We had our "vespers" service a day early this week (meaning it was today) and the speaker was a man from Shevet Achim. For those of you who don't speak Hebrew, that phrase is taken from Psalm 133 where it talks about the beauty of brothers dwelling in unity. Shevet Achim is a Christian ministry in Israel that brings children with various heart diseases and malformations from Iraq, Jordan, Gaza, and the West Bank to Israel (Jerusalem) to have surgery. They're are a few hopitals and surgeons here who do the surgery at a greatly reduced rate. It's really pretty amazing. They obviously cross some huge boundaries. It wasn't so long ago, according to our speaker, that Iraqis who came to Israel for any "friendly" reason would basically committing a crime worth of death (against Iraq). The Israeli surgeons who do the surgeries have reason to distrust people from all of these places, and the Arabs and Kurds have reason to distrust anyone Jewish. For that matter, none of them care much for Christians. So think what a huge ministry opportunity this is. Not only are children's lives saved, but it is a chance to bring Jews and Muslims and Christians together in an environment that is condusive to reconcilliation at some level. It is a chance for the believers who work with this ministry to share their faith and the love of Christ with the doctors and nurses who help the children and also with the families as they wait for their children to (hopefully) heal. Tonight the man (Alex) specifically asked us to pray for Ali, a young boy who recently had surgery and is not recovering. He seems to be slowly slipping away. Alex also asked prayer for the boy's father, Hussein.
It was a really touching presentation. Alex invited all of us to come down some day and play with the kids, and I'd really love to do that at some point. I don't have a very good idea of what I want to do with my life after this (far too many options!) but I am pretty sure that I want to be with children/youth in some capacity. How that will pan out, I don't know, but there you have it.
In other, tangentially related, news... It's kind of funny, but all the time someone will mention some ministry or government position or just random things, and someone else will say, "Oh, yeah, there's a JUC graduate working there." So, apparently JUC graduates are everywhere (including one at Shevet Achim).
Thursday, October 2, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Samaria - Joseph's Inheritance
This impression report is rather long. I apologize. I will try to add some pictures to help break up the monotony, though. If things decide to work better than they have been. Bear with me. :) I might have to post first and come back and add pictures tomorrow.
Samaria Field Study (Ephraim and Manasseh)
September 28, 2008
These days are so full; when I come to write it down it is difficult to clearly and cohesively organize all the random swirling thoughts in my head. Perhaps I should start journaling as we ride along.
I would have to say that today was one of my favorite days in the field so far. I must admit that part of my enjoyment probably stemmed from the break in the unrelenting heat – I really enjoyed the clouds and wind and even a couple rain drops. The rest of my enjoyment, though, was based in two areas. The first is the land itself. Of all the areas we’ve been in, I think that this area of Ephraim and Manasseh is one of the most beautiful. It’s not majestically beautiful with high mountains and sweeping vistas, nor is it exotically beautiful with tropical plants and flowers. Actually, it was rather rocky with brown, prickly plants. Some plants were green, though, and in spite of the drought, there were still little yellow and purple flowers that bloomed on the rough hillsides. Then there was the fresh scent of the wind. It reminded me a little bit of eastern Montana – beautiful in a lonely, deserted sort of way. Of course, that area is anything but deserted. It is contested territory to this day.
My dad may want land in the Judean Wilderness:
But if I were to choose a place to live, the hills of Ephraim and Manasseh would be higher on my list:
The second thing that made today enjoyable might sound a bit odd, but it was the emotional response I had to some of the stories and places. I will explain that further as I go along.
The first major stop of the day was at Elan Moreh, a Jewish settlement overlooking Shechem. It was a high point and we were able to see various towns (Tirzah, Sychar, and Shechem, surrounded by the Mountains Ebal and Gerizim)
and routes/valleys (Michmethah Valley, Wadi Beidah, Wadi Faria, Salim Valley, and the Shechem Route) through the region of Samaria. It is clearly a much more open area than the Judean hills, or even the Benjamin plateau. It makes sense that many would try to rule a kingdom from this region. It also has good soil and better water than most of the region ‘down south.’ Lots of advantages, and yet for some reason, its position in history was usurped by Benjamin and Judah and Jerusalem. I wonder if the failure of the Northern tribes to follow God (as compared to the rare but occasional success of the Southern tribes) is due in part to the land. Life in the north would almost certainly be easier. In the south agriculture is more difficult, trade is more difficult, and the desert is ready to gobble up the fertile land. Perhaps this difficulty in life made the southern tribes more dependent on God by necessity whereas the northern tribes found it too easy to trust in the richness of their inheritance.
One of the unique opportunities at Elan Moreh was Phineas (I think that would be his equivalent name in English, it was pronounced more like “Pinkus”). He was the guy who allowed us onto the settlement and who then showed us around. He mostly told us what we were looking at (for the views) and gave a little bit of the Jewish history in the region (or at least his version of history…I’m sure there are many who would disagree). He did not talk very much about his own ideology or the ideology of the settlement to the group, but a few people asked him questions about that so we were able to hear a little. It was interesting. And rather tragic. I’ve always had sympathy for the Jewish point of view, but I’ve been trying to see all points of view and remain mostly neutral for now. The thing is, Jews and Arabs are not all that different in many ways. They both value the land, and have somewhat similar reasons why it should belong to them. Perhaps one side is more right than the other. Perhaps not. I really feel that I know too little to be saying anything, but my impression is that both sides have this attitude: “The land is our and ours alone. We should not have to share with anyone. Our claim takes precedence. Our rights are the only ones that count – you are not even human and therefore don’t matter.” It reminds me of 3 year olds trying to hog all the cookies. There are enough cookies for each child to get one or two, but each child is trying to take all of them and will not be satisfied with only one or two. I suppose this is true of most interracial conflicts. There is room for everyone to live and there is really no reason for segregation - only the human propensity to hate anyone who is different from you. It’s tragic.
From there we went to Mt. Gerizim and listened as Brad proclaimed the blessings from Deuteronomy 28.
“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God.”
This almost made me cry. God promised the people of this land so much, and they failed so bitterly. We were overlooking modern day Nabulus with the attached refugee camp. We heard the blessings of peace and prosperity promised on this hill over 3000 years ago, only to see the reality of conflict and poverty (at least for some people). How badly the fulfillment of those promises is needed! Also, what a warning it should be to us as Christians: the grafted in olive branch is easily cut off again. May God use us to bring His truth and peace to this region.
On Mt. Gerizim we also talked to the High Priest of the Samaritans and saw where they sacrifice the sheep every year for Passover. He told us that the five tenets of their faith are (as I understood them):
1. There is one God
2. Moses was the prophet of God
3. Mt. Gerizim is the holy place (it is where Israelites built their first alter after entering the land, its where the Temple of Moses stood and where the temple will be rebuilt, and it is where Abraham brought Isaac for the sacrifice)
4. The five books of Moses (the Torah) are true
5. In the last days another prophet like Moses will come
There are only about 700 Samaritans around today. Their story is also rather tragic, in many ways. They are so close to the truth, and yet so far.
The last stop of the evening was at Shiloh: the location of the Tabernacle and the cultural center of Israel following the conquest. I really liked that area. It may be considered the remote interior of Ephraim, but perhaps that’s why I liked it. We talked about the Philistine capture of the ark and the evidence that they then came and destroyed Shiloh. Later Jeremiah uses the example of Shiloh to warn Jerusalem that they too will be destroyed if they don’t repent. Yet another tragedy: they don’t listen.
To sum up the lessons from today: it is absolutely vital to obey God and to teach the next generation to fear and obey God. The land of Ephraim and Manasseh, both past and present, gives numerous examples of what happens when God is pushed aside, forgotten, or even used selfishly. We must take Him on His terms, not ours. Only in Him is there hope for Shalom.
Samaria Field Study (Ephraim and Manasseh)
September 28, 2008
These days are so full; when I come to write it down it is difficult to clearly and cohesively organize all the random swirling thoughts in my head. Perhaps I should start journaling as we ride along.
I would have to say that today was one of my favorite days in the field so far. I must admit that part of my enjoyment probably stemmed from the break in the unrelenting heat – I really enjoyed the clouds and wind and even a couple rain drops. The rest of my enjoyment, though, was based in two areas. The first is the land itself. Of all the areas we’ve been in, I think that this area of Ephraim and Manasseh is one of the most beautiful. It’s not majestically beautiful with high mountains and sweeping vistas, nor is it exotically beautiful with tropical plants and flowers. Actually, it was rather rocky with brown, prickly plants. Some plants were green, though, and in spite of the drought, there were still little yellow and purple flowers that bloomed on the rough hillsides. Then there was the fresh scent of the wind. It reminded me a little bit of eastern Montana – beautiful in a lonely, deserted sort of way. Of course, that area is anything but deserted. It is contested territory to this day.
My dad may want land in the Judean Wilderness:
But if I were to choose a place to live, the hills of Ephraim and Manasseh would be higher on my list:
The second thing that made today enjoyable might sound a bit odd, but it was the emotional response I had to some of the stories and places. I will explain that further as I go along.
The first major stop of the day was at Elan Moreh, a Jewish settlement overlooking Shechem. It was a high point and we were able to see various towns (Tirzah, Sychar, and Shechem, surrounded by the Mountains Ebal and Gerizim)
and routes/valleys (Michmethah Valley, Wadi Beidah, Wadi Faria, Salim Valley, and the Shechem Route) through the region of Samaria. It is clearly a much more open area than the Judean hills, or even the Benjamin plateau. It makes sense that many would try to rule a kingdom from this region. It also has good soil and better water than most of the region ‘down south.’ Lots of advantages, and yet for some reason, its position in history was usurped by Benjamin and Judah and Jerusalem. I wonder if the failure of the Northern tribes to follow God (as compared to the rare but occasional success of the Southern tribes) is due in part to the land. Life in the north would almost certainly be easier. In the south agriculture is more difficult, trade is more difficult, and the desert is ready to gobble up the fertile land. Perhaps this difficulty in life made the southern tribes more dependent on God by necessity whereas the northern tribes found it too easy to trust in the richness of their inheritance.
One of the unique opportunities at Elan Moreh was Phineas (I think that would be his equivalent name in English, it was pronounced more like “Pinkus”). He was the guy who allowed us onto the settlement and who then showed us around. He mostly told us what we were looking at (for the views) and gave a little bit of the Jewish history in the region (or at least his version of history…I’m sure there are many who would disagree). He did not talk very much about his own ideology or the ideology of the settlement to the group, but a few people asked him questions about that so we were able to hear a little. It was interesting. And rather tragic. I’ve always had sympathy for the Jewish point of view, but I’ve been trying to see all points of view and remain mostly neutral for now. The thing is, Jews and Arabs are not all that different in many ways. They both value the land, and have somewhat similar reasons why it should belong to them. Perhaps one side is more right than the other. Perhaps not. I really feel that I know too little to be saying anything, but my impression is that both sides have this attitude: “The land is our and ours alone. We should not have to share with anyone. Our claim takes precedence. Our rights are the only ones that count – you are not even human and therefore don’t matter.” It reminds me of 3 year olds trying to hog all the cookies. There are enough cookies for each child to get one or two, but each child is trying to take all of them and will not be satisfied with only one or two. I suppose this is true of most interracial conflicts. There is room for everyone to live and there is really no reason for segregation - only the human propensity to hate anyone who is different from you. It’s tragic.
From there we went to Mt. Gerizim and listened as Brad proclaimed the blessings from Deuteronomy 28.
“Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the LORD your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God.”
This almost made me cry. God promised the people of this land so much, and they failed so bitterly. We were overlooking modern day Nabulus with the attached refugee camp. We heard the blessings of peace and prosperity promised on this hill over 3000 years ago, only to see the reality of conflict and poverty (at least for some people). How badly the fulfillment of those promises is needed! Also, what a warning it should be to us as Christians: the grafted in olive branch is easily cut off again. May God use us to bring His truth and peace to this region.
On Mt. Gerizim we also talked to the High Priest of the Samaritans and saw where they sacrifice the sheep every year for Passover. He told us that the five tenets of their faith are (as I understood them):
1. There is one God
2. Moses was the prophet of God
3. Mt. Gerizim is the holy place (it is where Israelites built their first alter after entering the land, its where the Temple of Moses stood and where the temple will be rebuilt, and it is where Abraham brought Isaac for the sacrifice)
4. The five books of Moses (the Torah) are true
5. In the last days another prophet like Moses will come
There are only about 700 Samaritans around today. Their story is also rather tragic, in many ways. They are so close to the truth, and yet so far.
The last stop of the evening was at Shiloh: the location of the Tabernacle and the cultural center of Israel following the conquest. I really liked that area. It may be considered the remote interior of Ephraim, but perhaps that’s why I liked it. We talked about the Philistine capture of the ark and the evidence that they then came and destroyed Shiloh. Later Jeremiah uses the example of Shiloh to warn Jerusalem that they too will be destroyed if they don’t repent. Yet another tragedy: they don’t listen.
To sum up the lessons from today: it is absolutely vital to obey God and to teach the next generation to fear and obey God. The land of Ephraim and Manasseh, both past and present, gives numerous examples of what happens when God is pushed aside, forgotten, or even used selfishly. We must take Him on His terms, not ours. Only in Him is there hope for Shalom.
Happy Holidays!
"Wait, what?" all of you back in the states are thinking. "The Holiday season doesn't start until November or December. Maybe the end of October if you count Halloween for some reason. What is she thinking?!"
Not to fear! I have not gone crazy or completely lost track of time. Over here, though, this week is kind of a big deal.
For Muslims, today was the last day of Ramadan! To celebrate the end of the fast they basically have a 3 or 4 day party. (Which also means that the school I've been volunteering at is closed for the rest of the week.)
For Jews it is the beginning of the high holy days. Tonight begins the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, which, with my basic Hebrew, I think literally means "Top of the Year." It's their New Years celebration. From here there are nine days until Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). They have a tradition of some sort where they say that the very righteous and very wicked are judged tonight (the sort of year they'll have, rewards, punishment, etc.). However, the average, on-the-border type person has nine days to repent and convince God of their goodness before Yom Kippur. So these first couple days are quite celebratory, but I think the mood shall get more solomn as the Day of Atonement approaches and the people want to make sure they are right with God. It is good to have a reminder like that built into your holidays. Of course, we should always be striving to be right with God, but it is too easy to forget or place less emphasis upon it. If you have done that this year, take some time now to get right with God!
The celebration of this holiday also means that two of my classes (History of Israel and Hebrew), both taught by semi-orthodox Jews, are cancelled tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday. Hooray for more time to read! :) And write papers!
Not to fear! I have not gone crazy or completely lost track of time. Over here, though, this week is kind of a big deal.
For Muslims, today was the last day of Ramadan! To celebrate the end of the fast they basically have a 3 or 4 day party. (Which also means that the school I've been volunteering at is closed for the rest of the week.)
For Jews it is the beginning of the high holy days. Tonight begins the celebration of Rosh Hashanah, which, with my basic Hebrew, I think literally means "Top of the Year." It's their New Years celebration. From here there are nine days until Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement). They have a tradition of some sort where they say that the very righteous and very wicked are judged tonight (the sort of year they'll have, rewards, punishment, etc.). However, the average, on-the-border type person has nine days to repent and convince God of their goodness before Yom Kippur. So these first couple days are quite celebratory, but I think the mood shall get more solomn as the Day of Atonement approaches and the people want to make sure they are right with God. It is good to have a reminder like that built into your holidays. Of course, we should always be striving to be right with God, but it is too easy to forget or place less emphasis upon it. If you have done that this year, take some time now to get right with God!
The celebration of this holiday also means that two of my classes (History of Israel and Hebrew), both taught by semi-orthodox Jews, are cancelled tonight, tomorrow, and Wednesday. Hooray for more time to read! :) And write papers!
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Weather and such
The land of Israel has been in a drought for the past several years. The rainy season is the winter. The early rains generally start in October (if they're lucky) and the late rains end the season, somewhere around March or April, I think. This year, the last rain was in April. So, you can imagine the excitement when last night and today (September 27, 2008) it rained! And rained a fairly good amount! Amazing. We're hoping it's a sign of things to come.
Thursday, September 25, 2008
The Rhythm of Life
School has been in session for nearly 4 weeks now. I can't believe how the time has flown! Normally, back home, I would have developed some sort of routine by now. When I was in school, I would know the schedule of my classes and other events. When I taught I would be at school every day at the same time and I would know the order of my classes. Here, however, life has not really settled into any such rhythm.
Due to the nature of the school, the class schedule is really quite eclectic. Most of the teachers here also teach at other area schools or have jobs elsewhere, so the schedule has to be made to accommodate them, first of all. Add to that the fact that there are three different religious systems here, all with their own holidays, and we have teachers that adhere to at least two of those, so some days they can't be in class, which means we need to have make-up classes scheduled. Further more, most of our field studies take place over the weekend (I haven't had more than half a day off on a weekend since my first weekend here), but occasionally we have longer ones where we'll be gone for three or four days, again requiring make-up classes. As a result of this, I have had 5 hours of Hebrew in the past 3 days, which I personally find rather excessive. The concepts are fairly easy thus far, but I haven't had time to digest what we've learned or memorize the vocab, which makes it a little overwhelming. Of course, I don't think we have any Hebrew at all next week, so I'll hopefully be able to catch up (either that or forget everything). :)
At any rate, between the skipped classes, the make-up classes, the various field trips, and everything else going on, I still feel a bit like I don't know quite what I'm doing. Oh well, life's always an adventure. :)
This week has flown by...and I'm not quire sure what I've done. It seems like I've been busy all week but have accomplished very little. However, I think I have this Saturday off, which means that maybe I'll have time to do some catch-up.
Tonight I went with my roommate, Ada, to get some stuff a friend had left for her. We took a taxi to Mt. Scopus, where we meet with the roommate of Ada's friend and got the stuff. We then took a taxi back to Jaffa Gate. I think I've ridden a taxi only once or twice before...and that was in Bolivia. I'm pretty sure I've never taken a taxi in the states. Anyway, it went fairly well. All these little adventures! :)
Oh, and tonight was cookie night. You have no idea how much I miss cookies. They made rice krispies tonight. If you've worked with me at Clydehurst, you probably know how I feel about making rice krispies. But I watched. Actually, I'm not very good at watching other people cook. I keep wanting to tell them how to do things better or more efficiently. So I try to keep my mouth shut. :)
Well, this is an ecclectic post, but I, at least, enjoyed writting out some of my thoughts and experiences here. :)
Due to the nature of the school, the class schedule is really quite eclectic. Most of the teachers here also teach at other area schools or have jobs elsewhere, so the schedule has to be made to accommodate them, first of all. Add to that the fact that there are three different religious systems here, all with their own holidays, and we have teachers that adhere to at least two of those, so some days they can't be in class, which means we need to have make-up classes scheduled. Further more, most of our field studies take place over the weekend (I haven't had more than half a day off on a weekend since my first weekend here), but occasionally we have longer ones where we'll be gone for three or four days, again requiring make-up classes. As a result of this, I have had 5 hours of Hebrew in the past 3 days, which I personally find rather excessive. The concepts are fairly easy thus far, but I haven't had time to digest what we've learned or memorize the vocab, which makes it a little overwhelming. Of course, I don't think we have any Hebrew at all next week, so I'll hopefully be able to catch up (either that or forget everything). :)
At any rate, between the skipped classes, the make-up classes, the various field trips, and everything else going on, I still feel a bit like I don't know quite what I'm doing. Oh well, life's always an adventure. :)
This week has flown by...and I'm not quire sure what I've done. It seems like I've been busy all week but have accomplished very little. However, I think I have this Saturday off, which means that maybe I'll have time to do some catch-up.
Tonight I went with my roommate, Ada, to get some stuff a friend had left for her. We took a taxi to Mt. Scopus, where we meet with the roommate of Ada's friend and got the stuff. We then took a taxi back to Jaffa Gate. I think I've ridden a taxi only once or twice before...and that was in Bolivia. I'm pretty sure I've never taken a taxi in the states. Anyway, it went fairly well. All these little adventures! :)
Oh, and tonight was cookie night. You have no idea how much I miss cookies. They made rice krispies tonight. If you've worked with me at Clydehurst, you probably know how I feel about making rice krispies. But I watched. Actually, I'm not very good at watching other people cook. I keep wanting to tell them how to do things better or more efficiently. So I try to keep my mouth shut. :)
Well, this is an ecclectic post, but I, at least, enjoyed writting out some of my thoughts and experiences here. :)
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
The walls of Jerusalem
Yesterday three other masters students and I took a walk around the walls of the old city. Technically, I should say we took a walk ON the walls of the old city. Whenever we've had a field study in Jerusalem our professor would ask, "Have any of you done the ramparts walk yet? You should." Well, now we have. We got on at Jaffa Gate, walked to Zion Gate where we had to get off because of the Temple Mount. We walked outside the wall through the Arab cemetery, got back on the wall at St. Stephen's Gate, and walked all the way around, back to Jaffa Gate. Of course, when we got there, the door out was locked. So we walked back to New Gate where we were able to get off.
All in all, it was a fun time. We had a few adventures along the way, but managed to make it through mostly unscathed. :) I didn't have a whole lot of time to think along the way, but there were a couple things I thought rather interesting. One of those things was the Muslim Cemetery, right by the Golden Gate. Unfortuantely, I know absolutely no Arabic, and was therefore totally unable to read any of the tomb stones (except possibly one or two with some English on them.) I'm sure it would have been more interesting if I could have read them, but I had to content myself with more superficial observations. Of those, the one that lept to the eye was the fact that it looked more like a trash heap or a place for homeless people than a cemetery. It wasn't garishly decorated like most of the graves I saw in Bolivia, and really, it could have been a nice place, but it seemed like no one cared enough to clean it up a bit. I do not at all mean this as a racial slur, but it is often observed that the Arab sections of this city and the rest of the country are generally dirtier and more littered than the Jewish sections. The Jewish sections can be rather "trashy" too at times, but usually not to the same extent. At any rate, it makes one think.
Another thing that is always striking me here in Jerusalem is all the different religions and symbols of faith. From the wall we could look across the old city, as we've done a few times before, and the horizon line in riddled with various crosses, crescents, domes, towers, and turrets, all representing different religions and sects. It's overwhelming. I also find it vaguely ironic that next to these huge edifices of religion there are all sorts of people living -- there's laundry hanging in the courtyards, water tanks of some sort on the roofs, and satellite dishes all over. There are roads and corners that smell of urine and are full of trash. There are kids playing on fields or play grounds next to the wall, laughing and yelling; possibly the same ones who will try to pick your pocket. There are shop keepers, hawking their wares to unsuspecting customers. All this in a place that is under a square mile in area.
(Which reminds me of a joke. The area of Vatican City is about .5 square miles. Which means that there is an average of 2 Popes per square mile there!)
At any rate, it was a good walk. Not really that long, but we took our time, and it ended up taking us nearly 3 hours. I'll try to upload some photos. They won't do it justice, but hey.
This is my roommate, Ada, on the wall:
This is the picture that Ada took of us...our "band photo"...and you should have heard the songs we were making up as we went along!
Here are a couple pictures of the Old City Skyline...see how many domes and such you can pick out? They're kind of small pictures, but you should be able to get an idea.
Here's a picture of the decoration on top of a small, family mosque, with, I believe, a French Cathedral of some sort in the background.
And just for fun, the is the four of us near the end of the walk:
...and in other news, the weather is definitely cooler. I was very excited when it was partly cloudy this morning. I'm starting to want long sleeves in the evening, and I've been sleeping with a sheet (and sometimes even a light blanket!) more often than not. I think this has maybe helped cut down on the incidence of bug bites too.
Also, the fixed the pump that pumped hot water to the women's bathrooms, which means that I've now had two showers here that were actually warm. :)
So, there's another taste of my life here in Jerusalem. Oh, and by the way, if anybody reads this, I'd love to have comments from time to time, so don't be shy. :)
All in all, it was a fun time. We had a few adventures along the way, but managed to make it through mostly unscathed. :) I didn't have a whole lot of time to think along the way, but there were a couple things I thought rather interesting. One of those things was the Muslim Cemetery, right by the Golden Gate. Unfortuantely, I know absolutely no Arabic, and was therefore totally unable to read any of the tomb stones (except possibly one or two with some English on them.) I'm sure it would have been more interesting if I could have read them, but I had to content myself with more superficial observations. Of those, the one that lept to the eye was the fact that it looked more like a trash heap or a place for homeless people than a cemetery. It wasn't garishly decorated like most of the graves I saw in Bolivia, and really, it could have been a nice place, but it seemed like no one cared enough to clean it up a bit. I do not at all mean this as a racial slur, but it is often observed that the Arab sections of this city and the rest of the country are generally dirtier and more littered than the Jewish sections. The Jewish sections can be rather "trashy" too at times, but usually not to the same extent. At any rate, it makes one think.
Another thing that is always striking me here in Jerusalem is all the different religions and symbols of faith. From the wall we could look across the old city, as we've done a few times before, and the horizon line in riddled with various crosses, crescents, domes, towers, and turrets, all representing different religions and sects. It's overwhelming. I also find it vaguely ironic that next to these huge edifices of religion there are all sorts of people living -- there's laundry hanging in the courtyards, water tanks of some sort on the roofs, and satellite dishes all over. There are roads and corners that smell of urine and are full of trash. There are kids playing on fields or play grounds next to the wall, laughing and yelling; possibly the same ones who will try to pick your pocket. There are shop keepers, hawking their wares to unsuspecting customers. All this in a place that is under a square mile in area.
(Which reminds me of a joke. The area of Vatican City is about .5 square miles. Which means that there is an average of 2 Popes per square mile there!)
At any rate, it was a good walk. Not really that long, but we took our time, and it ended up taking us nearly 3 hours. I'll try to upload some photos. They won't do it justice, but hey.
This is my roommate, Ada, on the wall:
This is the picture that Ada took of us...our "band photo"...and you should have heard the songs we were making up as we went along!
Here are a couple pictures of the Old City Skyline...see how many domes and such you can pick out? They're kind of small pictures, but you should be able to get an idea.
Here's a picture of the decoration on top of a small, family mosque, with, I believe, a French Cathedral of some sort in the background.
And just for fun, the is the four of us near the end of the walk:
...and in other news, the weather is definitely cooler. I was very excited when it was partly cloudy this morning. I'm starting to want long sleeves in the evening, and I've been sleeping with a sheet (and sometimes even a light blanket!) more often than not. I think this has maybe helped cut down on the incidence of bug bites too.
Also, the fixed the pump that pumped hot water to the women's bathrooms, which means that I've now had two showers here that were actually warm. :)
So, there's another taste of my life here in Jerusalem. Oh, and by the way, if anybody reads this, I'd love to have comments from time to time, so don't be shy. :)
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Benjamin
...and here's another posting from another field trip this weekend. Today actually. Yeah, we don't get much in the way of a break here. The week is generally more relaxed than the weekend, though. Anyway, we went all over the territory of Benjamin today and talked about how important it is in the Bible. I think that something like 60% of all events in the Bible occur in Benjamin (partly because Jerusalem is in Benjamin). So, here are my thoughts from the trip today.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Benjamin
We started the day looking out over the Judean Wilderness again, specifically at Nahal Og, which drains the east side of the Mount of Olives. While still pretty barren, this area seemed to have a little more plant life than the wilderness we saw yesterday. We also saw a couple lizards and a locust. We didn’t eat any of them, but I suppose it’s nice to know of that option, in case I’m ever lost in the Wilderness. Of course, even then, the wilderness we’ve seen is rather small, comparatively. One could easily cross it in a day, assuming, of course, that nothing untoward happened. Also, I’ve yet to see a place where there is no cell phone service. That’s just crazy.
From there we headed down (way below sea level) to Jericho, specifically the Old Testament Site. We discussed some of the history of the site (Joshua, Hiel, etc.) and also the history of the excavations there. We then discussed the problem of having a Biblical account that is apparently not at all supported by the archaeological evidence. It is a problem, though not a devastating one. Problems like that make me wish I could find a solution, though.
I think the thing that struck me the most is the fact that after Joshua destroyed Jericho he cursed it, and as a result of that, Jews have not tried to settle there. Therefore, there is relative peace in Jericho. That is terribly ironic, and rather sad.
As a side note, I have to say that one of my favorite parts of field studies is getting to climb around and explore a little. It was really fun to be able to go down and climb on the tower in Jerusalem – the oldest (known) man-made structure with stone. There were other places throughout the day where I got to climb or explore a little, and that was always fun.
Before lunch we stopped at Mitzpah Danny from which we could see Geba, Michmash, and sort of Ai. We talked more about Joshua’s campaign and also looked at a Philistine attack. Warfare in the Bible (or really anywhere) is something I’ve never given a whole lot of thought to. The closest I’ve come is playing capture the flag or paintball. Looking over the land from the high points as we do gives a whole new perspective on how these campaigns work. It’s still an incomplete perspective, but it is at least improving.
We (finally!) ate lunch at Nebi Samwil where we could also overlook the Benjamin plateau. We could see Gibeon, Mizpah, Gibeah, and Ramah. The land, while still hilly, is noticeably flatter than most of the areas we’ve been in the past few weeks. We could see the beginning of the Beth-Horn Ridge Route. We could also see Jerusalem. It’s becoming ever clearer that whoever controls the Benjamin Plateau effectively controls Jerusalem and most of the hill country.
We traveled down the Beth-Horn Ridge Route to Gezer. As we traveled we could see the land change dramatically. It grew much flatter and much greener. The rock was still Senonian, but mixed in with the rendzina soil was some alluvial terra rosa, making a great combination soil. At Gezer itself we saw the remains of a Solomonic Gate and wall. We also saw standing stones of unknown use or meaning. At least we got to climb on them.
From Gezer we could see the Mediterranean Sea and (I think) part of the Gaza Strip. We also saw some jets fly nearby. It was a reminder (one of many today) that this land is not at peace. Shalom is still only a wish. On the way home I was talking to a fellow student and he said something about wanting to change the world. As Christians, I really think that it’s a part of our telos to work to change the world. As the only people who truly have shalom with God, it is our job to spread that peace and completeness to others – at least to individuals, but if possible, in the will of God, to entire countries and communities. As servants of the Prince of Peace, what else can we do?
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Benjamin
We started the day looking out over the Judean Wilderness again, specifically at Nahal Og, which drains the east side of the Mount of Olives. While still pretty barren, this area seemed to have a little more plant life than the wilderness we saw yesterday. We also saw a couple lizards and a locust. We didn’t eat any of them, but I suppose it’s nice to know of that option, in case I’m ever lost in the Wilderness. Of course, even then, the wilderness we’ve seen is rather small, comparatively. One could easily cross it in a day, assuming, of course, that nothing untoward happened. Also, I’ve yet to see a place where there is no cell phone service. That’s just crazy.
From there we headed down (way below sea level) to Jericho, specifically the Old Testament Site. We discussed some of the history of the site (Joshua, Hiel, etc.) and also the history of the excavations there. We then discussed the problem of having a Biblical account that is apparently not at all supported by the archaeological evidence. It is a problem, though not a devastating one. Problems like that make me wish I could find a solution, though.
I think the thing that struck me the most is the fact that after Joshua destroyed Jericho he cursed it, and as a result of that, Jews have not tried to settle there. Therefore, there is relative peace in Jericho. That is terribly ironic, and rather sad.
As a side note, I have to say that one of my favorite parts of field studies is getting to climb around and explore a little. It was really fun to be able to go down and climb on the tower in Jerusalem – the oldest (known) man-made structure with stone. There were other places throughout the day where I got to climb or explore a little, and that was always fun.
Before lunch we stopped at Mitzpah Danny from which we could see Geba, Michmash, and sort of Ai. We talked more about Joshua’s campaign and also looked at a Philistine attack. Warfare in the Bible (or really anywhere) is something I’ve never given a whole lot of thought to. The closest I’ve come is playing capture the flag or paintball. Looking over the land from the high points as we do gives a whole new perspective on how these campaigns work. It’s still an incomplete perspective, but it is at least improving.
We (finally!) ate lunch at Nebi Samwil where we could also overlook the Benjamin plateau. We could see Gibeon, Mizpah, Gibeah, and Ramah. The land, while still hilly, is noticeably flatter than most of the areas we’ve been in the past few weeks. We could see the beginning of the Beth-Horn Ridge Route. We could also see Jerusalem. It’s becoming ever clearer that whoever controls the Benjamin Plateau effectively controls Jerusalem and most of the hill country.
We traveled down the Beth-Horn Ridge Route to Gezer. As we traveled we could see the land change dramatically. It grew much flatter and much greener. The rock was still Senonian, but mixed in with the rendzina soil was some alluvial terra rosa, making a great combination soil. At Gezer itself we saw the remains of a Solomonic Gate and wall. We also saw standing stones of unknown use or meaning. At least we got to climb on them.
From Gezer we could see the Mediterranean Sea and (I think) part of the Gaza Strip. We also saw some jets fly nearby. It was a reminder (one of many today) that this land is not at peace. Shalom is still only a wish. On the way home I was talking to a fellow student and he said something about wanting to change the world. As Christians, I really think that it’s a part of our telos to work to change the world. As the only people who truly have shalom with God, it is our job to spread that peace and completeness to others – at least to individuals, but if possible, in the will of God, to entire countries and communities. As servants of the Prince of Peace, what else can we do?
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