In Isaiah 56:5 in your English Bibe, you find the phrase “a memorial and a name”.  In Hebrew, those words are “yad vashem,” and they’ve been taken as the title of this Holocaust memorial and museum.

Architecturally significant and surrounded by carefully landscaped memorials, this place provides a very moving experience.  Quite frankly, I found it absolutely silencing.  What is one to say or even think when absolute devastation is placed before you in a flood of images, stories, and descriptions?

Even now, twelve hours after leaving, I don’t know what to write. Continue reading →

If you’re in Jerusalem someday, plan to hike the countryside some.  And if you don’t know where to start, make it Wadi Qelt.  The first time I came here, it was one of those things that was on my list but ended up getting cut as time ran down.  Today, I crossed it off my “travel Bingo card”, and it was a greater pleasure than usual.

Why the fuss?  A number of reasons!  Continue reading →

Last time I visited Jerusalem, it was Easter Sunday.  This time, Pentecost Sunday!  Only three times per year does are prayer services held in the Upper Room, the traditionally held spot of both the Last Supper and the falling of the tongues of fire (Acts 2).  One of those times was today—where better to “go to church” on Pentecost Sunday?! Continue reading →

Sleeping a ten-minute drive from Masada had a definite strategy behind it: We were starting the site by 8:15 AM and able to avoid the day’s heat, for the most part.  In fact, we were descending Masada’s backside by 11:15 AM, so this was no time for dilly-dallying! Continue reading →

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 →