Israel-Day 3
The day started with a visit to the home and memorial for Ben-Gurion. He was a modern prophet for the state of Israel as he became instrumental in establishing the contemporary Jewish state. If your education was like mine or if you simply remember yours like I remember mine we thought Israel became a state because the UN felt sorry for them after WWII and Holocaust. Not true. How Israel came to be a nation and why they face the animosity they now face is found in their beginnings. Too much to discuss in this blog.
We next went to En Avedat where we took in spectacular views and realized just how difficult it was to get across the dessert region called the Negev. We went down the ravine and then we climb up 100 meters by way steps, trails and 90 degree ladders. A picture of us at the top is on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ericbobbi.jorgensen
A wonderful outcome of such a trip is found in what it meant for Moses to hit a rock twice for water to come out. I had always thought of it as a simple big rock in the dessert but when you walk the ravine and see water seeping out of canyon walls and understand that it was an old shepherd's trick to hit such rocks causing them to de-plug and for water to come forth, you know why God told Moses to speak and not strike.
Finally we went to Makhtesh Ramon a crater that was not on our agenda but was a beautiful view of God's creation as we meditated on the view reading Psalm 104.
This journey with Old Testament references is such a fantastic way to anticipate following the steps of Jesus and entering Jerusalem.
Please read Bobbi Lynn's comments below as she is keeping a woman's perspective along with me.
The day started with a visit to the home and memorial for Ben-Gurion. He was a modern prophet for the state of Israel as he became instrumental in establishing the contemporary Jewish state. If your education was like mine or if you simply remember yours like I remember mine we thought Israel became a state because the UN felt sorry for them after WWII and Holocaust. Not true. How Israel came to be a nation and why they face the animosity they now face is found in their beginnings. Too much to discuss in this blog.
We next went to En Avedat where we took in spectacular views and realized just how difficult it was to get across the dessert region called the Negev. We went down the ravine and then we climb up 100 meters by way steps, trails and 90 degree ladders. A picture of us at the top is on our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ericbobbi.jorgensen
A wonderful outcome of such a trip is found in what it meant for Moses to hit a rock twice for water to come out. I had always thought of it as a simple big rock in the dessert but when you walk the ravine and see water seeping out of canyon walls and understand that it was an old shepherd's trick to hit such rocks causing them to de-plug and for water to come forth, you know why God told Moses to speak and not strike.
Finally we went to Makhtesh Ramon a crater that was not on our agenda but was a beautiful view of God's creation as we meditated on the view reading Psalm 104.
This journey with Old Testament references is such a fantastic way to anticipate following the steps of Jesus and entering Jerusalem.
Please read Bobbi Lynn's comments below as she is keeping a woman's perspective along with me.
January 15, 2016
ReplyDeleteUp and at 'em today! We left the hotel after breakfast at 7:45 and traveled to David Ben-Gurion's desert home at Kibbutz Sde Boker. We learned of his life and toured his simple house as he left it on his death in 1973. We then walked a very scenic walk to his burial place where we were amazed at the view of the Wilderness of Zin. Our guide stops us at these sites for short lessons and readings that are very meaningful.
Our next stop was at the En Avedat National Park where we were able to hike the length of Wadi Zin via the lower pools and poplar grove. A beautiful site indeed. We then made a steep hike up 100 meters to the top. This was an amazing and exhilarating experience. We were very tired and sweaty and stopped for lunch at McDonalds. I was skeptical of a McD's in Israel, but was pleasantly surprised. The burgers were much bigger and very tasty. Lunch cost us 90.80 NIS. To be honest I was glad to have some American food! After lunch we traveled to Mitspe Ramon to see the Makhtesh Ramon a huge crater, a dramatic natural phenomenon. It stretches 25 miles long and 5 miles wide with a depth of 1300 feet. This is the most south we will venture as tomorrow we're headed to Jerusalem.
On our way back to the hotel, David, our tour guide, took us back to the burial place of Ben-Gurion where we were in the morning to share Kibbuz. He taught on the Jewish Sabbath as the sun was setting here. We then shared some wine and bread to celebrate the Sabbath. A beautiful ending to an amazing day:).
This is really funny for me to compare the different types of ways you both described the day. Mom's was much warmer and more detailed ;)
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