Messianic Moments: Report from Israel #11

By Janice Beurling

Shalom from Israel!

Our first task yesterday was to return our defective rental car and request a replacement. The rental company was very cooperative and, without batting an eyelash, turned over the keys to a nicer, slightly larger car. Wonderful!

Krista and I left Dad with the new car and we began walking across the Old City from the Jaffa Gate to the Zion Gate. One of Krista’s goals was to visit the grave of Oskar Schindler (of Schindler’s List). He lies in a Catholic cemetery a short walk from the Zion Gate. We found it without too much trouble, paying our respects to this hero of Israel.

We soon returned to the Old City and hung around the Jewish Quarter for a while, watching the tourists and locals and enjoying the warm sunshine on this cool day. All in all - a quiet day. However …

… today has been a whirlwind! We can hardly take in all that has happened.

Early this morning, we drove in our lovely new rental car to a spot halfway between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv where we met Dov. Krista joined him in his car and we followed closely behind, driving north about 1½ hours to an airbase in the Jezreel Valley.

Before entering the base itself, Dov stopped at a small hillside cemetery to show us Moshe Dayan’s grave. It is also where the Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon, is buried. This beautiful spot looks out over the Jezreel Valley.

Soon we headed to the nearby airbase and went through security gates. We were met by some young female soldiers assigned to guide us and keep us from taking photos of any classified items. We’ve been shown many classified things during our visit to the airbases, so we really haven’t taken many photos at these places.

After giving us a chance to relax for a few minutes with a cold drink and pastries, we headed into the briefing room and a young airman told us about the activities of this air base, the closest one to Israel‘s northern borders.

He also showed us an amazing film about an event in Poland a few years ago. The Polish people were celebrating the anniversary of the creation of their air force and invited representatives of air forces from around the world, including the Israel Air Force. The IAF took this opportunity to fly in formation over Auschwitz and proclaim that from the ashes of the concentration camps a strong nation has arisen. It was a remarkable and moving film.

Next we had the incredible opportunity to go outside and watch many F16s take off and land. The staff even took us up into the control tower. This was just amazing. Those manning the air traffic control on this base all looked about 19 years old -- and most of them were. But they were managing all the flights in and out of this base. They were sitting and standing like 19-year-olds around the world -- quite casually, entirely laid back. There was nothing military about them except their expertise and their uniforms. Actually, their supervisor was just a handful of years older than they were and he was dressed for the beach in a pink t-shirt, orange shorts, track shoes and sunglasses (he’d been called in last minute). It was the strangest thing to see! This young man asked one of the F16s to do a special take off for us. So, the pilot began down the runway, in a moment hit his speed, took off nearly vertically, banked and practically disappeared! Wow!

After a great lunch on the base in the officers’ dining room, Dov led our small convoy from the base to the Haifa Military Cemetery where Uncle George is buried.

I hardly know how to describe what followed.

When Dov originally corresponded with Dad in Canada regarding our visit to Israel, he offered to arrange a memorial service at Uncle George’s grave. He gave Dad the choice of having either a Christian or a Jewish service. Dad selected a Jewish service for two reasons. First, he wanted any Jewish person who attended to be able to identify with the service. Second, he wanted to bring glory to God through the Old Testament scriptures we’d have an opportunity to read and hear. Whether Christian or Jewish didn’t matter to us, because the God we worship is the God of Israel. In addition, this service was not a time of great sadness for us because we know that George was a believer in Messiah Yeshua, is present with Him now and his body will be resurrected to eternal life one day.

When we arrived at the cemetery we were amazed at the lush landscaping. Although we’ve visited the grave before, the first time was in the 1970’s when the landscaping was minimal and the second time was two years ago in August, the hottest and harshest time of year. Today, every grave was covered with small purple flowers and the fragrance met us as we entered. We were only in one corner of the cemetery, but the graves stretched out of view. Uncle George, of course, is buried in the oldest portion of the cemetery. Not far from his grave is the grave of Leonard Cohen, the pilot who died with him in the Norseman crash in 1948.

Not long after our arrival, others began to appear. As we think back, we come up with the following list: 10 servicemen, five officers from Uncle George’s squadron (the 100th), a senior armed services rabbi and a couple of photographers. But we were also tremendously honoured by the presence of His Excellency Jon Allen, Canada’s ambassador to Israel and the Canadian Military Attaché, Jordie Elms.

After a few of the servicemen set up the sound system, the service began. The rabbi started with prayers and readings (including Kaddish), the commander of the 100th Squadron spoke and Dov read the well-known poem, High Flight, by RCAF spitfire pilot John Magee who died in Britain during WW 2.

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, --and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew --
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

After the service I thanked Dov for reading this poem -- one I’ve always loved and that has always made me think of Uncle George. Dov answered, “Me, too!”

After Dov read the poem, the Ambassador spoke briefly and very kindly. Dad followed with comments regarding George‘s upbringing, quoting some words from a song that has become our family‘s theme song:

As you journey through life to the grave you pursue
There’s one thing in earnest I wish you to do
Oh, listen, my boy, while I say this to you:
Oh, cling to the Bible, my boy.

Dad also highlighted a number of scriptures in Genesis that referred to God’s love for and faithfulness to Israel. He ended by reading Psalm 118.

After Dad finished, I stepped forward and sang two favourite songs in Hebrew. In English they say:

Comfort my people
Comfort my people
Speak tender words to Jerusalem
This is what you shall say to them:
Your hard work
Has been done
Your atonement is won
You’re received from My hand
Twice for all you’ve done
Comfort my people
(Isaiah 40)

and

Establish peace, goodness, blessing, grace and mercy

Father, may You find it to be pleasing in Your eyes
To bless all of Your people Israel
Bless us with peace each moment and in ev’ry hour
May Your peace be with us in ev’ry hour

[I believe both songs were written by Steve McConnell.]

Krista said later that a number of the Jewish men listening looked us with amazement and tears in their eyes. It brought her to tears to think of how these words affected them. I’m just glad they could understand my Hebrew!

After a few moments of silence and contemplation, the service ended. The rabbi came right over to me and told me how deeply touched he was by the words of my songs. I thanked him and reminded him that the Word of God is powerful. The ambassador also told us how touched he was. Dad -- all of us -- had prayed often that, during this service, we would reveal Yeshua and bring glory to God. I think He answered our prayers. All these Jewish men were clearly moved and touched, some to tears -- not by us, but by the scriptures we read and sang. Baruch HaShem! Praise His Name!

After everyone else had left, Dov and we stayed a bit longer and walked over to the grave of Leonard Cohen, the young pilot who died with Uncle George. It is sad to reflect on the loss of so many young lives.

One of the pleasant surprises of the day was receiving a personal invitation from the ambassador to attend a reception at his home this evening. The occasion of this event was the official unveiling of the new joint international rate commemorative stamp issued by Canada Post and Israel Post. It had become available on April 14, the day we left Canada. Dad was able to purchase several small books of these special stamps in Toronto and had presented one to Dov as a gift earlier in the week.

We were very honoured by this kind invitation and so pleased to be a part of this small historic occasion.

After this very long and emotional day, we were happy to turn our car toward Jerusalem and home. Tomorrow will be another long day!

Here are some of the pictures Krista and I took during the last couple of days (click for bigger):

Visiting Oskar Schindler's grave, just outside the Old City walls.