EXPERIENCING THE HOLY LANDS OF ISRAEL, PALESTINE, AND JORDAN

Sunrise over Jerusalem as seen from Bethlehem

Traveling to the “Holy Land” was not high on my list of potential destinations.  Jordan, and a visit to Petra, was,
but I wasn’t so enthused about visiting Israel and its holy sites.  I definitely wasn’t interested in going there with a large religious group.  Even though I am a Christian, too much overt religiosity is not my style.  I am more of an intellectual than emotional Christian focused on faith-in-action.  But I jumped at the opportunity to go on this trip for three reasons:  first, it was to be led by my friend, Deborah Hutterer, the ELCA Lutheran Bishop of the Grand Canyon Synod (Arizona and southern Nevada); second, it promised visits with Palestinians and an exploration of issues related to Palestinian/Israeli relations; and, third, there was an optional post-tour extension to Jordan and Petra.  As a bonus, the price was reasonable.

Prior to leaving on this trip, we had several Zoom meetings and were asked to read a few books for background.  I read some of the recommended books which increased my enthusiasm for the trip, especially after I met (virtually) trip organizer Elias Nawawieh, who said he had been born and raised in Bethlehem.  Elias told us that he had “watched thousands of tourists visit holy sites but they have no interaction with the local people.”  His goal was to assure that, in addition to visiting those sites, we would also experience the area and its people.

The first two Zoom meetings gave me pause when there were questions such as:  “The website says we’ll have to walk three to five miles a day.  Is that really true?”  “Can I bring my walker?”  “Will we be safe?”  I would have to take repeated deep breaths if I was going to enjoy this trip with fifty old people!  My anxieties were for naught as our group of 48 travelers turned out to be fit and congenial, and only a few actually were older than me.  (I often forget that I am among the elderly!)  And we definitely had an interesting and varied trip.

Visiting Biblical Lands

It turns out that Elias owns and operates the tour company but was not to be our tour guide.  We had two, both Palestinian Christians who were well-schooled in the Bible.  Rizek led us around Israel and Palestine, and Omar took us on the Jordan portion of the tour.  Omar asserted that 64% of the action described in the Bible took place in Jordan.  He quizzed us on our Biblical knowledge as we traveled the country, visiting the places where Abraham, his nephew Lot, and their descendants had settled; where Jacob wrestled with the angel after defrauding his brother Esau; where Esau lived; and where Moses looked across the Jordan River to the Promised Land of Jericho at the end of his life. 

From the top of Mt Nebo in Jordan, Moses beheld the
fertile valley on the other side, the town of Jericho

A monastery was built on Mt Nebo in the fourth century BC.
The mosaic tiles were uncovered centuries later.

Rizek’s portion of our journey included visits to a memorial to the Prophet Elijah--who brought belief in one God to the peoples of the area--and to Jericho--which in addition to being the promised land of the ancient Jews, was also the site of Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness at the start of this ministry.  The Jordan River, site of his baptism by John the Baptist was near Jericho. 

The Jordan River where John baptized Jesus.

The fertile Jordan River Valley 

Jericho is the breadbasket of the region.

The wilderness outside of Jericho, people walked through the valley to get to Jerusalem.

The monastery, build centuries ago, is still in use.

We visited Nazareth, where Mary and Joseph lived and where Jesus grew up; Bethlehem, where he was born; Cana, where he performed his first miracle of turning water into wine at a wedding feast; the Sea of Galilee, where Jesus called his disciples and did much of his teaching; the Mount where he delivered his sermon of the beatitudes; and Jerusalem, where he spent his last days, was crucified, buried, and rose from the dead. 

As we toured each site, Rizek provided both Biblical and cultural context.  For example, in Nazareth he told us that people of the time had lived in caves.  There may have been structures built to extend these, but essentially homes and stables were in naturally-occurring rock shelters in the abundant mountains and hills of the region.  We learned about wedding traditions while visiting Cana and about fishing methods when at the Sea of Galilee.

The modern-day town of Nazareth. 
When Mary and Joseph lived here, the population was about 500.

This cathedral was built over the cave where Mary lived.  It is massive inside!

Mary's home was a cave in the mountainside.

The cathedral is decorated inside and out with depictions of the Madonna and child donated from countries around the world.  This offering is from Japan.

There is a separate cave, with church, honoring Joseph, the builder.

The holy family in Joseph's church.

At each site, Rizek categorized its historical accuracy as an A, B, or C location.  The A’s, he told us, were exact locations passed down through the long oral history of the region.  A B site was a possible location.  For example, we know that Jesus gave his “Sermon on the Mount” on a specific mountain, now known as the Mount of the Beatitudes, but we don’t know the exact spot on that mountain where this occurred.  

Bishop Deborah Hutterer led us in a holy communion service on the Mount.

Beautiful gardens overlooking the Sea of Galilee cover the Mount of the Beatitudes

A C location is commemorative, such as the place which celebrates Elijah’s battle with the people who worshipped the gods of Baal.  We know of the event but don’t know its exact location, so a monument was built at a possible location to remind us of an important event.

Elijah

Elijah depicted waiting for God to set fire to the calf--a mural in the
dome of the church on the Mount of Transfiguration.

A second mural depicting Moses receiving the 10 commandments.

Nearing sunset on the Mount of Transfiguration.

While many of the places we visited were in Jerusalem, Rizek reminded us that the entirety of Jesus’ ministry took place in the region known as Galilee; he went to Jerusalem to die.  It shouldn’t have been a surprise to me, but it was, to read in the book Blood Brothers that the first followers of Jesus were the Palestinians who inhabited Galilee.  Some of the Palestinian Christians are descended from those who actually knew and followed Jesus of Galilee.

Historical and Archeological Sites

Israel, the Palestinian Territories, and Jordan are rich in ancient history, and we visited several archeological sites, each of which had some connection to Biblical events or with early Christian communities.

Magdala.  This ancient fishing village on the Sea of Galilee and near the town of Tiberius, was the home of Mary Magdalene, from whom Jesus drove the demons that had troubled her for years.  In 2009 a first-century Jewish community and synagogue were uncovered as was evidence of defenses against Roman invaders.  The site is now a combination archaeology park and church/museum dedicated to the disciples called from their roles as fishermen and to the women who followed Jesus.

Remains of the ancient Jewish ritual baths.  Rain water, which was
captured coming off the mountain, fed the bathing pools.

Jesus healing Mary Magdalene, note the demons in the tree.

The woman who had been bleeding for years, touches Jesus's robe and is healed.

Jesus walking on the water and calming the stormy seas.

The pulpit in this church is inside the boat and the window behind looks onto the Sea of Galilee.

Caesarea by the Sea.  This town, which sits beside the Mediterranean Sea, was the Roman’s administrative capital of the Palestinian region.  Remains of the aqueduct used to carry water from the mountains to the plains, a hippodrome that could seat 20,000, an amphitheater, and Herod’s palace are here.  There was an engraved stone here marking Pontius Pilate’s presence.  (He was the Roman judge who sentenced Jesus to death.)

Herod's private swimming pool.

"Pontius Pilate was here."

Petra.  I’ve heard often of Petra and knew it was one of the Seven Wonders of the World, but I had no real idea of what to expect.  The ancient city in the southern Jordanian desert was carved into the limestone mountains.  According to our guide, Omar, the earliest inhabitants of this area were the descendants of Esau, Jacob’s brother.  When Moses was leading the Israelites out of bondage in Egypt, he asked to take them through this region but was denied that privilege.  According to the Bible, the Lord retaliated by defeating the Edomites (as they were known).  Around the fourth century BC, the Nabatean Arabs, descendants of Moses’s illegitimate son Ishmael, settled here.  They established a strong kingdom built on trade—silk from China, spices from India, and leather and perfumes from Arabia.  The main thoroughfare through the canyon is called the Siq.  In addition, the Nabateans created a system of underground cisterns and channels for collecting and storing rain water.  The Romans arrived in the first century and added to the structures in the region.

For centuries, the abandoned region was home to Bedouin tribal peoples who lived in the caves and structures of Petra.  In the 1980s, about 2,000 Bedouins agreed to vacate and moved into a town constructed for them by the King of Jordan.  In exchange, they were given the right to earn livings from the tourism of the newly-created national park.  They provide horses and golf-carts for those who don’t want to walk the length of the park.  They also have camels for tourists to ride, and they maintain (beautifully) the roads and concessions.  In addition, there are multiple stalls along the way where scarves and jewelry are sold.  I purchased a cashmere scarf from a woman who wanted to show me how to wear it on my head.  (Later, another woman took the scarf off and re-tied it in a different manner.)  Young men and boys are happy to take photos of tourists using the tourists’ phone in exchange for a tip. A boy took about fifteen photos of me before I got my phone back and took a selfie with him. 

 

"Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" was filmed in Petra.

Jerash.  This ancient city in Jordan is the most intact Roman city uncovered to date.  According to information posted in the site’s museum, the first known settlement at "Gerasa" was Greek and dated from the fourth century BC.  The Romans established the region of Arabia in the second century AD.  They paved (with rocks) the trade route to Damascus, cutting off Petra’s prominence and thereby defeating the Nabataean Kingdom.  Christianity arrived in the mid-400s and a church, with beautiful mosaic tile floors, was built.  Byzantine Christians ruled the region until the Muslim conquest in the seventh century.  In 749 AD a massive earthquake shook the region followed by 40 days of aftershocks.

The Roman city was protected by two gates—south and north—and surrounded by walls.  The gates were connected by a road through the heart of the city called the Cardo.  On a hill above the city stand the remains of the Temple to Zeus, and a massive arch, dedicated to a visit by the Emperor Hadrian sits outside the city.

Hadrian's Arch

Mosaic floor in what was the church

The temple to Zeus on the acropolis, or highest hill

The central marketplace and the cardo running to the north gate

The People and Their Holy Places

Old Jerusalem itself is divided into three sectors:  Jewish, Christian, and Moslem.  For the most part the people live in harmony with one another, as they have for centuries.  However, outbreaks of violence happen.  There is significant unrest among the Palestinians (see my separate blog for more on this) and fear among the Israelis.  The recent election of ultra-right leaders in Israel has heightened tensions. 

Walls around Old Jerusalem

The Garden of the Lords Prayer has versions in 147 (?) languages.

Ever-present Israeli soldiers

The Western Wall of the city, also known as the Wailing Wall where the Jews come to pray.
Men to the left and women to the right.

Prayer books available for use at the wall.

A typical street in old town

A Jewish cemetery

The tomb of King David

Temple Mount: This holy place in Jerusalem has a long a varied history, from the time of Moses and his brother Aaron and the subsequent temple built by King Solomon in this holiest of holy places.  During the time of Roman rule, the temple area was expanded, and in 691 AD Moslems built the Dome of the Rock in this area.  One access to the Temple Mount begins beside the Western (or wailing) Wall of the Jewish sector of Jerusalem.  Jews are forbidden entry into the Temple Mount.  Another access point allows Moslems to gather and worship at the Dome of the Rock.  I do not fully understand all of the religious and political history of this place, but recognize it as a place of significance for Jews, Moslems, and Christians.  During Ramadan and other Muslim festivals, as many as 8,000 faithful crowd the Temple Mount for worship and prayers.

The Final Days of Jesus.  Of course, one on the most important aspects of this trip for many Christians is following in the footsteps of Jesus in his final days.  We spent part of two days on this quest, beginning with the "Palm Sunday Walk" that retraced important locations such as the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed and was arrested.  We also visited two different sites where his crucifixion and burial allegedly took place.  On one of these sites a massive church was constructed.  It is decorated with paintings and murals.  The stone that the body of Jesus was laid on has a central place, and some of the faithful prostrate themselves to kiss or pray over it.  Many wait in long lines to peer into or touch the sites of the crucifixion or burial.  We also visited a second possible site which is unadorned and which I found to be much more peaceful and meditative.

The kind of tree from which the crown of thorns was fashioned

The stone in the Garden of Gethsemane where Jesus prayed. 
The carving was added later, of course.

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Kissing and praying over the burial stone

Waiting in line to peer into the burial cave.

Golgotha, the spot where Jesus may have been crucified.

The more peaceful possible site, below we entered the tomb

The Lutheran Presence.  We visited three places that were built in the 1800s by German Lutheran missionaries to the region.  We worshipped one Sunday at Christmas Lutheran Church in Bethlehem, and we talked at length with leaders of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer in Jerusalem.  The Lutherans also built Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem.  It is now run by the Lutheran World Federation and provides cancer and diabetes treatment for Palestinians.

Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem

The church in the hospital complex

Bishop Azar of the Holy Land and Jordan and his daughter Sally Azar, 
who was ordained as the first woman pastor in the region a couple of weeks after our visit.

Our own Bishop Hutterer, Sally Azar, and the women pastors who were in our tour group.

This is an ancient and interesting part of the world, with significant claims by the three great monotheist religions.  I learned much about the history of the region and its people and even more about the conflict that has burdened ancient Palestine for much of the past hundred years or more.  I have more to say about that in my blog about Palestine, but I will close this one with a few photos of the people who call the Holy Land home and the food they eat.

Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity celebrating Epiphany on January 6.

A flatbread which we ate with hummus.  Hummus was served at every meal!