Israel, July 22 2022
People want to visit Israel for various reasons. To make a connection with their faith, see the historical sites, enjoy the beach, gain perspective on the whole political conflict or just experience the culture. All good reasons to go. My own was primarily to see the historical areas but I enjoyed every facet of the experience, and by the time I left all my pre-conceived notions on each of them were altered.
Tel Aviv is a bustling city. I have to say, it is not as attractive or as clean as I would have expected. You see a lot of graffiti, catch some bad smells, and the picturesque views are few and far between. We did like the restaurants and bars which are plentiful and the ones we visited were all quite good. Oh and as a side note, the coffee is excellent. I found the city on the whole closer to resembling a Caribbean locale than a European one.
Tel Aviv has many beaches
We hired a guide and driver for three full days, and I can’t imagine trying to see Israel any other way. Once out of the city, the country is complicated, and intimidating. I wouldn’t recommend anyone winging it with a car rental. This isn’t France. That said hiring a driver was stupid expensive, but the good news is the whole place isn’t that big.
Looking toward the Dead Sea from Masada
We began south in Masada. I thought this was just a mountain fortress, carved in caves by rebels trying to hold out against the Romans. In fact it was originally an extensive palace built on a rocky plateau overlooking the Dead Sea by King Herod. Designed as a refuge in case his people turned on him (he wasn’t under any illusions) it was built to stand a siege. After the Roman’s put down the Jewish revolt in the late 60’s AD, the last of the zealots held out here until 73 AD. In the end the place was destroyed and everyone killed. It took a full Roman legion a year to capture the citadel, and they weren’t in the mood to talk things out. Historical accounts say the remaining rebels killed themselves rather than be captured. The legend now serves as a call to all Israelis to never again succumb to an attacker and to fight to the death. So Masada is a symbolic focal point to the Jewish struggle. I doubt any Jewish citizen can say the oath without tears in their eyes.
Outline of a Roman camp, there were many circling the fortress
Every Israeli we met was passionately proud of their people and the nation. Maintaining that when they started migrating here over a century ago it was to return home and avoid persecution. They said they tried to play nice, to simply have their homeland back. It was Arab resistance and anti-semitic politics that brought about the chronic conflict and wars. They will point to the contrast with Gaza today, to illustrate how well off the Arab population is in Israel. Living as citizens with full government benefits, educational opportunities and most importantly jobs.
Masada palace floor mosaic
Looking down the ramp built by the Romans to finally breach the walls
To their credit, I doubt any other population could have turned this desolate landscape into a thriving nation the way the Jewish people have. I mean they have little arable land, few water sources, and long tangled borders to defend from nearly all sides. What separates Israel from others are their exceptional skills, their passion and a will to achieve. The qualities that have made the Jewish people so successful in business and the arts since the beginning of history. Things are booming, and the Palestinians who can assimilate conceivably reap the benefits.
The old palace walls neatly marked to show the original vs reconstructed sections
All great, but I can’t help but think. Homeland? If the criteria for a homeland is that you once controlled the area many centuries ago, then imagine the ridiculous historic parallels, way to numerous to name. No sorry, I don’t buy the argument of being a rightful heir to the land. Perhaps a better argument is that other than Jerusalem this place was a steaming, barely inhabitable pile of sh..well sand that except for a few Bedouins wasn’t on anyones list of best places to live. And there were other rulers over the recent centuries, the British, the Turks, neither of whom wanted to move there and left hardly a mark. No, the best view I can muster is that Jewish affluence, international sympathies, and the twists of political fate in recent history all brought the state of Israel into being. Is that fair? Doesn’t matter now, stuff happens. Wars happen, genocides happen, refugee waves happen. Point is, it’s done and if the area can build off all it has achieved, rather than try and unravel it, everyone here might fair much better.
Steep cliffs protecting the fortress. Our guide in the shadow
I honestly hope this all works out without more bloodshed and after visiting I’m more optimistic that it can. It was eye opening to see Palestinians working at the hotels, restaurants and stores. Even many in the police force. Like most things our view gets distorted by the actions of smaller groups that make the headlines. Still, you can just feel, that amongst all the everyday folks going about their lives, there is something combustable and unstable surrounding you. One last outsider opinion. It occurs to me that the other players involved both East and West are not helping and most often only inflaming the situation. That includes not just the neighboring and allied countries, but the religious forces that exert their uncompromising pull on the populations.
The well preserved mosaic floor of the synagogue at Ein Gedi
An underground river emerges just up the path from the Ein Gedi Settlement
Ok, so from Masada we traveled to Ein Gedi a curious old settlement and nature reserve that once cornered the market on a precious perfume which was Cleopatra’s favorite. Too bad the secret is long lost as legend maintains it to be irresistible. We followed the Dead Sea north and took the opportunity to go for a swim in the salty, muddy water. You float, your cuts burn and you take a welcome shower to get the salty mud off. Like riding a camel, you do it so you can say you did it, and well enough already. Seriously though I think the sight of this whole area is remarkable. The large salty sea set in this low elevation landscape is unique and very scenic. We managed to squeeze in a visit to the Jordan river at the end of the day. The spot where John the Baptist did his work and we’re told Jesus was baptized. The river here is quite narrow and forms a subtle border with Jordan. This was the first place we visited that mystically called back to my early bible studies and it was weird to see the spot you had imagined so often.
The Dead Sea
The River Jordan and the border
The second day was north toward the sea of Galilea. First to Meggido, the site of the famous 15th century BC battle between King Tut’s Egyptian army and the combined kingdoms of Canaan. A daring approach through a narrow trail allowed the Egyptians to surprise and overwhelm their enemy. The site dates back to 7000 BC and was strategic in that it controls the entire valley and trading routes toward Babylon. It is the site not only of this first historically recorded battle, but of many fought there over the millennia, and let’s hope those days are over, as this place is the Armageddon described in Revelations.
View from Meggido heights
From there it was on to Nazareth, understood to be the little village of Christ’s youth and which is now a sprawling town. On the north shore of the Sea of Galilea is the town of Capernaum. This was a fishing village where the the apostles joined up with Jesus and set out on their mission. The ruins of the old synagogue and the ancient town are interesting and give you some insight to what life may have been like at that time. We visited another town further south on the sea called Magdala, which is recently discovered and still in the middle of excavation.
The church altar built over the alleged cave of Mary’s childhood in Nazareth. There was a building attached to the cave that was somehow transported to Loreto near to our home in Sirolo
Ruins of the old synagogue at Capernaum
What’s left of the fishing village of Capernaum
The highlight of the trip was our visiting Jerusalem on the third day of the trip. We arrived early to visit the sprawling market before the crowds arrived. It was one of the most interesting markets I’ve ever seen. An incredible variety of fruits, spices, fish, you name it. All carefully separated for kosher concerns and you get the sense you could buy anything there. Into the old city we entered through the Jaffa gate and walked through the Armenian quarter, then the Christian quarter and finally the Jewish quarter. Our first stop the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, built over the site of the crucifixion and the grave. Although there is little historical doubt as to Christ’s existence and his fate, the locations now venerated are anything but precise. Hundreds of years passed before an effort was made to secure and name the holy locations, and the difference between the holy rock and a nearby rock is a mater of faith, imagination or opportunity. That said, it is a strange feeling to walk and visit the locations you’d been told about so many times as a child in religion class. It all took on a historical feel that I didn’t expect to sense.
Our guide talking Candy into tasting a local treat at the market
The final place to visit was the Western Wall. It was crowded with devout visitors some weeping and many pushing small notes of faith and gratitude into the seams in the rock. Above, the elevated walled Temple Mount area was under Muslim control and off limits to infidels. It is a strange and tense boundary between the faiths. I saw it. I touched it. I’m glad I did and there was no urge to linger, it’s not a peaceful or tranquil place.
Jaffa Gate
Tourist focused market in the Christian sector
The rock of the cruxifixction, complete with the notch that held the cross
West Wall pilgrims
The trip was more comfortable and secure than I expected, the takeaways and perspectives I gained were signifiant. Did I mention it’s not that big? Well I didn’t see it all but I think I saw enough. I left happy that now when I see news about Israel and read about the historical accounts I can put it into a better perspective.