Eretz Yisrael

Coming Home

Here’s a random rambly post because I don’t have anything better to do.

I’m sitting in the airport, waiting for our plane to depart. My laptop is downloading software so that I can hack it to run the Kindle Reader App so I can read stuff on our eleven hour flight. Said flight has been delayed by 30 minutes. Part of me is glad; I don’t want to leave.

This trip has been amazing. We’ve seen so many places and learned so many things. I can’t wait to share all the pictures and information with people, but it won’t compare to actually being here. It’s sad that we’re leaving. We’re all really good friends and we’re going to miss each other a lot. Going back to everyday life will be odd at first, I think.

At the same time it will be good to be back. I can’t wait to start studying the Bible with my class and teaching it at church. We’re all going to read the Bible differently from now on. We’ve got pictures, vivid pictures, in our head of all the places we’ve been. They’ll come to mind whenever we read a related Biblical text.

If you ever have the opportunity to come to Israel, you should take it. Don’t worry if you can’t, though. We’ll all be spending eternity in Jerusalem when the King comes back.

David Mikucki
Freshman
Undeclared Major
Bible and Israel Class

(Posted on March 24 at 10:05am Israel time)

ahooba Ben Yehuda who?

Well hello again, 

you haven’t heard much from us because of the non-existent wi-fi at the hotel…yeah…but besides that the Mt. Zion hotel is incredible. It really blends so well with the area, the couches are so pretty haha. that stuck out to me…and they have great mints at the front desk..i was dissapointed when i found no no bath towels folded into camels….i decided i would try it on my own…it went…well?

well, our schedule here has been…to say the least….busy. We walk literally all day. Its so worth it though with what we get to see. For example, Jerusalem in general is a heaping pile of history and it doesnt matter where you walk…youre walking somewhere with importance. seriously. 

I could type out every place we went to but, I would rather just tell you how amazing this trip has been because of what God has blessed us with. Not only are we here….we are experiencing so much! I can’t even explain to you how awesome this group is. I didnt think it was possible to mesh this well with a group like this, every different age and walk of life….I can say that I love these guys like family. Its amazing how the love of Christ can bring so much unity in such a short amount of time.

Tonight we all shared our favorite parts of the trip or something that affected us, and it was such a great time of fellowship. You could see the love people have for God and how much they want to grow in their relationship with Him. Being in Israel makes me feel more than a picture of the life of Christ ,but the promise that one day we will all bow before Him as one body. I got a taste of that this past 12 days being with this amazing group. I don’t ever want to loose this community and i want to bring this home to my family and friends.

God is amazing, and Its going to be a long time to download all that has happened on this trip. He has made a change in my heart, and Im excited to see where this change takes me.

Ill be in touch! Our plane leaves in the morning for Newark! 12 hour ride here we come!

love you all! God bless!

- Emily

We’re Alright

Some of you already know this, but a bomb went off in Jerusalem (where we’re staying). Everyone here is fine; we weren’t near it. We are still planning on returning at the same time. The hotel has given us free wifi, so you may see some extra posts go up today.

(Posted on March 23 at 9:51 Israel time)

Arrival in Jerusalem

This has been one memorable week.  For me personally being in the nation of my people is one experience I will never forget.  Coming from a Jewish background and seeing how the Bible is coming alive provides for a more meaningful significance in both what being Jewish means to me and what being a Christian means from a Jewish perspective.  Now that we are in Jerusalem, the best is yet to come as we see more of the Bible coming alive.  This week will be full of new adventures and new experiences.

Elana-Beth Rosen

Graduate Student

Masters in Bible

o my salty goodness.

I’m sorry to say this is my first blog of the trip! It’s unbelievable how exhausted you are at the end of each day! This trip has been more than i could of even imagined. I know it’s expected to hear that from anyone that has the oppurtunity to come to Israel, but It’s so much more than just “meeting my expectations”.

God has brought us here not just to learn and understand His land better, but to really let it sink in. Sometimes I think we accept our faith so quickly that we forget that God has left endless amounts of evidence for His existence and the validity of His word. This year has been full of papers, homework, and long days in the b.i. room, but I finally see how helpful it’s been. I’ve learned so much, and realize that i  still have so much more to understand.

Well, on a lighter note…here’s something to brighten up your day… I have officially stepped in Israeli cow poop…yeah… the whole way down Mt. Arbel…

We are currently at a little cafe next to our hotel on the Dead Sea, playing dutch blitz, drinking some form of coffee, and …someone is trying to blog…and it’s taking her 40 minutes….

so, i’m going to end it here„,because i’m overtired….and should not be allowed to be posting anything to this site.

Emily/אמילי York
Undeclared Major
Bible and Israel Student

(Posted March 19th at 9:46pm Israel time)