We began our 23-hour journey to Israel on a Monday morning following a weekend full of some of the worst violence and terrorism the country had seen in its brief 53-year existence. Bombings and shooting between Israelis and Palestinians were daily occurrences in the West Bank and Gaza, along with suicide bombings every few days around the country. In fact, one suicide bomber blew himself up just two blocks from our hotel shortly after I woke up the first morning in Jerusalem. Israel considered declaring war on Palestine.
Yuval Russ, our Israeli tour guide for the trip, described living with the violence as being like swimming in the ocean, with wave after wave washing over you while you’re trying to take a breath—a never-ending, unpredictable cycle.
This is what I call the CNN Israel—the view of the country that we see on the news here in America. But during the eight days we spent touring the country in a volatile, post-September 11 time, we saw a much different side of Israel. Let me take you there now and show you what you won’t see on the news.

Land of Contrasts

Israel is a land of stark contrasts. Old and new structures look alike in Jerusalem because all buildings are required to be made of limestone. From my room at the modern Dan Pearl hotel, I could look across the street to the walls of the Old City, which were built in the 16th century.
I learned that the name Jerusalem means “city of peace.” Yet this ancient-looking city nestled on the fringe of the West Bank sees soldiers marching a constant vigil through the streets, keeping watch for yet another incident of non-peace.
All across the country, deeply religious experiences rooted in the ancient are interrupted by the constant singsong of cell phones.
This small country the size of New Jersey holds beaches, hills, and rivers, as well as deserts and flatlands. Mount Hermon in the north is frosted with snow in the winter, while the southern deserts give off blistering heat in the summer.
I expected Israel to be a brown, monochromatic, barren, and somewhat ugly place, but like most of my expectations, this one was shattered by the reality of Israel’s beauty. I witnessed some spectacular sunrises and sunsets. One particular day, I watched the sun rise over the Jordanian mountains at the Sea of Galilee, and watched it set below the horizon of the Mediterranean.
In eastern Israel, the Dead Sea is known worldwide for its spas and the healing properties of its highly salted water and mineral-rich mud. Yet perhaps 20 minutes away, we bounced along in a four-wheel drive tour of the Judean Desert. There, ribbons of salt crystal formations towered above us, carved into beauty by ancient waters now receded. As we sat on a rug on the desert floor, drinking tea made over a camp stove by our Bedouin desert guide, I looked up at the sculpted formations and thought of how much they looked like the rock formations in Utah or Arizona—on the opposite side of the world from where we sat.
In the Galilee area, I looked down over the Valley of Armageddon, which the Bible tells us will be the location of the end of the world. Today it’s a sprawling, peaceful-looking, fertile area known as “the bread basket of Israel.”
And though it’s only about 40 miles away from Jerusalem, Tel Aviv is a pulsing, modern city with high-rises and New York-like retail streets. Those who want to “see and be seen” strut by hip clothing stores and coffee shops. Yet just around the corner, booths display goods in open-air craft markets, colorful fruit and vegetable markets, and flea markets with sellers working to entice passersby inside to “please, look.”

Land of Many People

When most of us think of Israel, we think of the Jewish faith. Israel is the only official Jewish country in the world, and 5.5 million of the 6.5 million people who live there are Jewish—secular, Orthodox, Ultra-Orthodox, or Hasidic.
Aside from the majority of Jews, Christians call this land the birthplace of their religion, and three times as many Muslims as Christians live there. But along with the expected, I met some “unexpected” people in Israel.
The Bedouins live in tent settlements in the desert or on a hillside outside of the city. They lead a simple life, tending herds of sheep, goats, and camels. A collection of Bedouin tents reminded me of a gathering of homeless people, but the television antennas poking through the tops of tents hint that this way of life is more permanent.
We met with David Friedman in the artist town of Tzfat. He’s a Kabbalah artist whose Jewish mysticism and fascination with the patterns found in numbers, letters, and colors is echoed in his watercolor-and-ink art.
A Druze man hosted dinner for us one night. The Druze are a religious community who combine beliefs from all of the world’s major religions. They believe very strongly in reincarnation, so they’re very friendly and hospitable to everyone in case they meet them again in the next life.

Land of Remembering

Israel is a place to come and remember the past. For Christians, it offers the chance to see things we read about in the Bible. We visited the area where Jesus fed the 5,000 and the Mount of Beatitudes where he gave the Sermon on the Mount. We saw where he was crucified, and stood in the hush of the tomb where he was buried.
Historians will find ruins of ancient civilizations and archaeological excavation sites dotting the country. Roman columns, theaters, bath houses, and fortresses lurk underneath the areas where Israelis live today. In fact, a small excavation has cut a hole in the ground in the middle of a green park in Jaffa, next to Tel Aviv.
We were in Israel for the first few days of Hanukkah and were able to observe one family’s celebration of this remembering holiday. They lit menorah candles and sang songs about the miracle of one day’s worth of oil lasting for eight, and they shared their holiday feast with us—potato pancakes and other foods fried in oil, again for remembrance.
We visited the Holocaust museum and stood in a dark room with the names of Nazi death camps carved into the black floor. A fire burns continually to remember and honor the millions of Jews who were killed.
Every place that can be visited in Israel gives glimpses into the past, and connects the past with the present.

Land of Miracles

“Never, never forget that this is the land of miracles,” our guide, Yuval, said as we drove from Ben Gurion airport to Jerusalem that first night. I was able to witness that fact firsthand several times during the trip.
When we first came to Israel, our plane landed in a torrential rainstorm. As the announcement that we’d landed was made, the heavily accented English translation claimed that it was “raining cats and dogs,” the kind of rain, Yuval said, that only occurs about every seven years in Israel—a true miracle for the people of this desert land.
Clarence Wagner, co-founder of Israel-based Bridges for Peace, says that Christians tend to say that it would’ve been nice to be in Israel in the days when God was doing something. But God’s doing something today, he argues. “Isaiah 35:1 says . . . the desert will blossom as a rose. Every day five million flower blossoms are exported from Israel, from the desert. Then it says [in Psalm 133:3] the hills of Zion will be watered with the dews of Mount Hermon. Literally, the water from Mount Hermon goes in the Sea of Galilee and then washes down through the water carrier and is used to water the desert to make the flowers bloom. The prophecies are fulfilled in our day.”
At a biblical nature reserve designed to show how the land looked in Jesus’ time, an almond tree bloomed with white flowers although it wasn’t the season for it to do so. And when we stopped for lunch on our way to Galilee—the most spiritual place of the journey for me—the rain stopped, the sun peaked through the clouds, and a brilliant double rainbow appeared in the sky—a reminder of God’s promise of protection amid the turmoil.

Land of My Faith

When Israel’s Ministry of Tourism invited us to visit the country, I was hesitant. When the September 11 attacks occurred, I was adamantly against going. But through a series of events, God showed me his hand of protection, and gave me a peace that I didn’t need to fear. I stepped out in faith, and met God where he met the world.
I walked along the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem, retracing the steps that Jesus took with a heavy, wooden cross on his back. I traveled through the bustling streets of Nazareth, imagining a young Jesus working alongside Joseph in a carpentry shop. I dipped my hand into the waters of the Jordan River near where he was baptized. I saw the date palm trees, whose branches were laid in the street for his triumphant entry. I looked out over the Sea of Galilee and could almost see him walking on the water toward Peter’s fishing boat. And I went to the Garden Tomb, seeing with my own eyes that it is empty!
Traveling to Israel was an eye-opening experience for me—one that challenged my assumptions over and over again, and stretched me both personally and professionally. I’d never really had a desire to visit Israel, but I’m glad now that I’ve had the experience. And I can’t help but be changed by it.

Kristi Rector is the associate editor of Rev. Magazine. (Rector@OnlineRev.com)

Ready to Go?
Pointers from the Israel Government Tourist Office (IGTO) on how to plan a trip for your church

1. Set a date—Allow yourself at least six months so you and your congregation can prepare spiritually, financially, and logistically. The IGTO suggests that pastors set the date to avoid dealing with many people’s conflicting schedules.
2. Choose a tour organizer—Work with your travel agent or one of the approximately 100 tour operators who specialize in organizing travel packages to the Holy Land. Each has expertise in different types of tours and offers different rates, so shop around for the one that best meets your needs. Tour operators will create an itinerary specifically for your congregation, and they’ll handle all the logistical details, including accommodations, reservations, transportation, entrance fees, meals, and tour guides. Your guide will meet you at the airport and accompany you throughout your travels.
   Your responsibility as a pastor will be to provide spiritual leadership for your group.
3. Promote the trip to your church—Tour operators will help you with things such as providing a letter announcing the trip; creating a financial plan; making presentations to your congregation to create excitement and ease concerns; distributing itineraries, brochures, pamphlets, videos, posters, and others materials; and answering questions.
4. Prepare spiritually—You may want to plan sermons about the places you’ll visit for the weeks before your trip. Then when you go, the Bible lessons will come alive for your group.

The IGTO offers seminars for pastors throughout the year that provide information and details about how to lead congregations on trips to Israel. Each seminar features a guest speaker such as an archaeologist or biblical scholar, and a tour guide from Israel who specializes in Christian groups.
This is actually a very good time to visit Israel. Tourism has dropped off dramatically, which means no waiting in lines for hours, and having the chance for some personal reflection time at religious sites.
For more information, contact the IGTO at 888-77-ISRAEL, info@goisrael.com, or www.goisrael.com (in Canada email igto@idirect.com).