Galilee is my favorite place in Israel. It was the first time I visited and it was this time, but you should also know that Galilee was my favorite before I ever journeyed to Israel at all. Although truly lovely, there is nothing particularly spectacular about the landscape and nothing particularly unique about the cities and sights. Yet Galilee bends the mind, touches the heart, and moves the soul.
Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee (Nof Ginosar Kibbutz)
View over the Sea of Galilee from the Mount of Beattitudes.
Jerusalem certainly ranks as one of the world’s amazing cities. What a magnificent mingling of cultures, religions, histories, politics, and art have become entangled and entrenched there, especially as visible in Old Jerusalem—the portion still encompassed by a city wall. Judaism, Christianity, and Islam have all created and destroyed, painted and stripped, lit and shadowed, pieces and dimensions of the ever evolving masterpiece Jerusalem symbolizes. For me this time, though, the place in Jerusalem that felt the most holy and sacred, was the Temple Mount—currently the plaza area around the Dome of the Rock. (No longer can non-Muslims actually enter the mosque, although we could fourteen years ago.) The crowds and clamor of the Via Dolorosa and Wailing Wall gave way to a stillness, an aura of reverence, as soon as I passed over the threshold of Moghrabi Gate.
Bethlehem, though, became the setting for a second time in a lifetime of the most memorable people to people moments. When I first glimpsed the wall separating Jerusalem from Bethlehem, my heart broke. And then I could never quite end the sporadic flash back sequences to the Berlin Wall for the rest of our visit there. No longer can tourists just drive to Bethlehem (6 km from Jerusalem) like we did last time; we had to go with a tour. The Israelis Jew who booked our tour for us is not even allowed to go to Bethlehem at all. And the checkpoint checked; we had to show our passports!
Before touring the churches built over the traditional site of Christ’s birth, we lunched—deliciously, may I add—in a little street café just off of manger square…owned by cousins of our tour operator, of course. At two tables near us sat a group of American Seminary students studying in Rome—priests-in-the-making—who catalyzed some interesting and thoughtful conversation. If the Catholic Church has more classy young men like those headed into the priesthood, they may be able to steer through current turmoil!
And then we talked with the restaurant’s brother owners—hopes and despair, triumphs and losses. We are all so human.
Every Palestinian we talked to on this trip had at least one relative in the USA. [Of Palestinians who are able to immigrate, the largest percentage (22%) go to Jordan, and the second largest percentage (20%) go to the USA.] When we asked if they had ever visited the USA, every single one of them said that these days visas were next to impossible to obtain.
Looking toward Manger Square from the street where we lunched.
Judaean Hills today
Judaean shepherd(ess)
Galilee is my favorite place in Israel. It was the first time I visited and it was this time, too, but you should also know that Galilee was my favorite before I ever journeyed to Israel at all. Although truly lovely, there is nothing particularly spectacular about the landscape and nothing particularly unique about the cities and sights. Yet Galilee bends the mind, touches the heart, and moves the soul.
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