Eretz Israel 2017: Thoughts from a Returnee

From the eyes of a second timer, there is a reason to return to Israel. Getting to do the water sites was the thing I was looking forward to the most. I did get to go through Hezekiah's Tunnel. It felt good to be wet in this heat. The last time I was here, we had to deal with a snow storm. Not a chance of a snowflake this time. Dealing with the heat has been doable. Finding shade or walking in the shade has been key. As our guide Erez tells us every morning, "Welcome to another perfect day in the land of Israel." It has turned out to be perfect days here. Now they are about to end. Yet we will all be able to return to these days with memories and of course our thousands of pictures.

Last Sunday we were in Beit Shean, the Disneyland for photographers. It is an entire Roman city that lays before you. We walked through the Roman Bath House, walked down the main street of the City and checked out some of the shops. We made a stop in the bathrooms and even sang a song in the Roman theater. For those that had lots of energy, they went to the top of the Tel (climbing something like 100 stair steps) to see a wonderful view of the lower city as well as the remains of the guard tower dating to Solomon's era. From the top of the mountain you can see Mt. Gilboa where Saul and Jonathon were killed in a battle, and it was on the walls of Beit Shean (pictured below) that their bodies were hung before the Israelites rescued them in a daring night raid. It still boggles my mind that I have walked in the places of the Bible. Now when Pastor Max shares these stories in his sermons, I get a huge grin on my face as I remember bring up these pictures and memories. There is nothing like it and I give thanks to all who have made it possible for these kids and parents to experience it together.

-Holly (the returnee)(written today, about one of last Sunday's adventures)