It’s not often that you leave for a “trip” and wind up embarking on a journey. Or that six days pack such an emotional charge, it takes more than a week to recover.
I recently had the honour of spending a week in Israel and found myself in exactly that situation. Having never been to the Middle East before, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. But I was thrilled and full of anticipation, and knew that it would somehow change my life.
Having now gone, experienced one whirlwind of a tour (“We’re going to run where Jesus walked,” was the guide’s ‘heads up’ to our group shortly after landing in Tel Aviv) and returned, this is one place in the world I feel I need to go back to.
Jaffa, Tiberias, Jerusalem...Caesarea, Masada, the Golan Heights...
With an evening in Jaffa, two nights in Tiberias, and three packed days and nights in Jerusalem, we managed to take in quite a lot in a short period of time. We drove the entire West Bank and floated in the Dead Sea. We touched the mosaics at Caesarea (an ancient port built by King Herod, complete with amphitheatre and hippodrome for gladiator-style entertainment) and photographed what would have been Herod’s indoor pool.
We walked Masada (another of Herod’s lasting contributions) for hours, listening to our guide, Tsion BenDavid, recount the heroic efforts yet ultimate Jewish tragedy that took place there in 70 AD. We sat on stones on the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, and read from the book of Matthew, Chapter 5. We even walked through an ancient Canaanite Tunnel in the City of David, dating back to, well, God knows when.
And for a more recent lesson in history, we stood at the Peace Vista in the Golan Heights, taking in the bird’s eye view that Syrian soldiers would have had in 1967; including the entire expanse of the Sea of Galilee, end to end.
But what struck me the most in the midst of such an incredible, up close history lesson was the fact that this small country means so much to so many. People from all walks of faith come and pay tribute, be it to Jesus, Mary, the Prophet Muhammad...looking at Jerusalem in particular from the Mount of Olives and trying to fathom everything that took place there is quite awe-inspiring.
Some Practical Advice for a Trip to the Holy Land
First and foremost, seek out either the services of a tour guide or a good handbook. The Israel Government Tourist Office provides some fantastic resources and numerous suggestions for itineraries, from “Archaeological” to “Culture and History” to even “Women in the Old and New Testaments”. All it takes is a little research and this is definitely not the place you want to end up without having a good grasp of what you’re looking at.
Security
An issue that invariably seems to arise is security. Is it safe? I felt so; both in the country itself and travelling to and from. Yes, there was a very strong military presence and areas such as the Western Wall and the entrance to Jerusalem are heavily patrolled; but that does not translate to “unsafe”. Rather, it was more of an eye opening experience; especially as many of these gun-toting soldiers were hardly out of high school. Tsion BenDavid seemed to phrase it perfectly as we drove through the hilly landscape from Nazareth and Kfar Cana to Lower Galilee: “Our major problem is not safety. Our major problem is image.”
Regarding travel, our group flew El Al, the official airline of Israel, and it was an extremely safe and comfortable experience. Sure you’re questioned, sometimes more than once, and often bags are searched. But you end up leaving with the sense that they know exactly what they are doing and everyone’s the better for it.
Shopping
Practice your bargaining skills. The markets are a great place to find souvenirs and gifts for those back home; from cashmere pashminas to jewelry to carpets. But know ahead of time the game you’re about to play. It’s actually quite fun; sometimes you even “play” over a glass of wine or a cup of coffee. Not to mention the great sense of accomplishment you walk away with when you manage to score your item of choice for a fraction of the initial price…even though that’s probably what the seller wanted in the first place.
Taking it All In
And finally, be prepared for it to take awhile to “sink in”. I heard about the steps Jesus walked leading to the Temple, I looked at the steps Jesus walked leading to the Temple, and I photographed the steps Jesus walked leading to the Temple. It wasn’t until about three days after I came home and was scrolling through my photos that I thought “Wow! Jesus walked those steps leading to the Temple!” It’s a lot to take in, and very difficult to do “in the moment”. But you eventually get there, and it’s powerful. I personally felt moved and educated, not only spiritually, but academically and politically also. And I long to go back.
Ramona Zacharias - Ramona has been a freelance writer for ten years, focusing on arts, entertainment and pop culture, with a more recent dabbling in travel. ...
