Israel? Palestine? Where are we!?

So today we went on our first real field trip here in the Holy Land! It wasn’t anything too special and we didn’t really travel all that far either. It was mainly just to visit some nearby sacred sites and give us a better understanding of the Jerusalem area. One thing that I found pretty shocking was how close everything in this area is! In fact, over 70% of the Old Testament takes place in Jerusalem and it’s surrounding areas. So after climbing to the top of a few towers today, we pretty much saw the majority of the Old Testament! It’s just all right here! I really was surprised. Also, since Israel is only the size of New Jersey, we could just about see the entire country from east to west. Jordan and the Dead Sea were clearly visible in the east, and we could just make out Tel Aviv on the Mediterranean in the west.

So a few significant places we visited today were Samuel’s “gravesite” (really just a really old mosque built in his honor), a monastery built on a hilltop where Elijah traveled (the monastery was built in his honor), and finally a really nice park constructed on a hilltop overlooking the Old City where Abraham first saw Mount Moriah and realized that was the place he would have to sacrifice his son Isaac.

One of our professors said recently that by the end of these 4 months we’d love this city so much and be so familiar with it that it would become “our city”. I’m quickly coming to realize however, even after being here only a week and a half, that I already love it! I’m still not completely oriented with it, but I love it none the less! It’s absolutely amazing to be able to look at anything and everything and just know that there is so much history associated with that thing, and to walk where prophets have walked thousands of years before. It’s quite humbling, and I love it!!!

Bethlehem!

South side of the Mount of Olives

Our group at the 7 Arches Overlook (yes that's our professor laying down in front)

View of the Dead Sea and Jordan from Augusta Victoria Bell Tower

Marhabteen!

So it hasn’t really been too long since the last introductory blog, but already we’ve done and seen a ton of things. We actually have quite a bit of free time here (just about every afternoon) to pretty much do whatever we want. We are allowed to go anywhere within Jerusalem, Old or New. Although usually we just go over to the Old City since it’s so close, anywhere else would require a taxi which we frankly don’t really want to pay for. I’m still in shock I think that we’re in such close proximity to so many famous and sacred sites that I’ve grown up hearing about, as well as those which are sacred to other religions. A few days ago on the Sabbath (which we honor on Saturdays here) we took a quick little walk over to Orson Hyde Park and the Garden of Gethsemene. It was quite humbling and special to think that somewhere in that garden a few thousand years ago the Atonement was performed. Of course now, the garden is pretty overrun with tourists and gated off to avoid trampling, but it was still special none the less! Things sure change in 2000 years. In my Modern Palestinian class we’ve been discussing the concept of mental geography, which basically refers to formulating in one’s mind an image of what they think a place looks like based on their upbringing, education, environment, experience, etc. I find it very interesting that more often than not, those preconceptions are pretty different than what a place is actually like. We of course discussed the concept in reference to Israel-Palestine, but it is a concept that can be applied on so many other levels. What I’m trying to get at here is that these biblical sites which I’m now seeing in real life for the first time are far different than the images I once had in my head. Not in any way in a negative sense, just different. Anyway, I’ll get off my soapbox now…

In other not boring, but exciting news here’s a list of some of the other things we’ve done and seen in the past few days:

-Golgotha

-The Burnt House (an old home burned by the Romans around 70AD)

-The Herodian Quarter Archaeological museum (more homes burned by the Romans, but cooler)

-A 3 mile walk around the tops of the Old City walls

-Basically we walk around the old city a lot. There are a billion merchants with tons of crazy things, so it’s really fun just to walk around and barder for things.

Olive trees at the Garden of Gethsemene

Old City market scene

On top of the Old City walls with the roomie

Big golden menorah all ready to go for when the 3rd temple is built

Shalom!

So here I am! The Holy Land! I have always dreamed of living in an Arabic country, but I honestly never thought that dream would ever come true this early in my life. It is more amazing than I had ever anticipated, and no picture or story I have ever seen can do this place justice. There is just an overwhelming amount of things to take in, and I’ve only been here 3 days! Today was our first day of classes, and my brain nearly exploded! The teaching staff here is amazing, and their insights and knowledge are just incredible! (I sure am using a lot of exclamation marks…)

Let’s see, what else…We haven’t really done a whole lot as of yet so I guess this is just an introductory blog. We’re still getting adjusted to the schedule and everything, and having orientations. Over 24 hours of traveling and a 9 hour time change really takes its toll. Yesterday we actually walked all around the Old City just to get a layout of the area. The most awesome thing is that the Jerusalem Center is literally just a quick 10 min walk to the Old City down Mount Scopus and across the Kidron Valley! Also, the Dome of the Rock and much of the Old City can be seen right from our private balcony. I’ll include some balcony pictures. Anyway, once things get going around here, I’m sure I’ll have more to write about.

View from our balcony in the day

The view from our balcony at night