Day 12 - July 2, 2008

Today we started out with a tour of the Kibbutz where we were staying. We learned that those living on a Kibbutz do not own anything including their toothbrushes, underwear, etc. Those items are all property of the Kibbutz. A living space is assigned for each couple or single adult. In years past children were housed in a nursery or house for children where there was a nanny of sorts who would care for them. When Israel felt threatened in the early 1990’s with chemical warfare scares the parents in many Kibbutzim voted to have their children under their own roof. They had so much fun bonding with their children they’ve kept it that way ever since. We saw a few bomb shelters while on our tour.

We said goodbye to the Sea of Galilee and off we went. Dead Sea here we come! Our first stop was actually a rest stop where we were able to take pictures of the lowest spot on earth. Brother Gunnerson was tired of the long line for the ladies…so he guarded the men’s room to hurry us along. Some of us had ice cream while other preferred water or soda. Our bus driver Eddie enjoyed his hot milk…did I mention it was HOT?

We continued driving south to Masada. Herod the Great had built a mighty fortress when he was in power. The fortress included three palaces, a bath house, multiple cisterns, store rooms, a synagogue, a church, and aqueducts. A mass suicide occurred here in 73 AD. The zealots who were living in the fortress did not want to become servants of the Romans. It took 3 years for the Roman soldiers to construct an earthen ramp to the fortress. We also saw the wall and the army camps the Romans built during the siege. The night before the Romans were to overtake the fortress, lots were cast to see who would kill everyone and then themselves. Only two women and five children were found alive the next day when the Romans entered the city.

The Dead Sea Scrolls were found in 1947 by some Bedouin shepherd in the caves at Qumran. We saw the caves in which they were discovered and the ruins of the Essenes village. The Isaiah text on the scrolls includes all 66 chapters that we have in our King James Version of the Bible. Later this week we will be able to see the original Isaiah scrolls, a very rare exhibit, at the Israel museum. This is in conjunction with the 60^th anniversary of Israel.

Our last stop today was at the very salty Dead Sea. We had a grand time changing in the sauna/bathroom (it was just really hot). Most of the ladies were sweaty as though they had just jumped out of the shower. Lyndee was the first to experience salt water in her eyes. Let’s just say it hurts…a lot! Slopping the mud all over your body was the thing to do. We looked like women and men from the deep. Most of our group made it out into the 30 foot deep water. We were bobbing around like corks. You know that move where you bounce up to before going in for a deep underwater bob? It didn’t work. Some successfully tried floating on your stomach with your arms and legs stretched out, head up. The great thing is you cannot sink! It is quite remarkable as we have all gained weight eating the great foods here in Israel and Jordan like ice cream, bread, pasta, and rice.

We drove up the route of the story of the Good Samaritan to the beautiful city of Jerusalem. For many this was the first time driving into this special city. You could feel the energy in the air as we drove through the tunnel to our first views of the Dome of the Rock, BYU Jerusalem center, and the Jerusalem landscape.

After a quick stop at Jimmy’s, a seller of olive wood nativities, we drove a few blocks to the hotel. Dinner was an enjoyable experience. They even had sorbet and ice cream. Yum! We look forward to our busy day tomorrow. The old city of Jerusalem, Hezekiah’s tunnel, and St. Anne’s Church are of few of our stops.

Happy Birthday Roena!!

There was a terrorist incident in downtown Jerusalem today. All of us are well and would not have even known it happened except for the news on TV.