get some rest on the plane and met the group at the kibbutz. We started our tour at Caesarea Maritime on the Mediterranean Sea. I love starting the tour there and reading about Cornelius in Acts 10 and 11—the first gentile that God prepares and Peter also being prepared. I think about Peter meeting Yeshua for the first time and falling at His feet and Yeshua telling Peter that he would be a fisher of men. Who was Peter’s first man fish? None other than the first gentile to believe in Yeshua, thereby paving the way for all gentiles. Teaching in the theater, looking at the sea, and being the first day of the tour is just so amazing. We are in Israel and it is starting to sink in to everyone that they are really here in Israel!

We checked into our kibbutz at Nof Ginosar for a much welcomed rest and continued with the tour the following day. Jet lag is hitting us all. The next morning at breakfast the talk is always of how much sleep everyone has gotten. Jeff, Tony and I all see who gets the most sleep. It’s a secret. Actually, none of us sleep long. Our body clocks are still in the states.

The summer tour goes to a first century village at Kfar Kedem to experience how life would have been back then. Manachem is our leader for the tour. The first thing we do is get in our first century “clothing,” consisting of a loose fitting robe with a rope belt and head dresses or turbans. We look so cute. I am hoping no pictures surface on the internet. We are taught how wheat was planted and harvested. Manachem even shows us how to grind the wheat and then cook the unleavened bread on a hot iron, huge skillet, over a full raging fire. Fun and good to eat. See, I can cook! We are then treated to a ride on a donkey. The kids on the tour are having so much fun. Really, everyone is just so excited to be part of the experience.

Back to the kibbutz for dinner and a concert by Daniel Carmel. He is just wonderful. I first heard him on the boat on the Galilee. He translated several songs from English to Hebrew. Not until you have heard Amazing Grace in Hebrew do you understand how beautiful the song really is. Then it is off to bed and to get ready for Friday.

The boat ride on the Sea of Galilee is always a highlight. We see Korazin, Capernaum and end the day with baptizing in the Jordan River. I watch as the pilgrims come out of the water. They are so energized in the Holy Spirit. I am especially touched by the children being baptized. We spend Shabbat at the kibbutz with a Shabbat dinner. We say the blessing over the bread and wine and look at the Sea of Galilee while we are eating. Life is good.

Saturday finds us at Tel Dan and hiking. We see the city gate from the 10th century B.C., the gate that Joshua would have come through on his way to Jericho. We visit Caesara Philippi and I get my ice cream, or glida in Hebrew. It is a strawberry and cream that is just so good I am wondering if I even want lunch. But, we head to lunch at at Druze village. The best Falafel in all of Israel. It is the standard by which I judge all others. Never in my life did I think I would be an expert in Falafel, but, there is a difference in how they are prepared. Preparation seems to be the theme this tour. I am stuffed.

Finally, in the afternoon we are in the Golan Heights. It is my favorite place in all of israel. There is just something so majestic about the mountains. As a city girl, even I am surprised at how much I love the Golan. The road down the Golan to our kibbutz is so much fun. It winds around the mountains. You can look over the side and see forever. Whew! Quite a ride! We are laughing and thanking our driver, David, for being so good!

We leave the kibbutz in the Galilee and are on our way “up” to Jerusalem.

More to follow…

This entry was posted by Sandra on Monday, June 11th, 2007 at 3:02 am and is filed under From Israel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.