Shalom!
We are now staying 3 nights at Nof Ginosar on the shores of Lake Galilee, one of Israel ‘s oldest kibbutzim, founded in 1938 (before World War 2. ), originally for agriculture and then for tourism from 1960s.
We went from mourning yesterday the men and women who have died defending Israel, to a holiday today celebrating the nation of Israel’s 70th anniversary. There were fireworks last night, sea shore family barbecues all along the shores of Lake Galilee today, and the blue and white Israeli flag flying everywhere. We also saw army planes, helicopters and parachutists over Lake Galilee, and jets in formation screamed over us when we visited Beth She’an.
This morning, we walked to the Jesus Boat Museum. In 1986 local men found ancient nails in the sand, and on exploring further, discovered a 1st century AD wooden fishing boat buried in the mud on the shores of Lake Galilee. Fishing boats (like this one) are referred to several times in the Gospels.
Preservation was tricky because the ancient boat crumbled when in contact with air. Eventually polyurethane foam and water were used to rescue it, so conservation could take place.
We were told that to own a fishing boat (such as Peter, James and John, with their families) meant wealth.
We then enjoyed a cruise in a beautiful old wooden boat, seeing from the lake the hillsides where Jesus preached the Beatitudes and fed the five thousand, and the beach where he cooked the fish for his disciples after the Resurrection.
The boat crew showed us how to net fish from the boat (without success) and they and Nate (our guide) had us all up dancing Israeli style to the song Hava Nageela as we cruised Galilee.
For the rest of the morning, we headed south in the bus along the shores of Galilee, towards Mt Hermon. On the other side of the lake, we could see the misty outlines of the Gilead Mountains in Jordan and the Golan Heights towards Syria.
We drove through fields of mangoes, bananas, olives and avocados, lined with colourful bougainvilleas and oleanders, a rich agricultural area.
We drove through Tiberius, a town from Roman times, and a holy city for Jews. The Mishnah and Talmud were written in Tiberius in the time after Christ, and the Jewish mystic Cabbala also originated here.
We travelled on to Beth She’an, where the bodies of King Saul and his three sons were exhibited after their defeat in battle. The bodies were rescued by men from Jabesh Gilead and buried in that town. (1 Samuel ch 31)
In Roman times, Jesus is said in the Gospels to have preached in all the cities of the Decapolis. Beth She’an is only Decapolis city now in Israel, being east of the Jordan River, the other 9 cities being in Jordan. It was considered a pagan city and did not have to obey Jewish law, so was not destroyed after the Jewish rebellion against the Romans which resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. The city was a military buffer between the Roman Empire and the Nabateans (who ruled Petra).
The Greeks and Romans built a new city over the original Phillistine city, and then Christianity reached its height there under the Byzantine Christian Emperor Theodosius around 400 AD.
We walked down the Cardo, the main street, originally lined with columns and shops, and saw the well preserved forum, baths, theatre, and public toilets from the Roman era, with remnants of beautiful mosaic floors and pavements.
In some places we could see where the Christian Byzantine era had overlaid the Roman one, such as marble paving over mosaics.
Eventually the city was captured by Muslim invaders, and we saw the overlay of their culture in some areas of the city also.
In 749 AD the city was completely destroyed by an earthquake, this area being part of the Great Rift Valley stretching down through Africa, where 2 tectonic plates meet. We could see how many of the huge marble columns had mostly fallen in the same direction, as much of the city remains to be excavated and restored. (Excavation in Beth She’an only began in the 1960s after the city was re- settled. )
We arrived back at Nof Ginosar in time for lunch, after which a small group travelled an hour north to the coastal Crusader city of Acer.
The rest of us enjoyed our beautiful surroundings and perfect weather, many swimming in Galilee from a stony and muddy beach. Some of us saw a baptism in the lake.
After our usual sumptuous buffet dinner, we met together to read Bible passages for the day, pray and sing.
Anne Neil
We are now staying 3 nights at Nof Ginosar on the shores of Lake Galilee, one of Israel ‘s oldest kibbutzim, founded in 1938 (before World War 2. ), originally for agriculture and then for tourism from 1960s.
We went from mourning yesterday the men and women who have died defending Israel, to a holiday today celebrating the nation of Israel’s 70th anniversary. There were fireworks last night, sea shore family barbecues all along the shores of Lake Galilee today, and the blue and white Israeli flag flying everywhere. We also saw army planes, helicopters and parachutists over Lake Galilee, and jets in formation screamed over us when we visited Beth She’an.
This morning, we walked to the Jesus Boat Museum. In 1986 local men found ancient nails in the sand, and on exploring further, discovered a 1st century AD wooden fishing boat buried in the mud on the shores of Lake Galilee. Fishing boats (like this one) are referred to several times in the Gospels.
Preservation was tricky because the ancient boat crumbled when in contact with air. Eventually polyurethane foam and water were used to rescue it, so conservation could take place.
We were told that to own a fishing boat (such as Peter, James and John, with their families) meant wealth.
We then enjoyed a cruise in a beautiful old wooden boat, seeing from the lake the hillsides where Jesus preached the Beatitudes and fed the five thousand, and the beach where he cooked the fish for his disciples after the Resurrection.
The boat crew showed us how to net fish from the boat (without success) and they and Nate (our guide) had us all up dancing Israeli style to the song Hava Nageela as we cruised Galilee.
For the rest of the morning, we headed south in the bus along the shores of Galilee, towards Mt Hermon. On the other side of the lake, we could see the misty outlines of the Gilead Mountains in Jordan and the Golan Heights towards Syria.
We drove through fields of mangoes, bananas, olives and avocados, lined with colourful bougainvilleas and oleanders, a rich agricultural area.
We drove through Tiberius, a town from Roman times, and a holy city for Jews. The Mishnah and Talmud were written in Tiberius in the time after Christ, and the Jewish mystic Cabbala also originated here.
We travelled on to Beth She’an, where the bodies of King Saul and his three sons were exhibited after their defeat in battle. The bodies were rescued by men from Jabesh Gilead and buried in that town. (1 Samuel ch 31)
In Roman times, Jesus is said in the Gospels to have preached in all the cities of the Decapolis. Beth She’an is only Decapolis city now in Israel, being east of the Jordan River, the other 9 cities being in Jordan. It was considered a pagan city and did not have to obey Jewish law, so was not destroyed after the Jewish rebellion against the Romans which resulted in the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD. The city was a military buffer between the Roman Empire and the Nabateans (who ruled Petra).
The Greeks and Romans built a new city over the original Phillistine city, and then Christianity reached its height there under the Byzantine Christian Emperor Theodosius around 400 AD.
We walked down the Cardo, the main street, originally lined with columns and shops, and saw the well preserved forum, baths, theatre, and public toilets from the Roman era, with remnants of beautiful mosaic floors and pavements.
In some places we could see where the Christian Byzantine era had overlaid the Roman one, such as marble paving over mosaics.
Eventually the city was captured by Muslim invaders, and we saw the overlay of their culture in some areas of the city also.
In 749 AD the city was completely destroyed by an earthquake, this area being part of the Great Rift Valley stretching down through Africa, where 2 tectonic plates meet. We could see how many of the huge marble columns had mostly fallen in the same direction, as much of the city remains to be excavated and restored. (Excavation in Beth She’an only began in the 1960s after the city was re- settled. )
We arrived back at Nof Ginosar in time for lunch, after which a small group travelled an hour north to the coastal Crusader city of Acer.
The rest of us enjoyed our beautiful surroundings and perfect weather, many swimming in Galilee from a stony and muddy beach. Some of us saw a baptism in the lake.
After our usual sumptuous buffet dinner, we met together to read Bible passages for the day, pray and sing.
Anne Neil
Our guide tries Vegemite!!
The "Jesus" boat from the first century AD
We sailed Lake Galilee on this boat - a replica built in Egypt 25 years ago
Regina raises the Australian flag as we sing Advance Australia Fair
The remains of the heating system of the Roman bath house
The Christian symbol in the Byzantine remains
The columns as they fell in the 749 earthquake
Robyn and Tim at the theatre
Thanks Anne for the detailed description of your day and surroundings. I’m sitting on the bus going to work and it’s great to hear of your adventures.
ReplyDeleteChris