Day 8: Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem

Day 8: Shabbat Shalom From Jerusalem

Today we packed up from our hotel in Tiberias and started our trek to Jerusalem. First we stopped at Bet She’an which is located at the foot of Mount Gilboa. There are incredible ruins of many civilizations that built on top of each other in this place. Egyptian, Roman, Scythinan, you name it! Most impressive were the ruins of a Roman bath house that included a sauna, pool, and yes, lavatories which we were able to sample.
Bodie taking on a marble pillar

Triumph! In Bet She'an.

Oh yes. That is a toilet.

We had lunch at a restaurant on the Dead Sea which was amazing. We will be returning here later this week for a swim.

Next we went to Qumran which is the site where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found in caves. The Dead Sea Scrolls were papayrus scrolls and fragments of the Old Testament which dated back many years earlier than any other copy in existence at the time.

Our fist sight of Jerusalem was breathtaking. It is an amazing city. We went to the Mount of Olives overlooking the Temple Mount and the Dome of the Rock and Chuck led a teaching about Palm Sunday. We then walked the very path that Jesus rode on a donkey into the city and we stopped at the Garden of Gethsemane. It’s an interesting experience to see things you have pictured in your mind for so long. The Garden was overwhelming. We had a chance for solitude and prayer which was a blessing. It was very peaceful.

Jerusalem! That is the Dome of the Rock just to the left of Bodie's head.

The path that Jesus rode the donkey down. Amazing! Of course it's paved now :)

The Garden of Gethsemane. Beautiful.

This is overlooking Bethlehem. Ronnie, our guide asked someone to read in Matthew 2 describing Bethlehem. It was a great moment.

We ended the day by driving to an overlook of Bethlehem (it is not safe to enter Bethlehem right now). Everything is so much closer to each other than we had imagined in our minds when reading the Bible.

Overall this was a very full day and we are looking forward to really going down into the old city tomorrow.

We miss you all and LOVE hearing from you when you post. Keep it up!

Until next time!