Hiking the Nativity Trail Once Again

Two thousand years after the historic journey of Joseph and Mary, the modern city of Bethlehem is announcing the reopening of the Nativity Trail. Originally inaugurated in 1999, the walking trail has been modified to suit new changes on the ground. The trail promises to provide unique meeting opportunities for hikers, who will converse with the Franciscan priests on Mount Tabor, meet Muslim clerics at village mosques, visit Greek Orthodox monks in desert monasteries, chat with hillside farmers and their families, experience Bedouin shepherds watering their flocks at ancient cisterns and much more. It also promises to be an opportunity to better understand the geopolitical situation in the Holy Land and experiencing it first hand. The Nativity Trail isn’t just a hike, but an experience in dialogue, openness and understanding. Participants will also learn about the regions flora and fauna, much of which is discussed in the Bible and to embrace the cultural heritage of the regions people.

Tours are available during the following dates:

Mar 12, 2009 –Mar 23, 2009
Apr 23, 2009 – May 4, 2009
Oct 8, 2009 – Oct 19, 2009
Oct 29, 2009 – Nov 9, 2009
Nov 12, 2009 – Nov 23, 2009
Dec 13, 2009- Dec 24, 2009 (Christmas Trail)

For more information about the trail, please contact the Alternative Tourism Group of the Siraj Center for Holy Land studies. www.sirajcenter.org or atg.ps

Christmas Events in Bethlehem

This years Christmas tourism theme for Bethlehem is known as "Shepherds Nights". It will occur on two evenings, December 24th and December 25th, 2008. Events are to include the following:

The First night, 24 Dec 2008: Palestinian art consisting of music, folkloric dances, highlights of local theater groups, marching bands, art exhibits, other artistic expressions. The location is suggested to be the YMCA grounds in Beit Sahour. There will special performances for children, and vendors who will be selling handcrafts and food.

The Second day, 25 Dec 2008: Tourists and locals can make home visits to impoverished areas to bring the Christmas spirit to the needy etc. Afternoon programs to include Children’s program and Christmas Carols. In the evening, a “Candle Light Procession” from Shepherds Field. The candle procession for this year will be titled “Light a Candle for the Land of the Shepherds"

First Night: December 24

16:30 - 18.-- Christmas Eve service at the Cave

18:00 -18:50 - Children's Show (Alhara Theatre)

19:00 - 20:10-Rim Al Banna

20:20 - 20:40-Al Ghad Al Haded Dabka

20:50-21:20 Christmas Carols

21:30-21:50-Kazar Dabka

22:00-22:30-Said Zarzar

Second Night: December 25

16:30 Candle Procession

17:30 - Local Choir Groups

18:30 - Tornado Lights Rap Song

Arabic Coffee and Oriental Sweets to be Served

For more information contact www.sirajcenter.org

Finding Peace in the Desert

For those looking for a quite respite within the vast outback of the Negev desert, hiking amongst the eroded canyons set between the mountain tops, scaling the ridges of the desert hills and discovering abundant waterfalls amongst the dry pink and yellow tones of the desert, nothing beats the Sde Boker region. Located approximately 45 minutes south of Beersheva, Sde Boker is the perfect starting point for any number of hikes. The kibbutz itself was the home of Israel's first Prime Minister, David Ben Gurion. A modest field school complete with rooms for six people offers lodging and meals to groups and individuals. A small grocery is also available for essential purchases while the kibbutz dining hall provides necessary meals to those that want. But the big attraction are the numerous hikes that abound in the area. We hiked two different routes, Nahal Avdat (known as Ein Avdat) and Nahal Zin. Nahal Avdat took us by the dry and wet riverbed then up and out of the canyon via metal steps and handrails that had been carefully drilled into the bedrock walls. Nahal Zin was a bit more challenging offering a steep descent into the canyon as well as careful walking along the connecting mountain ridges. Both valleys were important trade routes in ancient times.
Ein Avodat charges a small fee to enter (approximately $5 per person) and is open daily from 8 to 4 during the winter, 8 to 5 during the summer and is managed by Israel's Park Service. Nahal Zin is freely accessed and there is no entrance fee.

New Tunnel Discovered within City of David

In a briefing last night, Eilat Mazar, a renowned archaeologist who has been excavating at the City of David for a number of years, presented findings highlighting the discovery of a "gutter", part of an ancient water system descried in 2 Sam 5:8. For years scholars have believed that it was through this water system that David was able to conquer Jebus, later known as the City of David. The gutter was discovered last winter after a snowfall in the excavation area that pertained to the First Temple period, known as Area G. The passageway is wide enough for pedestrian traffic and travels north/south which is the direction of the Temple Mount and connects with a structure identified as the palace of King David. An article written by Nadav Shragai providing more information on this latest discovery can be found at http://www.haaretz.com/

3,000 year old City Discovered in Valley of Elah

Published yesterday in the New York Times is an extremely interesting article depicting recent findings of a possible ancient city located south of Jerusalem in the Valley of Elah. Archaeologists are unearthing antiquities including a formidable fortress, that may possibly support writings within the Scriptures which emphasize the importance of Jerusalem and King David during the period of the 10th century B.Cc. The article can be found at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/30/world/middleeast/30david.html?_r=1&ei=5070&emc=eta1&oref=slogin

Renewing your Marriage Vows at Cana

Why not be remarried in the Holy Land on your next visit? Its certainly a possibility and if you are Catholic there is no place more appropriate for such an event than at the Church in Kfar Cana, located at the believed to be site of Jesus's first miracle, when he turned water into wine at a wedding ceremony there. It takes a bit of planning including a letter and official documentation from your priest showing that you are were baptised and legally married. The information needs to be sent in advance to the Franciscan Custody of the Holy Land who are responsible for the Church in Cana as well as many other holy sites throughout the Holy Land. Generally a donation is made to the Church and arrangements can also be made for a festive meal adjacent to the Church, or in a more elaborate restaurant in the Galilee or other venue.0/

Friends of Israel Dig the Holy Land

Ian Stern, the chief archaeologist who runs the very reputable "Dig for A Day" program at Tel Maresha, invited me to participate in one of his archaeological digs located within Beit Guvrin National Park. The site is situated at the southern end of the Valley of Elah in the Judean Hills. We had the pleasure of digging along with a Friends of Israel tour group, consisting of 40 people from all over the world who are members of the Friends of Israel Ministry. The Ministry is a 500,000 person strong organization which publishes a very popular newsletter entitled "Israel My Glory". According to Bill Sutter, an ordained minister and the Executive Director who personally accompanied the group, several Friends of Israel groups travel to the Holy Land annually, each with a different theme and/or purpose. The organization is evangelical and is very supportive of Israel. The participants traveled from as far as New Zealand and Calgary to experience the 10-day tour and it was very apparent from my conversations with them, that this trip was really a life changing event for them.

Legionaries of Christ in Jerusalem

The Congregation of the Legionaries of Christ may be one of numerous Christian congregations in the world, but it represents the one Congregation that Pope John Paul II entrusted the management and administration of the historic Notre Dame Centre in Jerusalem in late 2004. Known as the Pontifical Institute of Jerusalem, the Notre Dame Center is the Vatican's main religious, educational, cultural institution in Jerusalem and sits very close to Christianity's main holy site, The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The Notre Dame Center houses a significant library and serves to welcome pilgrims and others from around the world as well as Christians in Jerusalem and the Holy Land. Notre Dame Center provides a professional hospitality training center for Palestinian youth as well as a permanent exhibition on "Who is the Man of the Shroud". The adjacent John Paul II conference center hosts numerous international seminars, lectures and cultural events. The Legion of Christ, known as the Legionaries of Christ, is a Roman Catholic order that was founded in Mexico in 1941 by the late Father Marcial Macial, LC. Its mission is to extend the Kingdom of Christ in society according to the requirements of Christian justice and charity.

Hurry to the Hula

As the afternoon fall sun begins its slow descent to the west, the storks, cranes, herons and other species of birds flock to their evening resting place on the Hula Lake in the northern Galilee situated within the Syrian-African Rift Valley, approximately 70 m above sea level. The numerous touring options available include walking, renting bicycles, an electrical golf cart (for up to 6 people), a safari bicycle (for up to 6), two seater bikes or an open air safari bus - an excellent choice for the night tours. Our group of six opted for four bicycles and a tandem and pedaled the 12 kilometre stretch in approximately two leisurely hours, stopping at numerous viewpoints along the way to observe the birds, animals, and surrounding views. The 800 acre reserve is located approximately 20 kilometres north of the Sea of Galilee, and was up until the early part of the 20th century, a vast swampland, but home to much wildlife. Early Jewish settlers to Israel worked hard clearing this area for agricultural purposes and many workers contracted the dealy malaria virus along the way. They only later realized that the valley offered less than ideal agricultural conditions, but unfortunately, by then that land had been cleared, and along with it much of the wildlife, fauna and flora disappeared from the landscape negatively impacting the ecosystem of the area. In the mid 1990's, approximately 250 acres were reflooded in an effort to restore the valley and bring back some of the natural habitat and improving the quality of the water flowing into the Sea of Galilee. During the migration seasons over 500 million birds will fly over Israel and tens of thousands will stop overnight in the Hula Valley during the peak late fall season. The Hula Valley visitor center, situated approximately three kilometres south of Agman Hula, has a new bird migration/movie experience called Euphoria which is also worthwhile. For More Information -http://parks.org.il/ParksENG/company_card.php3?NewNameMade=43&from=116&CNumber=422020

Chinese tourists seeking "mysterious" Israel

On September 25, 2008 forty Chinese tourists traveled from Beijing to Tel Aviv. The group was the first of many that are expected to be traveling to the Holy Land beginning this fall, as a result of an agreement sealed last October between the foreign ministers of Israel and China and which officially went into effect on September 15 of this year. The agreement gave Israel an "Approved Destination Status" for Chinese tourists. Hopefully, this will prompt many Chinese tourists to travel to Israel, a destination many Chinese describe as "mysterious". Currently, much of the Israel-China traffic consists of Israeli businesspeople and tourists traveling eastward while the Chinese travel market to Israel is primarily business. El Al has three weekly flights to Beijing and five to Hong Kong. The company is considering adding a fourth flight from Beijing or possibly switching to larger planes due to the high load factors. The Chinese have very strong links to Christianity and there are approximately 80 million Christians living in China, up from less than 5 million, 25 years ago.

Historic Notre Dame Center renovates Guest Units

Ideally located across from the New Gate in Jerusalem lies the Notre Dame Center, at 145 rooms it is the largest and most extensive Christian guest house in the Holy Land and can accommodate groups of up to 500 persons. Erected in the late 1880's the guest units offer some of the best views of the Old City of Jerusalem, situated footsteps away. The property is within easy walking distance to many of the city's most important sites. The pilgrim-oriented guest house is in the process of completing a major renovation to many of its guest units, most of which are now freshly painted and equipped with new lighting fixtures, doors, stall showers, wood-like floors, bed coverings and window treatments. New furniture has been ordered and is expected to be delivered shortly. In addition to the typical guest rooms that can accommodate two persons, there are now a few deluxe suites that have living rooms, kitchen facilities and expansive outdoor terraces overlooking the Old City. The guest house offers an an on site chapel, restaurants, meeting rooms, business center and offers daily mass and adornation. Legionary priests are available for mass and confession.

Tracing history through the caves in Park Adulam

In honor of Israel's 60th birthday celebration, the KKL (Karen Kayemit L'Yisrael)( http://www.kkl.org.il/) opened a new park in the Judean Hills, approximately 10 kilometres south of Beit Shemesh, 25 minutes from Jerusalem and 35 minutes from Tel Aviv. The entire region harbors hundreds of caves, many of which can be accessed through the numerous parks found throughout the hilly countryside. The considerable development activity that has occurred over the last several years has made protecting this historical and unusual landscape a high priority.

Last weekend, we participated in one of the walking tours currently being offered by the park guides. Our two hour walk consisted of an exploration of numerous caves including underground homes and burial caves likely rom the time of the first and second centuries. Several steep stone carved staircases led deep into the dark chambers and once there our flashlights provided us with the necessary light to observe the Hellenistic-inspired columns and other architectural features. With the Romans advancing, it is believed that the Jewish residents were forced to hide inside the caves, some for years, while the war ensued. Scratchings found inside the caves show the signs of possible games that were played by the people during this period as well as areas where lit candles were displayed. Further, well carved holes in the ceilings provided not only a small light source but the ability to view activity outside with a homemade telescope of a sort.

Visiting in early fall, the landscape was covered with terepines and olive trees, though still quite brown, however, our guide insisted that the area would be in full bloom in just a couple months and was well worth a return visit.

Likely 1st Century ruins on display underneath Sisters of Nazareth guesthouse

Sitting quietly off the main shuk road in the heart of Nazareth, less than one block away from the famous Church of the Annunciation (also known as the Church of All Nations), lies the quaint guesthouse owned and managed by the Religious Sisters of Nazareth, a Roman Catholic order of nuns who have had a presence in the Holy land since the late 1800's. The Sisters have owned the magnificent building for over 100 plus years and recently converted parts of their facility into a lovely little guest house. However, the comfortable yet simple accommodations are not all that meets the eye. Hidden several metres below the tiled terraces are significant ruins dating back to the 1st century or possibly earlier, an archaeological find discovered in the early 1900's .

Sister Stephana of Italy was our tour guide and accompanied us throughout our underground exploration. The site consists of a series of caves including at least one large home as well as water cisterns hidden beneath the residence, a familial burial area as well as several other rooms. The large water cistern is known as the Cistern of the Great Church, and is a sizeable well that was apparently used to store water for the family and possibly others that lived above and nearby. The architecture is somewhat suggestive of 1st century, with Herodian stones displayed in several areas. The burial style suggests Jewish roots, which would be likely considering the early dating of this house and its location in Nazareth, originally a Jewish village and believed to be home home of Jesus during his youth. Beyond that, there is evidence of additional development during the Byzantine and possibly the Crusader period as well.

The Sisters of Nazareth provide complimentary group tours of the site with advance notice.

A Different Kind of Bethlehem -Bethlehem in the Galilee

Most pilgrims and Christian tourists will make it a point to visit Bethlehem when they journey to the Holy land. Few, however, have even heard of Beit Lechem HaGlilit, Bethlehem of the Galilee.

An idyllic town adorned with beautiful European-styled stone houses, set deep into the hilly countryside of the Galilee this quaint village is very reminiscent of Provence. Interestingly, some scholars have even suggested that this town might have been the actual birthplace of Jesus, due to its proximity to Nazareth, approximately 25 minutes away.

Its European roots stem from its establishment as a farming village by Christian Templars in 1906. Over the next two and a half decades the village atracted an additional 20 Templar families. Two oterh neighboring villages, Waldheim and Arnhem also attracted a Christian german population and together the three towns became the heart of what would later be during the rise of Hitler, a resident enemy population.

The village is easy to explore by foot or bike and the local historian, Kobi Fleishmann (04-953-2901), will gladly take around tour groups for a two hour stroll through the village by pre-arrangement. Kobi and his family live in a beautiful historic old Templar home and have converted a portion of it to a bed and breakfast as well as a local museum, chronicling the Templar roots of the village as well as the rise of the local Hitler Youth movement, which rose to prominence in this town during the 1930's. Photographs on display in the local museum chronicle this dark period of local history and provide visual evidence of the Nazi Youth parade that occurred in the village to mark Hitler's birthday. The museum showcases much of Kobi's collections of historic Nazi memorablia including flags, pictures and other artifacts, that were from the area.

During the war the British rounded up the local "enemy" German-sympathizing residents and put them into local interment camps where they remained until they were deported. Some 222 of the local prisoners were swapped with 222 Dutch prisoners of Bergen-Belsen concentration camp. During our tour, Kobi showed us the actual list of the prisoners released from Bergen-Belsen and we, coincidentally, found the names of our relatives on the list.

Finding the right spirit in the Golan; a family reunion

Family reunions are not generally the reason d'etre for spiritual inspiration but hence, when selecting the Golan Heights as the venue for a celebration, it is so easy to transform the party into a biblical exploration of local produce as well as a culinary experience. The selected venue for our three night stay for 14 people was bikta belavan (http://www.biktabelavan.com/) , an Israeli guesthouse situated in Moshav Ramot overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

The guesthouse facilities included four large cottages, each offering a private master bedroom with a king size bed, flat screen television and oversized Jacuzzi, a large living room with a pull out double sofa bed, room for a third cot if needed, a television a fully equipped kitchen complete with an espresso machine as well as a large bathroom with a stall shower. The oversized porch overlook expansive grounds complete with large hammocks, a pool, chaise lounges, barbeque, all with the most tremendous view overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

Our accommodations came complete with a homemade breakfast, served to us outside on fine Victorian-inspired china and linens. The tasty breakfast included a selection of fresh local cheeses, finely cut Israel salads, shakshuka (an Israeli morning specialty of eggs cooked inside a deep heavy skillet of sauteed onions and tomatoes), cheese borekas, danish, chocolate milk, lemonade and pancakes as well as the necessary local accompaniments of olives, jams and fresh butter. In addition to amenitizing our units with bottles of wine, Victorian-inspired appointments, milk, water and espresso, Michal, the owner, would keep a jar of freshly baked homemade rugelach (sweet pastry cookies filled with nuts and cinnamin) filled daily in each of our units. It would have been quite easy to just stay at the bikta all day long ounging by the pool and taking in the view, but our location put us so close to many interesting sites that we couldn't help exploring our surroundings just a little.

We made a number of local stops learning about wine production, olive oil production, shofar production, meats as well as biblical archaeology, all within a twenty minute drive of our base at Ramot. Please note that because of the high interest level in each stop, I profiled every visit in a separate entry on this site.

Having enjoyed so many unique experiences together brought us all closer together. Family reunions should be an opportunity to bond and find pleasure in each other and, amongst the olive trees, vineyards, antquities and seaviews found in the Golan, it was a simple, yet memorable experience.

A culinary, musical and biblical adventure in the Golan Heights

Still in the southern Golan Heights we came upon the moshav of Geshur, where we visited the new olive oil visitor's center (http://www.eretz-gshur.co.il/), watched a movie on local production, spoke with a local producer and taste tested at least seven different varieties of olive oil, purchasing several litres upon departure. Though the tour was offered in hebrew, we were able to translate everything to our guests.

Our next stop was a mere five minute drive away, in the moshav of Givat Yoav.There we had a lecture and demonstation at Kol Shofar, the largest shofar factory in the country (http://www.kolshofar.co.il/). We sat outdoors in the shade as the owner, Shimon Keinan, elaborated on the tradition of the shofar, and the complexities of accurately creating the instrument. Both children and adults had the opportunity to try to create the shofar sounds. Unfortunately we were not allowed to film there because of concern over the publication of any trade secrets regarding shofar production. On the way back to Ramot we stopped by Moshav Nov, known throughout the country as the best place to buy locally raised beef. There we purchased our flavorful steaks for barbeque that evening, and they were so delicious that we returned the next day for an encore.

First stop on the wine road in the Golan Heights

Twenty minutes southeast of Ramot, up the windy road to the top of the southern Golan Heights, we visited Chateau Golan, (http://www.chateaugolan.co.il/) a boutique winery next to Odem that produces approximately 70,000 bottles of wine annually. Aside from its highly reputed wine, the winery has one of the most spectacular wine rooms I've seen. The room is set like a scene right out of a Harry Potter movie, and the extensive mahogany table centered between the concrete Roman-inspired pillars, is cut from one piece of wood and can seat 22 people for a tasting or more elaborate celebration. Our English speaking tour guide accompanied us throughout the winery, explaining the production process, both ancient and modern, and providing us with various selections of different wine. The non-kosher winery is available for free tours for groups of 10 or less. Advanced reservations are required.

Quick stop at Kursi

At the base of the Golan, we stopped by Kursi (http://www.parks.org.il/ParksENG), a Jewish fishing village during the mishnaic and talmudic periods, remains of which were accidentally discovered after the Six Day War, when a road was paved along the eastern bank of the Sea of Galilee. Excavations revealed the largest Byzantine-period monastery in Israel. The monastary as well as the church inside were built in the middle of the fifth century C.E. and were later damaged most likely during Persian invasion (614 C.E.). The church was repaired but abandoned in the eighth century and never again used for prayer. A mosaic floor with pictures of animals (chickens, geese, doves, cormorants, and fish), and pictures of plants such as citrons, dates, pomegranates, and grapes were uncovered, some of which was vandalized. According to the New Testament, Jesus healed a man possessed by demons in Kursi.

Kursi is run by the Israel Parks Authority and is open daily.

Ginosar and the Jesus Boat

Along the western banks of the Sea of Galilee lies Kibbutz Ginosar, the likely site of the biblical village of Ginosar. The current site is home to a kibbutz as well as a full service hotel that attracts many tourists. Adjacent to the property is the Yigal Yadin museum, known as the Man in the Galilee museum, a museum focusing on the local Galilee landscape and history of the region. The museum features numerous antiquities, including the famous "Jesus Boat", a 1st century fishing boat that was uncovered in 1986 by two brothers, Moshe and Yuval Lufan, second generation fisherman from the Kibbutz. They discovered the mud covered ancient boat on the normally water-covered banks of the Sea of Galilee during a period of an unusual drought which resulted in extremely low water conditions. It took approximately 12 days and ights to remove the boat and another seven years of submersion in a chemical bath to dry out the antiquity before it was able to be displayed at the center. The process of moving the 2,000 year old boat and preserving it is profiled in a 10 minute movie that can be viewed inside the museum.

Tel 04-672-700.

Recreating biblical life in Nazareth Village

Almost all Catholic pilgrimages stop in Nazareth, widely considered the village where Jesus was raised during his childhood years. Most itineraries include stops at Mary's Well, the Church of the Annunciation, Joseph's House, etc and elaborate on Jesus's upbringing and childhood years.

Nazareth Village (www.nazarethvillage.com), situated outside the historical old city of Nazareth, is a relatively recent development, though constructed on the site where archaeological excavations revealed evidence of a first century farm and quarry. Based on New Testament writings, the site is a combination of archaeological, biblical and historical life of 2,000 years ago and provides visitors with a personal up close account of what Galilean life was like. Various outdoor displays showcase 1st century life while indoor displays highlight archaeological evidence gathered at the site.

We happened to be visiting Nazareth Village on the same day that the University of the Holyland was celebrating its 2008 graduation. Numerous invited family members, guests, faculty members and other onlookers like ourselves participated in the tour of the site and watched the graduation festivities which were complete in costumes worn by the University's founders, Dr. Steven Pfann and his wife Claire, an ordained pastor.

An Afternoon at the Garden Tomb

Jerusalem might be a small city, but hidden between its crowded stone buildings are some of the cities greatest riches. One of these is the Garden Tomb, a beautifully landscaped sanctuary, situated just off of very crowded Nablus Road which is one of East Jerusalem's major thoroughfare's running north from the Damascus Gate. There is a small little sign on Nablus Road directing you down a little stone walkway. After a few metres there is a sign and a large gated entrance door. Walking through the doorway, one is transported into a tranquil and lushly landscaped garden, evoking the feeling of Oz. The Garden Tomb is ideal for worship and reflection, and visitors will find washrooms, retail store, drinking water, and numerous places for rest and prayer. I had the honor of participating in my tour of the Garden Tomb with approximately 20 congregants from the First Baptist Church in Chatsworth, GA and their spiritual leader, Pastor Tommy Snyder. The group was on their last day of touring, and ended their itinerary at the Garden Tomb with a communion service.

The Garden Tomb is believed by some Christian denominations to be the possible site of the resurrection of Jesus. In the late 1869 a large tomb was discovered, the size and type of which correlates with the description in the bible as a possible site for Jesus's tomb. In 1892, the site was purchased by a Charitable Trust based in London and the Anglicans continue to administer the location today. The British tour guide explained that the water cistern located there represents the largest in Jerusalem and dates back 2000 years when the area was believed to be a vineyard (referred to in the bible as a garden). The location, just outside the gates of the city, is according the guide, situated along a portion of Mt. Moriah andcorresponds with the biblical description of the crucifixion which, he described, as occurring proximate to a mountain cliff resembling a skull. We could view the cliff from the northern end of the garden and it did, in fact, resemble a skull.

The group was on their last day of touring, and ended their itinerary at the Garden Tomb with a communion service.

The Garden Tomb is opened Monday thru Saturday from 9 to 12 and from 2-5:30. Group reservations are recommended and can be made by calling 02-627-2745.

Students Dig Megiddo

Megiddo lies just southeast of Haifa and is situated at the head of a mountain pass located at the western end of the Jezreel Valley. The site commands a key view into northern Israel and lies strategically along the Via Maris, the ancient primary thoroughfare connecting Syria and Mesopotamia south to Egypt. In the New Testament, the site is identified as the location of the last great battle of the world, Armageddon. The incredible ruins on the site have lured archaeologists over the years, with of the most significant archaeological digs occurring between 1925 and 1939 when the remains of 20 distinct historical periods dating from 4000 to 400 BCE were found, further underscoring Megiddo's strategic importance. Because of the small amount of documentation associated with that dig, archaeologists suspect that some of the areas may have been dated incorrectly.

Fast forward to 2008 and my visit there during the third week of June where I surprisingly encountered students that had arrived on an archaeological dig that is to last for the next seven weeks. The Megiddo Expedition officially began on June 16, 2008. Approximately 115 student representatives from 40 universities around the world arrived at Megiddo on an archaeological dig to determine, among other things, whether earlier digs had perhaps incorrectly concluded on particular time periods. Five different areas were being excavated including early bronze, Iron Age II, Solomon I, late Bronze and mid Bronze. One area that I visited, known as upper J, had originally been excavated and it had been determined that the area was from early bronze (2000 - 2400 B.C.E.) However, archaeologists now suspect that the area may in fact be from middle bronze - or around 1600-2000 B.C.E. While I stood there interviewing a graduate student in hebrew bible and ancient Israel, one of the students digging nearby uncovered the handle of a ceramic dish. The wishbone handle was unusual and dated back to the mid-Bronze period, just as they suspected.

The students participating in the dig are in Israel at their own expense and are being housed at a nearby Kibbutz, Ramat HaShofet. The program has brought students from numerous international universities including University of Copenhagen, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Vanderbilt, University of Michigan, George Washington, Chapman and numerous others. many of the students are visiting Israel for the first time.

Baptism at Yardenit

It never ceases to amaze me how religious practices of different denominations are really quite similar. In Judaism, there are strict dietary laws, just as there are within Islam, and there are food restrictions for Seventh Day Adventists (vegetarians) and other denominations. Catholics observe lent and restrict themselves from certain foods, while Jews observe kashrut and will restrict themselves from meat items in the three weeks before the Tish A B'Av, excepting Shabbat. In Christianity, the baptism is symbolic of a cleansing and resulting renewal. Obviously, both religions are borne out of the Old Testament and clearly that common beginning of time certainly provides a strong basis of like rituals. But considering how religious differences have separated people for so many years it remains surprising when we are once again reminded by a simple baptism how all men are really the same. We all search for spirituality in one form or another. For some it can be a simple walk or a run, for others it's the church, or maybe its in a song or dance, or a hike or other activity. Or sometimes no activity at all but simple focused meditation. But whatever it is - it still remains a form of spirituality and we each need that in our lives. Today at Yardenit I had the privilege of witnessing several baptisms and seeing spiritual renewal first hand on the faces of so many people.

Yardenit remains one of the most celebrated sites within Israel for baptism. It doesn't really matter that Yardenit is likely a bit far to the north of the actual site where John the Baptist baptised Jesus. It is said that the real spot, a 100 or so kilometres to the south, is likely a bit unseemly, and so, Yardenit situated just south of the Sea of Galilee on the west side of the Jordan River, has long been considered the foremost location for baptisms in Israel. The Yardenit site, located within Kibbutz Kinneret, is quite modern in its facilities, with on site amenities including a large retail store, changing facilities, a restaurant, outdoor coffee shop, ample areas to relax along the river, and of course, several areas where one can easily enter the holy water to be baptised.

My incredible encounter began with two families from Australia, both Seventh-Day Adventists, who arrived to Yardenit after spending a few days in Egypt and Jerusalem. The two families, which had five children between them were traveling together on a three-country adventure that included Egypt, Israel and Jordan. The group was headed by Pastor Anthony R. Kent, an ordained minister that works at the General Conference World Headquarters of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Maryland. We first encountered Pastor Kent with his group in a private corner of the site overlooking the Jordan where he was ministering to the group, which happened to include his wife and two daughters. The group then ventured over to the changing room to change into their swimming clothes and baptism robes. Pastor Kent entered the water first and gave a brief sermon. Then, one by one, he baptised the children starting with the oldest son of the second family. It was extremely emotional - as the young boy of 14 or so was lifted out of the water he hugged the pastor so hard you could just feel how ecstatic he was. He had clearly lost the battle with tears but it didn't matter at all and he then ran to his father for a loving and emotional embrace. Next up was the Pastor's eldest daughter, a beautiful blonde girl, expectantly waiting her turn, walking towards her father as he motioned to her to make her way down the ramp. He then held her with one arm and waved his other arm over her head, and exclaimed in a uncharacteristically shaky voice as he fought back tears " it is because you have dedicated your life to Jesus". Then he fully immersed her in the water symbolising her rebirth in a new life now filled with Jesus. As she arose from the water father and daughter embraced so tightly, that each onlooker's heart could not help but skip a beat.

Later when I spoke with the families to get their email addresses so I could forward the pictures I had snapped, all the kids told me that the baptism experience had been the high point of the trip, by far. And it's no surprise. These children and their families had learned and studied for this moment for years and now this dream had finally come true. Looking at these children as they emerged from the water, one could sense somehow that they were already more mature, more sensitive and they were clearly rejoicing in their newfound connection with their Lord, Jesus.

There were other groups visiting Yardenit while we were there as well. One very lively Catholic group, comprising approximately 50 people, had arrived from Italy and came with two spiritual leaders. The group consisted mostly of individuals over 50 but there were a few younger people in the group as well as one very small baby of four months. We watched intently as the two priests entered the water and then individually baptised a few of the congregants. As these people underwent the Lord's blessing one could truly feel a deep spiritual awakening in the atmosphere. A guitar-wielding member of the church played festively for at least 15 minutes while everyone stood by excitedly witnessing the celebration. And what a rich celebration it was - as people sang and danced and clapped, you couldn't help but feel the heightened spirituality int the air. Each person emerging out of the river seemed changed somehow. Onlookers had to keep the newly baptised members steady on their feet as they got out of the water and then climbed a few stairs up to where their families awaited them. Finally, when all the congregants had completed their rituals it was time to baptise the new baby and what an incredibly memorable experience that was for all of us. While the mother held the baby forward the priest recited several blessings over the baby. We all clapped and cheered. Finally, the priest said a few words captivating the excited crowd and in closing asked each of us to care for our brothers and sisters and to kiss and bless each of our bretheren. You didn't have to know Italian to understand exactly what he said. Within moments, I was kissed on both cheeks by numerous people who I had never met before, each of them telling me in Italian "god bless".

There is no doubt that achieving a heightened sense of spirituality can be an incredible experience. Just seeing how people can change before your eyes, changes each of us in a way. No matter what our beliefs, life must be celebrated and it is that celebration that provides us with a sense of spirituality in our lives. Our lives our precious and it is our responsibility to find that spirituality, and it is often found where you least expect it.

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Welcome to Travelujah, your source to Christian hospitality and travel in the Holy Land. Here we will be sharing interesting news with you and we look forward to hearing your thoughts, wishes, testimonials, reviews and suggestions regarding visits to the Holy Land.