Great day in the desert!

On the way from Jerusalem to Jericho, we stopped at a look-out point.  The Judean wilderness before us was stunning.  This was the area of Jesus’ temptation.  This was the setting for the Good Samaritan.  This was the land of Promise, with Jericho mere miles away. Continue reading →

Two mornings ago, our day began MUCH earlier than usual.  Here’s why…

This was not scheduled initially, but a special opportunity arose; and half of our group decided it was worth the cost.

The price?  One very early morning—on the bus at 4:45 AM.

The payoff?  A once-in-a-lifetime witnessing of the Jewish festival of Shavuot.

Next question: What on earth is Shavuot?

For a concise summary, I turn to Wikipedia: Continue reading →