Last Day in Jerusalem and Israel.

Tuesday June 17, 2008 Ein Karem, Holocaust Museum, Golgotha and Jesus' Tomb

Our seventh, all sunny, day, in a row.

“Tsippy “ is very smart in getting us going early as it saves bucking the crowds and of course it is very pleasant in the morning in Jerusalem. Our fist stop was in the birthplace of John the Baptist (RC Church) and we merely visited the church (Spanish tiled all over inside) and the site of birth and left. (See)

Then a long ride to the north end of Jerusalem where we saw the 5 million trees planted in honor of the people killed in the Holocaust and those who helped them escape . (Carrie TenBoom’s tree died the day she did!!!!! (It was replanted of course. Each O f the trees have a plaque with the names of each and where they were from. This is an amazing tribute. Also there was a large room with the names in the interior floor of the concentration camps (more than 20) in is dark with a flame at one side burning perpetually. There were also huge sculptures, one of the refugees leaving their places with the soldiers in the background, some looking back , the rabbi holding the scrolls hopefully and others with their heads down.
Finally the children’s memorial. It takes 39 days for all the names t o be read in the memorial (1 ½ million) and they are read continuously as you pass through. It is a dark exhibit with no visuals, only the names being read, seeing only mirrors, a path to follow and you come” into the light” at the end. It is very emotional.

The last stop was at Golgotha (Calvary) and the Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea which was never used. The "Skull" is barely discernable after years of wear and erosion.

The Tomb is that small opening at the upper center of th picture. We viewed that as well and had a final service and communion at that site. Quite an emotional ending. It certainly tied everything together at the place of the resurrection of Jesus. Jennie, Laurie and Gary led the sewrvice a three others read at that site.

We gave both Tsippy and our driver Said, love gifts at the end and our special thanks for keeping care of us. They were very caring of us as a group and as individuals. We had few incidents ((one lost wallet returned, and a thief who stole $50.00 out of the hands of one traveler) and few incidents of health including the digestive problems that seemed to hit a few for a day or so.
The last afternoon was spent on our own walking through the city, up and down near the hotel or taking a taxi anywhere. There were many different choices people made. Some did shops, others bought ice cream and all had a lunch somewhere.

The trip was a beautiful experience with any emotional moments and realizing a number of things that we sometimes forget.
- We live in a free land in spite of some trifling conveniences that we have.
-We need to continue to work for world peace in an active way.
-That peoples of the world can live together (read “The Lemon Tree”) as the one thing we always have in common is “the enemy”.
-That many people in the world need our prayers daily as that is a way we can always connect with them.

Tomorrow we go our separate ways, most heading back to the states, 37 heading for Jordan, and seven to Egypt which includes Ruth and. I think that I will have access in Cairo, at the beginning and the end, but not on the boat on the Nile. (Total six days) We shall see, so check in each day if you can. Love to all. See you soon.