Western Wall and Teaching Steps

 The Western Wall is the only part of Herod's Temple that is still in existence.  It is actually a foundation wall that holds up the temple mount.  It is a historic place for Jews to pray.  Woods Chapel has a prayer wall in the coffee bar area that is styled after the Western Wall.

The teaching steps are on the Southern end of the temple mount.  They were uncovered during archaeological work in the last few decades.  These are steps where Jesus would have stood to teach the people and have discussions with the Pharisees.

We ran into musicians that are hired for Bar Mitzvahs.  
They played and we danced!!!

Bill and Pam Carpenter on the teaching steps

Tom and Duanna Mathis, Sandy Lavelle, Dawn Viets.
Back row: Gina Harris, Joni Horn.

First Century street.  Pile of rubble is from when the
Romans pushed down the temple stones.

Many Bar Mitzvahs are celebrated here.
The Father has raised the son, and now he is 
celebrating the son's coming of age.

The Western or Wailing wall

Steve Potter and Kent Bradford at the wall.

A cute Jewish boy was posing for pics by his mom.
I got a couple of good pictures too.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

The Mount of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane

There are so many special moments on a Holy Land trip.  One of them is the day that we visit the Mt. of Olives and the Garden of Gethsemane.

The City of Jerusalem from the Mt of Olives.

Al Aqsa mosque on the temple mount. 
Teaching steps to the left of the southern wall.

Church of All Nations at the Garden of Gethsemane.

2,000 year old olive tree in Gethsemane.

Inside the Church of All Nations.

Center fresco in the Church of All Nations.
Remembering Jesus' agonizing in the garden.

Eastern Gate of the Old City.  Tombs in front.
Dome of the Rock behind.

We are having an amazing trip.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Nissan Brothers and Bethlehem

Let me begin with Happy Birthday to my wonderful daughter Jenny!

We left Israel proper and went into the Palestinian controlled area which includes the city of Bethlehem.  There we stopped to shop at the Nissan Brothers store.  We also visited the Shepherd's field and the historic Church of the Nativity.

Wall separating the Palestinian controlled area from Israel.  The Palestinians hate it, but the Israelis found it needful to stop the bombings.

Nissan Brothers work shop.  Bare wood on the left.  Product in stages on the right.

Olive wood souvenirs in process.

Some of the finished product.

Church of the Nativity

Manger Square

Wall Murals from the 1200's

Column from 550AD

Descending to the grotto under the church where Jesus was born.

Door column detain from 550.

View overlooking Bethlehem.

Fantastic day, as all of them are on such trips.  Be sure to see the good.

Masada and the Dead Sea

We visited Masada in the south part of Israel near the Dead Sea.  Masada is a mountain fortress that is famous in Israel because after the revolt in 70AD, the last Jewish fighters travelled there and made their last stand.  Finally, the Romans built a ramp to reach the walls on top of the mountain and breached their compound.

View from the top.  Dead Sea in the background.

Remnants of the ramp built by the Romans.

Foundations of Roman encampment from 73AD.

Part of our group in the Synagogue area.  Note the black line on the wall.  Below the black line is original, above the line is reconstructed.  Left to right, front row:  Steve and Stephane Elkins. Shirley Early, Lori Williams, Bill Carpenter.  Top Row:  Abbey Pepper, Sandy Lavelle, Gina Harris, Joni Horn, Bill and Pam Pogson.

Original stucco and wall covering.

Tram up

Shepherds on the mountain side.

Swimming/Floating in the Dead Sea.

It was a fantastic day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Caesarea Phillipi

Yes there are more than one location in the middle east with the name Caesarea.  They were all named for the big boss, Caesar, the Roman emperor.

Caesarea Phillip is up in the Northern territory of Israel.  It is the location where Jesus asked his disciples, "who do you say that I am?"  

It is a peaceful, park like setting where various religions have come to worship for centuries.

niche cut into the stone where idols once stood.

Large cave at the left was known as "the gates of hell."

This area is home to springs that feed the Jordan river.

Ruins of First Century temple built on the site.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Tel Dan

 Today we visited Tel Dan.  This is the site of a very old city with the ruins of a temple built 3,000 years ago.

Reconstruction of City Gate

Actual gate

Israeli flag at border with Lebanon

trenches from wars in days gone by [hopefully]

Altar at tel Dan dating back to 1000 BC

Bill Carpenter at tel Dan

Good Morning Sea of Galilee!!!

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.