Welcome to My Mid-Thirties

Year 34 has now begun. Last night's three-tiered yellow pudding-layered cake with chocolate frosting and toffee chips wrapped up the best birthday week ever. Not only is Marta beautiful but she is also an excellent cook and baker. From the homemade calzones and pulled pork BBQ to the famous Grandon Chocolate Cake, this was a week full of fine dining.

The gym is now calling.

"The Holiest Place of All"

I've saved my last Israel post for the place of the whole trip that was the most special.

History tells us that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is built on top of the place that was thought to be the place of Christ's crucifixion and burial at least from the 4th century. It is honored by nearly all Catholic sects as the holy site. However, since its discovery in 1869, the Garden Tomb has also surfaced as the potential sight for these memorable events and is revered by most Protestants and Mormons. You can probably get a sense from the photos how different these two places are. People can give archeological/traditional evidences for either site, but the best article I've come across is in support of the Garden Tomb and found on the lds.org website. If you're interested, it is a great read on what you see in the photos below.

We arrived at the Garden Tomb early before they opened for the day, just before a couple of large groups lined up to get in. The Garden is gated and just down an alley from one of the major bus stations of the area. The main street is loud with a constant traffic of people and buses.

However, immediately upon entering this place, the noises of the outside disappear and you can feel that you are somewhere special. We got in with an English-speaking tour (I guess you're supposed to call ahead) which was their first tour of the day.

I knew that I wanted to try to get some photos without people in them so I snuck away from the group and wandered over by myself to the tomb.

It was the best decision of my trip. As I approached the tomb I noticed that there were two women inside who had my same idea. They spent some quiet moments inside and then vacated so that I could come in. I had a few minutes there in the tomb all by myself while these two women sang a hymn outside the door in their language. It was an incredible moment. Mormons have a special connection with this place at least since the days of President Lee who traveled to Jerusalem and said of this place:

“Something seemed to impress us as we stood there, that this was the holiest place of all, and we fancied we could have witnessed the dramatic scene that took place there.”

Of all the places we visited on this trip there were only two times that I hesitated as I lifted my camera to capture. One was the small skulls in Bethlehem. I was too flustered and surprised there by what I was seeing to get my camera set right in the low light (the photo I posted was taken by my father-in-law). The other was inside this tomb. After reassurance from the tour guide here that it was ok to do so, I took some so I could remember this special place.

If this really is the right tomb, then this is the stone on which Christ was laid and from which He arose.

So this wraps up my Israel posts. I hope you've enjoyed them. I've learned more putting these posts together than I did while seeing it all, so I've really enjoyed it. Israel has to be one of the most unique places in the world and somewhere that I'm convinced should be on everyone's list of places to see and experience for themselves.

Bethlehem

While only about 5 miles from the Old City of Jerusalem, Bethlehem is in the West Bank. The first thing you see approaching Bethlehem is a section of the controversial and graffitied cement Israeli West Bank barrier. This wall separates much of the West Bank from Israel and serves its intended purpose of keeping Arabs living in the West Bank in the West Bank.

Talking with our Arab Christian friend in Bethlehem, who has lived here long before the mid-1990's construction of these walls, it is clear that he feels a bit like a caged animal behind these walls.

Under many Bethlehem homes even to this day are caves. Historically, this is where shepherds would keep their flocks.

It is also very likely that it was in a cave like this - not a wooden manger - that Jesus would have been born. This cave is at Shepherd's Field.

Within the Church of the Nativity this star tucked down some stairs in what once a cave marks the traditional spot where it is believed Jesus was born. While it obviously isn't known if this is the actual spot. This cave has been recognized as the place of Christ's birth since the 1st century.

This is inside the church at the Shepherd's Field and reminds you of the star that was visible to shepherds in this area announcing the Savior's birth.

I had always assumed that Christ would have been born in 1 BC and then crucified in 33 AD (there wouldn't be a year 0). Apparently that wasn't necessarily the case. It is believed that Christ would have actually been born between 8 and 5 BC.

The Only Teeth in These Waters Are Mine

So I'll just go ahead and admit that I am deathly afraid of sharks. It comes from an incident that of course my brothers don't remember but apparently has never left the depths of my brain.

We lived in Florida when I was young and had a pool in the backyard. One night when I was 5 my brothers and I were watching the movie Jaws. Being the loving big brothers they are they told me that Jaws was in our pool and then decided I should go swimming = scarred for life.

I've been surfing a few times and I can't help but think the whole time I'm out there that I look just like a seal to a shark. I know it's not logical, but as long as I'm not the one furthest out in any direction then I'm ok.

I had no such feelings in the Dead Sea. You can't really swim, you just float. It's actually pretty fun, but the highlight for me was that I had no fear of anything with teeth in these waters. Also just for the record, this Superman idea was a bad one. I had shaved that morning and the salty water made my face feel like it was on fire.

Paranoia of Herod

Herod the Great was called great for the cities and buildings he built during his reign. History remembers him as the great builder of Roman-era Palestine. He rebuilt the city of Jerusalem, including the temple as well as Caesarea, Masada, and this - the Herodion in Bethlehem.

Herod the Great was also a paranoid monster. Caesar Augustus said of Herod, “I would rather be Herod’s pig than his son.” since Herod followed Jewish law and would not eat pork but killed his wife and three of his own sons. It was also clear from the design of his palaces that he was determined to protect himself at all costs. These retreats offered him all the conveniences of the times and featured levels of guards and soldiers before anyone could have access to the King.

Herod is infamous for his order to kill all Bethlehem children under the age of three. This is known as the Massacre of the Innocents and while we were in Bethlehem we had a rare opportunity to visit the tomb of these children.

Before our trip, Dean got put into contact with a member of the Church living in Bethlehem and he offered to take us around to see the sights. The guy grew up in this relatively small town and knew everyone. At one point he went over and talked to a monk who unlocked some gates and led us down into some caves below the Church of the Nativity.

I can't find any reference to this anywhere, but they told us that these are the remains of the children killed by Herod's murderous decree. History also says that there were probably 20-30 children of this age in Bethlehem at the time, and that's about how many small skulls are piled here. Thinking about the anguish that the murder of each of these kids would have caused was one of the most moving moments of the trip. These children are considered by the Catholic Church to be the first Christian martyrs.

Just Read the Sign

Some familiar and not so familiar signs of Israel...

A guy told me that Muslim art doesn't depict the human form so the way artists can express themselves is through written text.

This is a store sign in the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. No idea what it says, but written Arabic is quite beautiful. Apparently the smiley emoticon was invented by Arabic artists.

These signs are all over the northern part of the country. The Golan Heights has been a source of contention between Israel and Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan for hundreds of years.

We would occasionally see cows in fields like these. You don't eat hardly any beef in Israel so I guess they don't think too highly of them.

We learned when we got to Jerusalem that no one has ever heard of BYU or the BYU Jerusalem Center. But every cab driver in Jerusalem knows the "Mormon University".

Nearly every street sign is in Hebrew, Arabic, and English.

The sign looks the same but the food doesn't. How about a McFalafel? It's for real, and you can choose nugget, wrap, or bunned versions.

On a similar note, we LOVED the food. I can't vouch for the Mickey-D's version, but falafel and swarma are everywhere and both delicious.

You eat lots of fish, eggs, different cheeses, and salads. I don't think I ever ate chicken and only saw it offered a couple of times. You also don't see too many people drinking sodas although they are widely available. Another thing you don't see is people walking and eating. Meals are something you do as opposed to what you do while on you're way to something else.

Masada Shall Not Fall Again

Masada is a place that 99% of Jewish tourists visit on a trip to the Holy Land. It is considered by many to be sacred ground. Masada was fortified by Herod the Great and used as one of his palaces. During the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD around 1,000 Jewish Zealots occupied Masada after the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem. The Romans determined to wipe out these Zealots set up encampments around the hilled fortification. The ruins of several of these Roman encampments - totaling around 12,000 soldiers - are also still visible after nearly 2000 years.

After several years of trying to attack and suffering large numbers of losses, and knowing the Jews wouldn't kill their own people, the Romans used Jewish slaves to build a rock ramp up to the fortification. When it became inevitable to the inhabitants of Masada that they would be overtaken they determined that instead of being taken captive by the Romans that they would commit mass suicide.

Suicide is forbidden by Jewish law so it was determined that they would draw lots and kill each other in turn, down to the last man, who would be the only one to actually take his own life.

While we were there I heard a group of Israeli youth discussing the fact that only 30 skeletons found have been found at Masada (they received full military burial honors) and it is believed by some that the other 900+ were taken straight to heaven. This is obviously a place of great historical significance to Israel.

This is the left over "ammo" from when they were overtaken by the Romans.

The defenders here were apparently well-stocked. A story is told that they would wash their clothes and put them out on a line so the troops below could see - just to show them that they had enough to even do laundry.

These are the remains of the ramp built that ultimately led to the Roman breach into Masada.

Today there is a well-known phrase among Israelis that "Masada shall not fall again." Israel is determined to never sit back again as they are invaded but to aggressively defend themselves if necessary.

Gates Into the Old City

There are 9 gates into the Old City of Jerusalem, 8 of which are open. All traffic comes through the city to this day through these gates. Most only available to foot traffic, but a couple have been enlarged for cars to pass through. Right now a restoration project is underway so many of the city gates are covered for repairs, so we didn't have a good view of the Damascus Gate - the most ornate of the gates.

This photo was taken at Herod's Gate.

Zion Gate stands out from the others due to the deep pockets. These are bullet holes from the 6-Day War as the Jordanian army tried to gain control of the city.

The most interesting gate is one that you can't walk through - the Golden Gate.

Jewish tradition associates this sealed gate with the coming of the Messiah who will descend upon the Mount of Olives, walk across the Kidron valley, and enter the Temple Mount through this gate. I've been told that LDS theology agrees, but I'm struggling to find any references to this gate so if anyone knows where to find it I'd love to hear.

We had a Jewish tour guide on our first morning in Jerusalem and she told us that this gate was sealed by the ruling Muslims in 1541 to prevent the fulfillment of prophecy and a cemetery was placed in front of it. It was believed that this cemetery would keep the Jewish Messiah from entering and reclaiming Jerusalem. The thought being that the Messiah is a High Priest and would not desecrate himself by walking upon the graves of the dead before entering the temple.

Other accounts using the same logic, along with his Levite lineage indicate, that this cemetery was actually to prevent Elijah from entering the Temple and since his coming is preparatory to the Messiah, then the Messiah couldn't come.

I'm pretty sure omnipotence can take care of this dilemma.

Temple Mount

Temple Mount is an important and holy place to Jews, Muslims, and Christians. The Dome of the Rock has been here since around 690 AD and has become the symbol of Jerusalem. According to the beliefs of the three faiths, a number of significant events have taken place here. Temple Mount is where:

1. Abraham came to sacrifice Isaac (or Muslims say, Ishmael).
2. David's Jebusite threshing floor was.
3. the place where Solomon built his Temple.
4. the Holy of Holies was located.
5. the Temple at the time of Christ was located, and where the veil was rent at his death.
6. Muhammad ascended to heaven with the angel Gabriel.

Non-Muslims are only allowed here for a couple of hours each day, and cannot go into the Dome of the Rock. You can find photos online of the rock under the dome that is believed to be the very rock that Abraham came to sacrifice Isaac on. Apparently there is also carved out of the stone a rectangle that is right dimensions and may have held Moses' Ark of the Covenant.

The Western Wall

Not far from the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, considered by many Christians to be our holiest site, is one of the most important sites of Judaism - the Western Wall. This wall is the closest permitted accessible site to the holiest spot in Judaism - the place where the Holy of Holies was in the destroyed Temple.

It is widely believed that after the destruction of the Jewish Temple in 70AD that this wall is the only remaining portion of the ancient Temple plaza. The customs of some Jewish sects on display here are often not understood by the outside world. Judaism has many flavors with their own practices - just like Christianity.

On Fridays here Jews congregate for what amounts to a large celebration that sundown ushers in the Sabbath. This includes prayer groups near the wall as well as singing and dancing. I left Israel with a deep appreciation for the devotion and zeal with which people practice their religion. Many here live their religion with a deep commitment to live God's laws to the fullest. A good example to all of us whatever our religious beliefs.

Via Dolorosa

The events of Christ's last trip into Jerusalem are commemorated by the Via Dolorosa. 14 "Stations of the Cross" identified through New Testament and traditional sources are marked throughout the city. Since around 1350 Christian pilgrims have come to Jerusalem to walk this path through the city. There is a lot of debate as to the authenticity of the route and even some of the events identified (only eight of the stations are events suggested in the gospels), but I found it to be an interesting trip through the city thinking about what Christ went through during this final mortal day.

The route takes you from the courts of Pontius Pilot where Christ was condemned to the place of his crucifixion, burial, and resurrection - all within the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.

These Roman flagstones are one of the indications that this may have been the place where Pilot held court. This etching in the stone shows a game board typical of the times for Roman troops to cast lots to take turns torturing prisoners.

Station #13: The Stone of Anointing.
This is the traditional site where Christ's body was taken from the cross and prepared for burial by Joseph of Arimathea. I heard from one of the guides there say that touching items to the stone turns it into a religious relic.

It's hard to know while you're there what is thought to be authentic. If you do a little research on this stone you'll find that this type of marble is not ingenious to Israel and began being imported here in the 4th century. Also, this particular stone wasn't here until reconstruction after a fire in the early 19th century.

Many people come to Jerusalem to pray at what may have been the site of Jesus' crucifixion. Here you can kneel and reach your hand down and touch what may have been one of the stones of Golgotha.

This is the outside of the church that surrounds what may have been the tomb of Christ. There are different opinions as to if this was the place of crucifixion and burial of Christ, but this site has been revered since the 4th century when Constantine ordered its construction. This place is hard for me to reconcile. There is a chance that some very important events happened here, but it's a bit of a bizarre setting for someone who didn't grow up around ornate Church alters. It is dark with incense burners hanging everywhere and hard to imagine the ancient landscape that may have been here during the meridian of times. One of the most powerful sights for both Marta and me is a small marker on the floor that identifies the place where Mary and Mary stood as Christ hung on the cross. While to me it's not really realistic to think that this is the actual spot where these women stood, it was powerful to imagine the pain these women felt as their son and dear friend suffered.

A Couple of Tourists

This is how we looked most of our trip - Marta scarfed to block the evening wind and me with my eye up to the viewfinder, but minus the kippah. The weather was beautiful and perfect with a light jacket. I can only imagine the summer heat along with thousands of additional people during peak tourist season.

If you're going to make this trip, we'd highly recommend the first week of March.

I was so impressed with the West Bank that I had to try the traditional head gear. I think I fit right in.

In addition to just showing how studly I look in a keffiyeh, this picture also makes it clear that I have no political aspirations. Can't you just imagine a photo like this of some Western political candidate making headlines?

People of Israel

One of the fascinating aspects of a visit to Israel is the wide range of people you come into contact with. By no means am I an expert in this area, but getting a glimpse of their different cultures and daily lives was a clear highlight for me.

Want to carry a cross as you walk the Via Dolorosa? This guy has them to rent. By the way, EVERYONE smokes.

Two regular sights in Jerusalem, a large tour group coming through the narrow streets and a lot of automatic weapon yielding young soldiers.

This guy is a Bedouin - nomads that traditionally live off the land and raise animals. Israel apparently has a Bedouin population of around 80,000. Our tour guide told us a pretty funny story that a few years ago the government built houses for many of the Bedouins. They didn't want to feel like they were losing their nomad way of life so the families continued to stay in their tents and moved their animals into the houses.

You really don't see too many Muslim women in public so when I saw this group I had to snap a shot. Taken on Temple Mount these women were actually smiling - another rarity.

Reading the Torah at the Western Wall. This was actually inside the tunnel along the north side of the wall. You can also see the folded prayers tucked into the wall crevices.

Damascas Gate

The Damascas Gate is how we entered the city each day. It was just a few minutes to our hotel from here and it became one of my favorite scenes of Jerusalem. Here is a little glimpse of the sights and sounds just inside the gate. This gate enters into the Muslim quarter of the city and every day these streets become a lively outdoor market of locals, tourists, and vendors.

The Old City of Jerusalem

Before our visit, I pictured Jerusalem as a quiet, quaint kind of town. I didn't realize its population - over 800,000 people or its geography - houses everywhere up and down very steep terrain. I've found it difficult to describe the Old City - you almost have to experience for yourself to understand it. One thing that stands out is the number of cemeteries. A lot of the city is surrounded by cemeteries since it is believed by many that this is the site of the first Resurrection.

The Old City has narrow streets that in many places turn into tunnels from ancient apartments overhead. These streets are often lined with shops that flow onto the street and are nearly always packed with people. Then occasionally a car will drive through sending people into shops just so the car can pass. One of the things I hadn't considered are the number of tourists - everywhere. One morning outside our hotel we counted 21 full size tour buses picking up passengers of different nationalities to take them to the sites. In the city you have a melting pot of foreign tourists, ultra-orthodox Jews, Muslims, and Armenian Christians. I really don't think there is anywhere in the world like this place.