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Israel Study Tour with Todd Schenck
May 11-22, 2015
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From his death to his birth
The wake up call came at 6 o'clock like usual so we began the day at 7 at the Temple Mount. After waiting in line for awhile we moved to the Gentile Court and then proceeded to look at the Dome of the Rock. Unfortunately, we weren't able to go into the mosque.
Western Wall
The Western Wall is the most holy place accessible to the Jewish people because of Muslim control of the Temple Mount. Known in recent centuries as the “Wailing Wall,” this was built by Herod the Great as the retaining wall of the Temple Mount complex. The plaza was created as an area for prayer when Israel captured the Old City in 1967. At times tens of thousands of people gather here for prayer.
After this we went through the City of David to Hezekiah's tunnel. This was the only source of fresh water for Jerusalem in ancient times so it was very important. It was a long walk in a dark tunnel with ankle deep water.
Hezekiah's Tunnel
A 1750-foot (530m) tunnel carved during the reign of Hezekiah to bring water from one side of the city to the other, Hezekiah’s Tunnel together with the 6th c. tunnel of Euphalios in Greece are considered the greatest works of water engineering technology in the pre-Classical period. Had it followed a straight line, the length would have been 1070 ft (335m) or 40% shorter.
Following this we drove into the Palestinian controlled area of Bethlehem. We walked half way up the Herodian which is a man made mountain where Herod was buried.
Herodium
Herodium is 3 miles southeast of Bethlehem and 8 miles south of Jerusalem. Its summit is 2,460 feet above sea level.
Herod built or re-built eleven fortresses. This one he constructed on the location of his victory over Antigonus in 40 BC.
After a lunch of shwarma we went to the church of nativity. This church is shared by the Greek Orthodox, the Catholics, and the Armenians. We went down into the grotto which was used as a stable where Christ was born and Jerome the scholar was buried. This day was different than Galilee because it was more focused on the New Testament. We are now following Jesus' walk through Jerusalem from his death to his birth.
—Pieter K.
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