Israel during Lent – Day 9

Israel Day 9

45 hours straight touring or traveling before hitting the sack Saturday night.  Shabbat Shalom!   Ours and Theirs!
Funny joke:  when President Trump visited the Western Wall, he wrote a prayer and put the prayer note into a crack in the wall. A reporter saw where he put the prayer and pulled it out of the wall.  It said, “Lord, it’s Trump, what do you need?”
Not funny joke:  Many land mines remain in Israel.   They are marked with signs in Arabic, Hebrew and English.  The English signs read “land mines”. The Hebrew signs read “land mines”.  The Arabic signs read “picnic area”
Today we flew from Tel Aviv to Moscow to JFK (by airplane) and were then bused to Strasburg and New London.   We all reminisced on what we learned and experienced, each of us reflecting differently but all of us reflecting profoundly.  
One theme common to most of us was a growing desire to read the Bible, now with the big picture of the Big Story having been brought down from the abstract and into the real, earthy, historical, lived world of God’s actual presence on earth  
A pilgrimage it was,  and we are all grateful for pastor Bob’s gracious and competent leadership.  On behalf of the whole group of us – – Well done Bob, Thank You!!!!!!!!!
What does a Jewish wife say when she looks in the mirror first thing in the morning?  “He deserves it!”.
Finally, Jerusalem is inhabited by Jews, Arabs, Christians, Bedouins, Muslims. returnees to the Promised Land from every country in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Latin America (and more), secular Jews, (and more), and every combination of the above that you can think if.  In short, Jerusalem is a microcosm of the world.  The problems and joys of the world are on display here.  No wonder the Bible tells us to pray for the peace of Jerusalem!!  (Psalm 122:6. “Pray for the peace of Jerusalem! “May they be secure who love you!”
“לשנה הבאה בירושלים”
“Next year Jerusalem!

 

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *