This Village is the Bedouin Out of the Two

New blog post tradition: Jerusalem pic of the day. High resolution for full effect.

I'm now going to outline some of the other things that have been occupying my time in the recent past.

Fasten your seat-belt. 

1) A visit to an unrecognized Bedouin village. It took us a while to find it, but eventually we did. The women there participate in an organization formulated to give them work and help the cause of Bedouin women in Israel. They make rugs etc... and sell them in order to benefit their lives and villages. 

A Bedouin woman at the loom.

Each of the women are also taught English in a little school in the village. The materials and tables were donated by a large world-wide charity, but they make a difference in peoples lives — many lives of "one".

2) A field trip to the ancient sites of Sheva and Arad, a couple hours south-west of Jerusalem. If there was a focus for this field trip, it would have been that Jerusalem was not the only city that had a functioning temple. We were able to see a few unique things such as a recreated altar (pictured below) and also an ancient altar uncovered at Tel Arad.  

Tel Sheva — the hard-hat counts as a 10pt fashion bonus.

A real Israelite satellite temple altar where countless animals were undoubtedly sacrificed.

3) Arab Culture Night. — i.e. an excuse for all the student to dress up in what they think is normal Arab garb and allow the real Arab guests (two sheiks) to chuckle at their sorry efforts. Despite that fact, we enjoyed hearing the sheiks recite certain sections of the Qur'an, from memory. The father and son also demonstrated the call of prayer that we hear five time a day broadcasted on speakers throughout Jerusalem. The devotion of Muslims is admirable. Memorizing the Thirteen Articles of Faith doesn't seem as formidable compared to the New Testament-sized Qur'an.

Some of us were practicing winking with both eyes.

Don't ask, don't tell.

A myriad of possibilites for this caption.

4) The Kotel Tunnel. Aka, the tunnel that runs parallel the Western Wall of the Temple Mount and underneath the Muslim Quarter of the Old City. When our dear friend, Herod, built the temple in 20 BC he used some of the largest blocks of stone ever used in structures of the world. As long as a bus and twelve feet high, the base blocks were behemoths. They would have to be, if they were to support the whole of the Temple and the platform where it sat. They were so big that the Babylonians gave up destroying the Temple when they reached that level.

In the tunnel with Megan and Michelle

5) Pool of Bethesda. Rumor had it that the pools were gone and that a church sat in its place. But, after five shekels, this rumor was put to naught ---- Further exploring of the maze of paths and following the pamphlet, lead down a steep ladder and into this dark cavern partially full of stagnant water — one of the original places of the once healing waters of Bethesda.  

The grounds are a beautiful array of arches and gardens. Quite fitting in remembrance of the tender healing of the invalid that Carl Bloch captured in his famous painting.

6) Imagine this: You walk into the Church of the Holy Sepulcher where numerous events of Christ's day are supposed to have happened. After meandering around for a few minutes you notice people gathering near the entrance of the church. Moments later, the pounding of bells is heard and a procession of monks begin to file down the steep staircase, each holding a single lit candle. A chanting begins and at its finish you follow the monks and other worshippers into the heart of the church. Organ music erupts from the ceiling and another worshipful hymn breaks out, continuing on with various breaks until the service concludes in a cloud of incense.

Devotion to God and faith in religion still lives on, despite attempts to push it into the shadows.

Tel Sheva - Home of a mini-temple