Land of Opportunity

Marhaba (Arabic hello/welcome)!
The past few days have been a whirlwind of adventure!  From hiking eighteen hours in two days to seeing Jesus' birthplace, I have really enjoyed my time!

Friday, February 10
     After lunch, we had Ultimate Frisbee where Donnie and Josh, two Jewish guys I met last week and invited to play, showed up and we had a great time together.  It was really awesome seeing the cultures intermix.  Some kids also showed up and were tossing around the extra Frisbees we had and so, after the game, I tossed with them for a bit and they really enjoyed it.  They kept laughing and had the biggest smiles on their face.  Then we had Shabbat meal and Vespers.  Vespers was just worship and was terrific.  Afterwards, a group of people got together and watched "Caddy Shack."  It was hilarious.  Don't worry David, we did have someone with us that covered the TV when necessary.

Saturday, February 11
     Saturday was an early morning where we headed out at 7 and went on a field study.  We started off on the Mount of Olives by Hebrew University.  There was a pledge wall where one must pledge at least a million dollars to get one's name on it at Steven Spielberg's name was on it.  Haha.  Looking out from our view point, we could see the entirety of the Eastern Hill of Jerusalem (where the Dome of the Rock is) most of the Kidron Valley, and basically the rest of the Old and New City of Jerusalem.  We then tromped over to the other side of the Mount and looked out to the Judean Wilderness.  We could see where the Cenomanian limestone (hard rock that leaves fertile terra rosa suitable for for plant growth) ends and the senonian limestone (brittle rock that water flows over so no water retention so no life support) begins.  All this geography stuff is pretty cool actually.  We then walked down the Mount of Olives and on our way passed a Jewish graveyard and a Christian graveyard.  What is cool about this is that Jews orient themselves towards the city of Jerusalem while Christians orient themselves towards the east which is the direction of Jesus' second coming (Matthew 24:27).  We then moved down the Mount and went to two churches.  The first is Dominos Flevit where it is believed that Christ wept when He foresaw the fate of Jerusalem.  It had beautiful mosaics, lined with ancient grave markers, and has a great view of the Dome of the Rock.  The second was the Convent of Saint Mary Magdalene.  This church is capped with golden domes that are absolutely beautiful.  There were also lots of nuns running around.  Then we passed the Church of All Nations that enshrines a piece of bedrock that Jesus may have prayed before being arrested (Mark 14:32-42) on our way into the Kidron Valley.  There, we saw Absolom's Tomb.  But, as Dr. Wright yelled to a tour group, "THIS IS NOT ABSOLOM'S TOMB!!"  While some claim it is, it is a monument that a priest built for himself of the likes that Jesus chastised by saying be remembered by your works.  The monument is quite unique because it incorporates Ionic capitals with Doric stylings and a Nabatean conical top.  While this may mean nothing to most people, Dr. Wright says that this mixture is something not normally seen and is a hodgepodge of architecture.  We then drove to the West Bank and visited Herodium, one of Herod's most splendid castles.  He, the governor of Judea while Rome was in power and when Jesus was born, tore apart a hill next to the hill he wished to build on and used the rubble to build up his mound.  He then built a glorious palace for himself.  Herod the Great was a really terrible ruler but built the Temple and palaces and shrines that few have ever rivaled in greatness.  The palace had thick walls and was like his palace of Machaerus where John the Baptist was beheaded.  The thick walls and distance from cities meant he could indulge in whatever he liked.  The view from the top was remarkably beautiful and one could see Jerusalem and the Judean Wilderness as well.  The near the Wilderness is where shephards would bring their flocks to graze and we saw places where David would bring his sheep.  The foothills of the Wilderness had lurking lions, which are gone from the area now, and these are the type of beasts David had to fight off to protect his flock.  Needless to say, David's developed skills in fighting, his sense of bravery and protection for his flock, and his knowledge of the land definitely went into God choosing him to be king.  From there, we went to Bethlehem to the Church of the Nativity, which is built over the cave (houses were built in front of caves and extended from them) that Jesus was perhaps born in.  It has beautiful mosaics from Justinian era (around 565 C.E.).  There was a large line to go see the birth place which is at the bottom of the church and so I decided to try to sneak in the back.  But I was stopped by some worker, Nirdal or something, and we started talking.  He let me through and said he wants to see me again so that he can show me around the church some more...!!!!  Exclusive tours!  Down in the basement, I saw the area of the cave where He was born and touched the area where He was laid to rest!  It was a really spiritual moment for me.  Then we sauntered down to Solomon's Pools.  These were built by Herod and can store lots of water and were used in bringing water via a section of cleverly built piping to Herodium.  Afterwards, I went out with Steve and walked around the Old City with him to get supplies for Sunday's hike.  I am getting to know the city really well.  After that, I joined a group and watched the tail end of "Moses: Prince of Egypt."

View to the west from the Mount of Olives.

View east from the Mount of Olives.

Dr. Wright and I.

Dominus Flevit church.

The spikes of a cactus. 

Just a few guys having a good time.

Jewish graves facing Jerusalem.

The Church of Mary Magdalene. 

Christian graves facing east.

This is NOT Absolom's tomb!

Sam attacking a replica of Herodium.

Caution!  Danger of falling.

Where the cenomanian limestone ends and the senonian chalk begins.

This is in Herod's bathhouse.  Reminded me of the first Indiana Jones.

I see what you did there...

In the Church of the Nativity.

Touching where Jesus was laid!!!!

A cute old monk.

Solomon's Pool (1 of 3).

 Sunday, February 12

     We woke up very early today and hopped onto the light rail and barely made it onto the 8 o’clock bus to the Dead Sea.  After an hour bus ride, we arrived at En Gedi where we hopped out and got trekking.  We moved past the entry way and split into groups.  I went with the first group and was happy to moving at a swift pace.  We walked through the wadi (where rain flows when it rains) and enjoyed the deep canyon we seemed to be in.  Throughout the entirety of the place is a long stream that winds and bends its way around the rocks and it fell in many water falls, one of which we saw.  We also saw an ibex, large mountain gazelle that we were not ten yards from and had almost walked past.  But then the ascent began.  We chose to go up the plateau on the black path.  I headed up the end of our group because a girl was with us but after a while of making sure she was safe, I could not handle my chivalry anymore and bolted up the terrain like a limber leopard and met up with part of our original group that had parted off from us.  At some points, the slope was so steep we had to use our hands to climb and sometimes we would slip as loose rocks would give way, but all our sweat and burning muscles were worth the view we had at the top of the plateau.  We had lunch, dried fruit and bread dipped in peanut butter while looking out at the landscape that stretched from horizon to horizon and included most of Israel and Jordan and the Dead Sea.  What a view.  Then a group of three guys and I went off and were walking along the top of the plateau when Peter saw a cave and we went to investigate.  It was not a cave but a dug out cistern (storage location for water) and there were potshards all around.  From there on out, we would yell, “Archaeology!!!!!!”  Whenever we found something of interest.  We also found while stones jutting from the hill and to test it, I licked a rock and it was indeed a salt deposit.  Then, on the way down, I went with another group to look at an ancient temple.  This temple’s foundations have been around since the beginning of cities!  Then we walked down the rest of the slope to the bus stop.  There were lots of school groups there and some girls ran after me to get pictures but I didn’t stop for them.  At the bus stop, I ran down the quarter mile of rocks to the Dead Sea and touched it.  It left a slimy feeling and I had to use my water bottle water to wash off the sand.  After dinner, I studied for my first test.  

The Hyrex: terror of the Middle East.

An Ibex!

The cistern.

Found pottery fragments.

The ancient temple remains.

Planking the temple's animal sacrifice pit.

Monday, February 13

     I had my first test at JUC and got an A on it.  This school is nothing like Wheaton.  I really enjoy how easy and yet interesting the studies are.  This has left me with lots of free time with which I love to go adventuring.  Today, our Parables of Jesus class went to the Inn of the Good Samaritan.  Jesus’ parable from Luke 10 takes place on the road from Jerusalem to Jericho which is a hot, curvy road littered with bandits and there were few inns on the road during the Second Temple period which is when Jesus lived and so maybe this inn is what Jesus was thinking of when He spoke the parable.  There is now a museum standing on the inn’s foundations and it is filled with mosaics from old churches and synagogues some of which are replicas but some of which are real.  The art and thought that went into them is amazing.  There were also sarcophagi from the Roman period there and I laid in one, which was a little creepy.  After we explored the inn area, we went to a crusader stronghold on the top of a nearby hill.  It was really cool to see the antiquity of the place.  After dinner, I put money onto Skype and was able to call my Grandpa George’s home phone and talk with him a little bit.  That was really cool and felt like he was just thirty minutes away from me again.    

Look at the detail to make King David's face!

Rabbi Moshe pointing at stuff.

 Tuesday, February 14

     Between classes today, a group of four and I went to Zedekiah’s Cave (also known as Solomon’s Quarries).  Since this is believed to be the place of the first true stone working, the Freemasons have their base here and meet once a year in the caves.  The caves are pretty cool but not much fun to climb around in until we climbed over a rope and started to explore on our own.  We had our headlamps on and sometimes stooped and sometimes crawled on our way down through the cave system.  We went further and further into the earth and actually found a wall that had been buried that was most likely from King Solomon’s day.  The way had already been traveled (as evidenced by sand bags used as steps) but after climbing down for almost thirty minutes, we got spooked and left and went back to class.  Haha, what a strange turnaround.  After dinner, a group of guys and girls went out into the city and we just walked and talked.  The boys got kiepas – the little hats Jews wear!  It was a really fun way to spend then night and then I finished my day by Skyping with Emma.

Found hidden wall!

The caves.

 Wednesday, February 15

     Today I woke up feeling gross and wearing jeans that I haven’t washed in a month didn’t help so I did laundry and laid low today.  I was even able to get to bed by 8:30.  I love it!

Thursday, February 16

     I woke up refreshed and ready to go today.  For Jewish Thought and Practice, we met at a synagogue and Rabbi Moshe taught us about the services there and the sanctity of the scrolls of the Torah and the tefillin (what Jews wear on their heads and arms during morning prayer).  Jewish faith is a very ritualized mater and is a very strange thing.  There is lots of pomp and circumstance that goes with it and the image of God is skewered during it.  Afterwards, I went out walking in the Old and New City with Ross, Rachel, and Steven and we had a ball.  We bought delicious desserts and had a jolly time together. 

Teffilin that goes on a Jew's head.

Reading the Torah.  Use the pointer because human touch decays the animal parchment.

Friday, February 17

     I woke up and sauntered across the Hinnon Valley to the International House of Prayer.  Last Friday, I went with Hermona to work with a kid’s service but none showed up.  This week, it was two families and me who are trying to build a style of worship and prayer that is sustainable and reproducible for parents to do with their kids.  It was not like anything I have ever worked with before.  There was worship were parents walked around and kids (4 girls – ages 6, 4, 3, and 10 months) worshipped through dance and then they prayed multigenerational prayers (for their children’s future spouses and their children.  This was strange because I was the outsider and was repeatedly referred to as a “single” and when prayer came around the six year old said, “The single boy should pray for his spouse too.”  Even though this was strange, I will be going back because there is something to be learned here…  What it is, I do not know yet.  But it was a really great experience to listen to children praying.  The three-year-old girl prayed that her future husband would be good.  Haha.  But there was also hurt in the group – one of the couples had had their second miscarriage just days before.  There is definitely something to take away from this group and I will be going back to find out what.

Also, if you wish to send me a letter or an update on how you are, please comment below, email me at sam.knutson@my.wheaton.edu or send me a large care package to 

Samuel George Knutson

Jerusalem University College

#3 Aravnah HaYevusi

Hebron Road,

P.O. Box 1276, Mt. Zion

91012 Jerusalem, Israel