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FlyOnTheWall Report 1

I've been here about a week. Here's a synopsis:
1. I flew on Delta to Tel Aviv. The flight was packed plus a waiting list with a wide assortment of folks including Americans, Israelis, the observant, the secular, Israelis returning from touring the U.S., Americans going to tour Israel. Arrived into Tel Aviv to a happy crowd of Israelis welcoming family and friends. In the middle of the waving group a hand shot up and waved to me. Tim. So goooood to see you, Tim.
2. Cultural highlight: Jewish people around the world were celebrating Rosh Hoshana beginning sundown the day I arrived until sundown on Tuesday. In Jerusalem, shops and restaurants were closed for those two days. Lucky for this traveler, there was a lone sushi restaurant open and we enjoyed a first meal under the evening sky in Jerusalem. Later, the clink-on-dinnerware of a sumptuous meal came drifting from a nearby apartment along with the mix and murmer of conversation and laughter, voices in Hebrew and English punctuated occassionally by the loud baritone blast of an American. It was my introduction to the hush of a vibrant city at rest. I loved it and look forward to the arrival of the weekly celebration of rest, Shabbat (the Sabbath every Saturday). If you'd like to learn more about the Jewish high holidays, www.chabad.org has been a site I've learned a lot from.
From the perspective of a follower of Yeshua, see christianity.about.com/od/biblefeastsandholidays/p/feastofbooths.htm

3. I've been allowed to join the field study trips here. Friday was a field study to Samaria. That rings a bell for many of you (Jesus speaking to the woman at the well) and you probably know that Samaria lies largely within the present day West Bank of U.S. newspaper headline fame. I'll tackle the security risk question later. The tour itself included visits to Shilo (Hannah dedicates Samuel), Sabastia (Herod built a temple - yes a temple- to Caesar here) and Shechem (Israelites rededicating themselves to God's commandments). We did not visit the site of the well - there is a church that sits on top of it and the well site is underneath the alter. That "alters" the look of things a bit, but it does tell the world, "Dibs!" on this location. And in this area of the world there are a variety of groups putting dibs on various sites, as you well know. There are few springs or wells in this area, and Shechem is undisputed as far as archaeology is concerned so there's a good chance that the well is The Well where Jesus so famously crossed social, cultural and religious lines to speak face to face with a person who was in a world of hurt. That's SFUTTA. (Something For Us To Think About)

This was lots of text for you to read, and I've only told you a sliver. Gotta go. Tim and I are headed to the Western Wall to see what's happening. This week Jewish people will prepare and then celebrate Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement. Catch you later!

CK alias The Fly