TOUR OF ISRAEL WITH A SIDE OF COVID...

 I had always planned to travel to Israel and see biblical sights "someday."  After The Hubs got turned on to the BEMA discipleship podcast, and found out the host also takes groups to Israel for a study tour, he was ready to go!  We started planning to go with his brother and sister-in-law about a year ago.  It was interesting to me as the host had homework for us to complete, to get more out of the trip.  I actually really enjoyed it! 

Trip day finally came in March after much preparation! We had to have special paperwork filled out to enter Israel, in addition to a negative Covid test 48 hours before we left and upon arrival at the airport.  All that done, we got down to enjoying the sights, the teaching from our host and our Israeli tour guide, and getting to know the 50 others on our bus who all love BEMA discipleship and Jesus! 

Our host and teacher - first lesson at the Standing Stones

Honestly, the community we had on the trip was a great benefit I did not anticipate.  It was like being at church camp for 2 weeks!  We had connected via a private Facebook group before the trip and our host would occasionally post informational videos on there for us.  So it helped to see all the folks from all over the US +2 foreign countries that were going on the trip.  We all really bonded during the two weeks.  I made a friend from Ohio and we took selfies together every day!

Me and my friend from Ohio

We traveled from the southern tip of the Dead Sea and the desert to the green hills of Galilee where Jesus spent most of his ministry.  We saw the caves of Ein Gedi where David hid from Saul and the caves near the Dead Sea at Qumran where the Dead Sea scrolls were found.  We trekked through fields, up hills and in caves for lessons.  A boat ride on the Sea of Galilee was surreal to think about Jesus taking the same route. We saw the most likely place where the Demoniac was healed and the pigs ran off the cliff into the Sea of Galilee.  We saw a lot of ruins and beautiful green hills and valleys.  Oddly enough, Jerusalem was not my favorite.  It is a big city with lots of people and lots of guesses of where Jesus might have actually been.  And according to archaeology, so many civilizations are built on top of one another who really knows?  But it is interesting to see the geography of the land, preserved ruins of ancient cities, and how Judaism and Christianity has impacted this place.  

Camels in the desert!

Site of an ancient city - Gamla - where many battles were fought

Temple of Pan at Caesarea Phillippi

Synagogue remains

Taking a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee!

A lesson in a cave like Jesus could have been born in...

On top of Masada, Herod's masterpiece

Ruins of Bet Shean

Floating in the Dead Sea (me on the right)

The Hubs and twin brother at Ein Gedi

The Hubs developed a cough after the first week and declared it, a "cold."  Several days later, I thought I had allergies to something that was blooming.  Sure enough, when we were tested the night before our flight home, we were positive for Covid.  No one else in our group was.  We had all worn masks on our bus.  Who knew?  We didn't feel that bad.  But we had to quarantine.  

We had gotten trip insurance thank goodness!  We also had a woman from the tour company to walk us through the necessary steps needed in this situation.  After we were tested we were immediately sent to our room and someone would bring us dinner.  We were taken by ambulance the next day to the official Covid hotel.  I was hoping for a balcony, but no such luck.  We were required to stay in our room for 7 days or be fined.  The room was somewhat dingy, but not horrible.  We had a gorgeous view of the Mount of Olives and Mount Zion. Meals came to our door 3 times a day.  It was always interesting to see what our Kosher meals would be!  After a couple of days, we fell into a routine and kept ourselves busy exercising, washing clothes in the bathtub, playing cards, watching the world outside our window, watching TV and checking social media.  Our son even sent us a puzzle and pie via an Israeli delivery service!

Awesome view out our window

On the 7th day, we got the green light to go and headed to Tel Aviv!  We were excited to spend the weekend there by the beach, eating WHATEVER we wanted and walking around freely!!!  It also made a lot of sense, being closer to the airport and waiting for an email to come in from the Ministry of Health.  It turned out pretty well - we got to Tel Aviv in time on Friday to enjoy the Carmel Market.  We ate some delicious food and gelato.  We walked the beach too.  Saturday we walked about 15 minutes down the coast to Old Jaffa port.  It's a photographer's dream!  Loved the old city and the fishing port that is one of the oldest in the world.  

Olives at Carmel Market

Old Jaffa

Tel Aviv high rises from Old Jaffa

So many picturesque doorways in Old Jaffa!

Our 3 week adventure finally ended on Sunday when we got to fly home.  It was a wonderful learning experience in many ways.  And exhausting and spiritually challenging.  Praise God we weren't too sick when we got the dreaded Covid!