Today, our travels were a bit lighter and day less packed which made it more of a Sabbath of sorts being Sunday and all. But, we still had a lot to see. Our destination this morning was to Bethlehem, a 20-minute drive south of Jerusalem. The first thing we noticed, and were informed, about Bethlehem is that this city—located in the West Bank—is under the control of the Palestinian National Authority. In fact, our Jewish tour guide, Tony, was not permitted to entire Bethlehem so we had a temp from Bethlehem fill in for him for the morning.
When we arrived in Bethlehem, we passed through a guarded checkpoint beneath guard tower and an immense wall that spanned the perimeter of the city. This wall was erected about three years ago and stands 25 feet tall and stretches for 240 miles. It's ugly but apparently a necessary evil to reduce terrorism. I get the feeling the Palestinians hate it.
Our first stop in Bethlehem was the BSC: Bethlehem Souvenir Center where we could do some shopping. As we gathered in the Christian-owned store, the store owner gave a welcome speech to our group and shared his heart about life in this Palestinian-controlled, mostly Muslim city. He said that though our government wants Israelis and Palestinians to co-exist in peace, that true peace will not come until the Prince of Peace, our Messiah returns. He asked for our prayers. I appreciated his genuineness and honesty. Then he told us about several of the items available in his store from olive wood carvings to menorahs to antique Roman coins and jewelry. Susie and I picked out some small Christmas gifts for family but others in our group were doing a masterful job of shopping and depleting their souvenir accounts as fast as they could! I don't think anyone left the store empty-handed.
Now we boarded our bus and drove to where the shepherds watched their flocks by night and were the first to hear the Good News of a Savior being born in Bethlehem. We went to the Shepherds Filed YMCA. In the back of this YMCA building and campground is a cave that is very similar to where Mary and Joseph resided when Jesus was born. In fact, prior to being incorporated into the YMCA property, it was adjacent to a home where the homeowners kept their livestock.While inside this rock cave grotto, Pastor Jim shared from Luke 2—the traditional Christmas story—and then read Philippians 2 which really describes how much Christ gave up to leave Heaven and His Father's side and become a baby, being born in a feed trough inside a cave really only suitable for animals. Talk about humility. We sang "O Come Let Us Adore Him" and I felt like our Sunday morning service was one of the best ever. Christmas in May. I'll take it.
On previous trips, Pastor Jim has taken groups to the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. Today, we only drove past it. The lines were enormous and, in Pastor Jim's opinion, the experience can leave a person somewhat deflated when you see how this church has taken the spot where Jesus was born—a humble, simple cave-like grotto—and transformed it into a place adorned with marble and mosaics. The humility was long-ago removed. Our experience behind the YMCA was probably far better than being crowded into the high-church atmosphere of the Church of the Nativity.
Leaving Bethlehem, we passed through the checkpoint. An Israeli soldier boarded our bus, walked the aisle asking us if we were all US citizens. I couldn't help but notice the semi-automatic rifle he carried. That kept our rebellious tour group in line.
Now we returned to Jerusalem for lunch at Kibbutz Ramat Rachel Hotel. The lunch was fabulous and I decided that Tony was right on day one when he told us all we'd be gaining about a pound a day on this trip. Susie and I finally found some t-shirts and sweatshirts we liked and purchased a Hebrew University hoodie and a Jerusalem t-shirt. Check that off the list.
After lunch we went to Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum. Yad Vashem, meaning "a name and a place" (from Isaiah 56:5) is an archive, research institute, museum, and above all, a monument to perpetuate the memory of the more than six million who died in the Nazi Holocaust. The museum is one long corridor carved into the mountain, with 10 exhibition halls, each dedicated to a different chapter of the Holocaust. Most moving are the 2500 personal items donated by survivors which truly gives a first-person feel to the horrors of Nazi rise to power, concentration camps, and death marches. You left this place feeling emotionally drained but thankful for a museum so well-done to ensure we never forget.
Our final stop of the day was a brief visit outside the Knesset—Israel's parliament—where a sculpted seven-branch menorah (the symbol of the State of Israel) in located. It's the work of British sculptor Benno Elkan and was a gift from the British parliament. The relief work on its branches depicts crucial moments in Jewish history and is accompanied by biblical quotations.
Tomorrow, our journey heads back to the Dead Sea. We'll climb Masada, the desert fortress from the first century, we'll float in the Dead Sea, and we'll be at our lowest point on this trip—elevation-wise that is: 1,348 feet below sea level.
More photos from the day are here.
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