A day in Galilee and a return to Jerusalem

After spending Wednesday and Thursday resting and generally by myself (reading, journaling, listening to sermons, etc), I was up for a day out in the Golan Heights last Friday (November 19th) before returning home to Jerusalem. After the quiet peacefulness of watching the sunrise, I packed my bags and went in search of breakfast.

Cheery breakfast table :-)

Breakfast set up in the spacious kitchen (the all-important cereal and toast not in the picture, but they were available!) Yes, that is a person's arm--the results of trying to operate a camera before being fully awake. :-)
After breakfast (consisting of the aforementioned important cereal and toast!), I joined the Beit Bracha family a second time for devotions in this cozy corner.
The wonderful Beit Bracha family!
These new friends welcomed me into their family with open arms, warm hugs, and bright smiles. I even got to help them clear tables after meals and set up for the next meal. :-) I was immensely blessed during my time with these wonderful people despite their threat to kidnap me and keep me at Beit Bracha! :-)
Stephen and Zach had Friday off, were considering driving up to Katsrin, and thoughtfully asked if I would like to join them. But before we took off, I had a request. I had heard that there was a small herd of goats living near Beit Bracha, and I wanted to see them! I've missed an entire kidding season and show season now. Even though I wasn't in the middle of the goat raising operation back home anymore, I still miss them! (And I lost my Queen this month--it's the end of an era . . .) The boys took me to see the goats and enjoyed how it made my morning! :-)

The "Beit Bracha goats"
Branches from olive trees were tied up around the pen and supplied in the feeder for the goats to snack onThis poor guy had been described to me as looking like a creature out of Stars Wars--when I saw him, I had to agree.
After a visit to the goats and a tour of the Beit Bracha facility, we were off to Katsrin. The first stop was an Imax-like video of the Golan. We spent the 20 minutes before it started perusing the attached coffee/gift shop. After browsing the wines and chocolates for sale, the boys found the lotion/scent aisle. There were many samples to try, and trust me, they tried them! :-)
After the video, we moved to a room with a large model of the Golan Heights for a 3-D presentation of the geography and history of the Golan. It was fascinating to see history retold on a model instead of simply by words or videos. This method gives one a sense of geography, distance, direction, and location, especially in relation to the '67 and '73 wars. It was a great stop!

The Golan is a rocky plateau lying to the east of the Sea of Galilee; it begins at Jordan's northern border and extends north as far as Israel's northern point (Metula, Kiryat Shmona). Measuring approximately 40 miles north-south and 7 1/2 miles east to west, the Golan Heights average 3,300 feet above sea level (though the extremes differ from 9,000 feet above sea level to 660 feet below). The Golan covers approximately 690 square miles, is the source of a large percentage of Israel's agriculture production, and is also the source for 15% of Israel's water supply. Largely due to these factors as well as its altitude, the Golan territory is fiercely disputed. From Israel's founding in 1948 until the Six-Day War of 1967, Jewish settlers in the valleys were frequently harassed by Syrian forces on the hills. During the 1967 war, Jewish forces captured two-thirds of the Golan. The past forty years have seen continued disagreement over this territory (especially between Israel and Syria). Interestingly, this disputed area makes up almost 6% of the total area under Israeli law but only 0.65% of Syrian landmass. For more info on this fascinating territory, see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golan_Heights.

Upon leaving Katsrin, we traveled west in the direction of Rosh Pina as Stephen wanted to show Zach and I an old tank bridge left from the Six-Day War. Apparently, it had been washed out earlier this spring, but it was still worth seeing.

Our route took us off the normal trails; the views of the Golan were breath taking!
The Golan plateau soars high above the Sea of Galilee, but it also boasts a deep valley--the valley through which the Jordan River runs before emptying into the Sea of Galilee. I'm not sure this picture does the valley justice, but believe me--it's deep!
The Jordan River running through the Golan (north of the Sea of Galilee)The tank bridge Stephen wanted to show us lies in the Jordan River Valley (obviously, since it's crossing the Jordan River!). Here, we're about halfway between the top of the plateau and the river valley, glimpsing the bridge.
And here it is! Stephen was pleasantly surprised to find the bridge had been rebuilt since the last time he was here. I doubt the sound of the rushing water and the sight of the sun sparkling off the water would ever get old.
Standing on the bridge looking across to the east
The south side of the bridgeLooking upstream (north)Looking downstream (south to the Sea of Galilee!)

After spending a little time at the bridge, we drove back up out of the valley, back to the top of the Golan plateau. The views were spectacular, and I was reminded of our Sunday afternoon drives years ago when Dad would take us out just to see scenery (I don't remember liking those much at the time (-:). Not all my pictures turned out since we were moving, but this one did. Here is the Golan plateau opening out to the Sea of Galilee basin.

After the stop in Katsrin and the fantastic drive up and down some of the Golan, it was unfortunately time to return to Tiberias and catch the bus back to Jerusalem. Stephen and Zach dropped me off in perfect time, and I had about ten minutes to stretch my legs before getting back in a vehicle . . .

Bus station in Afula--is it just me or does this look somewhat like a Sonic drive-in??

I kept my camera out on the journey back--here are some glimpses of the Israeli countryside . . .

The Jezreel Valley in the north (and this is only part of it--imagine more behind and before, plus at least the same amount on the other side of the road!)
The Judean wilderness (closer to Jerusalem in the south)

This may look like only rocky hills to you, but let me explain why I started getting excited when I saw this . . . In the north, the landscape is largely black, basalt rock. In the middle of Israel (near Jerusalem), the rock turns to white limestone. When I saw this hill come into view, I knew we were in the right region and getting closer to home!!
And that's the last of the open, country scenes . . . :-) This was the parking lot of traffic headed into Jerusalem.

We eventually got there, and the bus schedule must factor in traffic jams like these as we arrived at Jerusalem's Central Bus Station right on time. It was a little different than when I left because the sun had set and Shabbat had begun. The bus station is located in the heart of Jerusalem's Jewish New City, so everything was shut up tight. Even the traffic lights were blinking. The taxi drivers were there circling like vultures, but I chose to save my money and walk back to the Old City. It's a long schlep--40-45 minutes (and factor in a backpack and small rolling suitcase), but I did enjoy the walk. It was really quiet and a nice bridge between the quiet of Galilee and the noisy chaos of the Old City.

Sunset in Jerusalem Friday, November 19th

All in all, it was a spectacular holiday--thanks to Christine for making it possible, to the Beit Bracha family for making my time there such a pleasure, and Stephen and Zach for a great day Friday!

Up (I mean down) to the Galilee . . .

Hi dear friends and family! Here is the "Galilee" blog post, as promised . . . (to explain the title, Galilee is north of Jerusalem, so directionally, it is up; however, it is much lower in elevation, so in that sense, it is down!)


Other than a short day trip out to Neot Kedumim on September 2nd, I had not been out of the city of Jerusalem since May--that is six whole months! Anybody who has spent any length of time here understands the need to "get out" a little more often than that. I downplayed the advice/encouragement/suggestions to spend a few days away for quite a few months before finally recognizing the necessity of a mini-holiday last month. Don't get me wrong--I absolutely love Jerusalem. This city is still my home (I remain somewhat awed by being able to say that!), and my heart is still here, but it's easy to get trapped in the "bubble" that is the Christ Church compound and worn down by responsibilities and the city's intensity. Last week, Christine was able to give me three days off in a row (the two normal days and a first cashed in holiday day), and I was so blessed to spend the days up north at Beit Bracha.

It was such an enjoyable holiday--the views are beautiful and the peace soul-touching. I am excited to be able to share a bit of this journey with you. As I write this, I am sitting in bed still in pajamas, drinking a cup of tea. (I know, between the opening photo and the statement of drinking tea, some of you are probably wondering what happened to the Amanda who got on the plane 10 1/2 months ago! She's still here, just branching out a bit. (-: )

As a little introduction, Beit Bracha is sort of a sister property to Christ Church. It is owned by CMJ/ITAC like Christ Church and is located in the quiet village of Migdal. Migdal is around a ten minutes' drive north from Tiberias (both located on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee). Two thousand years ago, Migdal was known as Magdala--the home of Mary Magdalene. Unlike the Christ Church Guest House, Beit Bracha is not open to the public. It is set up to be more of a prayer and retreat center (as well as a haven for weary Christ Church volunteers!). The guest room building was only completed in 2005, so it is a much newer facility and a completely different flavor. Beit Bracha is Hebrew and literally means "house of blessing."


My adventure began Wednesday morning; unfortunately, it began with me waking up with a pounding headache. That put a wrench in my gears, caused me to move around much slower, and I didn't walk out the Christ Church gates until 9:30. But from there, it was easy to catch a bus up to Jerusalem's Central Bus Station, purchase a round trip ticket to Tiberias, and board bus 962 for the 2 1/2 hour drive up north. I found the bus load quite interesting. It was a full bus by 10:25, but a few more people were allowed on, and they simply had to sit on the floor or in the stairwells.

The drive was quite enjoyable and I loved watching the countryside of Israel pass by. I saw so many trees (evergreens, olive, fig, and more) as well as numerous plowed fields. There was one field that had an olive tree smack in the middle of it, and the farmers had simply plowed around it. (Sorry--didn't see it in time to get my camera out) We passed by many small villages, both Jewish and Arab. One Arab village had a mosque topped with a golden dome--likely reminiscent of the golden Dome of the Rock here in Jerusalem. One memorable moment of the journey came after driving a little over an hour. We had been winding through some forested hills and then suddenly came out into a huge valley. This was none other than the Jezreel valley, of course (also known as the Valley of Armageddon)! The sudden change in landscape was breathtaking, and I wish you could have been here to experience it. One second surrounded by hills, the next in the middle of this grand valley. It is a very fertile place, full of rich brown soil and bright sunshine. Tel Megiddo stood on our left, the Gilboa mountain range to our right. On the opposite side of the valley is the town of Afula. A left turn out of this city and Nazareth is less than ten miles away. Our bus, however, did not turn left. We continued on Route 65 for a bit longer, traveling east and north, before turning completely east to reach our destination--the Tiberias bus station. In between Afula and Tiberias, we passed the city of Nein. Spelled "Nain" in our Bibles, does this ring a bell? It's a fascinating experience driving past all these historical places and thinking how many people have walked this ground before you.

Glimpsing Tiberias and the Sea of Galilee

From Tiberias, I caught a taxi up to Migdal and arrived at Beit Bracha around 1:30 in the afternoon. The Beit Bracha family was just wrapping up lunch but promptly welcomed me and showed me to my room. The building was absolutely beautiful!

The central main hall at Beit Bracha

I was in room #1 and had the luxury of choosing from four beds! But, having done my own share of cleaning rooms here at Christ Church, I was kind to the Beit Bracha staff; I slept in the same bed both nights, and it was not the top bunk bed!! :-) This room also had an air conditioner--I had almost forgot what it's like to have a cool room!!!
My room had its own little patio . . .
. . . and the view was amazing! (This is looking southwest, Mount Arbel in the background)

A little side note . . . of course, I was traveling in purple style! (I even wore a purple top, though that wasn't planned)

Back to news and views . . . Beit Bracha has this beautiful and peaceful veranda--I spent hours out here reading, journaling, simply resting and absorbing the peacefulness.
The view from the veranda looking due east over the Sea of Galilee
Looking southeast from the veranda; Tiberias is located on the jut of land in the background.
Looking southwest from the veranda; again, this is Mount Arbel
I spent Wednesday afternoon not doing much; after all, I was on vacation! I listened to a sermon from my home church, did some journaling, and read a book (all out on the veranda!). I enjoyed a lovely spaghetti dinner with the Beit Bracha family that evening and then went to bed.

Even though I was on holiday, there was no sleeping in the next morning, as the breakfast bell rang at 8!! After breakfast, I enjoyed a time of devotions before deciding what to do with my day. I had thought about walking down to Ginosaur (home of a 2,000-year old fishing boat and an interesting museum) or maybe the beach, but decided I would rather just have a lazy day and rest. I borrowed some piano music and enjoyed playing for an hour while the staff cleaned the guest rooms. After enjoying morning tea with my Beit Bracha counterparts, listening to another sermon and journaling some more brought me to lunch time. In the afternoon, it was back out on the veranda to read and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the north. The sunset was breathtakingly beautiful!

November 18th sunset

And as the sun set in the west, the moon shone in the east!

After another enjoyable dinner, I was ready for bed again. :-) I know, I know, you're going to think I spent my entire time resting and sleeping. That is not entirely true, but I was surprised how tired I was when I slipped away from my Jerusalem responsibilities and wasn't in the thick of things. Thankfully, I was able to avoid pressuring myself into feeling I "should" do this or that; I reminded myself I was up here to rest and relax however that looked. Of course, this reminder was reinforced constantly by the Beit Bracha staff--they must be accustomed to Jerusalem volunteers who have trouble disconnecting and resting. :-)

But, one reason I went to bed early Thursday evening was because I felt compelled to get up and watch the sunrise the next morning. I don't think I've seen a sunrise at all since coming to Israel last January. I have been up before the sun, but those mornings are morning when I'm on breakfast duty, and one does not see the sun rise when they're working in the kitchen. :-) So, November 19th was the first time this year I have gotten up purposefully to watch the sun come up. It felt like an opportunity I could not miss and something special. So, I set my alarm for "stupid o'clock" and stumbled out to the peaceful veranda for a special time. And, I have to say, I was not disappointed. I don't regret the missing sleep at all! Here are a few of the pictures I took--enjoy!!

November 19th sunrise in Galilee

The hour or so I spent watching the sun come up was very special. It was very quiet and peaceful and simply a meaningful time to spend alone with my thoughts. I used the video feature on my camera to try and capture some of that early morning atmosphere. While I missed the hustle and bustle of Jerusalem (where mornings are filled with cars, talking, and horns), I enjoyed the quiet of the Galilee morning where the only sounds were birds chirping and roosters crowing.

The Sea of Galilee a little later that morning

I was ready to return home that day (I missed Jerusalem!), but I was not oblivious to the restorative atmosphere of the quiet Galilee. My time there had given me opportunity to rest and "refill." At this point, I'm not interested in staying there for any length of time, but I hope to go back for a three or four day holiday again sometime soon (sooner than six months!). I am now convinced of its importance, and I love Beit Bracha!