Day 19 - Jersualem (Take Two)

Today was a day of museums. We began with the Holocaust museum. We had about an hour to blow through this museum. I spent my time in the Memorial Hall (an eternal flame burning in a dark room with the name of the concentration camps in the floor), the Art Gallery, the Children's Memorial (a moving memorial to all the children killed in the Holocaust), and the gardens. We were each on our own so different people did different things. It was a very peaceful place to spend an hour, even though the surrounding memorials were in stark contrast to the peaceful surroundings.

Next on the agenda was the Jerusalem Museum with the main attraction being the display of the Dead Sea Scrolls. After having seen these in Grand Rapids, and probably seeing more than were displayed here, it was not quite as interesting to me as it might have been, but it was still a good visit. The more interesting exhibit we visited at this museum was a scale model of Jerusalem during Jesus' time. It was about 100 x 100 feet and helped orient us to the city and all the places we had seen. The temple mount and Herod's Temple particularly stood out amidst all the other buildings. It must have been quite impressive in its day.

After these museums we went to Bethlehem for lunch. We passed through the daunting wall again. We had shwarmas (sp?) or falafel. A shwarma is carved meet in a pita with various toppings. It reminded me of a Middle Eastern Subway. On the way out of Bethlehem, they asked for everyone to pull out their passports. I did not bring mine, and thankfully it was just a bluff. I was prepared to be left stranded in Bethlehem.

As we drove to our next destination we stopped at the Women in Black protest. Every Friday at the same time women dress in black and protest the "occupation" of the West Bank by Israel. I put "occupation" in quotes because this term is hotly contested. We had the opportunity to get out and talk with the women. Many in the group joined the protest. Not being the protest-type myself, I abstained, particularly having not heard both sides of the issue on this trip. Though from what I have heard, the Palestinian perspective is a compelling one.

Our last stop of the day was the Mount of Olives. We began at the top overlooking Jerusalem. It was a birds eye vantage point. We walked down to the Church of Tears where Jesus wept over Jerusalem and then descended further to the garden of Gethsemane and the church near the garden. The garden and the ancient olive trees in it were beautiful. The church housed the rock that is the traditional site of Jesus' weeping in the garden. It was a very dark church with alabaster windows that did not let in much light. It was a calming quiet place to end our visit of Jerusalem. It was also appropriate to end in the garden where Jesus struggled with his own decision to follow his Father's will for this city and the world. I suspect each of us is wrestling with what God might be calling us to now that we have made this visit to these lands.

Tomorrow we get up at 1:30 AM to fly to Athens at 7:00AM. We then take a hydrofoil to Hydra and have a day of R&R. Lastly, we have one day in Athens before making the long flight home. I do not know whether I will have time to make any posts past today. But the bulk of our trip concludes today. If I don't get one up in Athens, I will post something about the last days when I get home.