Israel Study Tour with Joshua Wilderness Institute

April 5-18, 2019

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Everything points back to Jesus

Western wall
We toured the tunnels underneath the Muslim quarter. It was really cool. We went to the part right in front of where the temple used to be. We got to pray there, it was very special. Then we got to go to the wailing wall. There was so much culture and traditions. A lot of what they did was to remember God. Which is really cool. They read scriptures 3 times a week. When they pray they rock back and forth for emphasis. While we were walking back to the bus we passed like 6 parties all celebrating a Barmitazah. A couple people in our classes picked the kids up and it was a huge party! It was awesome! It is such a cool culture.
–Caleb

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.

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The Israel Museum
We went to this Museum that had some of the Dead Sea scrolls. After Ronan talked about the Dead Sea scrolls we got free time to walk the "caves" and look at some of the scrolls found from Qumran. Crazy to think they survived this long and now we are able to see and read them. There was also other things found in the caves such as sandal nails, pots and leather. At this museum there is also a model of what Jerusalem looked like in the 1st century. Very cool to stand over it and see what it might have looked like when Jesus walked the streets. Then we got some coffee. We got Jerusalem bagels! And dipped them in yogurt and goat cheese and chocolate. So very good!
—Soren


Herodium
We went to the Herodium. The Herodium was a palace which Herod built. This place he built a mountain around it to defend it. This is technically where we got the saying he is able to "move mountains" Just to give you some context; when Herod the Great built this palace Herod had been killing off his sons because they believed they could take over and become the new king of Israel! Literally just a few miles away in Bethlehem (the house of bread) Jesus the real king was born! This was a threat to Herod. He was not able to destroy the uprising threat! This was so cool!
–Harry

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.

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Church of the Nativity
It is built on the stable that Jesus was born. That's what some people think anyway. Greek Orthodox, Armenian, and Catholic all do mass in that church. It was all super decorated. In the Catholic section is where they do midnight mass that is televised all over the world. Even the stable was divided to the different sections. The tomb of Gerom was in the stable. It was crazy. There where so many people there. It was very interesting to see that a place has become so important. It is awesome because it is a place of worship and it reminds us of Christ. But we have to be carful not to let it become more of that. Christ is our Savior and He deserves more Glory than we can give.

Everything points back to Jesus. He is our savior. He calls us to Seek Him as our Delight. Then we went to a Christian gift shop and got things forward our families.
-Caleb

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