Shalom from Jerusalem! We have experienced so much in the past few days that it is hard to take it all in. We continue to meet wonderful people both Arab and Jew. It is an interesting time to be here as they just had their elections this past Tuesday -lots of conversations with Israeli's about this.
We spent Friday morning at the Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem - Yad Vashem -Memorial and Name. This is a memorial to those who lived through and died during the holocaust along with those who risked their lives to help the persecuted. Our tour of the museum told a story of the lives of the Jews before the Nazi's came into power. What struck us as we saw the holocaust unfold was the millions of lives that were exterminated and never allowed to begin - the generations that would never be.
We then spent the afternoon in old Jerusalem and prayed at the Western (Wailing) Wall. It was a holy experience. It was fascinating watching all of the religious Jews and their different degrees of orthodoxy. We spent the evening with a local family for Shabat dinner. Shabat is the Jewish Sabbath which lasts from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. They had a traditonal Shabat dinner with all of the blessings, singing, and the following of the laws required by observant Jews. This family opened their home and welcomed 14 of us to share in this ceremony that they joyfully embrace each Friday evening.
We then spent the afternoon in old Jerusalem and prayed at the Western (Wailing) Wall. It was a holy experience. It was fascinating watching all of the religious Jews and their different degrees of orthodoxy. We spent the evening with a local family for Shabat dinner. Shabat is the Jewish Sabbath which lasts from sundown on Friday to sundown on Saturday. They had a traditonal Shabat dinner with all of the blessings, singing, and the following of the laws required by observant Jews. This family opened their home and welcomed 14 of us to share in this ceremony that they joyfully embrace each Friday evening.
We spent today in Bethlehem meeting with Palestinian Christians. People, who over and over again have experienced oppression; injustices that have made their everyday life difficult. But what we have heard over and over again was a hope, a hope that comes out of our Christian values of equality, justice and freedom. A hope that comes out of God's call to be peacemakers. A hope that we can love one another as Christ told us to do.
We started this trip with a devotion from Matthew 22:37-39, " Jesus replied, ' Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' With every story we hear, our hearts return to this commandment.
Shalom, Salome,
Debbie Manning
We started this trip with a devotion from Matthew 22:37-39, " Jesus replied, ' Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' With every story we hear, our hearts return to this commandment.
Shalom, Salome,
Debbie Manning
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