Holy Land Homecoming: a Retrospective (conclusion)

Falls at Caesarea Philippi

Hello friends! I trust you had a blessed Easter celebration? I told you when I started this Holy Land retrospective that I had a book-full of photos from my trip. Well, I only showed you a fraction of the photos that were most closely associated with Easter so far. Now in my final installment, I want to show you just a few more favorite photos from all over Israel. I'll keep commentary to a minimum and let you just enjoy the images...

 

Caesarea (on the Mediterranean)

 

(Roman Aquaduct)

Dead Sea

Yes, you really do float in this water without trying...

(sunrise over the Dead Sea)

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Ein Gedi

This long, hot climb...

...led to a most lovely, lush oasis...

This enclave in the Desert of Judah is where David hid from King Saul, and where he likely penned Psalm 63...

"You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water..."

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Galilee Region

(Loaves & Fishes Mosaic)

gorgeous flowers everywhere...

This church is built on the shore of the Galilee where Peter jumped out of the boat and swam to Jesus after the Resurrection...

Sunrise over the Sea of Galilee...

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Jerusalem

Scenes from around the city...

(exterior of "The Upper Room")

(interior stained glass in "The Upper Room")

Holocaust Museum display

Holocaust Museum display

The Wailing Wall in Jerusalem

Visiting the Wailing Wall was an unbelievably moving experience. I want to wrap up my Holy Land retrospective with a few words and photos to try to capture a bit of the sacred, special nature of this most Holy site for the Jewish people...

This holy place of prayer is visited by the local Israelis of all ages and walks of life and by Jewish Pilgrims (and Gentile Pilgrims like me) from all over the world.

The men and women go to separate areas of the Wall, so I mostly have photos of women at the Wall, though I caught the image of this man through the divider...

You'll notice in the following photos that many of the young women are carrying automatic rifles at the Wall, and most of them are not in uniform. That's because military service is required of ALL 18 year old Israeli boys and girls, and they are to carry their weapons at all times, whether on or off duty...

The bits of folded paper that you see in the clefts of the stones are prayers that worshippers write and tuck in there. I was so blessed to be able to write out my own prayer request and tuck it into a space...what an incredible experience!

Here's one of the families that were on our tour after they went to the Wall...that's pretty much how we all felt...it was a very special place...

I visited the Wall twice during our trip. At the end of my first visit, a white dove landed right in front of me...it's not a great photo, but it was an awesome moment...

Then at the end of my second visit which was in the early evening, we encountered a group of young Israeli men/teens just outside then Wall who were celebrating a particular festival (I wish I could remember what it was). Anyway, these young men were dancing, waving flags and singing in a circle nearby, and I was taking photos of the revelry...our guide urged me to approach the group, and before I knew it they surrounded me and another woman from our tour with their circle and kept dancing and singing with us now in the center of the circle taking photos! It was a magical moment!

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I'm so glad you came along with me as I shared memories of my incredible trip! It was unforgettable! I hope you got at least a taste of the wonder and beauty of the Holy Land...

Lord bless you all!