Jews come from all over the world to be here…there are even Chinese Jews
I’ve been to the desert before in the States but I’ve never seen a place so dry…just hills of sand as far as the eye can see….true desert. And its beautiful. It also brings a whole new meaning to Jesus being tempted in the wilderness…wilderness in Georgia you think of tons of trees…but here nothing but sand and sun.
Despite the seeming good exchange rate ~4 sheckels to the dollar, the cost of living in Israel is more expensive than the States…just about everything costs more here.
In fact I would like to rename October the month of spending. Being in Turkey and Israel I have spent about three times what I usually do…it’s the month I want to do and see everything and buy really cool stuff that just doesn’t exist in other places. That and eating just costs more too.
Jews, both male and female are required to serve in the military (two years for females, 3 for males), as soon as they complete high school. Military service is optional for Arabs (yes, there are Arabs in the Israeli army). Just imagining if the US did this. My sister would now be in the military instead of college..that and the US military would be ginormous.
Be’er Sheva is the nearest city where we go semi frequently to get to others cities or volunteer. There is also a military base there so at the bus station, seeing young men and women in uniform carrying big guns is fairly common.
I spent a few days with a Bedouin family in Taibeh. Bedouins were traditionally a nomadic, Arabic people that only in the last few generations have transitioned from living in tents to houses. There are several Bedouin villages throughout Israel.
Arabs are known for their hospitality…honestly they put Southern hospitality to shame. They are very friendly and welcoming, they give us the best of what they have, and make sure that we eat well! I think everyone who visited the Bedouin village gained a few pounds. And the first night was by far the best food I’ve had on the world race. Grilled meat on a cinnamon stick…it doesn’t get much better than this.
The Dead Sea is like a gigantic oil bath…warm and salty. Very relaxing and it burns too. Be careful not to splash…or get any in your eyes. You can’t not float…its fun.
Jerusalem. Filled with so many cool historic things. Blessed to see them but also saddened to see how so many things or places have become shrines. Like the tomb of Christ is located in a church called the Holy Sepulchre and its just become a thing of worship rather than a place of worship.
Climbed up the Mount of Olives, saw the garden of Gethsame, the Kidron valley, Hezekiah’s tunnel- which was a cool underground tunnel built to bring water into the city- and was really fun to walk in. Around here… I’ve seen the sea of Galilee…the synagogue Jesus taught in, Peter’s house, where Jesus fed the 5000, and Masada- archaeological ruins of Herod’s summer retreat…
Went to the Western Wall of the old temple aka the Wailing Wall. We wrote prayers and shoved them in the wall. Did you know the wall is separated by gender…there is a male side which is about twice as big as the female side. Being there was an experience. To my surprise it made me cry. I went up and put my prayer in the wall, took pictures of people praying. It was incredible to publically see so many people just hungry for God and earnestly praying. That really hit me hard as I was walking away from the wall and it burdened me so much to just pray for these people and that they’d come to know Jesus and know that His presence is not limited to the wall.
The Arab- Israeli conflict is so complex…its like an 18 layer puzzle. If anything I’ve learned its how ignorant I am of politics in Israel and the Middle East. Its been cool to personally talk with Jews and Arabs about the situation. Both claim the land as their own. Sometimes and some places Jews and Arabs live in harmony. Other places not so much. Personally I felt very safe in Israel. Our host made sure to tell us that statistically you are more likely to die in a car wreck than a terrorist attack.
Interesting how Palestinians living in Palestinian territories have no real national identity. Can’t have Israeli passports. Many Middle Eastern States fail to recognize Israel as a state. They call it Palestine.
Its weird..its the first country I’ve been to on the race where they do not use any of the same symbols that we have in English. Its funny and disorienting to not know what anything says…and both Arabic and Hebrew go from right to left…books, magazines, signs, etc…all written that way. Mahaba=hello in Arabic. Augh!=brother in Arabic.
Shabbat Shalom- They keep the Sabbath here…everything closes at 4:30 on Friday and reopens by 8pm or so on Saturday. The business of life just stops. People eat a nice meal on Friday evening and sing and pray and chat to rest.
I was also blessed to spend 2 days in Egypt in route to Swaziland. Got to ride camels and see the pyramids. Did you know, Cairo is the biggest metropolis in Africa…approximately 17 million people. Although honestly it doesn’t feel half that big. Probably because its still a third world country.
