Today is our last full day in Israel. We fly from Tel Aviv to Istanbul tomorrow afternoon.
Yesterday, we finally walked into Jaffa's Old City. We can see the steeples and minarets of Jaffa from our apartement windows but hadn't gotten that far down the seaside Promenade until yesterday morning. Jaffa (also known as "Joppa") appears several times in the Old and New Testaments. It is the port that received the "Cedars of Lebanon" to build the first and second temples. When Jonah was trying to run away from God, he got on a boat in Joppa (and ended up you-know-where.) The Apostle Peter was napping on a Joppa rooftop when he had a vision of "unclean" animals being lowered on a blanket, which convinced him to share the Gospel with a Gentile.
We wandered around the ancient stone buildings and fortified wall of old Jaffa and then headed to Jaffa's famous flea market. Several streets in the center of the city are lined with hawkers of everything old. It is a fascinating mix of nice antiques and items that should be thrown away. Since we can't carry a carpet-covered ottomon or a rocking chair in our backpacks, we left empty-handed.
In the afternoon we explored in different directions for a few hours. Mostly I went to the beach while Leroy hung out at a coffee shop. It was the first time we've been apart for more than fifteen minutes in the last month - probably overdue!
Very close to our apartment, on the waterfront, is a horrific landmark. We pass it each time we walk the Promenade or go to the beach. It is the gutted remains of the "Dolphinarium". Originally an aquatic park, it contained a discotheque for teenagers when it was attacked by a Palestinian suicide bomber in June 2001. 21 teens, mostly new Russian immigrants ages 14-16, perished. Everyone condemned the attack, including Palestinian leader Yassar Arafat. Today the City of Tel Aviv is still trying to decide what to do with the site. In the meantime it stands next to a beach crowded with sunbathers as a very graphic reminder of how fragile peace is in this part if the world. We have been privileged to meet many wonderful people while in Israel, including Israelis, Palestinians, and others. Issues causing ongoing tension and occasional violence are complex. Each day we learn more. It's been a valuable experience to see things first-hand rather than through the lens of media. Ongoing prayers and action for justice and peace (shalom) are needed!
Folks back home are just waking up, but we are seven hours ahead. We have already been to the
beach and back (I made my first Mediterranean sand castle) and had fallafels for lunch in the Carmel Market. Our last day in Israel marks the completion of the first of three months overseas. It's been a fantastic journey so far, and there is much to anticipate as we travel to Turkey tomorrow.
Yesterday, we finally walked into Jaffa's Old City. We can see the steeples and minarets of Jaffa from our apartement windows but hadn't gotten that far down the seaside Promenade until yesterday morning. Jaffa (also known as "Joppa") appears several times in the Old and New Testaments. It is the port that received the "Cedars of Lebanon" to build the first and second temples. When Jonah was trying to run away from God, he got on a boat in Joppa (and ended up you-know-where.) The Apostle Peter was napping on a Joppa rooftop when he had a vision of "unclean" animals being lowered on a blanket, which convinced him to share the Gospel with a Gentile.
Folks back home are just waking up, but we are seven hours ahead. We have already been to the