Our Palestinian/Jordanian guide on the right who carried a key tohis home in Israel around his neck The Greek word, diaspora, means a scattering and is used to describe the movement of a population from its original homeland. Today, the word implies an added layer of meaning of a people being expelled or forced out… Read more »
Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, Isarel Upper church at Church of the Annunciation, Nazareth I don’t know when I first made the comment but it became the parting words of each phone call as we planned our trip to Israel – “Let’s lunch in Nazareth.” We wanted to drive from Tel Aviv to… Read more »
Ladder outside window of the Church which cannot be moved according to Status Quo Agreement Ah, Jerusalem, where every stone, wall, church, synagogue, mosque, street, gate, archeological site, and neighborhood is steeped in history and politics. The layers run deep and passion high. In the Christian world, no place is more political than Church of… Read more »
Palm Sunday has always been a favorite service, especially for children. It celebrates the story of Jesus unexpectedly entering Jerusalem on a donkey. His followers hurried to line the streets and waived branches and laid coats before him. Traditionally, palms have represented triumph and victory and have become associated with this Sunday. Many churches use… Read more »
O little town of Bethlehem, how still we see thee lie; above thy deep and dreamless sleep the silent stars go by. Yet in thy dark streets shineth the everlasting light; the hopes and fears of all the years are met in thee tonight. What a beautiful scene this hymn describes – a small, quiet,… Read more »
View of Sea of Galilee from Kibbut Maagan Holiday Village Hotel As a teenager, I was drawn to the idea of the Israeli kibbutz – a community of like-minded residents who worked hard, celebrated often, and contributed to the greater good of the country. It was romantic in a foreign sense of the word and… Read more »
I had heard jokes about the number of guides in Israel as in “everyone in Jerusalem is a tour guide”. There are reputed to be over 10,000 licensed guides in Israel. That same percentage for the United States would equal about 350,000 guides! I didn’t appreciate the “licensed” part of the title until meeting… Read more »
“Israel and Jordan” I would reply to inquiries of my next trip. What followed were wide eyes, momentary silence, and the following “Aren’t you afraid?”. The last question is a product of our instant, sensational news programming. Statistically, I was in no more danger traveling to Israel than a quick trip to Dallas. Other than… Read more »
Mary with statue of John Lennon in Havana, Cuba park
Mary riding camel in Jordan desert
Mary Surrounded by Hmong women selling their wares in Sapa, Vietnam
Mary on glacier in southern New Zealand