The Beautiful Cross

Shalom!

The past couple weeks have been extremely emotional and spiritual. I went to Jerusalem for a day tour on the 13th and then came back the next weekend of the 18th-20th. I'm going to combine both experiences for the sake of simplicity. 

Jerusalem is a beautiful city located in the hills of Israel. It's on a mountain and during this time of year, it's pretty cold. I love it there though.

 It's an upbeat city (like all of them here) that has a sense of uneasiness about it.  Everywhere you look there is another pilgrimage group with their bright hats, fanny packs and scarves. The new city looks just like any other city in Israel but the Old City is truly unique. As you walk through the bullet-scarred walls you enter a completely different time period.  Cobble-stone streets laden with shops and historical sites. Everything is made of this particular white-ish stone and it brings a sense of community about the place. 

We made our first stop in the Jewish quarter of the city where we walked through King David's "tomb", and "the room of the last supper." I put quotations around them simply because they are traditional locations, and most likely aren't the historical location. However the location of the Last Supper is expected to be in the general vicinity of the room I walked through. Which is pretty cool. We then visited the Hurva Synagogue. This synagogue had been destroyed three times in the past wars. It now stands beautifully and has a great view of the Old City from the top.  

After lunch, aka an embarassing amount of falafel, we made our way to the Western Wall (Wailing Wall). This is the Western wall of what was the temple mount. This wall is considered the Holiest place in the world for Jews because it is the closest they can get to what once was the temple. Here you can see both women and men alike praying against the wall and placing their pre-written prayers in the cracks of the wall. The wall is literally overflowing with small pieces of paper. It's awesome to see. The wall is divided by gender, and it's sad to see that the woman's side is probably a third of the side of the men's.  The Dome of the Rock(where Muhammed is believed to have ascended to heaven on his night journey) is now located on the temple mount and is open to non-muslims only 2 hours a week.  We didn't make it to the temple mount but I definitely want to try and get there before I leave. The Dome is certainly a site to see for sure. We then went on a digital tour of what the temple mount may have looked like. The video was pretty cool, and then to bring it together we walked around the temple mount. Here we saw the remnants of the ancient marketplace and road and also saw remains of the Roman structures that were built near it. 

The end of this first tour took place at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. My first experience inside can only be described as conviction slapping me straight in the face. Walking up the hill of Calvary and standing next to where Jesus was crucified was nothing short of overwhelming. I couldn't help but tear up. The group we were with was mostly secular and historical and it was upsetting being guided in that way. I was more upset than anything that here, where Jesus sacrificed His life for us, people are leaving without ever hearing the gospel and they are seeing it purely as a tourist location to check off their list. The second visit was much lighter, don't worry.

I visited Jerusalem again, a week later. This was probably my favorite trip so far. Me and two of my friends made a weekend trip in order to do all the Christian sites that we missed the week prior. After the two-hour bus ride we arrived in the crazy Jerusalem bus station. If it gives you an idea of the security here, we had to put our bags through a metal detector (like at the airport) in order to get into the bus station. Intense.

Our first major stop in Jerusalem was to go right outside the Old City walls to a place named The City of David. Here we toured through an underground tunnel that was used to channel water into the city. We caught a glimpse of Hezekiah's tunnel on our way through. This is a water tunnel (the water can go past your knees) that flows under the city. It was too cold to do it, but one day I will. We got some cool views of the new city before heading back into the Old City. Here we grabbed lunch (falafel, again) and went shopping in the shuk. The shuk is huge and they have every thing you could ever want from Jerusalem. 

Being on a Friday, things started to shut down and we got out of the cold and rain in order to get ready for dinner. The pickings are slim on Shabbat, especially in Jerusalem, but we found a cute pasta place in the new city to have dinner at. It was dry, warm, and a lot of fun.

We walked through a shopping plaza on our way back to the hostel and it was truly nice to just enjoy being with friends in such an awesome place.

The next day was packed full. We woke up and grabbed some coffee at the only place we could find and then began our walk of the Via Dolorosa (Way of Grief). This is the traditional path that Jesus walked with the cross up to Golgotha. It was an indescribable experience walking that road. Every now and then you would see a group of Christians carrying a cross as they walked up. It was beautiful. At every location it was a constant reminder of how merciful God is and how much pain and suffering Jesus went through for us. I have pictures at every station except the 9th (we couldn't find it!) on my facebook. The second time in the Holy Church was a much better experience. I had time to reflect and pray and just felt alot better about everything while in there. We then walked through the Old City until we made it out to the main street. Here we walked across the way to the Mt. of Olives.  After walking through flooded dirty streets (we even saw a dead rat. gross.) we made it to the Church of all Nations. This is a beautiful church attached to the Garden of Gethsemane where is traditionally believed to be where Jesus prayed before being betrayed. After this we made our way up the mountain (literally) and stopped at the church of Dominus Flavit which is where  Jesus wept over the destruction of Jerusalem. On our way up the mountain we walked onto the cemetary on the Mt. of Olives. This cemetary is extremely important to the Jewish people and only important figures get buried here. Jesus will actually be coming back right above it!  

Drenched and cold, we finally made it to the top of the mountain and visited the Church of Ascension. This ex-mosque is the traditional location of where Jesus ascended to heaven. However, sadly it is down trodden and taken poorly care of. We even got kicked off the property by a guy who was trying to make us pay to visit it. (It was free). After a bus ride back to the Old City we shopped. We met a guy, who we now call "Dad" and spent about an hour in his woodshop learning about his family and his way of life. He was baptist, and got so excited when I told him I was as well. He even let us watch his shop for a little while, we told him we made him a millionare. That might've been a stretch..We also met a family of Arabs who owned a scarf/fabric/jewelry shop and spent a lot of time with them as well. Most of them had spent a decent time in the U.S so it was interesting getting their perspective. They taught us like ten different ways to wear a scarf and were just really fun to be around. Another guy we met along the way was Victor. He was an older man who had worked in the Israeli film industry and apparently is a millionare. He told us about his life and children and how he works in Jerusalem for fun because he is an artist. He sold my friend a plate for her mom and even gave her a free one because he was so nice. It's the moments like these that make Israel so amazing. After shopping we found a daint Arabic cookie shop in the Christian quarter. Here we were offered a free cookie, and ended up buying like ten more. They were delicious. I must get back there so I can bring cookies back to the states. When dark came, we went into the new city to eat at a cute cafe, did I mention it was warm?

The next morning we woke up really early in order to get a head start on the day. We visited the Wailing Wall again, placed a prayer in the cracks, and then made our way to the temple mount entrance. Unfortunately the line was much longer than we expected, and we couldn't get up on top. We then packed up, stopped for brunch at Aroma (a coffee shop here) and made our way to the Holocaust Museum.

If you want a humbling experience, this is the place to go. I don't think I have ever gotten extremely sad so quick in my life. The museum was made beautifully and each room was packed with artifacts and history. We were there for three hours and I could have been there at least twice that amount of time. Pictures weren't allowed inside, but I can tell you it's an emotional rollercoaster. From the shoes, to the gas cans, to the video testimonies of survivors, to the entire library of names upon names upon names of people who died. Video after video showed you the unimaginable, the unthinkable. Humans at their very worse. We watched a video of people throwing emaciated bodies on a truck and saw people getting shot into their own grave. It gives me chills just thinking about it. In the children's memorial there was a dark room where all you could see was blackness and all you could hear was the name and age of children who died. Surrounding the museum is a garden of trees planted in honor of victims, and then many memorials were set up for fighters and others who helped end the war. There was nothing like that experience. I can honestly say I will never be the same.

-Stefani

Knock knock. Who's there? Armageddon. Armageddon wh.....

Shalom!

So in the last post I completely forgot to mention Halloween. I had the exciting experience of celebrating Halloween in a Jewish country and it was awesome. A group of us international students got all dressed up and went to our favorite local bar The Irish House for a Halloween extravaganza. Irish House always has bogo wine and beer on Sundays and Mondays so we usually pick one of those days to get together as a group and go out. Halloween was conveniently on a Monday this year so it was perfect. There was face painting, Halloween decor, and costumes everywhere. Me and  four other friends dressed up as Lonely Island songs. I went as "Like a Boss." Some other featured were "Lazy Sunday", "Captain Jack Sparrow", "Dick in a box" (they wrote Richard Nixon inside a shoebox, pretty hilarious), and "I just had Sex." Lucky for me, I looked like a classy business women. Classy Halloween #forthewin.

First American Holiday in a foreign country = success

(I'm interested to see how Thanksgiving is going to turn out).

The rest of this post is going to take place on an adventure through the Galilee.

I went on a study tour of the Galilee on the 6th of November with some students at the University. The trip was to target contemporary Israeli issues but I just wanted to go really close to the West Bank and be around where Jesus grew up. We first passed through the Valley of Jezreel which contains the Valley of Megiddo. AKA where the end of the world will take place. Mt. Megiddo in Hebrew is Armageddon. So that's where the word we use is from. After our preview of the end of times we made our way to Mt. Gilboa. Here is where King Saul was defeated by the Philistines in 1 Samuel. It's also located extremely close to the West Bank. So, like any adventurous group of college students, we got as close as we could. Due to a barbed wire electric fence we couldn't get closer than like a mile from the border but it was still pretty cool being able to see into the West Bank. I may or may not be visiting for real in December.

 shhhh.

After we got down from Mt. Gilboa we made our way over to the Israeli/Jordan border.  Also known as the Jordan River Valley.  We stopped at a memorial site for 7 teens who were shot by a terrorist right near the border. It's sad that people can be so cruel. We were also like ten feet from the Jordan border (right next to the electric fence) but having been to Jordan already, I felt like a champ. I caught a glimpse of the Baptismal spot of Jesus on the way to Tiberias. It was through a bus window so it wasn't very clear, but I hope to go back to it soon. While in Tiberias we visited these heated water springs. They were steaming  in the crisp air and it was actually really cool. We then took a slight detour to see some ruins from an ancient synagogue. There was a huge mosaic on the floor that showed pictures of menorahs, Roman Gods, and a horoscope calendar. Apparently, it's a pretty big deal.

Next stop: food.

I enjoyed some falafel in a pita (topped with french fries and chicken nuggets (shnitzel)). It was delicious. And on the way out of the city, I couldn't help but drop 3 shekels (about 80 cents) on a massive powdered doughnut. SO worth it.

On our way to our next destination we passed by the beautiful Kineret (Sea of Galilee) and also by the Mt. of the Beatitudes.  It was so cool being able to actually picture the Sermon on the Mount. The next stop was an old Kibbutz where women were first allowed to work in the fields. It wasn't my cup of tea but it was interesting none the less. Our last stop on the tour was another pretty kibbutz that had a history in Israel's wars for independence. We went on top of a look-out that was dedicated to the owner's son who died in Lebanon. It was a sad but triumphant story and just another reminder to us of the terrible things that still happen here as Israel continues to fight for their rights as a state.

Stefani    

 

Who is Aviv and what was I supposed to Tel him?

Food Coma: (n.) The state of being so stuffed with calories that your body shuts down. May be paired with sudden paralysis, brain inactivity, lethargy, and an uncontrollable need to do absolutely nothing. Often leads to a state of "veggin out." (see: Max Brenner). 

Shalom!

The past few weeks I have been putting the "study" in study abroad. I was pretty sure those two words translated into "unending fun" and "vacation." I feel misled.

However, among the indefinite Hebrew lectures and eternity-long periods of Biblical Theology and Rabbinic Literature, I found relief. The first of these couple adventures is my trip to Tel Aviv. 

I got to ride on a train for the first time EVER and it was glorious. The rattling rails and  slightly-too-small isles had me reminiscing about , dare I say, Hogwarts? 

I'm still waiting for that letter.

Tel Aviv and Haifa are polar opposites. I once heard the saying: 

"Haifa Works, Jerusalem Prays & Tel Aviv Plays."

It's an accurate depiction.

Within the first hour my roommate lost her wallet.

We cheered to hope and optimism at a nearby wine bar. (I finally found a wine I like! It's a Reisling) 

The wallet has yet to be found, but the wine was just what three stressed out ladies needed.

The next morning was a glimpse of Heaven. Two Words: Max.Brenner.

It's basically a restaurant catered to women of the world, you guessed it. chocolate. I'm talking chocolate everything. I had a dark chocolate latte to drink with a waffle sundae (two waffles, two scoops of dark chocolate ice cream, carmelized bananas, chocolate syrup, a BEAKER full of hot fudge, whipped cream, and nuts). If you know me at all, you know I finished every last bite of that beast of a breakfast. When I had successfully put myself into a food coma (see above definition), it was time to beach it. The beach was nice, but I think Haifa's is better. We watched as windsurfers hovered in mid-air and took a well-needed time of reflection. Next to us was a guy carving an intricate sand-castle (and by sand castle I mean more like a nail looking statue). He was legit. He used a special utensil to carve it while his friend sprayed water over it to keep it moist. I wish I could've seen the end product.  

As we are walking off the beach I hear the sweet oh so angelic sound of nothing other than: the voice of a frat boy.

"Are they Americans? Dude! They haaavvee to be Americans!"

Was it that obvious?

Anyway, we stopped to humor these two lively characters and  found out that they were Americans too, surprise! Funny enough Ari Sagbag (yes his name was Sagbag) was from the same town as one of my friends. It's one small world.

Later that evening we took a nice trip to the police station. First police station experience ever, and it was in Israel. Pretty awesome. Don't worry, it was to try and get information on my roomate's wallet. Lame story, yeah I know. After the police station we went to a nearby pub and had one of the best dinners since I've been here. The bar was really chill and everything was perfect. They served us pasta as an appetizer (FO FREE) and  the food was great. If my future plans fall through (haha what future plans?) me , Chandler and Haley have some pretty legit ideas about a cool bar we could start up. Thanks Tel Aviv!

The food part of this story (let's be honest, the best part of this story) met it's awesome end with some good ole fro-yo  AKA my addiction.  The place was super cute and we got to swing on swings...inside a buiding...while eating fro-yo. 

I know  you are jealous.

Later in the evening we and a group of awesome girls from the international school went to a club at the Tel Aviv port. What's interesting about this is that all the clubs are in old warehouses, so as you are walking around the port everything just looks like an industrial area. Don't be fooled, it's not. After an insane amount of unnecessary pushing and shoving (nothing about this country is organized, except maybe their army) we got in and had a blast dancing to a great mix of American and Israeli remixes. 

The next morning breakfast was served on the beach. Me and Chandler shared a massive breakfast of bread, toppings, and an omelet. sooo gooood. After this we made our way to the Tel Aviv Museum of Art. It was pretty interesting seeing the old and modern forms of art expressed in Israel. It was like getting the all-around experience. There was everything from Israeli artists to Picasso to contemporary art. They had these awesome programs where you would stand in front of it and it would paint you with either sketch or oils. It was the bomb dot com. After visiting the main museum we made our way to an off-campus site where the museum was featuring street art of Israel. This exhibit was probably my favorite. Everything had so much passion and emotion.  You could feel the pain and triumph of this country by looking at how the locals express themselves. I was sincerely moved and impressed. It was nothing like the negative conotation graffiti gets in the U.S.  The experience was truly unique.

After a quick lunch/dinner/linner? at an artsy sandwich shop we made it back...to none other than...Max Brenner.

It's sad and pathetic but you don't understand till you have been there. Judge all you want, I'm not ashamed.

I ordered a dessert called chocolate pizza and it was decadent. (dough with chocolate sauce, and melted chocolate pieces). 

I will never forget you, Max Brenner.

After once again returning to a food coma we made our way to the train station. After a relaxing ride on the train we made it back to Haifa and eventually back to the University. My first taste of Tel Aviv was stressful but exciting. I cannot wait to go back and explore more!

-Stefani