Traveling through Israel

In March of last year my mother and I went on an epic journey to Israel. It’s almost hard to put into words all I learned and felt while there. I learned that I didn’t know much about Israel at all and was unprepared for the beauty that awaited me. When originally booking this trip, it was more for my mom than it was for me. She wanted to go, I love to travel, and having a week with my mom exploring a new land sounded like a wonderful bonding experience.

To be honest, I didn’t put a lot of research into this trip. My mom knew where she wanted to go, who she wanted to visit and what clothes to pack (and which to avoid, as this is a very modest culture). We packed light and I went with an explorer’s mentality. I had my camera and my phone and plenty of memory cards. I knew we would see ancient places and places that were mentioned in the Bible but what I was completely unprepared for was how much it brought those stories to life. The Sea of Galilee was a three hour bus ride from where we stayed in Jerusalem and people in days of old would make this journey by foot! My bus with free wifi was definitely not a luxury they could have ever imagined. The Old City of Jerusalem, where we stayed, is completely walled and has the most amazing streets. Merchants crowd the streets, selling everything from spices (which I have been enjoying) to leather bags (another treat) to the usual tourist-trap magnets and t-shirts.

During our trip we toured through Capernaum, an area with ruins of a synagogue where Jesus taught. I was so grateful to our guide, Rami, for being there to give us historical and Biblical information on the places we saw. This man is full of knowledge and has such a love for his land. If you ever contemplate a trek to this amazing country, I cannot recommend his expertise enough.

We visited the Western Wall (also called the Wailing Wall) which is an incredibly holy and sacred place. What is it? I didn’t truly know myself prior to going. Many people consider the wall to have been part of a Jewish temple, also called the Second Temple, which stood for hundreds of years. King Herod ordered a renovation and expansion of the temple in about 19 B.C., and the work was not finished until about 50 years later. This temple was destroyed by Romans in about 70 A.D., only a few years after its completion. The Wailing Wall is widely believed to be the only part still standing. After the temple was destroyed, many Jews began going to the wall to mourn the temple’s destruction and to pray. The name Wailing Wall was ascribed to the site by non-Jews who saw the Jews mourning there. Jews actually refer to the wall as the Western Wall, or Kotel HaMaaravi in Hebrew.

This was a personal journey for me and one I enjoyed greatly. Israel is God’s chosen land and after my visit here, I can see why. The deserts and camels I imagined were replaced by rolling and lush green hills, orchards, and people that have left an indelible mark on my heart.

The highlight of my trip was our boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. The late afternoon was hazy and the clouds had sunbeams bursting through them. As we set out, music played, people snapped pictures and played the guitar. When I think of the Sea Of Galilee I think of Jesus walking on the water. Or I think of the crowds of people who followed Jesus to hear Him preach here. Rami gave us the most incredible tour of the area, ending with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee itself. It was my favorite day of our travels and was filled with stops of incredible historical and Biblical significance.

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Tours with Rami Danieli: http://www.touryourroots.com/