Today was one last big push to fit even more into our tour. While I have seen countless buildings, ruins, and bodies of water, I have also come to encounter the culture and people of Israel. During our four or five miles of walking today we visited the Temple Mount where the Dome of the Rock is, St. Anne's Church, The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and the upper room. Each of these sites had its own story and intricacies. The beauty of the Dome and the Church(s) of the Holy Sepulcher are unmatched. However, without the people in these buildings they become just that, buildings. Getting to know the people and see the people of Israel and the people from all over the world come and worship at these places was an experience of its own. I have learned about each of these sites in numerous classes, but did not learn the experience that comes from worshipping at these places. The people are what makes Israel alive and real and important. And it is God living and inspiring these people that makes these people make the places important and alive and real.
By walking through the streets of Jerusalem these past three days I have quickly come to know the personalities of the different quarters. The Jewish quarter is safe, clean, and immediately as you walk into it you feel a peace come over you. The Muslim quarter is full of shops overflowing with brightly colored scarfs and rugs and crowded streets. At times it can be overwhelming, but once I was able to sit back and observe it was quite beautiful. Today we had an hour of free time and after I walked down the street and did some window shopping I stopped and grabbed a cup of coffee. While I was sitting drinking my coffee I was able to look out over the Kidron Valley full of beautiful olive and evergreen trees. Along with the great view I was able to do some eavesdropping and listen to some of the conversations around me. There was a Orthodox Jewish man talking with a woman about his rabbi and what he had learned that day. There was also a couple who were looking at pictures of the man from different times in his life. And at yet another table was a family of women laughing but just out of reach to hear what they were saying. Israel has become real to me. It is no longer a terrifying place I read about in the news paper or a magical place that I read about in the Bible. It now has faces and places to which I have embraced.
As I prepare to leave Israel tomorrow I am lucky enough to have met a few people with whom I hope to keep in touch. The other day I talked about Moshe who spoke to our group at the gift store. He gave me his card and was very welcoming and insistent that I e-mail him if I have any questions. There was a jeweler that I met who also gave me his card and told me I could always be in touch with him as well. And just tonight as I was sitting down to write in the bar of the hotel (its the only sitting area) I met a man named Ari. He founded thelandofisrael.com and is on the talk show Tuesday Night Live in Jerusalem. Ari's ministry entails discussing current events in Israel, Judaism, and the world. He and his co-host Jeremy bring different speakers to their show to engage in conversation. Ari was very pleasant and is going to become a rabbi next month. He also invited me to come to his house for Shabbat if I am ever in Jerusalem again. I hope to take him up on that. It is these relationships that I will cherish and hopefully take advantage of when I return to the states. Through traveling and engaging with others it is impossible for my world to maintain small and familiar to me. This opportunity like many others in the past has opened me to new views and will benefit me in the future when I come in contact with others different than me. What an amazing time to live in where so many different cultures are available with relative ease.
So what I pray for you is that you travel to new and exciting places, and when you do, meet new people, engage in conversation, be open to new things, and let God guide you and bless you.
Thanks for this opportunity Bubs and Pops. I love you both.
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