Israel, Day Two - - Judea

I'm amazed at how much we managed to pack into a six-hour tour today!  Jiries picked us up at 9:00 a.m.  We set out for the "Judean wilderness".  One of the things I've realized is why in the Bible they would talk about "going up to Jerusalem".  It was not merely a compass-point, going north.  Jerusalem is set on a high hill, 260 feet above sea level.  As we rode south toward Jericho, our ears were popping.  In the space of a very few miles (about 10), we were at sea level.  Pretty intense!  Then, there's the matter of temperature change.  The difference in temperatures in Jerusalem versus Jericho (although they are not but about 30 minutes from each other) is 15-20 degrees!

By the side of the multi-lane road from Jerusalem to Jericho is a monument of sorts, built there to commemorate the site of The Good Samaritan story.  Farther on is a little park/turn-off, where you can get your picture made at a large sign proclaiming that you are now at sea level.1  In our case, LO!  A bedouin and his camel were there as well!

Jiries has made the acquaintance of this bedouin man before and told us he has four wives.  < 😬>
His 10-year old male camel's name is Shofo (pronounced ShooFoo).  Did you know camels growl?  Sort of like a dog.  But, Shofo, despite his growling, was very cooperative as our little party climbed on his back (one at a time), and posed for pictures.  It was quite fun.  I was amazed to watch Shofo bend his legs in keeping with the design of his Creator.  So perfect for the animal's desert role!

The bedouin peoples live much as their ancestors have lived for thousands of years, although not in great riches.  (Above, I'll post a picture of a bedouin community, as taken from the side of the highway.)

On we went, down, down to where the road turns off toward Jericho.  Before turning, we stopped at a little cafe for a cappuccino and croissant.  We sat and talked for about 45 minutes and then proceeded on through Area A.  Yes, Jericho, although in the opposite direction from our travels yesterday, is in Area A, as is Bethany, which we passed on our way south.  Jericho looked a lot like Bethlehem, although it was much flatter.  Jericho is desert-like.

Jericho and Damascus vie for the title "oldest city in the world".  Excavations are ongoing in Jericho, with ruins dating back 11,000 years.  But, for a time Jericho was not inhabited.  Damascus is the oldest, continuously-inhabited city in the world.  (Damascus is in Syria.)

A funny thing happened as we began to enter town.  Another taxi driver pulled alongside us and began to talk through the window to Jiries (in Arabic, of course).  He was offering to drive us to our first stop and tour us through.  Jiries was affronted.  "What does it look like I'm doing?", was his response.  "No thanks!"  We all laughed about it.

So, our first stop in Jericho was a Russian orthodox church perched so tenuously (so it appeared) on the side of the mountain, it looked for all the world like it could fall off any second.  Jiries said that the last time it was "restored" (after an earthquake DID send parts of it tumbling down the sheer precipice) was in the 1950s, 1953 - - I think.  The name of the church is "Church on the Mount of Temptation", because it commemorates the time when Jesus went out into the Judean wilderness for 40 days and then up into a high mountain.  It was there Satan appeared and tempted him to sin in various ways.  I'll never read that story again (Luke 4:1-13) without seeing it in my mind's eye from my vantage point today.

One can only drive so far up the mountain.  After that, you must get out and climb over 170 stair steps to reach the monastery.  Only two aged monks live on the grounds now.  One of the more interesting things we saw there was a small group of nuns (in their black habits - - they looked Greek Orthodox) who desired to draw water out of the spring which flows out of the mountain at that place.  And draw they did.  The water fountain, an antique system, comes right into the monastery itself.  They were so excited to capture some of that water in their water containers.

Leaving the mountain, we stopped at the site of some previous Jericho excavations, around which a touristy store, restaurant, etc. had been built.  There we shopped the famous Hebron glass, and I splurged on a small candle holder.  Not cheap, but very unique and beautiful.  Hebron is a few miles south of Jericho.  Both are in the section of Israel called the West Bank.

We arrived at the Jordan River at around 1:15.  This famous river (pictured above) is part of the border between Israel and the country of Jordan.  Accordingly, there were Israeli soldiers on our side and a lone Jordanian solder on the other.  Each side had a lovely pavilion leading down to the water.  On the Jordanian side, a group of Russian-speaking believers was getting baptized (or renewing baptisms, whichever applied).  Standing on the Israeli side, I dipped my toes in, and that was it.  The river was brown, not terribly wide and not fast-flowing.  However, as far as rivers go in this part of the world it was a fine specimen.

Leaving the Jordan we headed back "up" to Jerusalem, where our exciting day of touring ended around 3:00.  My friend, Debbie, left shortly thereafter with another driver for the West Bank city of Ariel, to begin her attorney work.  She won't return until tomorrow night.  A few minutes later, after freshening up, Christopher (Deb's 17-year old nephew) and I left for church.

When making our travel plans, a Facebook friend (the same one who recommend Jiries) recommended a evangelical Christian/Messianic Jewish congregation with a Sunday evening service.  Amazingly, it is only a 30-minute walk from our rented flat!  Off we went, in search of something to eat along the route.  Jaffa Street is a bustling, busy street.  Imagine a lower-dollar, more middle class Buckhead/Peachtree Street, plopped down in Jerusalem.  Many, many orthodox and reformed Jews, as well as Christians and "who knows?"ers were walking up and down Jaffa.  We ate delicious pasta (mine was sweet potato ravioli with an amazing tomato cream sauce) at  Hillel Cafe, and then hurried on to the service.

We were so blessed to worship with these fellow believers!  At the same time we were worshipping here in Jerusalem, our loved ones back home were worshipping in our home churches.  The Church Universal....such a beautiful work of God!  King of Kings Community meets in an office building auditorium, but it simultaneously broadcasts its service on Facebook Live and also posts its services later online.  We sat near the front of the balcony in the center, surrounded by probably 300 other worshippers.  The music was well-done, contemporary yet reverent.  At the end of the worship segment was a prayer and then a woman came to the platform to read the Torah reading for that Sunday, as well as another Old Testament reading, then finishing with a New Testament passage.  The preacher came up next.  His text was Joshua 3:9-17.  At the end of the service, people were given an opportunity to give and then as the worship band played, an opportunity was extended for people to come forward to speak to a prayer partner and pray with them.

I pray you were so touched, challenged and encouraged by your church services today.  After the service we walked back to the flat and were in for the evening.  Tomorrow, the Dead Sea and the Qumran caves!

Sources:

1    https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUserReviews-g293983-d6370078-r269571557-Sea_Level-Jerusalem_Jerusalem_District.html

2    http://www.kkcj.org/