Day One in Israel

I'm going to post my journal entries here, along with a few pictures from each day. Please feel free not to read the whole entry as they will be a little bit long. I hope you enjoy the Promised Land through my eyes and lens!



3/20/2008
Yesterday we began our journey to the Promised Land. We left the seminary at 3:00pm for the airport. After 22 hours of travel (including 3 hour delay in New Orleans), we arrived in Tel Aviv. It was a very bumpy flight, but not bad. We gathered out belongings and headed down the jet way. When we crossed the doorpost, an older man kissed his hand and touched the marker on the doorpost, then kissed his hand and touched the ground. We also witnessed men don their prayer shawls, yarmulkes, and phylacteries for morning prayers while still on the plane. I was moved to tears by their dedication, and their “so close” position regarding Jesus. In the airport, there were Muslim men in full traditional dress alongside men in full Orthodox Jewish dress. The irony of the situation was unmatched. We made it through customs and entered the main terminal where we got our bags, and changed our money. Then we headed to the bus, and drove from Tel Aviv to Mashabei Sadeh in Negev, south of Beersheva. I wish that some daylight had been left so I could have seen more of the wilderness. Occasionally we would see lights in the distance from the small Bedouin settlements. Gilla, our tour guide is quite impressive with the depth of her knowledge.

The feast of Purim is going on right now (Esther 9:26-32). The Jews celebrate it as a combination between Halloween and Mardi Gras. They dress up as Queen Esther, Mordecai, transformers and cowboys! The Jews don’t read Esther on the Sabbath, so today (Thursday), it was read in the synagogues. Children bring noise makers along. Every time Haman’s name is mentioned, the children make noise and stomp their feet. It takes a long time to read it! This year is a leap year, but because they follow a lunar calendar for Holy Days, they have to add a month. Thus, Passover and Easter don’t overlap this year (like they usually do).