In May 2009, a group of St. Bartholomew parishioners took a tour of Israel. You're welcome to join them, via the diary entries of tour participants.  Scroll down for journal entries being added each day.

May 14th, 2009

We enjoyed our last breakfast feast this morning.  After breakfast, we boarded the bus and set out for the birthplace and Tomb of Samuel the Prophet (1 Samuel 1:-20).  Samuel anointed the first King of Israel, Saul from the House of Benjamin, (1 Samuel 9:22-10:1). As one of the common links between the three major religions, this holy site is revered by Jews, Muslims, and Christians.  We explored the Crusader era Church which still remains at the site before loading back on the bus. 

Our next stop was a possible site for the town of Emmaus.  It was on the road to Emmaus where the disciples met a “stranger” whom they recognized after he broke bread with them in their home later that evening.  The disciples said, “Didn’t our hearts burn within us” and our hearts have burned within us throughout this entire trip.  God has truly been present with us in a very special way.  At the Emmaus site we heard the story I mentioned before exploring a first century tomb or two.  (Luke 24:13-35)

We then wound our way further outside of the city of Jerusalem as Moshe’’ (Marty) told Jacob (Yaakov) our driver to pull the bus over on the side of the road.  Moshe’’ began telling the story of Samuel whose tomb we had visited earlier.  We drove on up a steep, winding narrow road to a non-descript shoulder of the roadway.  We got out of the bus and walked through the weeds until we almost reached the wadi (gully or streambed in northern Africa and the Middle East that remains dry except during rainy season).  It was easy to tell by Moshe’s excitement that this was anything but a non-descript spot in the Holy Land.  Moshe’’ identified two opposing hills that were separated by a long flat valley separated down the middle by the narrow dry creek bed.  Long ago (around 1,000 bce) one of the hills was occupied by the people of Israel while the other was occupied by the Philistines.  As Moshe’’ began to read we realized that he was reading the story of David and Goliath.  We were in the area where the battle took place.  Some of us selected five smooth stones just as David had selected.  The story of David and Goliath is one that most people have heard from almost birth.  I don’t think that any of us will ever hear it again that we are not mentally standing in that wadi tasting the natural fennel and selecting smooth stones.  (1 Samuel 17).

After a short lunch break we headed back down the road this time pulling over at a place that looked much like a roadside park.  We got off the bus to observe a small hill (large enough for a 10’ + man) where legend has it Goliath is buried.  Ron Mauer led us on a ‘hunt’ for “civilization” making our way toward the ruins of a Byzantine era chapel.  Moshe’ has been teaching us some of the very basics of archeological investigation and so he used this as an opportunity for us to try an identify what type of building this once might have been.  We uncovered a mosaic tile floor covered with dirt which we were then able to identify as a Byzantine era Church by the size, color and pattern of the inlaid floor tiles.  How cool is all this!  We all realized how much we have, not only enjoyed, but learned since arriving in Israel.  With a great sense of satisfaction as we got back on the bus to continue our tour. 

Sadly at our next stop Moshe’ and Jacob were not able to continue with us as they are both Jewish and are banned by law from entering Bethlehem which is currently under the Palestinian Authority.  With the aid of a pre-arranged Palestinian guide we entered through a heightened security entrance gate. We walked along the concrete wall that was erected three years ago dividing the Palestinian territory from Jerusalem.  As we got to Bethlehem the entire milieu changed.  There were street vendors selling fruit, bread, postcards, and “stuff”.  We all climbed into a van (as opposed to our big, almost new, bus) and drove to our destination at the Church of the Holy Nativity.  The sights in the Palestinian territory were quite different from Jerusalem.  There were the obvious signs of the visit from Pope Benedict who had celebrated Mass there the day before.   We stood outside the Church of the Nativity, the traditional site of Jesus’ birth, and heard what the guide had to tell us about the three churches (Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Roman Catholic) that were all housed on the site.  We were able to visit the site they claim was where the birth of Jesus occurred over 2,000 years ago.  We were able to gather away from the crowd for a few minutes to read scripture and take some time to reflect upon what it means to invite Jesus into our lives and to receive him as we receive Holy Communion.  We sang “O Little Town of Bethlehem” and “Silent Night” before finishing the tour of the site.

After leaving back through the security check points we were reunited with Moshe’ and Jacob for the drive back to our hotel. 

This trip has been a blessing from beginning to end.  Just as God didn’t make any two of us the same, this experience has helped each of have an opportunity to be changed in some new way toward being the people that God has created us to be.  We all know that we have been blessed and we hope to bless you with our stories and pictures but most of all, our renewed lives.

Tomorrow at 3:30 A.M. we will have cake and coffee in the lobby as we wait for the bus to take us to the airport. 

On behalf of our group and in God’s peace, Beth

 

May 13th, 2009

 Today our schedule will change just a bit.  Because of the Pope’s visit we were unable to get to the Garden of Gethsemane.  We asked Moshe’’  if we could change our schedule today to be sure that we got to the garden.  He has been MOST accommodating.  I cannot tell you how fortunate we have been with our guide and our driver!  They are wonderful people who have made the trip FANTASTIC!  They have both gone over and beyond what could be expected.  They are GREAT and we have loved being with them. 

 

Our first stop was Yad Vashem which is the Israel Holocaust Monument.  Moshe’, being Jewish, was passionate as he walked us through the monument telling us stories and pointing out displays of particular interest.  One could not go through that place without feeling intense emotion!  It is hard to understand people who say that this event never happened.  Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your view, the German military was a great record keeper.  They documented in writing and in film many of the things that were done to the Jewish people.  We saw some of the atrocities and it is hard to imagine people treating others in such a way.  It was a very somber visit.  The term holocaust means a burnt offering for sin, a sacrifice for sin.  The Jewish people prefer to call this event ‘Shoah’.   ‘Shoah’ means a sacrifice for no reason at all.  The term holocaust could imply that the Jewish people did something wrong when their only ‘problem’ was being Jewish.  It was impressive hearing why the monument is called Yad Vashem.  It says in Isaiah 56:5, “I (the Lord) will give, in my house and within my walls, a monument and a name…”.  Yad Vashem is a name and a monument.  How appropriate.  This experience has given us all a lot to think about.  It would be easy to dismiss what happened to the Jewish people and say, “I would never do anything like that to anyone” but don’t we all do similar things when we exclude others just because they are not like us in some way or when we “assassinate” others for whatever reason.  We will be processing this for a long time!

Our next stop was the Israeli Museum.  It was not in the plan to visit two museums back to back but it was the only way to get everything in for the day and we were happy to do it.  There is an AMAZING model of Jerusalem in the first century.  It really did help to put everything in perspective.  It is here where some of the Dead Sea Scrolls are housed.  It was a wonderful display and we enjoyed seeing things that we had already read about and heard about at Qumran. 

The Pope is still in town so navigating our way to and from the Garden of Gethsemane was not easy but, again, our fabulous guide and driver persevered and we were successful!  The garden is beautiful and filled with gorgeous, fragrant flowers.  Botanists have tested the olive trees in the garden and they have determined that eight of the olive trees date back to the time of Jesus.  We had a reflection in the garden with some time to meditate.  This is such a holy place that it calls one to meditate.  I love it here! 

The garden at Gethsemane, literally “oil-press,” is located on a slope of the Mount of Olives just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. A garden of ancient olive trees stands there to this day. Jesus frequently went to Gethsemane with His disciples to pray (John 18:2). The most famous events at Gethsemane occurred on the night before His crucifixion when Jesus was betrayed. Each of the Gospel writers describes the events of that night with slight variations, so reading the four accounts (Matthew 26:36-56, Mark 14:32-52, Luke 22:40-53 and John 18:1-11) provides a richer picture of the events of that night.

With the time we had available we read the passages from Luke and John and had some time for reflection on how that relates to the lives we live today and some of the challenges we each face going forward.

Back on the bus and to the hotel.  We had about an hour and a half before our dinner feast.  It will be difficult to return to “real life” with no spread three-tables, no waiters taking dirty dishes, and pouring coffee.  We are all tired but refreshed spiritually.  One more day and then we head home.  I think we are all ready to return home but this has really been the experience of a lifetime and we are all grateful! 

 

 May 12th, 2009

Well!  Today was our "free" day where everyone was free to do whatever he/she desired.  Some slept late, some got up early for various reasons, some shopped, one swam, and two have a VERY interesting story to tell.  The Pope was in town so the city virtually came to a screeching hault for security reasons.  The cabs were not moving, the buses were blocking streets, the Old City gates were locked at 10:00 and literally there was little to do but shop (on foot, of course).  However, two people have a very different story to tell!  You will have to get details from them as no one else could do the story justice. 

All in all, everyone enjoyed whatever it was they did.

 

 May 11th, 2009

It is not an usual occurrence for people to have spectacular things daily but for the past nine days I would have to say that we have had nothing short of spectacular days and today was no exception.  After breakfast our day began by boarding the bus and heading for the Dead Sea.  Why is it called the Dead Sea?  The Jordan River flows into the sea and nothing flows out of it. 

As the sea came into sight we were amazed at the beauty around that body of water.  We passed the gate to Qumran where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found Mineral Beach both of which we would return to after our visit to Masada. 

Masada, also known as Herod’s mountain, is INCREDIBLE!   We ascended by cable car to the top of this plateau where one of Herod’s palaces literally hangs off the end of the mountain.  The details of how Herod had water, soil, and materials taken to that site are unbelievable!  There were storage rooms for foods, wine, tools, weapons, and more.  This place lacked NOTHING!

After the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 A. D. the Zealots retreated to Masada where they fended off the Romans for three years.  The story of how the Jews lost their battle with the Roman Legionnaires is a sad one but is a real testament to the Jewish people and their determination.

After we descended the Masada we got back on the bus and headed to Mineral Beach.  There were little pavilions with chairs down at the water’s edge.  The REAL novelty of the beach experience was the mud.  Yes!  I said, “mud”!  Most of us lathered our bodies with pitch black mud, let it bake in the sun, and then washed off the mud in the Dead Sea where you could literally float right on top of the water.  The bottom was full of rocks so those who wore shoes had an easier time than the rest.  We made an arrangement that NO ONE would share pictures of others.  If you see a picture of ANYONE at the beach it will be shown to you by the one in the picture.  Our inhibitions were much lower once we were covered with mud.  I know who was down at the water’s edge and found it difficult to identify our own group.  It is strange how different a person looks when he/she is covered with black mud! 

After fun in the sun, we headed to Qumran to see where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found by two Bedouins.   The Bedouins lost a sheep and through a rock in a cave to see if the sheep would come out.  There was no sheep but a loud crash!  The two returned the following day to see what crashed!  To their amazement, there were pottery jars filled with scrolls and the rest, as they say, is history.  We saw a quick film about Essene community of which John the Baptist was identified.  What a story!  Seeing the landscape it is phenomenal that those scrolls were ever found! 

Our last stop for the evening was at Abraham’s tent in Genesis Land.  We were greeted by a “friend of Abraham” who donned us in outfits and headgear.  Most of us boarded our camels, (Yes!  I said CAMELS) and road over to Abraham’s tent.  Abraham’s friend told us his story and that of Abraham.  As is typical in scripture, we were given superb hospitality.  We enjoyed dinner in the tent and we were told more about Abraham and his customs.  Our camels had to go home before we finished dinner and some of us were relieved that we didn’t have to mount the camels again.  Whew! 

We had another spectacular day!  Tomorrow is a free day.  Some have plans to sleep without a wake-up call, some plan to leave the hotel before sunrise, others plan to leave after the crack of dawn to return to favorite sites previously visited.  The visit of Pope Benedict XVI has made navigating the city difficult but we are getting so accustomed to this Holy City that we are ready to maneuver without Moshe.  He and Jacob have a well-deserved day off.  We will miss them both!  We have been told not to even try to take a cab tomorrow because of the anticipated traffic due to the visit of Pope Benedict.  Some of us are still hoping for a miracle (invitations to the Mass) but we are making alternative plans just in case things don’t work out.

What a trip this has been already and we have three more full days.  God has blessed us all richly with this marvelous experience.  We are thankful for this opportunity. 

On behalf of our group and in God’s peace, Beth

 May 10th, 2009

 I feel that I should say “Shabbat Shalom” today as it is our Sabbath.  After breakfast we boarded the bus, greeted Jacob, and headed to the Jaffa Gate.  We heard an original story (we have heard several) written by Moshe about the settlement of the new city of Jerusalem.  He was a freelance journalist before becoming a tour guide.  He studied geography and archeology at Hebrew University so he is QUITE knowledgeable!  Our first stop was David’s Citadel. 

We headed through the Armenian Quarter through the Zion Gate into the Jewish Quarter on our way to the second site of the Last Supper in the Upper Room.  You can imagine that many of the sites are by tradition and the account of past pilgrims.  It is unclear how some places trace their story.  The Upper Room in what was the area of the Essenes is the more preferred site.  There were MANY groups there worshipping and paying respect.  It was a crowded place with school groups and other adults. 

Just next door was the Dormition Abbey which is located on Mt. Zion.  This Benedictine Abbey was established in the early 20^thcentury and is centered on the Virgin Mary.  It is said that she lived and died here.  The building is beautiful and just as we left the church the bells began ringing calling the monks and nuns to worship.  We stopped as about 20 Benedictine nuns walked past entering the church.

We made our way through the Jewish Quarter where we saw some AMAZING archeology.  We heard another story from Moshe.  These stories allow us to think about life in Jerusalem in a context rather than just as a tourist.  We walked through the Cardo, a Byzantine street that is now the oldest shopping arcade in the world. 

After lunch and a rest, we enjoyed a guided tour through the ruins of a 2,000 year old Herodian mansion.  We only think that we are sophisticated.  My goodness!  This mansion (and it literally was a mansion) was unbelievable!  There was running water provided by a cistern, a mikvah (a pool for the ritual bath required by Jews), a kitchen, mosaic floors, and the house was about four stories high.  BEAUTIFUL!

But I think that the highlight for all of us was Davidson Archeological Park.  After a brief live and animated “tour” of the Temple and Jerusalem 2,000 years ago we entered the site.  As we walked along the path all of a sudden we arrived at one of the holiest places on the entire trip!  We arrived at the excavated steps from the south wall of the Temple.   There were three arched entrances into the Temple and two exits.  Moshe explained that the steps were intentionally sized differently so that one could not mindlessly leave Temple without thinking.  One had to pay attention as he/she walked out of the Temple to assure not loosing his/her step.  It was on these steps where Jesus (Matthew 23:27-28) said "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which on the outside look beautiful, but inside they are full of the bones of the dead and of all kinds of filth. So you also on the outside look righteous to others, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.   If one was exiting the Temple and looked to the left onto the Mt. of Olives he/she could see the tombs on the hillside so the setting for this statement was descriptive as well as thought provoking.  It was hard to take it all in!  The attitude of the entire group became joyful and meditative all at the same time.  Our stay at the steps was WAY too short but he had to get to the Western Wall Tunnel before it closed. 

On our way to the Tunnel, we stopped and observed the architectural genius of Herod.  The size of the stones used in the Temple platform were incredible!  Herod’s reputation was of being a terrible and evil ruler but he was an architectural genius even by today’s standards.  As we got closer to the Western Wall the numbers of Orthodox Jews was increasing.  The men are very easily identifiable by long beards, peyos (the hair in front of the ears that extends to underneath the cheekbone which is level with the nose which comes from Leviticus 19:27), black suits and hats, and white shirts. 

We entered the tunnel of the Western Wall!  What an AMAZING sight!  We could see down into the bedrock of the Temple foundation.  The sights are too numerous to mention here but I think that we were all most impressed by the devotion of the women that we saw who come daily to read Psalms at what would be the base of the Holy of Holies.   There are a few chairs and a book rack with Psalters (I assume) and they sit facing the wall praying the Psalms oblivious to the tourists behind them. 

It was 7:00 when returned home for our usual dinner fare.  Let me clarify.  I was referring to the dinner fare to which we have become accustomed.  Our waistlines will be happy but our pallets will be sad to return to our “normal” meals in the states. 

On behalf of our group and in God’s peace, Beth

May 9th, 2009

Shabbat Shalom ! (Shabbat Shalom is a greeting people say to each other on the sabbath. It is expected that the shalom (peace, wholeness) of the sabbath will be even better than any day of the week. At the end of the sabbath, people say "Shavua Tov" - have a good week.).  Today is the Jewish Sabbath and the sites are really something!  The Orthodox Jews are very identifiable.  It must be wonderful for people who have been persecuted for so long to be able to openly be Jewish. 

 After the (by now) typical breakfast feast, we boarded the bus and headed for the Lion’s Gate of the city of Jerusalem.  After we got off the bus we stood on the corner for about five minutes waiting for our guide, Moshe, who as a modern Orthodox Jew cannot access public transit on Sabbath, we saw the Mt. of Olives, the Church of Mary Magdalena, the Kidron Valley, and all the “white washed sepulchres”  (Matthew 23:27) referenced in the Gospel. 

 We have began each day with worship.  Today’s worship was walking the Via Dolorosa.  It is really indescribable to talk about walking the Way of the Cross.   Of course, the road is several centuries higher than the time of Jesus and there are two traditions about the route of the Via Dolorosa but this city is so steeped in Christian tradition that it is a privilege to just be here let alone to walk the way that Jesus walked to give us the gift of forgiveness. 

 One of the stops along the way was the 12^th century crusader Church of St. Anne, the birthplace of St. Anne, the mother of Mary.  The acoustics in this place were AMAZING!  Our group waiting our turn and then sang “Columba” and “Old Hundreth”.  That was fun!  This is also the site of the Pool of Bethsaida, (John 5:1-9a).

 I think that one of the highlights of the way of the cross for me was stopping in the upper room (Mark 14:12-15) claimed by the Syrian Church.  There was a woman there whose job was maintaining the church that is housed over a claimed site of the upper room.  She sang “The Lord’s Prayer” for us in the language of our Lord, Aramaic.  WOW!  It was a moment out of time. 

 We completed the Stations of the Cross and walked silently through the Jewish Quarter, out of respect for their Sabbath.  Both groups were celebrating but very different things.  Some were celebrating their Sabbath and their day focused on worship of God, Yahweh, and we were reflecting on the very moving walk that Jesus took on our behalf.  The tolerance that we all showed is how we should all live our lives on a daily basis rather than in the moment of incredible love for the gift that was given to each of us.

 Once we left the city wall we headed, on foot, to the church of St. Peter of Gallucantu, which is the place where the courtyard was located where Peter denied Jesus three times (Mark 14:66-72).  There is, appropriately, a rooster on top of the church.  There is a spectacular view of the Mt. of Olives, the City of David, and the Dome of the Rock outside the entrance to the church.  We entered the church and sat for a few minutes of reflection. 

 At most sites, we hear scripture about that particular site.  At times, we are invited to reflect on a particular part of the scripture which has allowed us to bring these holy places into our own individual lives.  After a reflection at the site of St. Peter in Gallicantu we had the opportunity to consider the ways that we deny Jesus in our own lives.  It was the perfect segue for our next stop.

 We took the bus to the Garden Tomb where we would celebrate the Eucharist as a group.  We were met by a guide who gave us the scriptural reasons that this site is believed to be the burial spot of Jesus.  Our guide was a minister from Scotland and his story was quite convincing.  We all entered the tomb where Jesus was laid before heading to our assigned “worship space” to celebrate Eucharist.  It was not the usual Sunday morning service complete with music, vestments, quiet, and bulletins but it was very spiritually fulfilling.  We had planned to sing “Were You There” but the group in the adjacent space was so loud that we were unable to hear our group sing.  We all had the opportunity to have someone pray for our hearts desire at the moment.   We shared a common cup and also were each given a small individual olive cup as a souvenir from our tour guide.

 We met our driver, Jacob (pronounced Yah Cove) after our worship was finished.  He dropped us back at the hotel where we will rest until the next feast at 7:00.   Don’t expect to see less of any of us.  The food has been utterly amazing!  It is very different from the food in America.  Our buffet is full of salads, hummus, cheeses, breads, fruits (dried and fresh), spreads, soups, desserts, entrees, and I could go on and on.  Olives are the staple of each meal and they are MARVELOUS! 

 Shalom! On behalf of the St Bartholomew group touring Israel and In God’s Peace, Beth

 May 8th, 2009 

Friday, Day 5 began with our usual feast.  It is really going to be hard to return to normal breakfast fare.  We boarded the bus and headed for Cana.  There is a Franciscan church over an ancient site believed to be the house where the marriage feast was held where Jesus turned the water into wine.  Under the nave is a water jug from the first century.  It doesn’t look anything like I pictured the jars to look.  I always pictured a perfectly shaped jug made on a potter’s wheel.  This jug instead appeared to have been carved out of stone with many irregularities and uneven surfaces.  Seeing the stone jugs helped provide a relative scale for how much wine was converted during this miracle.  What a celebration that must have been! 

Back on the bus and off to Nazareth.  Today is not the best day to go to Nazareth as it is Friday (the Muslim Holy Day or equivalent to our Sabbath) when there is always a lot of traffic but also because the Pope will be here next week and there is much going on in preparation.  Our first stop was a Greek Orthodox Church.  Along the way we passed by an ancient well, in the midst of the city, where it is quite possible that Mary as a young girl walked frequented to draw water.  The church was not far away and well worth the walk. It was very impressive with GORGEOUS icons and the splendid ornate chandeliers.  There was a water well connected with the church, which is one of two sites claimed to be the place off the annunciation of the birth by the angel Gabriel to Mary.

We then visited the Roman Catholic Church of the Annunciation (largest church building in the Middle East) which is built over the site of Mary’s house where the annunciation took place.  To get to the church we had to walk through an Arab market.  That was interesting having 16 people “truck” through a very dense market of close aisles and alley ways without stopping to look or buy.  There was an abundance of icons on the walls surrounding the outside this very large and impressive.  We waited for mass to end after which we were allowed to go downstairs and view the grotto.  Due to the witness of St. Francis to the 12^th century Kurdish Muslim military leader Saladin (they seem to have long memories in the Middle East) as a stark contrast to the face of Christianity Saladin saw through his battles with the Crusaders the Franciscan Order of the Roman Catholic Church has been granted responsibility to maintain many sites throughout the Holy Land that might have otherwise been lost.  We are all very grateful for their ministry!

As we headed toward the bus we passed a park-like area with many Muslims on prayer rugs praying.  There was also a TV cameraman who told Moshe that he was there every Friday. Nazareth is a Arab town now and they wanted to build a mosque directly next door to the Church of the Annunciation. They were denied permission so every Friday they go to the place where they wanted their mosque and pray. 

We boarded the bus and headed to Beit She’an.  This stop was nothing short of amazing!  WOW!  Beit She’an is a national park with the largest archeological dig in the country with its Biblical tel and ongoing excavations exposing the vast Roman-Byzantine City.   It was a unbelievable what we saw there!  We walked through the city stopping in the theatre, the one of the bathhouses, walked up the steps of an ancient Roman temple, and gazed at the tel and the goats on the side.  We saw the area of the hippodrome and another bathhouse.  It was QUITE impressive. 

After a time in the sun at Beit She’an we were happy to sit on our air conditioned bus for a while.  We headed to the Holy City.  We passed through the West Bank and saw the military outposts and a checkpoint.  We saw Jordon on the left as we headed south.  The date palm trees were beautiful and big.  No wonder we have such wonderful dates every morning!  As we got closer to Jerusalem, we saw Bedouin communities on the slopes of the rain dessert.  That seems like such a miserable life to us but to the Bedouins it is the way of life that they know and love.  We all hugged the left windows of the bus as we began to get glimpses of Jerusalem.  If one had been sleeping (who could have been sleeping through all this!) the sighs and oohs and ahs would have awakened them as the first sight of Jerusalem was made.  Our bus wound up the Mount of Olives and deposited us on the most amazing place to view the Holy City.  Moshe’ read Psalms as we gazed in amazement!  How beautiful!  We saw the City of David, several walls, of course, the Dome of the Rock (believed to be the site the original temple constructed by King Solomon and presumed site of the rock where Abraham took his son Isaac to be sacrificed), along with many churches.  Oh my goodness!  We really are here! 

After many photos, we boarded the bus and headed for our hotel.  Our necks got much exercise as we rode through the city and Moshe pointed out one place after another.  We saw the Roman Catholic Cemetery where Schindler is buried.  According to Moshe, there are many rocks (sign of respect) on his grave from many visitors who have paid their respects. 

 

We got settled in, ate dinner, and headed for our rooms to rest before another big day on our trip.  God is so good and we have been blessed richly on this trip already and we have expectations of more blessings before returning home.  

 May 5th, 2009

After settling in the hotel yesterday afternoon we went for a feast in a local restaurant.  We had many delicious dishes of different salads before the side dishes and main course arrived.  We had heard but now have first-hand knowledge of wine from the Golan Heights.  YUM!