In 5 short days, we will be standing on Holy Ground - once again! 5 years ago, I was filled with excitement at seeing the walled city. I really had no idea what was ahead of me....and certainly failed at photography. But this trip - I'm filled with humility, that I am allowed to return to this amazing place. G-d is there. His presence is there. His handiwork - everywhere. To stand before the gates to the Old City of Jerusalem, to gaze upwards to look at them, to know that this is where He will reign one day - I am so grateful for the chance to return.
So not only do you know that you are on Holy Ground - there are signs that remind you.
We leave on Tuesday and fly to NYC, then direct to Tel Aviv where we stay and play til Sunday. I'm most excited about Nahalet Benyamin - an open air artists market that is supposed to be amazing. We are scheduled to visit many museums and historical spots. Saturday, sabbath, is a free day and we plan to spend it at the beach. It's supposed to be 90 degrees! We did a pilgrim tour the first trip. This time we're with a Jewish tour group. Completely different.
From Tel Aviv, we head north to Caesarea, Haifa, Mt Carmel, Acre....all the way to the farthest northern part on the Mediterranean. Then over to the Sea of Galilee where we stay in a Kibbutz. I think it's more of a country club since this is a 5 star + tour. But we are going to Safed which is an old artist colony and taking a Jeep tour of the Golan Heights. We are there til Wednesday when we go down to Jerusalem. I think our first thing there is to plant a tree - what an honor!!!
We have hired a private tour guide to take us to the top of Temple Mount on Wed, Oct 20. Pray for us that morning. Well, ok, you will be sound asleep as it will be sometime during the night before that here! I'm soooo beyond excited to return to Yad Vashem. On Friday, our private tour guide is taking us to a few other places not included in our tour, then out to Neve Daniel which is in the West Bank where we will spend shabbat with our friends. Now, I'm excited to actually be going into Judea, in the West Bank - Yes, I know, we are absolutely insane. But to spend a shabbat in an orthodox Jewish home in Israel....I will probably just cry the whole time!
We rejoin our group on Saturday evening and Sunday, head to Eilat, snokeling, and other sites. I think this is where we visit a Bedouin tent and get to ride a camel.
My youngest sister, April, and I will be traveling together. This photo is from 5 years ago. Will be fun to compare our pics from this trip. If I had one wish, it would be that my other sisters and my brother were traveling with us. Hopefully next time.
It really is so overwhelming it's hard to think of, much less talk about. To think that we might actually get to walk on Temple Mount. That we will visit with artists who live in art colonies. That we will walk where Abraham, Isaac and Jacob once were. And that we will be standing on Holy Ground.
Praise Jehovah!
