FAIRWELL TO HANUKKAH IN JERUSALEM

We loved Hanukkah in Jerusalem . I recommend everyone to try it at least once in your lifetime.

Especially in the old city Jewish quarter  it was particularity festive.  It  really is a new experience for us to walk around and everyone is  so joyous for the same occasion . There is a special kind of unifying  joyful spirit that just wraps everyone up.   I guess the closest a Canadian city could come to this is if the leafs won the Stanley cup! but I know it would be much noisier and more drunk! 

LOL....... oh well  one can  dream!  

Anyways Hanukkah was a lot of fun I especially got along quite well with all the bakeries and this wonderful thing call a SOUFGANIYOT . The closest thing we have to this in Canada is a jelly or cream filled doughnuts , but here in Jerusalem  its like the sugar fairy was on steroids when she came up with this one. 

Notice the one Zoe is holding , it has a tube full of an extra shot of chocolate sauce to squeeze in to the doughnuts   right before you eat it!

ok so I bought one of everything, but i did share!

who is with me on a campaign to bring this to Kenora!

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In case you didn't know, Hanukkah is not about doughnuts, its about re dedication  unto God what is His and about God providing a  light that shines in the darkness. 

 This is why there are lights all over town one lit for each of the eight nights of the festival.  It celebrates a time after  the temple in Jerusalem was defiled and the Menorah light (pictured below) was extinguished , Gods people won a great victory and restored the alter and re lite the lamp.

this one is in the moat outside the temple mount in the archaeological park.

this one is just outside of Jaffa Gate

this one was fun to watch them lite with a live flame, of course I had some questions about my understanding  the order of the lighting and was able to talk with the rabbi after for some clarification.

this was some festive dancing acrobatics .

you can learn more about Hanukkah at this web site here http://www.chabad.org/holidays/chanukah/default_cdo/jewish/Hanukkah.htm

this is one of our favourite groups check out one of there Hanukkah songs   http://youtu.be/QfieP6H47lc

for one Christan's perspective  on the festival you can listen to this 

http://youtu.be/tMvBlsgfJOM

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as wonderful as these 8 days were they also were filled with a sense of sadness for us. we knew were would be leaving on the last day and it was pretty emotional for us. every where we went our senses were on overdrive to feel, see, smell, taste  and remember every detail. we ate more , hugged more and longer, smiled and  cried more. Of course I had to have a few  get togethers with the precious friends we were leaving . Here is one at the Armenian Tavern in the old city.

later on that night

we finally got the nerve to ask for a photo with the IDF boys.

here we are on one of our last nights trying to cheer each other up , I am tickling Zoe.

our last day we are visiting the Anglican grave yard  on Emek Rafiem. a few weeks earlier  I discovered it by "accident" and to my surprise  I  knew (of) this person buried here. Derek Prince.

this is an amazing place to visit if you ever get a chance to drop in, say hi to my friend Meir  the grounds keeper , a Jewish believer who loves to tell people about Yeshua, and all the people buried on the grounds.

here we are on our last visit to the old city. we are sitting in Jaffa gate.

 of course we are going to make this memorable.

so Zoe isn't this fun ?

YES but, oh no we are leaving in a couple of hours!

 

we just wanted to cry!    


It was so hard to leave the old city.    I am sure  it was so embarrassing for Zoe  when she kept having to peel me off the old city  walls and pillars I kept hugging .

this was my last look at the kotel, the wall!

do yo remember  when I started to blog I mentioned the wall? 

 This is a direct quote:
 "Oddly enough though, were my feelings at  the Wall.  We went our first day and yes it was amazing to see but I was strangely disconnected from any great emotion spiritual or otherwise."

well I cant even look at this picture now with out shedding  tears. the wall is still the same l but the girl looking at it is inexplicably changed forever. How does this happen? how can 90 days  , in a foreign culture ,climate, city, so affect me even now  while sitting in my own home? well I guess I still need some time to process those thoughts and will have to save them for the next blog.

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this is us with all our belongings heading back home to Canada. we had absolutely no hicups on the way back , well if we exclude the 1.45 hours with  Canadian customs when we landed in Winnipeg.  
(that's a whole other story). 

remember the 3 little Kedishman  lambs I bought in September ? well here they are with their human counterparts.  don't they look good?

I have to say the house was in pretty good order when we got back and my husband even surprised me with new base boards!  I must give a big shout out to all our friends , neighbours and family who helped keep all my boys (and dogs)  on the straight and narrow and  from starving 

MUCH APPRECIATED  !   

I think I will blog again with my overall thoughts about this trip. I still will need some time to process , it was hard doing this one with out tears, and  I cant keep getting my keyboard wet! 

In the mean time  we want to wish all our  blog followers well, and suggest that you hug your loved ones  a little tighter and a little longer , look into someones eyes and tell them that they are loved.

 May the LORD  bless you and guard you -

יְבָרֶכְךָ יהוה, וְיִשְׁמְרֶךָ

("Yebhārēkh-khā Adhōnāy weyishmerēkhā ...)

May the LORD make His face shed light upon you and be gracious unto you -

יָאֵר יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וִיחֻנֶּךָּ

("Yāʾēr Adhōnāy pānāw ēlekhā wiḥunnékkā ...)

May the LORD lift up His face unto you and give you peace -

יִשָּׂא יהוה פָּנָיו אֵלֶיךָ, וְיָשֵׂם לְךָ שָׁלוֹם

("Yissā Adhōnāy pānāw ēlekhā wiyāsēm lekhā shālōm.")

UNTIL NEXT TIME SHALOM

TOUR OVERDRIVE!

On with Adventure , now that Angela is with us we went into tour overdrive. on of the first places we went after  Haifa and Ako, was Nazareth.   where we planned to walk from close to Cana-  close to Tiberius . This walk was called the 'Jesus Trail ' in honor of the path ways he would of walked in his ministry .
Our accommodations.
This place was a burntout ruin that a jewish man bought in the heart of the arab section of the old city with the idea of turning into a place where the pilgrims who come to the churches in the area can stay over night.
what a knock out ! we came on the Friday afternoon to prepare for our 10k walk on the Jesus trail the next day. here is a picture of the three of us in a common area. you can learn more about his inn here:

http://www.fauziazarinn.com/



here are the three of us on our Jesus Trail walk. we will end up on that mt in the far background.


I have such a better appreciation for the people in the bible and how much time it took them to get places. we read a story where Jesus turned the water into wine in Cana .(this is where we started our walk)
Joh 2:11 This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.
Joh 2:12 After this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother and his brothers and his disciples, and they stayed there for a few days. then we ended our walk on a mt  Arbel where we could see  the Gallilee and Capernaum was on the other side.. and this took us all day.

and what a day it was! we were with a few others, one Israeli, a Belgium, an Indian, a German/American  , a Frenchman , . we walked through olive tree orchards and over mountains and valleys , all the while singing,(praising God),  sharing information on who Yeshua ( Jesus) was and what he was all about. I guess not a lot of people know the bible and since I do I ended up doing the most talking. (no surprise there) 

this is an ancient synagogue on mt Arbel for sure this was during Yeshua's time and he would have been here . this was soooooo cool to be here and walk in the ruins. we got to see where the ark (torah scrolls cupboard) was housed  an you can learn more about this amazing spot here.: http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/arbel.html




this is our view looking back from where we came on the other side of the mt in the distance.

this is the view from the top of the mt.. Capernaum would be on the other side of the lake way in the distance.

to learn more about this Jesus Trail and the area click here: http://jesustrail.com/
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the next day we we explored the Gallilee, we started with a trip on a fishing boat named FAITH. It was docked in Ginosar behind the museum that houses a 2000year old fishing boat from the time of Jesus. learn more here:  http://www.jesusboat.com/story-of-the-jesus-boat

In this  picture below the crew showing us how they fish exactly like they would in Yeshua's time , except the net is nylon not wool.. it really is one of my favorite places the Galilee.  on the boat we sang worship songs and prayed and just soaked it all in..I wondered if I was floating over the exact place  Yeshua walked on water . there is such peace here.




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after the boat we visited Capernaum . Yeshua's head quarters during his ministry. this ruin of a synagogue was absolutely amazing ! I am just posting one picture ,but boy we had fun taking a lot of time with pictures here .
in this place :

Jesus was confronted by a demoniac while teaching here (Mark 1:21-27).

In Capernaum, Jesus healed the servant of the centurion.  This Roman official was credited with building the synagogue (Luke 7:3).

In this synagogue, Jesus gave sermon on the bread of life (John 6:35-59).

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 after we left here and went up Banius which used to be called in Yeshua's time Caesarea Philippi, located at the foot of Mount Hermon in the Golan Heights.  you can read about it in the bible
Mat 16:13 Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?"
 here we are at the river, boy it reminded us of home, we didn't want to leave! especially since we know this is the last time we will see rushing water this year! if I close my eyes and concentrate I can trans port my self back there right now. it was torture leaving!
 you can check out awesomeness for yourself here:http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/Banias.html
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so we moved on to The Mount Bental overlook.  It's beautiful and provides stunning views of Mount Hermon and the Golan. Located in the Golan Heights, Mount Bental is 1,170 meters above sea level.   we could see Syria from where we and old bunkers from the Yom Kipper war, you can more about it here:http://www.touristisrael.com/mount-bental/5821/ our taxi driver even came up to see the view here because he said he had never been there and now will bring his family to see the sights.

 

                                   

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The Girls decided to go back to Jerusalem and I stayed by myself in the Gallilee area at a wonderful  Christian guest house called Beit Bracha . After over 80 days of tavelling with others I welcomed the opportunity to be by myself in this special place. 

this is the view of the Gallilee from the guest house. I lay out on the deck that night and watched the satrs , they seemed bigger, brighter and closer than ever. my heart was so full of joy, in those quiet moments. the next day I spent it all on the mt of beatitudes reading scripture and praying . I had a lot more insite on the sermon on the mt when I was on the very mount Yeshua spoke those words. in the distance I could see the city on the hill . 

 Mat 5:14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden

 

 

Mat 5:1 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.
And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:
  "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
  "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.
  "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.
  "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.
"Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.   "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
  "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
"You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people's feet.
"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.   Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house.
  In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.   "Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
                                                                                  *****
 next stop Hanukkah in Jerusalem until then Shalom

SO MUCH TO SEA !

 

  

 

So you know how  we said we were going to do a lot of touring in November, well we did!

And remember how I said I would blog soon , well we didn't! opps

I had some issues with the pictures and not enough time to figure it out till now so here we are , in color!

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our touring took us to the  Salt Sea (  this  name is way more accurate and positive than calling it the  Dead Sea) and a natural oasis  spring in the desert called En Gedi. We know from the Bible this area is where David  hid from King Saul and Solomon mentions the henna blossoms and palm trees.  there is also  a prophecy in Ezekial  that one day in the future fishermen will line up on her shores(salt sea)  near En Gedi .

 

The water is safe to drink  and as you can see I was thirsty so I drank!

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Angela came to join us for the last leg of the trip. Here we are meeting her at air port.

 Since the air port is right there we took a night and a day to stay in Tel Aviv. we stayed near the beach and of course spent a day in the surf and sand. by the Sea.


The real jewel  in this area here is the old port city Jaffa , a very old city mentioned many times in the Bible. Jonah and the big fish, Keffa (Peter) and his vision on the roof top of Simon the leather tanner's house by the sea. you can learn more about this here.http://www.touristisrael.com/jaffa-yafo-tel-aviv/360/

our walk to the old city Jaffa




some graffiti along the way. I happened to get some really awesome shots of graffiti in the area ( for my graffiti album)






here is a picture of Zoe looking at Tel Aviv from Jaffa

 

 

 

in the old city Jaffa I am holding a floating tree. this commemorates the orange / citrus tree as a major player in the economy. 

We have to thank Angela for suggesting we stay overnight in Tel Aviv otherwise I don't think we would have gone and missed this interesting city.

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now it was our turn to show Angela our old city back in Jerusalem.

we feel like its our "hood" and we just wanted to show it off!

here we are at a favorite restaurant on a roof top in the old city. we are with our Good friend Yan who was also surprised with this roof top café.  

 

 

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 as hard as it was to leave Jerusalem ,we left that place and took a day trip to Haifa, mt Carmel and Ako , all up north on the coast  .

 

 

 

 

our view of the sea coast and the Bahi gardens. Haifa is Israel’s third largest city, beautifully set on the slopes of Mount Carmel facing the Mediterranean Sea, likened by some as ‘Israel’s San Francisco’.  Although traditionally a working city, there are a number of great things to do in Haifa including the Bahai Gardens, German Colony, as well as a number of top museums. -
see more at: http://www.touristisrael.com/haifa/#sthash.qVfh6gWs.dpuf


I read this book called "The Road To Carmel' - by David Davis about how this man from New York city moved to MT Carmel and started this amazing ministry for jews and abrabs and immigrants from the nations . so we went up the mountain to check it out. so many people in Israel have heard about this place and the work they are doing . I was so thankful to have a very nice lady sit us down  (I brought 5 other people from our tour of Haifa with me )  and tell us about the healing and restoration of the many people hurt from drug addiction ,abuse, war, persecution . the building was all volunteer work and the land was a gift. please check out the rest of the story here.http://www.genesisone.com/mtcarmel/daviddavis.html
or here http://www.carmel-assembly.org.il/congregation.html

 the next part of the journey is Nazareth ,  the Jesus Trail, the Galli , Golan Heights and more. stay tuned !

UNTILL NEXT TIME SHAOLM FROM ISRAEL.