Messianic Moments: Report from Israel #9

By Janice Beurling

Shalom from Israel!

Yesterday was a rest day for Mom and me, but Dad and Krista spent a few hours together at Yad Vashem, Jerusalem’s Holocaust Memorial and Museum. We had all visited this heartbreaking place on our last trip to Israel, but Dad and Krista wanted to spend more time there.

Krista said, “Once again it was still a very sad place to go, but it was good to keep remembering that those events really happened. We should never forget. I hope and pray that it never happens again.”

Dad commented, “It left me with a very heavy heart. I felt that I couldn’t breathe properly. I think going to the memorial helps us understand in a small way the reason the Jewish people never want to forget such horrible events.”

We were glad to see Dad and Krista return home and still be talking to each other! Given their unconventional and erratic navigational skills and the challenges of driving in Jerusalem, we weren’t sure they’d make it to Yad Vashem and back in one piece.

Today, we packed overnight bags and headed to the Galilee for two nights. We drove east through the stark Judean Wilderness, gawking at small flocks of sheep, Bedouin tents and barren, barren hills. At the bottom of the hills in the Jordan Valley (below sea level), we headed north, skirting Jericho and driving by occasional date palm groves and other crops. Most of the land, however, was uncultivated.

Near the top of the Jordan Valley, we reached an Israeli security checkpoint. They took our passports for scrutiny before asking us to pull into an examination area. We had to empty the car entirely and put the luggage and ourselves through the kind of security process you find in airports. They even swabbed our passports, looking for explosives. As you can imagine, they found nothing suspicious and soon sent us on our way with smiles and thanks and our passports. We understood that this process is due to the precarious nature of security in Israel and didn’t mind the delay at all.

Very soon after, we made our first sightseeing stop at Beit She’an National Park. This spectacular collection of ruins was the location of the Philistine city that displayed the bodies of King Saul and his sons on the walls. We visited the amazing Roman theatre that dates from about the second century. It originally had space for about 5,000 in three tiers of seats rising to a height of about 30 meters. We also saw an extensive public bath facility and a wonderful Roman road lined with pillars. The mosaic floors were still visible and really impressed Mom; the reds and blues were amazing. The adjacent hill is actually a tel or stack of ruined cities built one on top of another. We read that the archaeologists have found 20 different levels. It’s hard to believe!

A few miles north of Beit She’an, we turned off to visit Belvoir National Park. This extraordinary Crusader fortress is situated on the top of a mountain. To reach it we drove a six-kilometre one-lane road consisting primarily of switchbacks and gorgeous views. Mom considered it a “white-knuckle drive.“ She and Krista said that, although Dad may have believed he was driving at only 35 miles an hour, from their perspective in the back seat he was doing 65!

At the top of the hill, we were astounded to find such a massive structure, surrounded by a dry moat and with much of the walls still standing. On a clear day, you can see just about forever here -- thus the name Belvoir or Beautiful View (in French). It is hard to imagine the crusaders struggling up the hill in their armour and on their horses.

Dad was impressed by two fairly wide rooms that were covered by an arched ceiling. He said, “If I had built just one wall, I would have felt it was a magnificent accomplishment, but they built a whole fortress and defensive position. It leaves you with a spirit of wonderment at what was accomplished so long ago. It also provides a deep respect for the knowledge and wisdom possessed by earlier cultures -- whether Crusader or Roman or Jewish or some other group.”

After driving back down the hill, we headed a short distance further to the south end of the Sea of Galilee. About six or eight kilometres up a very scary, winding road, we reached Hamat Gader, a spa built over some hot springs. We paid our fee and strolled into the facility with a good number of other people. Like many hot springs, there was a sulphurous smell to the air, but easing into the large pool was, oh, so delightful. We spent about an hour in and out of the 31C water. Then we dragged ourselves slowly back to the car. The hot water was wonderful, but completely enervating.

At last, we turned the car toward the Messianic guest house where we had reservations for the next two nights. Beit Bracha is a beautiful, beautiful facility in Migdal, a hillside village overlooking the Sea of Galilee. We checked in, had supper with the staff and some of the guests and relaxed on the balcony overlooking the Sea, caressed by gentle breezes and contemplating the history that lay within view.

It was a very good day!

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

Views of the Jordan Valley north of Jericho.

Pomegranates - early in their growth.

Views of Beit She'an. In this first picture, the Tel of Beit She'an (with the stack of 20 levels of cities) is in the background. The ruins we toured are in the foreground.