Ancient Tile Floors

Attached are pictures of the tile floors found underground in Sepphoris (I think). These are not rugs, but mosaic tile floors - you need to look hard to see the very tiny, square pieces fit together to make the intricate designs or motifs. That this could still be visible and intact is pretty incredible when you realize they were laid thousands of years ago.

Bahai Temple pictures

Attached are pictures of the Bahai Temple in Haifa and its gardens.

Galilee Field Trip

July 15, 2007
Today we left with the students on a 2-day field trip to the Galilee. Our first stop was a monastery and overlook into the Jezreel Valley @ Megiddo (or Armageddon) where the final battle between the forces of good and evil will take place on the earth. Excavations here in 1925 revealed 20 cities superimposed one on top of the other at the Megiddo tel. The oldest of these cities dates back to 4,000 BC. We stopped at Nazareth to view the Basilica of the Annunciation – it is the 5th church built on the spot where the Angel Gabriel stood when he prophesied to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive a child. This church has large mosaic panels on its walls of the Virgin Mary from many different countries. I actually liked best the one from the USA. It wasn’t a true mosaic, but was made of metal foil - her dress billowed out and looked more regal than the flat-looking Mary’s of the other mosaic panels. (see picture above)

We visited a recent “dig” in Sepphoris where we saw the former main roads made of big stones with wheel ruts still in them from many centuries ago. The uncovered buildings had large mosaics still visible on the floors. We also climbed up to the Arbel caves and saw a beautiful view of the valley and farm fields into the Sea of Galilee. We then drove to Ein Gev (a resort on the Sea of Galilee) and stayed the night. Bob and I, and Joanie and Larry Lee sat on the beach of the Sea of Galilee, in a hammock, at sunset with a warm breeze – very nice memory.

The next day we drove to Akko (Acre), a prosperous seaport of long ago and saw the Crusader buildings with their enormous halls (picture is to the left); Bob was really taken with them. We walked thru its Shuq market on our way out to the sea where the students had great fun trying to walk onto the rocks and back without getting sprayed with the waves that lick over them. Needless to say, some got drenched. We drove thru Haifa on our way to Caesarea, then home.

Field Trips, Tel Aviv, Haifa and more

June 18, 2007
Bob and I drove to Tel Aviv to see what’s there. When we arrived we found a place to eat our lunch, then we parked and walked some streets. They were full of small stores that cater to people much younger than we. Then we drove to the beach – it was a very pretty white sandy beach, filled with people, flowers, colorful umbrellas, warm water and blue, sunny skies. We stood in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, and noticed how much cleaner the beaches are than at home. There were people playing soccer there, and also what I call “beach tennis” – with oversize ping-pong paddles and a ball.

June 19, 2007
We went with the students and teachers to visit all the places Christ had gone during his last week of his life: Pater Noster, Bethany (Lazarus tomb), Bethphage, Peter Galicantu, Garden of Gethsemane, Golgotha, Last Supper room, Garden Tomb. We had a farewell dinner for David and Tina Whitchurch with all the service couples, teachers and office staff, then attended the student’s testimony meeting. This is a picture of the Garden of Gethsemane.

June 23, 2007
Today in church we met 6 new single adults who have just arrived from the states to study Hebrew at the Hebrew University across the street. One of them is Meredith Marshall who, I found out, plays the violin. She is Nonie Sorensen’s granddaughter. Nonie and her daughter, Ramona, used to come to my house on Emerson Street in SLC for violin lessons back in the late 1960’s early 1970’s. Ramona turns out to be Meredith’s aunt!!! Small world!

June 25, 2007
The 5 service couples all drove together to a bed and breakfast kibbutz in Nasholim, north of Jerusalem by Haifa, for a 2-3 day vacation. On the way we stopped at Caesarea to see the ruins of long-ago civilization, then on to the kibbutz. The rooms were small but adequate and right on the beach. We were struck by how deep blue the ocean is. We enjoyed the beach, sun and water, ate well, and talked and laughed at the dinner table. The last day we drove to Haifa to see the Bahai Temple grounds – beautiful. We want to go back on a real tour soon. Then we drove to the Grand Canyon Mall for some shopping before returning home. We had a good time together.

June 30, 2007
We had the 6 single adult church members at Hebrew University over for dinner today, and with Bob and me the 8 of us barely fit into our tiny apartment. I decided they probably needed a dinner like their moms cooked for them so we had meatloaf, baked potatoes, green salad, melon, and spice cake and applesauce. They are all good people and it was really nice to have them over.

July 2, 2007
Today I went on a “geography” field trip with the students all around Jerusalem. We saw views of the city from the North, East, South and West – very helpful because you don’t get the same perspective just driving around. One of my favorite places to go was in the chapel of the Augusta Victoria Hospital – a very pretty church. The students sang a hymn while there - this is becoming one of my favorite things here – listening to the students sing with their beautiful harmony, clear voices without vibrato, and the reverberation that’s always present in these churches. We also stopped at a viewpoint looking down towards Bethlehem. I remembered that a “new” star appeared high in the sky the night Christ was born right above that town – it looked a little different than what I had pictured in my mind for so many decades, but wonderful all the same.

July 4, 2007
This morning Joanie Lee and I went to the Red Crescent Hospital to feed the babies. They handed me a tiny, tiny baby. He was born just under 1 pound. His head fit in the palm of my hand and his body was much smaller than any of my baby dolls had been. It made me realize how tiny I was when born – 3 months premature and weighed 2 lbs. 6 1/2 oz., then went down to 1 lb. 15 oz. I remember hearing my dad say my head was no bigger than an orange and fit in his hand – I now know what that looks like after feeding this little boy. He was very sweet.

To celebrate July 4th, we are getting together at Naomi Weinstein's house for a barbecue.