The Youth Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

The Pilgrims are Home!

2010-07-24T19:01:00.000-07:00

The pilgrims made their way home, although a day late. Due to a 2 hour late departure from Tel Aviv Friday morning, we missed our connection in Frankfurt. Lufthansa rebooked us on Saturday's flight to Seattle, and provided hotel rooms and meals for the entire bunch.

While everyone was happy to finally be home, the day of rest in Frankfurt was at least beneficial to the chaperones! We enjoyed the opportunity for a comfortable rest!

When we finally arrived in Seattle, we were thrilled to be met by parents, friends, and Kathy Hamilton!!!! It was a wonderful way to be welcomed back.

-JR

Final Day by Nate R.

2010-07-22T11:24:00.000-07:00

Well today was our last day in Israel…it was a sad but fun day.

We started off by waking up at 9AM (which was a well earned late wake up). We then had breakfast and around 10ish we decided to walk (one more time) to Jaffa. It was about a 1 mile walk and it took us about an hour. We saw the port that Jonah was supposed to have left from. Afterwards we stopped off at a Schwarma restaurant and got food. We then were “free” until 5:45. The guys and I walked around Tel-Aviv and shopped a little bit, then I went to the beach with the girls in our group while the other guys looked for post cards. After we went to the beach we came back to the hotel and hung out until it was time for dinner, we went to a restaurant near the Sea.

Then we got gelato and walked around the beach for the rest of the time.

The time is 8 o’clock at night and our plane for Frankfurt leaves at 5:00 in the morning so we have to be at the airport at 2 in the morning. This will be very interesting (trying to maintain a positive attitude with the security people at 1:30 in the morning). Look forward to seeing everyone soon.

Departing Jerusalem - by Riley G.

2010-07-22T11:22:00.000-07:00

Today was a bittersweet day; we had to say our goodbyes to all of the new friends we made at St. Georges College. While we were waiting, a small blind kitten ran into the driveway. Cats run around like squirrels. We played with the Kitten and tried to give it food although it didn’t want anything. It made many of us, especially Nate, sad to leave the kitten behind. Our bus finally arrived, after all of the other groups had left, to take us to Tel Aviv. The city is one of the only major cities in the country so it is like the Las Vegas, New York, Miami and LA of Israel all mixed into one. More on this later.

Our rooms were not all ready, so we left our luggage in one of the available rooms and toured around the city. Ben Gurion, the first Prime Minister of Israel owned a house, which has been transformed into a Museum. The history in this house showed the serious attempt that the country had at unifying its people and creating a peaceful country.

After walking around for about 2 hours, our rooms were ready. We all changed into our swimming gear and took a dive into the Mediterranean. In comparison, the Dead Sea contains 14% salt; the Mediterranean has only 7% salt content. It still left a bad taste in my mouth, but was enjoyable to swim in such warm, yet refreshing water. The waves came in as perfect waves, which many people in the water were either surfing of body surfing. I tried to body surf although the salt water would get into my nose and burned for a long while.

We returned to the Hotel to dry off before leaving for dinner. A group of kids, about our age walked in from a tour bus that was parked outside. There were so many of them, and they all spoke French. I was told they were “ Birth Right Jews.” I didn’t know what that meant. From what I am told, Jewish Youth have the option of traveling to the Israel (which is commonly known as the Jewish Homeland) and is paid for by many American Jewish Communities. Because the Israeli Government sponsors it, I don’t believe that those visitors have an accurate representation of what is happening in the country. We’ve seen so much more than the local government wants us to see! We’ve talked to Arabs and Palestinians and seen the discrimination from locals. Water is the biggest issue.

Mt Tabor - by Riley G.

2010-07-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, today was uneventful although we saw some very historical sites. In the morning, we left Pilgarhaus for Mount Tabor which is almost a perfect dome surrounded by flat valley areas. The parks department told us that we were not allowed to climb up the mountain (or what they call one) because the leaves that fall on the hiking path this

time of year are very slippery and hikers should not climb up or down, so...we took taxi's.

The mountain is VERY steep and the road is extremely curvy and the taxi's drive very fast around those turns. When we got to the top, we held a Eucharist. Later we discover the church at the top of the mountain which is where is was claimed the transfiguration took place.

Most of the rest of the was a day of moving around and heading back to Jerusalem. Our bus was having major problems however and the path of our road, was very desert like and the air conditioning was broken and the bus was slowly shutting itself down. We made it safely back to Jerusalem although not without a stop at Bet Shian. These are just another of an infinate set of Roman/Egyptian ruins.

Our scavenger hunt didn't sound too appealing in the 100+ degree heat.

So I stayed and viewed the ruins from a distance while others took a more hands on approach (climbing to the top of the Tel, a mixture of several civilizations). I wich I took the more hands on approach although one of the girls from the Canadian group became dehydrated and came down with heat sickness.

After a long day of traveling and a short day of sightseeing, we return to Saint George's College. Some of our final shopping bits were taken care of at the small Bazzar across the street as souvineers and gifts for family and friends back home. As tomorrow will be the last day of the course, featuring the Stations of the Cross and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Church of the Resurection), our groups discussed the proceedure at the Tel Aviv Airport. These are much more strict at this airport in particular although I will blog about that when I experience it. Until tomorrow!

Birthday - by Riley G.

2010-07-19T11:42:00.000-07:00

My day started much earlier than expected at Midnight. I was sleeping in my room at a Hostile along the Sea of Galilee when I heard the door to my room open and I woke up to see what it was. A large group of people from the youth course were standing in the doorway. I said, “What are you doing in my room?” and then they serenaded me in bed hitting me with pillows singing Happy Birthday. What a way to start my 18th birthday…with a group of friends in Israel!

When we woke up and ate a great breakfast (they have Coco Puffs here!!!) we traveled a short way to Capernaum. This is where Jesus moved to after his youth in Nazareth which was becoming much too dangerous for the sun of got to be living. Capernaum was a much larger city than Nazareth although has become ruins later in time while Nazareth has flourished into a major city. The morning was spent in the ruins where I received my first birthday present from my parents (a kiss from JR and Irene, my parents away from home).

Our next stop was to the Temple of Pan, another common god during the time of Jesus. This fortress was built by the sons for Herod following his death. The architecture of this fallen village was amazing. A Highlight at this site was the sand scriptures. A large rod attached to a cone sitting in a sand pit has reversed lettering on it so when it was rotated in the sand, the result would be a scripture. I’ll put a picture up which will make much more sense. After seeing this area and Banyas Waterfall (which had a French Fry Vending machine) we returned to the Hostile on the Sea of Galilee.

On the ride back, we saw signs along the road which read, “Caution, Mines" I wondered why and was told we were in Israeli occupied Syria. Through this trip I have visited multiple countries, the US of course, Germany, Israel, Occupied Palestine and Syria. The territories throughout the country are very different than when we look at them on a political map. Everything isn’t as clear as a line which divides state from state. It is argued land and since the United States supports Israel, we see the country as the Israeli Government wants us to see it and what seems right in the eyes of the powerful Jewish rulers.

Returning to Pilgarhaus, we changed into swimming gear to go to the water for a baptism service. It was a traditional baptism device where Emily was dunked into the water on the Sea of Galilee. Following this service students from the coarse swam for a while in the refreshing water. It was not cold, although it seemed like a public pool that was slightly warmed. For us Seattleites, it was VERY warm water.

It’s my birthday and many people wished me a Very Happy Birthday. I feel like I have so many more privileges and responsibilities although I don’t feel any wiser with the responsibilities. At dinner, people bought me my soda and following the group reflection time, they threw me a birthday party with cherry chocolate cake. When the amazing cake came out, it didn’t have candles, but rather fireworks spewing sparks out from the top. What a way to end the day sitting next to a lake in Israel with a group of friends eating my birthday cake with fireworks on top!

Nayas blog 7/18/10

2010-07-18T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! sorry im not blogging a lot! i am having a lot of fun and im sure you have been keeping up with what we have doing throughout this time so i am not going to repeat saying it lol however i will say that we had a great reflection today and it really made me think that i really enjoy my faith and that i dont need to see to believe that god is always with me!. i am really sad about this really confusing and complicated conflicts that is going on here, im sad for all my friends i have made here, and us christians should really try to help!

I had a roommate named Sally who is going home tomorrow because she is really sick and i will miss her lots, i think that it is awesome that we have made future plans to get togther and keep in contact! love you sally, bahebek!

today was exciting with all the events that went on like Rileys 18th bday and Emilys BAPTISM congrats to them both!

for everyone at home i miss and love you all!

love from naya

Katie W's post from Galilee

2010-07-18T11:36:00.000-07:00

Today has been wonderful. It's Riley's birthday, so at 12:04 about 15 of us woke him up to sing to him. It was so funny. When Steven let us into the room Riley woke up and was like "what are you doing in my room??" which was hilarious cause then we started singing and turned on the lights and he freaked out. But then we all left and let him go back to sleep. He pretended to be angry with me at breakfast cause it was my idea:P. We started at Capernum this morning, which was lovely. There were cats everywhere, really small ones. They were surprisingly friendly. I climbed a tree, which was cool cause I could look down on the whole ancient city, including a beautiful view of the coast. We also went to a great waterfall, it was such a great little hidden wonder. Then we lunched at Cesaera Phillipi. Standing in the Jordan river was such a powerful experience. A couple of the other girls and I were standing in it and it was so peaceful. I splashed my knees with the water, and it felt so calming. They haven't hurt since then. Last we did Emily's baptism, which was amazing. It's so great that she was able to be baptized in the sea of Galilee. After that it turned into a huge swimming party, which was so much fun. Buying a waterproof camera was so smart. I have some awesome shots of the chicken fight. Love from Israel! Katie

Saturday by Steven B.

2010-07-18T08:41:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a very full day, we covered a lot of ground and experianced a wide variety of things. We departed St. George's in the morning, and headed for Ceaserea Maritima, an ancient city on the coast of the Mediterranian. we explored the remains of a Roman racetrack and a Crusader gatehouse. It as interesting to see the various layers of history there. after Ceaserea, we paid a visit to Megiddo, the sight of a city that dates back to 4th millennium B.C.E.

It's strategic importance made it a target for every conquerer who came through the region, and it was destroyed and rebuilt over twenty times over the centuries.

After we finally made it to the Galilee, we revisited the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth, and spent an hour with the youth group at Holy Family Church in Raineh. We finally settled in at the Pilgerhaus (right on the shore of the Sea of Galilee), and the nice group from New York State treated us to a dance party on a bout out on the lake. it was quite a day, and one of my favorites so far.

Baptism- Emily T.

2010-07-18T08:18:00.000-07:00

Today was a weird day for me. When I first woke up, I wasn't excited. I was thinking, "Oh, well today JR is going to dunk me and it's all good." Then when we were on the bus on our way to Capernaum it hit me. When Father Andrew stated that we were having the baptism service afterwards I realized that the event I had been waiting for for six months had finally arrived.

I was asked by Bishop Rickel to read the gospel according to Matthew. It was I think the first reading of the Bible that I didn't mess up and that I felt empowered to read. People surrounded me, watching me read. Then my new Godmother Irene presented me. That was the point where I started crying (which was embarrassing). Then Bishop Rickel lead me down to the beach of Galilee and I was followed by people singing "Wade in the Water." We got out to the sea and I was standing between JR and the priest from Newfoundland who kindly offered his hand for balance from the rocky bottom. JR then grabbed my face and dunked me in the water while people made a circle holding hands. When I came up the first time I could hear people laughing which was probably because I was gasping for air. When I came up from the third time, I was greeted as a new child of God by cheers and applause. I was then anointed with the oil by the bishop. I will smell like a baby for probably a week. When the spreading of the peace was happening, I was tackled by most of my group and that when I started crying again. The joy and support that I received from my group really made me feel like I was part of a community. This was the first time throughout the trip I felt empowered by God's love. One of the best parts was when I got to spray (or splash) people to renew their baptismal vows. This overall was the most empowering day that I've had on this pilgrimage. I feel that the reason why I came on this pilgrimage is to understand Christ who I was drawn to and to become an official participant of the faith and now I have fulfilled that purpose.

Jasper's Reflection at Nazareth

2010-07-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

I was asked to write a reflection on the story of Gabriel coming to to Mary while we were at the church of the Annuncation. Here it is:

At the time when Gabriel came to her Mary would have been about 14 or younger. Try and imagine being a girl that age. Your periods recently started so you've got lots of hormones and emotions running around. You are betrothed to a man whose probably much older then you are. On the other hand your about to get your own house. Your becoming a full participant in your faith. And then out of the blue Gods angle shows up, tells you God loves you more then any other woman and would you please get pregnant and have this baby out of wedlock. At that time, a woman who had a child out of wedlock could be publicly stoned to death. It would reflect not only on your family, but your entire village. It would be easy to say 'no'... to protest that you are not the right one. Moses did. But instead, Mary says 'yes'. In extreme act of faith and trust, Mary says 'yes'. How many of us would have done the same? It is so easy in our world to say 'no'. We see it all the time in politics, in rules, in choices. How often do we choose not to listen to those around us... not to learn new things... not to see other points of view?

So I challenge you to say 'yes' to those around you. To think before you are negative about someone or something. To look at things more positively and see other points of view.

Thursday by Sophie M.

2010-07-15T12:34:00.000-07:00

Today we stopped at several places including the temple mount, western wall, and dome of the rock. The temple mount was where Abraham was about ready to sacrifice his son. We walked around the site and saw the dome of the rock and other mosques which were beautiful. The dome of the rock that was golden on top and had lovely geometric shapes and designs in green, blue, and white with arabic writing. I took LOTS of pictures. We also had a discussion about what makes a place holy and got lot

of different opinions on the subject. Afterwards, we made our way over to the western wall.

The western wall is about 34 meters high and each block is roughly 3 tons. The women had to go on one side while the men got to witness a bar mitzah on the otherside. I also had the oppurtunity to put my prayer in the wall and take pictures of the women watching their son's bar mitzah from the ladies side.We also walked along the temple ruins of the first and second temple.

One of the most fun experiences today was walking through the city of david underground. It was long, dark rock tunnel filled with water top about our knees. It was dark and we had to purchase flash lights in order to see. the journey through the dark tunnel took us about 45 minutes and I was glad to see the light when I emerged. The tunnel was used to transport water to king david's city. After that I treated myself to two ice creams, and some peanuts. Tonight we are playing cards and were able to have a formal discussion with the Arab teenagers who live in Israel. We asked several questions about identity, priviledges, discrimination, and the conflict in general.

I'm having a oober awesome in Israel with my buddies!

-Sophie M.

Day 8- Emily T

2010-07-15T12:01:00.000-07:00

Today we went to the Dome of the Rock, The Western Wall, The South Wall Escavations,and Hezekih's Tunnel. When we went to the Dome of the Rock, alot of the ladies that were in our group were chastized by their clothing. I already was wearing a shall but I was forced to cover my chest up which was the first time I've had to do that this whole trip. This experience was rushed yet amazing. The chance to see where one of the most populous religion's holy site was humbling. We then went to the Western Wall and I got to put a prayer in the wall. It was super crowded because the woman's side is so small. Women were rocking back and forth and praying which was a different experience as well. Theres a row of chairs next to the barrier between the men and womens side and I got to watch a bar mitzah. The transition from a boy to a man according to the Jewish religion was very interesting to watch. Overall the most interesting experience of the day was when the bishop of the Jeruselum Diocese came to the college. When he was talking about the Christians leaving the country because they don't feel safe really struck my emotions. It was the same feeling of inspiration that I experienced while attending church in Nazerath. The dedication that these people have to their religion is totally different than how people think of Christianity at home. When people in the U.S. go to church, they are tired and just want to go back home to do whatever. Here there is a complete dedication that these people have to the religion. They aren't pushy about their religion at all, they just want the same rights as everyone else. This type of worship I believe is the best way worship as a Christian. From this I hope to help people back in the U.S to understand that its ok to show your beliefs but to not push it to the people who do not want to accept it.

Masada and the Dead Sea by Riley G.

2010-07-14T12:35:00.001-07:00

After waking up from the Middle of the Negev Desert at 5;00am, we quickly departed for Masada, a large mountain. The hike up started on the western side, just as the sun was rising, and we begin our ascent up the side of the hill. Herod, a King during the first century, built one of his many palaces there. The reason for the numerous palaces was to keep invasions away from him. He would constantly move from one location to another. At the top of his fortress, he had many houses and lookout points. One of his main offices where visitors would stay and meet overlooked the great dead sea. Because of the motion of the tectonic plates, the water flow had stopped. With the immense amount of heat and dessert conditions, the sea started to dry up. The tops of these plateaus looked like the bottom of a river.

After eating breakfast, we desended down the mountian, not an easy task. We went down the east side which was accuratly nammed the snake trail. Many time the railing would be gone and the drop to the bottom of Masada was in front of me. By the time we were at the bottom of Masada, the temperature must have been 100 degrees only at 9:30am. It is a dry desert land where there is no way to stop the heat.

Masada was only the first of many stops along the way. We drove up a ways, after looking at it from a distance, to the Dead Sea. The resession line is very clear as to where the water used to be and where the water is today. A large gap shows the loss of water of many years. One of the countries few industries is collecting the water from the dead sea and manufacturing cleaning and body rejuvination products. This only adds to the water loss the sea is experiencing. The bus drove us to a public watering hole where we swam in the dead sea. Swimming in a sea of sodium and other minerals is a challenging task, your feet fall out from under you. You cannot swim in the dead sea, rather you float! the water burned all of my skin which was open (like a cut), burnt or scratched recently. It also rejuvinates skin and speeds the healing time of sores and pimples.

At the bottom of the area, there is black mud. This mud has many more minerals which when rubbed and smeared over skin will help make it smooth and soft. Just placing my body in the water, my skin felt smooth and silk like. It was amazing.

After the swimming adventure, we left to Qumran the home of the Dead Sea Scrolls for many years. We learned about the people who lived there and toured their ruines from over 2000 years ago. We then left for home. Along the way, a brush fire brok out just outside the city of Jerusalem on our long trek home. It was interesting to see, although scary that there was a fire so close to where we are staying. We are still safe.

Off to Bethlehem, by Riley G.

2010-07-14T12:34:00.001-07:00

Jerusalem is much higher in elevation than most other parts of the country, so it gets much hotter during the day. It doesn't help when the morning starts at 75 degrees. In the morning I quickly packed an overnight bag because the group was heading out to Bethlehem and other sites much farther south.

Our first stop was to the Herodian, a massive man made hill with a crater in the middle. We climbed to the top and explored Herod a Roman king in the first century. His palace is amazingly large and has many pieces of architecture. Although currently in ruins this area is still is very good shape. At the top we had an amazing view of the area around including some farmland and open areas.

The most important thing we saw were the settlements that people were starting and the way Israel was trying to stop these illegal settlements. Part of the old Herodian palace was his intricate stairwell in the middle. It's amazing the amount of insider areas were able to be uncovered. We were about half way down this man made mountain (inside) when some of us wondered if we had enough time to return to the group of people and head back down. Some headed up a massive amount of stairs and another small group pressed forward. We found an exit just near our bus and relaxed while others headed up and then back down.

Pressing forward, we left for Bethlehem. This has obviously been turned into a tourist destination. Many of the houses had Christmas lights on their houses. We entered the Church of the Nativity. This is where Jesus was born. They destroyed the image of a baby in a manger in an open field. Rather, Mary had the baby in a cave. We were able to touch a sixteen point star that represented Jesus' birthplace. The monks in this church were very strict. Many times they came through the line checking to make sure our shoulders and knees were covered. One girl in our group accidentally dropped a glass bottle which shattered on the floor. The monks and security were very loud and angry with our group. They embarrassed the girl in front of the whole church. Then because the people were too loud in line (somewhat laughing) because the line was very long, they shut the door on their faces to prove a point that this should be a serious event. They were very strict.

After leaving Bethlehem, we visited a Refugee Camp. Our goal in this was to pass out our Rag Dolls to Love so the children could have something to hold onto in their world of transition. They would not let us pass out the dolls directly, instead, we left them at a desk. We found that there are many more children in the camp than adults. One person kept theirs and will be able to hand them out. While walking through the refugee camp, we came across a tribe of young children who greated us with great hospitality.

We left the camp on our way to our overnight destination in the desert. In route, we were stopped at a checkpoint. The officers asked the driver to pull the bus over, most likely because someone was taking their pictures. They asked to have our passports out and ready to show them. Although they never asked for them, they came on board and checked out the bus. They searched through the loading area below for items they did not like (I don't know what those are still).

We arived at an Oasis in the Negev Desert hosted by Bedouin people (fake camping although they tried to make it as real as possible.) First they welcomed us with a bit of cultural entertainment. They served us fresh watermelon, lemonade. They then made us tea which was very good and coffee that was not. As a way of welcoming us to the camp they offered us Cammal rides. What an experience to ride an amazing creature. Later that night, the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese in Washington (Bishop Greg Rickel) joined us in the desert for the remaider of the trip.

I can now say that I have slept in the middle of the open desert. At 10:30pm it was an astonishing 89 degrees outside. We neded to get our rest though because the next day we head to Masada (large mountian).

Finally blogging - by Denaya B.

2010-07-12T11:01:00.000-07:00

So sorry my peeps who have been waiting for me to blog. This is naya here and I love it here never want to come home haha im just kidding but I do like it here a lot. it has really been eye opening and a wonderful experience haha im sure you have read others blogs but i will recap my experience:

DAY I LEFT: LONGGGGG flight then finally arrive in Germany and guess what... NO sleep for us because JR wants to walk around germany YAYAY for being SUPER tired, so we walk around and see some really cool things and eat. I ate a delicious german bratwurst and ice cream which was really cheap and delicious as well! then we continue walking and sight seeing and as the day gets longer and I get more tired WE STILL WALK. so I fell asleep at a subway shop and we were only supposed to stop for a few seconds AHA. then we get back to the hotel for free time and i looked at the amazing pool then tired to sleep in a small bed with two other girls...yeahhhh right. so then we leave for the airport... no sleep there or on trip to Tel Aviv

DAY2 We arrived in Tel Aviv at 4am and took 2 hours to go to Nazareth then get there around 730 ish i think.. anyways and then stayed at St. Margaret's Guest House for two days.. it was very pretty and nice we chilled the whole day and then went SHOPPING... we got to sleep that night!!!

DAY3 We met one of our palestinian friend Lara and we walked around Nazareth went to a few places and a bath house where Jesus (may have) bathed!! then went shopping again for some of us. then sleep!

DAY4 We went to church which was nice and met another two palestinian girls named Sina and Sally and then we went to Rosh Haniqra and Acre visited some ruins and caves and a BEAUTIFUL beach! then got to hang out a bit and then more sleep!

DAY 5 TODAY. We took a bus ride to Jerusalem and stopped at Sephorris to look at more ruins . THAT WAS AN ADVENTURE. Nate (one of the guys here) tried to pick a cactus fruit then passed it to Steven and then smart me tryed to open it for them... um BAD idea and lots of sticky burning hands with stickers in then YAY ...NOT! Luckily I didnt have too many and got them out ooook until iI licked one... by the way NEVER lick stickers out of your hand because they definatley get in your tongue :( Bus ride was sleepish and then we got to St. George's College and took a gander through the Old City of Jerusalem, and shopping at Mamila Mall. I got a really cute hello kitty shirt. next was church and reeption and dinner nd meeting now this.

SO... i promise i will blog again and wont take to long to do it.

another couple of things i want to say: I miss everyone at home! and love the friends i have made here i hope that they last forever. i am experiencing time a way from home to help me figure out myself, my faith, and everything in between! These experiences will stay with me forever and although i didnt say many opinions about the things i have seen i do have many and like to refelect on them.

untill next time, NAYA

Raineh, Haifa and Acre by Katie W

2010-07-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

This morning we attended the service at the Holy Family Episcopal Church of Israel. It was a very unique and special experience to hear the different languages praising at the same time, saying the words I'm so familiar with. From there we went with Lara and our new friends Sally and Sima to Haifa where we visited the Gottos- which we had to take a cable car to get to. Scary new experience! There was the most beautiful view of the Mediterranean, and from inside the caves it looked even more spectacularly blue. They also played a video about the sea life in and around the Grottos- I have never wanted to scuba dive more. Haha. Then we got back on the bus and travelled to Acre, where we walked through ruins of the ancient crusader villages. There was this one hallway where all the lights had gone out- I am so glad Caitlin is a scout and always carries her flashlight! We got a little lost after we exited the tour, but in the end we found ourselves in this great marina and were able to find the next tunnel system we were touring. It turned out to just be a tiny straight tunnel. But when we got out of it, there was a fantastic view of the sea, so it was worth it. I can't wait until tomorrow when we move to St. George's in Israel. It's going to be so amazing. Okay well the World Cup game Spain-Holland is on.

Toodles!

Love, Katie.

Sunday by Nate R.

2010-07-11T10:32:00.000-07:00

So today was probably the most exciting, interesting, fun filled day yet. We started off by meeting our new members whose names are Lara, Sima, and Sally. We left for a church near Nazareth and the service started at 10:30. It was an awkward service to say the least. I at least could not follow where in the service we were, but it was a great experience none the less. We then left for rosh haniqra, which is located right next to the Mediterranean Sea. When we got there we took a cable car down to go see some grottos which was absolutley breath taking they were so beautiful, it took my breath away. After that I took

some pictures with the army people in training (I guess you could call them that since I dont know what they are actually called haha). We then watched a short movie on something dealing with baby sea turtles but I dont know if that was what the entire movie was on since we came in late. We then went to Acre and visited the Crusader Citadel Ruins.

The ruins are absolutely spectactular I felt like I learned a plethora of information from just being in their presence. After we went through the ruins we had to go through the "ghetto" if you will of Acre. There were so many homeless cats running around the streets i wanted to take them all with me and get them all fixed up. It was an eye opening experience tho because it made me feel grateful for the stuff I had no matter how little I might think I might have at times. We then headed on our way back where we ate dinner and now im looking forward to watching the World Cup Final between Spain and the Netherlands. Go Netherlands!!!!!!!

Katie W's post from Nazareth

2010-07-10T10:00:00.000-07:00

Hi everybody!

These last few days have been crazy. Everybody' sleep schedules are really screwy so this morning I ended up waking up at 3 am. But I'm so so glad I did. I got to watch the sun rising over the city and it was so beautiful. Everything was a soft pink and the Muslim calls to prayer were happening which made it so peaceful and calming. I made it back to sleep, and then we got up at 7 for breakfast and a day of walking around with our new friend Lara. We went to the Basilica of the Annunciation first and it was so powerful. It was actually built around Mary's house. Inside, there were tons of beautiful stained glass windows that were lit up in the most gorgeous way, and all around the outside of the Basilica there were different images of the Madonna and Child from different countries. The Greek one was beautiful. Well I mean they all were, but the one from Greece was my favorite. We also went through a bazaar and walked around the old city. Now that it's dark, the city is lit up like Christmas- we have an amazing view from up here in the hostel. Okay well the Germany-Uruguay world cup match is starting so we're going to go watch it and have a party.

Bye! Katie

Nazareth by Caitlin D.

2010-07-10T07:13:00.000-07:00

I'm here!!

Lol Soo, its super funny how i just got finished with drivers ed, the drives portion, and here Iam watching Isreali's drive. my mother would FREAK. haha and my teachers would fail them. Honking is common. its to say hello, its to let someone know your coming in their blind spot and it is used to tell people to move! Gosh, i dont even know how to describe how dangerous driving here is. We hail taxes to get from St. Margrets to town, (cuz we live on a hill, and this whole city IS a hill), typically about 30-45 sheckles. Which is like.....ten bucks? Maybe less. 200 sheckles is $50. Clothes here at an American like price is about 65-99 sheckles. so about 15-25 dollars. Anywho, it was a 2hour drive to get from the airport to St. Margrets. Everything is in Hebrew and Arabic, sometimes to always in English. NEVER AMERICAN. Im getting tanner everyday and its great actually. The souther you go the hotter it gets and even sun screen wont "protect

you". Its a Saturday today, at 16.24....five twentyfour pm.

The flight over to Tel Aviv was short. Amazingly, four hours. But ya.Oddly enough my throat gets drier than my lips, and i am a chapstick-holic lol. Today we went to church sights, so i wore a skirt. Calm mum, calm....You get sweaty no matter what but it gets slightly breezy here so i cool down. Even our new friend Lara got hot today (she is Palestinian).

OH! and every morning and every night there is the Muslim [mosque] that a guy goes and sings prayer for about n hour er soo.

Toodlz,

Caitlin

Arrival - by Sophie M.

2010-07-09T00:41:00.000-07:00

The flight to Frankfurt I sat by Caitlin who was very funny. We went to the old city of Frankfurt and saw a beautiful opera house and museum. We are now as a group sitting waiting for rooms, learning some Arabic, and having some good bonding time. I super exited to be here!

-Sophie M.

Now that we are in Nazareth - by Nate R.

2010-07-08T23:19:00.000-07:00

July 8th 10:30 a.m.

On our way over, the 10 plus hour flight seemed like it was at much longer due to the person leaning their seat back in front of me, and the person kicking the back of my seat. Germany was breathtaking at first site, the old houses and old furnishings took my breath away. I also like Germany because the taxis and all types of buses are either VW, Mercedes Benz, etc.

July 8th 5:45 p.m.

The rest of the day was a good day, besides a slow start after about two hours in Germany. I took a lot of pictures of old churches, and buildings/architectural sites. The churches and buildings are breathtaking, they are so enormous and breathtaking there are no words to describe them. At about 4p.m. I started to feel the jet lag and was completely out of it, thank god for red bulls that put me back on top of my game. Our plane left last night at 10:30p.m. and it was a 4 hr. plane ride and then we had a two hour bus ride to where we are today, in Nazareth. We arrived at St. Margaret's Guest House today at about 7:00 a.m. having a great time so far and can't wait to explore the city.

Nate R.

July 8th - by Riley G.

2010-07-08T22:02:00.001-07:00

On Wednesday, met at the Lufthansa at SeaTac Airport. We said our goodbyes to our family and friends and then we left for the gate. In a last minute effort to keep my travel things with me, I quickly added my shaving kit with shampoo, body wash and sunscreen into my carry on luggage. My sunscreen was too big and was confiscated before I even left the country...I felt like an idiot.

We landed in Frankfurt and quickly went through customs and immigration to our day hotel just outside of the airport. I thought that cars were driven on the left side of the road and cars had the driver seat was on the right side. Turns out it is identical to the States. We tried to shower, but we couldn't figure out how to turn on the light. Apparently, the room key needs to be placed in the slot by the door to turn on all of the appliances. Looking out o

nto the city, the streets are very clean. We took a train (the S-Bhaun) to the downtown area where we split up to investigate German culture for the day.

It was very warm, about 90 degrees F. We all got sticky and hot while we looked around the old german town. It looked like Leveanwoth, WA only in real life. In addition, almost everyone spoke english with minimal to no accent. It made touring easy. I even found this Hummel shop where they sold many of the same figgurines we have at home. Found a church in the city with incredible architecture called DOM also known as St. Barthalimues. This church has survived WWII and has pictures to prove it. During our long day in Frankfurt during our layover, many of us struggled to stay awake and soon became misserable. I decided to cut the edge off my sleepieness by finding a Starbucks...it tastes the same, even in Frankfurt.

At the end of the very long day, still no sleep, we head off at 10:00pm to the Tel Aviv gate at the airport. This process was extremely intimidating. Everyone was patted down in front of t

he whole line of people with a metal detector and was searched separate from the other gates in the Airport. This is because Israel feels threatened by the world and takes extra security measures to prevent any possible problems. We spent the night on the plane.

At the Airport.. :P - by Caitlin D.

2010-07-07T12:30:00.000-07:00

Alright its day half and I am still at the airport chillin with Irene, Jasper, and Emily. We all got to roam if you will the airport. Just to be back at 1300. So right now, emotionally I am enjoying myself. Trying to befriend as much as i can. I know how living with people can be hectic and all that jazz. On the airplane, my seat is 40H, i sit next to Emily and then Nae. The worst part so far of this trip would be the packing. I've never been over seas like this. I've been OVER SEAS on a boat, just got back and all. But not like, west of Colorado. So that would be the hardest part. What to expect and do if I feel ill from heat er something like that. But anywho, I'm having a blast at the airport and ou flight boards at 1325, good thing i know my military time!!

Toodlz,

Caitlin

Meet the Chaperones

2010-05-15T14:45:00.002-07:00

The pilgrimage this year will be chaperoned by the Rev. J.R. Lander (Vicar of St. Columba's Church in Kent), The Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick (Curate of St. Andrew's Church in Seattle), and Ms. Irene Smith (member of St. John's in Olympia. We will also be joined by the Rt. Rev. Greg Rickel, Bishop of the Diocese of Olympia, while at St. George's College.

Meet the Pilgrims - Katie W.

2010-05-15T14:45:00.001-07:00

Hi! my name's Katie and I'm 17 years old. I love to dance- I spend upwards of 6 hours a week dancing, and wouldn't have it any other way. I also enjoy playing clarinet-type instruments in my school's band. I've been playing clarinet for 7 years, bass clarinet for 5, and just picked up contra bass clarinet this year. I'm on the Drama Board at my school as a senator, and am the treasurer of the SIFF club (sharing interests forming friendships) which is all about high school students making friends with disabled kids from the Redmond community. It's a very rewarding type of community service. I'm also very involved with my church, which is why I'm so incredibly excited to have this unique opportunity to grow closer to God. I think I'm most looking forward to expeiriencing another culture. Also, meeting new people. That's my favorite thing about any kind of travel- the people you meet on the way to the places.

Meet the Pilgrims - Steven B.

2010-05-15T14:44:00.000-07:00

My name is Steven, I'm 19 years old, and I attend church at St. James in Kent. I enjoy being outside, whether it's hiking, camping, fishing, or climbing. I've also been interested in history from an early age, and I've read about the holy land and the immense amount of history that is there. but I believe that there is only so much you can learn from a book. if you truly want to understand events, both past and present,then you need to see and experience things from the viewpoint of the the people who actually live through events that most people only read about in a newspaper or history book. I believe this trip will be a great way to connect with my faith and to personally visit places I've always heard about growing up. I'm very exited about this trip and I can't wait to get going!

Meet the Pilgrims - Sophie M.

2010-05-15T14:42:00.001-07:00

I love singing and playing sports like soccer and swimming. I’m a very outgoing person and enjoy laughing and I like experiencing new cultures. I go to Holy Names Academy and I my favorite subjects include English and world history. . I really like traveling, trying new foods, and meeting new people which is part of the reason I wanted to go on this trip. I sing in a choir and love singing. I cannot wait to go on the trip. I want to see the Western Wall, Bethlehem and the Sea of Galilee. I cannot wait to meet the Palestinian kids and learn about their lives and in turn they can learn about me.

Meet the Pilgrims - Jasper W.

2010-05-15T14:37:00.001-07:00

There are so many labels about that we use to define ourselves. It is labels that cause so many misunderstandings and problems around the world, and while I could say that I am a sophomore at Nathan Hale High School who likes history, politics, art and fantasy, I feel that boxes me into your perception and thoughts about each of those terms. What I’m trying to say is I don’t know who I am and telling you a bunch of facts that relate to me in some way isn’t really going to tell you about me. So I ask that you notice both what I say and how I say it. That you don’t form expectations and that before you label me and put me in some defined category you listen and try to understand me. Which isn’t really fair, because I don’t understand myself some times, but then again neither is life.

This trip represented for me a chance to explore my relationship with God. During the daily rush of life it’s hard to stop and sit down and think about what you believe; I hope that this trip will give me that chance. I also look forward to expanding my world view by experiencing a culture so different from my own.

Meet the Pilgrims - Nate R.

2010-05-15T14:34:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Nathan Rizzotti but my friends and family call me Nate. I will try and keep this short and sweet. I am 16 yrs old while I am writing this on May 15^th 2010, but I will be 17 on May 23^rd 2010. I am a very active person who enjoys all types of sports. My top two are baseball and a toss up between American football and soccer. I am a very energetic person who loves to be outside and trying new things, which in part is one of the reasons why I am going on this trip (to experience a new culture and to try new things). I am very adventurous and very enthusiastic. Another reason why I wanted to go on this trip is because I would like to sample the local cuisine and I would like to experience a new custom as well as probably a new way of life from what I am accustomed to. I am looking forward to exploring the ancient ruins of Israel as well as experiencing a new way of life (as I stated before). I would also like to introduce to them America’s pastime….that’s right baseball. I have researched their sports and baseball was not mentioned at all that made me very sad. I would like to introduce this sport to them because I believe it would be a better way to help solve a conflict; instead of shooting with guns they could shoot fastballs into the catchers glove. I am very excited to be on this trip and I just wanted to thank everyone for donating money to this wonderful experience that I will be able to experience for myself.

Meet the Pilgrims - Naya B.

2010-05-15T14:32:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Denaya but I don’t like capital D’s sooo I like to go by Naya. Something’s about me that’d I like to share with people are that I love little kids and love hanging out with them and my friends, being silly and probably just because I am a little kid at heart myself. I also have been adopted two times and like where I am now. I like to help people out and to volunteer and I am graduating high school this year and going to college in the fall I am going to study neonatal nursing, which is exciting because I love babies. I like to listen to all different kinds of music and love PIANOS and lastly I love making new friends. I want to go to the holy land this summer because I think that it further my relationship with God and it is a great opportunity. I am exited to go because I will be meeting new people, learning a new culture, and I will be able to come back home and share what I have learned and share my experiences. I am looking forward to “partying” with the Palestinians, riding a camel, and meeting God in a whole new way!!

Meet the Pilgrims - Riley G.

2010-05-15T14:30:00.000-07:00

I’m 17 years old, and will turn 18 during our trip. I am graduating from high school this year at Todd Beamer High School in Federal Way and will attend Western Washington University this summer. I am a singer and enjoy performing in choral groups particularly show tunes and Jazz. I am excited to explore both my faith and a different country with non-western traditions. The Middle East is foreign in my knowledge of history so my hope is to understand this concept much more by diving in head first to Israeli culture and politics. While on this trip I am excited to visit all of the different sites in the area and see the western wall. I’m a bit nervous about staying with a family and not knowing the proper customs although in the end I know that will be my favorite part of this trip.

Meet the Pilgrims - Caitlin D.

2010-05-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

One thing I love to do is collect bottles, glass bottles of places I have traveled to and such. Another think about me is I am 16 years old and by the time I go to The Holy Land this summer I will have my drivers license!! I love sailing and am considering Merchant Marines as a future career. So hopefully this summer I get to sail in one of the seas Israel is by! I wanted to travel to Israel because I haven’t seen much of the world besides the San Juan’s and Gulf Islands. This is on the other side of the world! So the different culture and food I am super excited to see as well as getting closer to God and pilgrimage. Finally I hope to shop, sight see, sail, experience the diverse culture and just be in the moment. Wish me luck!

Meet the Pilgrims - Emily T.

2010-05-15T14:26:00.000-07:00

I am 19 years old, going to school at south Puget Sound Community College and I go to St. Benedict’s Church in Lacey. I like to discotech (fancy European word for dancing/hanging out) with my friends. I also love working with the youth at my church ( I am the 4^th and 5^th grade youth leader.) In my schooling, I am working towards becoming an elementary school teacher. I can knit and speak a lot of Spanish. I love Camp Michael J which is August 8^th –12^th this year. Also I love to laugh

What I am looking forward to in this trip is seeing all the historical sights and walking in the footsteps of Jesus. Being a new Christian and going on this trip will help get me closer to God and give me more of an understanding of the religion. I am very grateful for my parish for being so supportive of me and my future Baptism in the River of Jordan.

Meet the Pilgrims - Ethan A.

2010-05-15T14:22:00.000-07:00

I am a very active person, both physically and within my church. I play lots of sports such as football(American) Soccer, baseball and basketball. I play sports all year round with only about 1-2 weeks off during the summer.

I am looking forward to visiting holy sites and seeing the holy land for myself. I think it will be a great experience to see the holy land for myself instead of just hearing about it.

A few things I am really looking forward to is seeing Jerusalem for myself and going to Tel Aviv. I've heard great things about both places and really want to see them. I also am really looking forward to seeing and meeting my host family.

First Pilgrimage Retreat

2010-02-21T16:38:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Pilgrims and Chaperones gathered on Saturday, February 20th, for the first of two pre-trip gatherings. The group spent 6 hours getting to know one another, addressing some basic logistics of our journey, and looking forward to the trip

Among the many topics we discussed was the ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians - a major topic to be addressed at the Youth Course.

The 2010 Pilgrims

2010-02-15T19:18:00.000-08:00

The pilgrims for the 2010 Youth Pilgrimage to the Holy Land

Jasper W. - St. Andrew's Church in Seattle

Caitlin D. - St. Matthew's Church in Tacoma

Nate R. - St. Hilda-St. Patrick Church in Edmonds

Kate W. - Holy Cross Church in Redmond

Sophie M. - Epiphany Church in Seattle

Ethan A. - Holy Spirit Church on Vashon Island

Riley G. - St. James' Church in Kent

Steven B. - St. James' Church in Kent

Denaya B. - St. Columba's Church in Kent

Emily T. - St. Benedict's Church in Lacey

Chaperones:

The Rev. J.R. Lander - St. Columba's Church in Kent

The Rev. Rebecca Kirkpatrick - St. Andrew's Church in Seattle

Ms. Irene Smith - St. John's Church in Olympia

Also joining us for the Youth Course at St. George's College - The Rt. Rev. Gregory H. Rickel, Bishop of the Diocese of Olympia.

One Year Later- Reflections from Alex

2009-09-01T21:44:00.001-07:00

My trip to Israel last summer had more of an impact on me than anything else I've ever done. Experiencing the culture was incredible. I would do it again in a heartbeat, and I want to go back to the Holy Land as soon as I have the means. Israel is an amazing place to learn about the history of Christianity, to learn about different cultures, and to learn about yourself.

One Year Later- Reflections from Kendra

2009-08-06T22:09:00.000-07:00

I find my self really missing Israel. I've been thinking about it a lot this summer, mostly this July month. I miss the culture and the people and the experiences I got to have there. I'm so thankful that i could have the time ihad there and i don't regret anything. I also wish I could have still kept in touch with the people there because they unknowingly taught me so much. Last year's pilgrimage was one for the books, especially for me. I never thought i would get an opportunity like that in a lifetime. Some of my favorite places were where we saw Jesus perform the first miracle and the place where the Lord's Prayer took place. I miss Israel so much and i can't wait to go back.

-Kendra Okereke

One Year Later- Reflections from Kate

2009-08-06T15:06:00.000-07:00

It has been one year since we returned from our pilgrimage to the Holy Land and I find myself reflecting on the significance of the entire experience, but particularly the relationships formed and developed over the course of those weeks. We started truly forming community on the way there during our nearly 24 hours of travel from Seattle to Tel Aviv. By the time we landed on a hot, sweaty afternoon in Israel, we were friends.

Those friendships quickly grew and stretched during our home-stays in Raineh where we extended our web of relationships to include the Episcopal families who hosted and cared for us in our early moments of culture shock and adjustment. From there, we met the six Palestinian Christian youth who were to travel with us for the remainder of our pilgrimage and another new community was born.

As these relationships deepened we shared our faith, our music, laughter, and ourselves. We shared the experience of learning new places and peoples. We shared card games, shopping, hide-and-go-seek with the grumpy nun, hot afternoons hiking through ruins, and icy relief in dozens and dozens of popsicles and cokes.

So one year later, the things that stand out for me the most are the relationships with one another and with the land through our shared experience of transformation in the land of our common story, the story of Christ.

One Year Later- Reflections from Daniel

2009-08-06T15:04:00.000-07:00

This trip was one of if not the most memorable, most moving, most spiritual, and most educational experiences of my life. Not only did I have more than a ton of fun, I also was strengthened spiritually. Learning more about the life and events that occurred during the time of our Lord Jesus Christ really opened my eyes. Now that I have learned so much more from the trip, I feel closer to God. So you could say that this trip was also and bonding time with God. If the future people who are going on this trip are worried that all it is is visiting churches and praying a lot, they are mistaken and should worry. Yes we did visit quite a number of churches, but we also visited many ancient and fascinating historical sites fro biblical time, swam in the Dead Sea, and had quite a bit of free time where we could also get see the modern day Israel. Jerusalam for me was my favorite city of them all.

Now, I don't know if the kids who will be going next year heard or should be told, but there was a bad part of the trip. However, I feel, as scary as it was, that it was also a learning experience. So the kids should not worrry. It is very unlikly that it will happen again. Just a couple days ago, I saw a news clip of Palestinean kids from the West Bank who had never seen the ocean before, be taken to the beach on Bat Yam where we were, and have a blast playing in the water! It was very nice and moving to see. All in all, this trip will stay with me for the rest of my life. It has produced hopfully life long relationships both here in Wasington, but also over in Israel. The people who were on this trip with me all hold a special place in my heart and I thank them for the priviledge and honor of going on this trip with them. for all the great times, and sharing such fond memories. The memories are great, but the lasting impression it leaves is just as great, if not greater. This is an opportunity of a lifetime, one that may never come again, and should be taken advantage of. I think about the trip frequently and wish to go back someday. I cannot express enough how gratful I am to God and to everyone else who made this trip possible for this opportunity. Thank you!

Peace to all,

Daniel Perrine

Planning for 2010 Pilgrimage Underway

2009-07-26T21:29:00.000-07:00

A new group from the Diocese of Olympia, known as the Committee for Youth Exchange and Mission, has been formed to provide opportunities for our young people to live out their faith through interactions with young people in other cultures. The 2010 Youth Pilgrimage to the Holy Land will be the launch project of this new committee. The initial schedule for this journey is:

July 8th - Departure from Sea-Tac

July 9th - Arrival in Tel Aviv, transfer to Raineh, Israel

July 9th-11th - Raineh, Israel

July 11th - Transfer to Jerusalem

July 11th-21st- Youth Course at St. George's College, Jerusalem

July 21st- 23rd - Tel Aviv

July 23rd - Return to Sea Tac

The cost per youth of this trip is expected to be about $4000

As with the 2008 Pilgrimage, we hope that this will be funded through three primary sources:

1) Parish Fundraising (at least $1000 per youth)

2) Family Funds (We ask families to pledge what they are able, up to and beyond the $3000 difference)

3) Diocesan Fundraising (We will work to raise the balance of funds needed, so that no young person will be denied participation due to family circumstances)

If you know a young person who might be interested, please have them contact JR at jameslander@gmail.com.

1 Year Later- Reflections from Flora

2009-07-26T21:25:00.001-07:00

The trip last year for me was such an amazing experience. Not only did I get to see the sites I had read about in the Bible and heard about in church, but I also got to meet Palestinians and hear their perspective on the things that they have to live through that we only hear about on the news. It was entirely eye opening, and I got to see how different the culture is from our own. It is a trip and experience that I will never forget and it has truely helped my faith to grow so much over this past year. I completely recommend it!

Home Safe and Sound

2008-07-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

After nearly 24 hours of travel, we all arrived home last night at a few minutes past 11PM. We were greeted at the airport by family, friends and leaders of the Diocese. I'm sure our young people will be processing everything they experienced for months to come. Keep checking the blog, as I'll be asking them to write some posts about their thoughts. - JR

Not a Happy Ending

2008-07-28T12:08:00.000-07:00

I am very saddened to write that our trip has ended on a very sad note.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1006341.html

There was a shooting at the beach across from our hotel this afternoon. Apparently, the shooter intended to kill a person with a known criminal record. Unfortunately, he hit a woman dining nearby. And more unfortunately, six of our young people where in the immediate vicinity of the shooting. Four of these were apparently right next to the woman who was shot.

As chaperons, Kate and I immediately found all of our group. Robyn and Alex, who had been inside the hotel, looked after the rest of the group until we had all of us collected into one room. People called parents, and we sat with each other as we began to process what had happened.

After awhile, we went out to dinner. People were somewhat fearful of going out of the hotel. We had a group reservation at a nearby restaurant (two doors down). We felt it important to eat there. One- people needed decent food in their stomachs. Two- the group needed to see that the life on the street and beach were returning to normal.

At dinner, Flora asked me if I would do this trip again given what happened this afternoon. I told her yes. Such violence is a part of any city. Similar criminal shootings happen in Seattle, too. As Kate pointed out, this could have happened on Alki.

However, I think that everyone will be glad to head home tomorrow. This was not how we wanted to end this journey. But I am thankful that we are all safe and sound. I ask your prayers for our safe travel, and for the family of the young woman who lost her life today.

A Day in Tel Aviv

2008-07-28T11:48:00.000-07:00

On our last day here in Israel, Kate and I took the crew into the heart of modern and secular Tel Aviv. Tel Aviv reminds me, in many ways, of a South American city. There is the energy and creativity of any European city, but the era of architecture is very similar to cities such as Rio de Janeiro and Buenos Aires.

We were most interested in taking the young people two specific sites we felt were important- Ben Gurion's house and Rabin Square. Ben Gurion was the first Prime Minister of Israel, and a major architect of its ethos. His very modest house is mostly as it was when he left it. While there, we watched a movie about his life, and Kate shared some of her admiration for all that he accomplished in his lifetime.

Rabin Square is where Itzak Rabin was assasinated following the peace process in the early 1990's. Kate and I both remember this event clearly, as she was a high school student and I was at college. However, our young people were under the age of 5, and don't have that clear memory like we do. For me, that square is a reminder of the risk of standing up and trying to do what is right. It is also, clearly, a testament to all that Rabin accomplished in his life.

Not too long ago, Kate and I were at a conference and training hosted by Reconcilers.net discussing the Episcopal Church do to help foster peace in the Middle East. We discussed the issue from a myriad of perspectives. At one point, we were asked to say what gifts Israel has to offer the world. For me, Tel Aviv is somehow a symbol of a secular and vibrant city. It plays hosts to world-class performing and visual arts. It has a vibrant economy. It is an exciting city to be. It was important to me that our young people see a bit of this. I hope that as we wondered through the downtown of Tel Aviv, they did so. - JR

Sunday - by Daniel

2008-07-27T23:24:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we all packed up, had breakfast, and headed to Tel Aviv. Before we got to Tel Aviv however, we stopped to attend the church service at the Church of The Holy Family where some of our host families worship. It was fun to see some familiar faces. After church, we stopped at a restaurant and had lunch. It was sort of sad though because we had to say good bye to our friends Dina and Christina. All of our friends that we made were so friendly, and we bonded so well, that it was very hard to say good bye. My good friend Hanna had apparently told his parents a lot about me, and when we said good bye to him the previous night, his mom came up to me, said thanks for being such a good friend to Hanna, and told me that whenever I came back to Israel, I would always have a home at their house. It was very sweet.

Anyway, we started to Tel Aviv. Once we arrived at our hotel, we unpacked, got settled, and us teens went to the beach to swim, and work on our tans! It was tons of fun. The waves were tons of fun and were better than Haifa. The disappointing part about the beach was that the chairs were 50 shekels to rent! What a rip off ! After swimming, we showered, had dinner, and headed to town to explore. There wasn't a whole lot to do so after about 30 minutes, we went back to the hotel, and went into Sasha and Flora's room, and watched some really weird European MTV. Finally, we went to bed to get some much needed rest. At least we get to sleep in. Today, Kate and I got up at about 7:30 a.m. to run. It was pretty pleasant. Today is our last full day in Tel Aviv. It is pretty much a free day. I do, however, think that everyone is at least a little anxious to get home. We're all tired of the food here and can't wait to get back to our own refrigerators. - Daniel

Saturday Night at St. Paul's in Shefamer

2008-07-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

As a way of marking the end of our time together here in the Diocese of Jerusalema, we were invited by the wonderful people of St. Paul's Church in Shefamer for dinner. St. Paul's is a companion parish with St. John the Baptist Church in West Seattle, where Kate is on staff and where Shelby and Daniel are members. Hannah's family, who live in Shefamer, are members of this wonderful parish, so there were many connections to this wonderful community of faith.

For me, it was particularly wonderful because two members of last year's youth course, Raji and Nizar, were present for the dinner. I got to catch up a bit with them, as our group of youth got to know some of the youth from Shefamer.

The youth group ordered a type of Palestinian pizza for us for dinner. Kudos to Alex! She was the only youth in our group who figured out to fold the thing in half to eat it!

We hope that new connections between our two dioceses might come from this event. Kate and a young adult member of the parish, Kamir, are going to start a Facebook group for young people from the Diocese of Olympia and young people from the Diocese of Jerusalem. Hopefully this will be a wonderful new means of cross-cultural communication and friendship. - JR

Saturday - by Alex

2008-07-26T07:58:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Megiddo and Beth Shean. Beth Shean was my favorite of the two. It was very interesting to see the ruins of the Roman-Byzantine city, because they are so well preserved. We sat in a huge theatre, capable of seating 7,000, and took a bunch of pictures. Then we seized the opportunity to climb some more. All of the kids were feeling unchallenged by the flat terrain we were moving across, so we decided to climb up a hill, in order to get a better view. JR and Kate were a little whiny about the prospect of climbing more stairs, but the youth in our group urged them on, since, after all, today was our last day of touring!

I am, of course, joking about that last part – as lazy teenagers we have been less than thrilled at the notion of exercise, but once we get to the top of a mountain, whether it be Masada, or Herodion, or Tabor, we are always very happy that we made the trek.

Megiddo is the place where John predicted that the war to end all wars in the ‘last days’ would be. (Armageddon.) Fun fact: Armageddon is derived from Har Megedon, meaning the mountain of Megiddo. At Megiddo, we climbed 183 steps down a shaft into a tunnel that was used to supply water safely to the city, so that the citizens could drink without having to leave the security of the walls. Then we climbed 80 steps back out of the tunnel, and headed to lunch, after making a stop to look out at the entire Sea of Galilee from the Golan Heights, which was one of the most breathtaking views I’ve seen in Israel. The Golan Heights was taken by Israel from Syria in the 1967 War, and is still a point of contention to this day. We made a stop at a bunker along the roadside, a reminder of the conflicts in this land in the last 40 years.

After lunch we headed back to the Convent, and hung out very quietly for a while. Now we’re heading to Hannah’s home town, a place that I can’t pronounce and therefore will not even try to spell. Hannah’s going to Turkey, so we’re saying good-bye to him tonight after a dinner we were graciously invited to attend at his church.

Friday- by Shelby and Flora

2008-07-25T10:17:00.002-07:00

Today was a calmer day than we’ve had recently. At the beginning of our hike we visited the Grotto of Pan, which is where they had sacrifices and the blood ran into the river, which was pretty tight. The beginning of the trail was located at Caesarea Philippi, which is where Jesus asked the important question “who am I?” and Simon Peter answered “the son of the living God”. Hiking through the vegetation reminded us of home because of the green all around us, which felt like hiking in August in Seattle, and there was actually shade! After a nice lunch by the river we went to see the beautiful Banias Waterfall, which was tiny but prettier than we expected. We were disappointed when we found out when couldn’t swim in the river, but luckily we were given the option to go to a pool, which was much appreciated. Like we said we didn’t do all that much, except Shelby got a little tanner, which made her happy because it is a rare occurrence. It was a nice change of pace (and we didn’t have to go to another church!)

-Flora and Shelby

Thursday- by Robyn

2008-07-24T10:44:00.001-07:00

Today we explored the Galilee region of Israel, and started our day off with a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee. The ride soon turned into a dance party, as we all got up and started to dance to the music for the remainder of the ride.

Then, exhausted already, we disembarked and got back on the bus on our way to Tabgha, where Jesus fed the 5,000 with only two fish and five loaves of bread. Then we went over to the Mount of Beatitudes, celebrating where Jesus taught about the blessed peoples, the meek, the peacemakers, etc.

Our next stop was Capernaum, where St. Peter’s house is—a place where Jesus lived and preached in the Synagogue. Worn out from weather pushing 120 degrees, we took a democratic vote and elected not to swim in the Galilee itself, but instead went straight on to our next stop, the Jordan river, where we sat in the shade, ate ice cream, and walked down to the baptismal banks of the river itself. We watched a catfish fight, and Alex was playing with the smaller fish, watching them jump from her hands back to the river.

Tonight we will celebrate Eucharist, with Kate presiding, giving the local people a chance to experience a woman presiding over the service. It has been a very busy day, full of sights and opportunities that we may never have the chance to experience again.

What Hanna Thinks

2008-07-23T10:39:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, my name is Hanna, a local resident from Israel. I’m an 11th grader, who joined the youth group this year to visit all the holy places I have in my country. First, let’s say a few words about myself, I’m 16 years old, and I live in a city called Shfaamer, a city near to Haifa. My hobbies are playing the piano and computers.

It’s very difficult for me to describe our trip here In Israel by simple words. I joined the group from USA 8 days ago, and since then I’m enjoying it more and more. Meeting all the guys from USA was one of the best things that ever happened to me. At the first day I wasn’t used to using English as my main language, but now, after practicing my English more and more I think I’m getting used to it, and I’m really thankful for that, because I feel that I’m improving. Now I feel that I have new wonderful friends, from the other half of the world, which is a very cool thing to have.

I must say that visiting all the holy places and listening to each place’s story is a big enjoyment. but above all that, we combine in the trip other fun things, like going shopping together and exploring now places, which added a whole new dimension to our trip. I know that it could sound weird, but actually I’m visiting places in my country which I didn’t even know existed.

My big problem here is that this trip is going to end. That fact makes me really sad, but I’m sure that I’ll be left with all the good memories. -Hanna

Wednesday - Daniel

2008-07-23T07:34:00.000-07:00

Today was our first full day in Nazareth. It was very hot. We first climbed Mt. Tabor. Some people said that it was harder than Masada, and some said it was easier. I personally thought it was easier. We've climbed a ton of mountains while in Israel! Oh well, it was tons of fun, and great exercise. My friend Hanna and I ran up the mountain for a little bit, and down also. Down was a bad idea because now my shins hurt really bad.
After Mt. Tabor, we visited many churches and shops. The churches were all very elegant and had fascinating architectural designs. The first church was a simple chapel at Nain, where Jesus is said to have raised a widow's son from the dead. It was a small church in a Muslim village, so a villager had to open it for us.

After Nain, we visited Cana. There, the stone water jar similar to the one in which Jesus turned water into wine stood. So, Kate suggested that I put my water bottle on it to see if it would turn to wine. She also took my picture. Unfortunately, the water was the same and had not turned to wine. Oh well, it was worth a try!

After Cana, we visited the Greek Orthodox church over the well where the Orthodox believe that the angel told Mary that she would have Jesus. After that, the group went into the Basilica of the Annunciation. However, JR, Robyn and I were wearing shorts too short to be allowed in.
Robyn didn't want to go in because she had already been there before with her host family. JR and I didn't go in because our shorts were too short, but were too hot and not comfortable with covering up in a shawl. Otherwise, it would look like we were wearing skirts.
I can't believe that we only have one more week here in Israel. It's gone by so fast, yet it also seems like we've been here forever! I love it here and don't want to leave. - Daniel

Tuesday - Evan

2008-07-22T10:14:00.000-07:00

Today we woke up at The Rosery Sisters Convent in Jerusalem and after breakfast we packed our bags into the bus around eight, because we were going to Nazareth. We made several stops along our way, we stopped at the ruins of Ceasarea , the Stella Maris, and a church on top of Mt. Caramel.

Ceasarea was a city built by King Herod in honor of Augustus Caesar. The city was built right on the beach of the Mediterranean and functioned as a sea port for ships traveling to the holy land from Europe. The city featured a theater, a hippodrome for chariot racing, a palace for King Herod with a private swimming pool, and a temple for Augustus Caesar which was later turned into a church. Later, Pontius Pilot ruled Judea from Caesarea, the city was captured by Arabs--who blocked the port, and then was inhabited by crusaders. The city was literally built right up to the the sea. As I looked at the stones from which the city was made I could see why the city appealed to so many people, even today. People seemed much more interested by the stray cat that came up to them than the old city. Although I was amazed by the fact that the part of the city was still there even after more than 2000 years.

After we finished at Ceasarea and ate lunch, we went to Haifa where we looked at Stella Maris which we had seen before, it was still as beautiful as before. Then we went to the spot on Mount Carmel where Elijah competed with Ba'al over which god is the real god. there was a church that we where able to climb the roof of, which gave us a beautiful view of the Holy Land. from the roof of that church I was really able to appreciate the world that God made.

After that we went to the Sisters of Nazareth Convent, which is where I am writing this now.
- Evan

We are all Fine

2008-07-22T07:17:00.000-07:00

You may have heard through the news about the incident in Jerusalem today. If not, you can check out the following newspage at

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/22/israel.attack/index.html

We left Jerusalem this morning, before the attack happened. So we are safe and sound in Nazareth.

Our prayers are with the families of the injured, the family of the attacker, and for the soul of the attacker.

Monday - by Sasha

2008-07-21T07:42:00.000-07:00

This morning we visited the Wailing Wall. The wall is divided into separate areas for men and women. This whole trip I have been noticing people and places that are entranced in their religion, and this was one of those moments. There was a sign on the entrance, from the rabbi of the Western Wall and holy sites, that warned visitors not to enter the place dressed immodestly so as not to ‘cause harm’ to the holy site. There was a woman in front of me praying against the wall, covered in pigeon poo, who didn’t even care. She just kept praying.

Next we got in line for going up to the Dome of the Rock. There was a large sign, again from the rabbi, proclaiming that going up to the spot was forbidden by the Torah. I thought this was interesting because that same land used to be very holy for the Jews. We walked up the ramp and went through a metal detector. Our bags were checked for any Christian or Jewish items. There was a woman in front of us loudly arguing about how she should be allowed to bring in the cross she had just bought, but it wasn’t allowed. And once we were finally on the grounds of the Dome of the Rock, we all had to cover especially modestly. The buildings were beautiful.

The most interesting thing about this whole city is how every inch of land is fiercely fought over by so many groups of people. It seems, from listening to them, that anything worth remembering has only happened in Jerusalem, and all on top of one another, so that every bit of dirt here is holy to Christians, Jews, Muslims, and many groups within those religions. Even though their religions preach love and at the very least respect, the fight to be in control here drives those things away. Churches, controlled by many denominations at once, are too fought over to improve anything. The Jewish leaders still carry hate from the persecution of the Holocaust, and are blinded by this as they persecute the Palestinians. And the Palestinians can see no way other than violence as they are crowed into refugee camps and have their rights systematically taken away.

It’s a circle of misunderstanding and hate here and I find it hard to keep hoping if people don’t change.

Daniel on the Way of the Cross

2008-07-21T07:37:00.000-07:00

Monday - by Alex

2008-07-21T07:00:00.000-07:00

"Okay everyone, remember, I'm going to be on the bus at 5:50 tomorrow morning so we can leave, please don't be late!" - JR, last night after Compline.

"Alex, it's 5:50, umm...we are supposed to be leaving now, yes?" - Christina, my roommate, this morning when she woke me up.

This morning, after getting off to a bit of a late start due to some over-sleepers, (oops...) we set off to walk the Via Dolorosa, or the Stations of the Cross. We walked forever, stumbling blindly over cobblestones as we tried to shake ourselves awake, sporadically enjoying the view of the sun rising over the Old City whenever we thought to look up for a moment.

Walking the path that Jesus took, on his way to die was an intense wake up call this morning. At each of the fourteen stations we stopped, our guide would explain what the station was about, and then someone would read a prayer that had to do with the station we were at.

The long, winding path around the Old City gave us time to meditate on what Jesus must have been feeling, how he must have suffered, while carrying the instrument that would ultimately be the cause of his death. For me, the most powerful stations were the ones where Jesus fell, because the prayers that went along with those stations were so guilt-ridden that it made me feel very culpable.

We also saw the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which holds many sites such as Christ's tomb, the Stone of Unction, and the room where the story of St. Helena finding Jesus' crucifixion cross is honored.

There were too many people in the tomb for us to enter, but we got to see it from the outside. The Stone of Unction, were the anointing and wrapping of Christ's body after his death has been commemorated since medieval times, was really cool to see, but seemed more of a metaphorical representation, at least after JR walked past me and muttered, 'One.'
Meaning, that on the scale which Robyn devised for judging the authenticity of a site, there is nearly no proof supporting that the Stone of Unction actually held Christ's body.

Overall, it was an awesome church to see, though kind of sad as well, because it is not in very good shape. There are six different groups in control of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre: Coptics, Greek Orthodox, Syrians, Ethiopians, Roman Catholics, and Armenians. Because of this, the church is kind of dilapidated, since they are all arguing non-stop about what kind of repairs to make, so nothing ever actually gets done. This was apparent in the dinginess of the church, which one would NOT expect, as it is on the top three holiest places in the world for Christians. It kind of proved that the strifes people have over religious beliefs can cause harm, and it's really not necessary. As cliche as it sounds, if the groups could just join forces and work together to enhance and improve the Holy Sepulchre, it would live up to the label it has been given as one of one of the most holy places in the world.

As Sasha said while we were walking past groups of Muslims, Jews, and Christians all glaring at one another in distrust, "I just want to graffiti it on the walls! Hate breeds hate!" And this is very true. As long as the people in this world keep channeling their energy into the hatred of other humans, the vicious cycle of destruction will continue.

Peace :)

(please!) - Alex

Our Rhythm of Life, by JR

2008-07-21T06:42:00.000-07:00

I thought it wise to share with those of you following our journey a bit about how we structure our days here in the Holy Land. Our daylight hours are often filled with touring and exploring the numerous holy sites in Israel and the West Bank. I am very aware that often it takes a while for our young people to process what they have seen and heard in each day. But we want to help them integrate what they are seeing with their faith, our world, and their lives. So each night, we gather for a period of reflection and prayer.

Kate or I lead the reflection each evening. We ask the young people a question (or two), and then ask for them to respond one at a time. At the end of each person's response, s/he is asked to invite another member of the group to reflect. The depth of these reflections varies significantly. On the days that we visit places such as the Deheshe Refugee Camp or Yad Vashem, the discussions can be amazingly deep and touching. On days when we are having more fun, such as the day we hiked up Masada, the discussion can be more jovial. In either case, the periods of reflection allow our young people to share with each other their thoughts and feelings, and hopefully grow closer to one another.

After the period of reflection, we close each evening with the service of Compline. Even after a few nights, they were so accustomed to this that they knew what responses came when. We are now inviting the young people to officiate at this service, and they are answering that request with grace and dignity, engaging the leadership abilities that I know are within each of them. - JR

Kendra Entertains West Jerusalem

2008-07-20T08:13:00.000-07:00

To help celebrate the end of the Sabbath - Kendra decided to entertain passersby on the streets of West Jerusalem.

What Kendra liked on Saturday

2008-07-20T08:08:00.001-07:00

Yad Vashem - by Flora

2008-07-20T07:11:00.001-07:00

After lunch today we all went to visit Yad Vashem, which is the Holocaust museum in Jerusalem. Though out my years in school I’ve learned a lot about the Holocaust but nothing even came near to what I learned about and felt while walking through that museum today. I vividly remember pictures of people hanging from gallows, of those whom are literally skin and bones, and also one of a child holding his hands up ready to be shot with a face full of fear. Walking through I felt like I was going to be sick and ready to cry, the fact that anyone could ever do such things is completely unfathomable. These people were just like you and me; they played sports, hung out with friends, spent time with family, and yet were discriminated against to the point where 11,000,000 of them died, 6,000,000 of that number were Jewish. Going to Yad Vashem was an eye opening experience and certainly one that I will never forget, it really made an impact, and it was truly horrifying to see what people are capable of.

St. George's Cathedral

2008-07-20T07:04:00.000-07:00

Every Sunday we wake up, get ready and go to church. Every Sunday, it still feels the same as the Sunday before, but not today. Today we went to church at St. George's Cathedral in Israel. Israel is such a holy place so for some reason for me, church meant so much more. The service started between 9:30 and 10 am. It seemed shorter than all the other services i've been to, but i liked it. It was moving how the service was spoken in Arabic, one of the 3 common languages here, but sometimes translated to English. The group received pamphlets in English and i'm guessing everyone else's was in Arabic. It was also nice to see how different people, speaking different languages can come together when we're all praising God. We visited St. George's last Tuesday where i mistakenly left my ring on the counter after i had used the facilities. I was happy to return back close to a week later to find it still sitting on the counter. This was a blessing in it's own here, the honesty and assurance we Christians present in church and every day in our lives.

***Kendra Okereke***

Saturday - by Daniel!

2008-07-19T06:50:00.000-07:00

Wow! What a day we had. This is Daniel and today for me was probably the highlight of the trip. We went to all the places that I was most excited about seeing. First, we all climbed Mt. Masada. It was incredibly hot, but a fun, and wonderful experience. The ruins were fascinating. After Masada, we went to a restaurant that had very good food. Then, we toured some ruins by the caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. The best part I think, was when we all went into the Dead Sea, floated for a while, then covered ourselves in mud! Yes, mud. It actually felt quite nice and relaxing. This was an absolutely fun day, and I can't wait for the rest of the trip.

Meet our Palestinian Friends! Christina

2008-07-19T06:10:00.000-07:00

Christina is 17 and is from Haifa. She would like to study Nursing.

Friday- by Robyn

2008-07-19T05:37:00.000-07:00

Today was a day packed with new experiences and also a new depth and understanding to my spiritual faith. Today was our second day touring the really religious sites around Jerusalem, and it was a full day indeed. We walked the trail on the Mount of Olives from the church of Dominus Flavit (commemorating where Jesus wept over the City of Jerusalem) down to the bottom—the Garden of Gethsemane, on the Palm Sunday road. We went to Mount Zion and saw the room celebrating the Last Supper, as well as what is believed to be Caiaphas’ house where the three denials of Peter are recognized. We also walked the (dry) tunnel under the City of David, surprisingly small for all its glory. The tunnel was dark and slightly crowded, but personally I was relieved at its cool damp relief from the sun. We also had a fantastic lunch at a convent in the city. We said the Lord’s Prayer in a church celebrating the lesson from Jesus to his disciples, when he taught them the very prayer. We looked across the Kidron Valley into Jerusalem and saw the Dome of the Rock, now a Mosque that Christians are not allowed to enter, but it is Biblically referenced to be the place where Abraham was going to sacrifice Isaac. And that is just the surface of what we did, to give you an idea.

It was an interesting faith journey. But not really. In my opinion, the revelations we have learned are closer to making our faith, rather than destroying it. The place where we said the Lord’s Prayer was probably not the actual place in which Jesus taught his disciples. In fact, we came up with a rating scale, 0 being no evidence whatsoever, and 10 being absolute certainty, as to whether the site was in actuality the real place in which the celebrated event happened. JR’s highest rating was a 5, for Caiaphas’ house, which Kate rated more like a 9 or 10. Many of the other sites were closer to 0 to 2, some even in the negative because there was actually substantial evidence against the site being the actual biblical location. This concept has been hard for many of us to grasp. The fact that we are going to places to revere our Lord, and we are being told that we are walking on the same steps that Jesus walked—and then finding out that no, that’s probably not true at all—makes us wonder why these sites are considered so Holy.

Here’s my take: the places themselves are not as important as the story we remember because of them. We take the biblical idea, translate it into a tangible location, a place with substantial history already, in most cases, and create a physical place to touch, smell, hear, and see the manifestations of our Lord. For example, we went down into a grotto where the Virgin Mary was revered in a shrine-like cave. The scent of the pervading candles and incense, along with the Gregorian-style chanting, created an ambiance that was all-encompassing. The way the entrance to the cave has been built forces a prostration of the body to enter the chamber, where a representation of Mary’s deathbed has been displayed. It’s really humbling to enter a holy site in a position of ultimate servitude and humility. This experience, whether you believe in the divine assumption of the Virgin Mary or not, was moving and thought provoking, and inspired a response of complete awe. A feeling that was maintained as I looked around the room, and saw people of many different cultural backgrounds paying homage to the Lord. We saw groups from Colombia, Portugal, France, Australia, and several more groups from United States as well. The low murmur of prayers being uttered in at least ten different languages added to the intensity of the atmosphere. To see such a diverse group of people coming together and worshiping one Lord—experiencing the magnificent churches, and remembering the life of one man together—is a testament to our faith. In the church in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Church of Agony, I saw a woman on her knees, crying and kissing a rock on which Jesus is remembered to have asked God to reconsider sending him to the cross. Watching her and realizing that her faith was this strong, to display such emotion, as Flora said, Who are we to doubt it? - Robyn

Meet our Palestinian Friends! Dina

2008-07-17T07:42:00.000-07:00

Dina is from Nazareth. (She hates having her photo taken- so I had to sneak this. She is wearing the light blue shirt turning away from me.) She is 19, and a student at Ben Gurion University.

Meet our Palestinian Friends! Farid

2008-07-17T07:39:00.001-07:00

Farid is 16, and lives near Jerusalem. He is a member of the Arab Congregation at St. George's Cathedral, and attends St. George's School next door.

Meet our Palestinian Friends! Hanna

2008-07-17T07:37:00.001-07:00

Hanna is 16 and lives in the town of Shefa-Amer, in the Galilee.

Thursday, Water Sweat and Picture Taking (by Shelby)

2008-07-17T07:01:00.000-07:00

Today we went around Bethlehem to the Shepherd's Field, the Church of the Nativity, a Palestinian refugee camp, and Mount Herodion where King Herod had one of his fortresses.

At the Church of the Nativity, we were able to see the location of Jesus' birth, where his manger lay, etc. It was astounding to see all these places in person, and almost surreal. I had never known before that Jesus was born in a cave!

After the church, we went to lunch and then headed to the refugee camp. It was shocking to see the conditions they lived in, and to hear about how they were treated. There are currently 12,000 people living in the camp, which is only a 1/2 a kilometer squared piece of land. Seeing the camp made me so grateful for all I have.

After that, we headed toward Mount Herodion, which is actually an artificial mountain that was moved from it's original location. It is completely hollow, with a series of tunnels running through it. After a long day, we headed back to the convent. It was a long, exhausting day with a lot of water, sweat, and picture taking.

-Shelby

Wednesday Morning- Alex

2008-07-16T00:17:00.000-07:00

Staying with the Rawashdeh family was one of the best experiences I have ever had. From the first moment I stepped into their house, I felt so incredibly welcomed. Living in the States doesn't really give you the opportunity to experience the immeasurable warmth that was shown to me throughout my stay. I learned so many things, including many (okay, like 6) Arabic words that I will never be able to spell.

Every meal was an adventure, I tried to completely open my mind and try everything that they set before me, which worked for pretty much everything, except I declined the cherry tomatoes and the olives. BUT, I had cornflakes with hot milk for breakfast every day, along with pizza, or hard-boiled eggs, or hummus and pita bread with zataar. It's safe to say that I have developed a taste for Palestinian food.

There was no water yesterday at all. We were hoping that it would be back on by the time we got back from exploring Northern Jerusalem, but it wasn't. Which was not very welcome information when we returned to the house, dripping sweat and completely exhausted. But it all worked out, because my host sister's older sister and father took me to my host mother's village, Eluaboin, where I met many relatives whose names I will never be able to pronounce. We sat in the living room (after I showered!!! By the way, when you get out of the shower, you say 'Naiman'. I don't know why. But they told me to.) and watched one of the cousins' video about her kindergarten classes graduation. She's a kindergarten teacher, and her kids were absolutely adorable. Overall, it was quite possibly the raddest thing ever. My host family presented me with a t-shirt covered in sequins, and we kissed on both cheeks in farewell. My host sister Rema and I are already connected online thanks to Facebook and MSN Messenger, and Papa says that next summer she is coming to visit me!!!

Now on to Jerusalem :)
peace and love,
Alex.

Tuesday Afternoon - by JR

2008-07-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

One advantage to being the chaperon is that, occasionally, people have to do what I want. So- given the choice between going swimming at the beach or going to the ancient city of Acre, we went to Acre. After a marvelous lunch at a restaurant known by our gracious host Samuel, we split up to spend a couple of hours wandering around the city.

Laura Ellen and I wandered away to explore "The Citadel". This Ottoman fortress was built upon the ruins of a Crusader fortress, which had been built upon the ruins of a earlier structures. It is a constant reminder that this land has seen so much conflict over so many centuries. In some of the Crusader era rooms, that have been dug out in the last 40 years, we saw the ashes left from the great fire when Acre, the last stronghold of the Crusaders in the Holy Land, fell in the 13th century. We wandered through tunnels built by the Order of St. John, and the Templars. And- we wandered the gorgeous streets while meeting people along the way. - JR

Tuesday - by Sasha

2008-07-15T08:24:00.000-07:00

Today we visited many places. Along with our friends from our host families, we drove to many villages that had been deserted and replaced by Jewish towns. We stopped to visit an old church that used to be in the middle of the town I1rit. In 1948, the people in this town were told that they must leave their homes, but could return in two weeks. They were never allowed to return, even though they went to the Supreme Court to fight for their land. They have, however, been able to renovate their church and go back to it for weddings, baptisms, and funerals. We visited some churches and mosques that were abandoned and have not been allowed to be renovated.

And after this, we visited the border of Israel and Lebanon. There were a lot of Israeli soldiers and UN workers at the border because tomorrow there will be an exchange of hostages between the two countries. At the border there is a tourist attraction where you can ride a cable car down the cliff and explore the Grottoes. Exploring the caves was fun, and the crashing water was so loud! - Sasha

Sitting the Mediterranean Sea

2008-07-14T08:03:00.000-07:00

We had lunch at our hosts' homes today between 12 (noon) and 3pm. After lunch we met up at the church and took off for the Mediterranean sea were we are spending the rest of the day. We spent about an hour in the water, until we got tired of getting stung by baby jelly fish. Now we are preparing for dinner, and chilling in the sun or shade. A fairly slow pace day so far. - Evan

Day 1 - Flora's Thoughts

2008-07-14T02:22:00.000-07:00

So today is our first full day here in Israel and it is so BEAUTIFUL! We stayed at the homes of families last night and mine is so nice, I'm staying with a girl named Mira and she has two sisters and an adorable dog named Lucky and extremely kind parents. Then this morning we had a guest speaker come to talk about the difficulties that Palestinians have to face on an everyday basis with their citizenship as well as their identity. It was really interesting and really saddening at the same time, and he talked about how the way the Palestinians are treated is really based from racism which is both really true and really horrible to hear. Then we bonded with the kids over games of ping pong, billiards and foozball. After having a good time just talking and playing games we sat down to watch a movie about how during 1948 the Palestinian villages were destroyed and the women really worked to help their people, the stories that we heard really gave me a new perspective because everything they lived through is something that I can't ever imagine happening to me or even ever in the US. Later today we will be going to the beach! I can't wait!
-Flora

We Made It!!!!!

2008-07-13T20:20:00.000-07:00

After nearly 24 hours of travel- we made it to Raineh. Our flights were on time - though very long. Everybody was so excited, however, and that excitement kpet us going

We were greeted at the Tel Aviv airport by the Laura Muglia and her daughter Flora, who arrived a day earlier than we,

We then drove to Raineh, a Palestinian village on the outskirts of Nazareth, where we will spend the next few days. Given the exhaustion and jetlag- I promised the young people I would provide this update. BUT- you'll hear from them very soon!

Upon our arrive in Raineh, Samuel Barhoum greeted warmly at Holy Family Episcopal Church here. Samuel is the priest-in-charge of this congregation, where he has served for 15 years. His wife, Susan, fixed us a marvelous dinner, which we ate on the terrace of their home overlooking Raineh and the hillside of Nazareth.

Before too long- we were greeted by our hosts. The generous and friendly members of Holy Family invited us all into their homes. People were a bit nervous. We were nervous because we speak no Arabic, and they were nervous because they were unsure of their English. However- I know that those anxieties will vanish before too long.

Memories of the 2007 Youth Pilgrimage

2008-07-10T16:39:00.000-07:00

One year ago, 2 chaperons and 3 youth from the Diocese of Olympia joined in at the Youth Course at St. George's College, Jerusalem. There we were joined by 7 youth from the Diocese of Jerusalem, Fr. Nael (a priest from the Diocese of Jerusalem), and George our wonderful guide.

When we first met, everyone was anxious and quiet. We spoke no Arabic, and our Palestinian friends were a bit unsure of their English. But Irene, the other chaperon from the Diocese of Olympia, had brought along a wonderful tool for breaking the ice- the game UNO(tm). Suddenly- barriers began to come down, and the group started to have fun as we played the game for hours and hours in the Courtyard at St. George's.

Our trip was filled with experiences that brought us closer together, and closer in Christ. There was the Saturday Morning that we walked the Way of the Cross. There was our trip to a refugee camp, where we wandered the tiny streets with Palestinians who, because of where their families ended up, lived vastly different lives than other Palestinians and were suddenly faced with that reality. There was the morning we visited Yad Vashem, and struggled with the heritage of antisemitism.

Last year's trip changed all of us- and I know that the journey we are about to start will do the same. - JR

St. John the Baptist Church Marks the Start of the Pilgrimage

2008-07-08T08:49:00.000-07:00

On our last Sunday before leaving, the community at St. John’s in West Seattle sent us forth with their prayers and their blessing. Daniel, Shelby, and I want to include the people of St. John’s in this journey. Their financial support has made the trip possible for us and their support and encouragement send us forth on the opportunity of a lifetime.

To further include the congregation in this experience, we collected their prayers on tiny slips of paper and we will take them with us to the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem. It is the custom at the Wailing Wall to take written prayers and place them between the stones. We will take the prayers of our congregation and we will remember them in prayer as we place them in the wall next week. - Kate

Meet the Pilgrims- Sasha

2008-07-06T18:49:00.001-07:00

Hi my name is Sasha. I just graduated from Hazen High School in Renton and this fall I plan to attend Bellevue Community College. I hope to serve in the Peace Corps and I would love to work in some way in a church when I am older. I have gone on several trips with my own church but this will be my first with the diocese. I am very excited for this trip; it's going to be life changing. It will be amazing to actually visit the places we learn about from the Bible. I'm also excited to learn more about the complex problems that plague the area. This will be my first time leaving the county, other than Canada, and I love to travel so I'm very excited. Thank you for the support and prayers that made this trip possible. - Sasha

Meet the Pilgrims - Alex

2008-07-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

I'm going to Israel to experience a new culture and to learn how to better our world. This trip will be a real eye-opener to the problems in our world that are so serious, but not really paid attention to by myself or my peers. I will be able to effectively spread awareness having had experience in a place so filled with conflict and pain. Not to mention that I seriously love Hummus! - Alex

Meet the Pilgrims - Kendra

2008-07-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

Hey! I'm Kendra, I can expectedly go on to say how this trip is a dream come true. While it is, this is not one of the reasons i'm going on this pilgrimage. I've recently been having trouble in many aspects of my life and it seems that the harder I pray, the more things stay the same. I told my congregation that i feel like i'm on God's bad side if he has one. I want to go on this trip to rebuild my faith and let God know that i still love him. I don't think he'd love anything better than to have me go and visit the place where it all started. This trip will be an adventure that I'm very excited for and am very blessed to be given to opportunity to go on. I hope that when I return i will have a broader outlook on life and learn to see past what's right in front of me. This is why I'm going on this trip. - Kendra

Meet the Pilgrims - Robyn

2008-07-02T16:43:00.001-07:00

I am going on this trip because I am looking to have a more personal experience with cultures other than our own, to experience some of the cultural boundaries that we've been studying, and to get deeper into my faith and religion. I am excited to travel to the Holy Sites and experience the religious background of my faith. I am also really looking forward to spending time with people from that area—travelling with the kids, and staying in local houses—to get a better perspective of the culture that is there and the conflict that they are all going through. - Robyn

Meet the Pilgrims - Evan

2008-07-01T08:20:00.000-07:00

I am going on this trip because it is a great opportunity to go to a new country and learn about cultures and potentially learn more about religion. I am hoping to have a great time with old friends and to make some new ones too. - Evan

Meet the Pilgrims - Daniel

2008-06-29T20:56:00.001-07:00

I am traveling to Israel because not only is it going to be tons of fun, it will also be very interesting, educational, and life changing. We will be exploring the Holy Land, and associating with Palestinian youth. This trip is an International Humanitarian strive for justice and peace between Christians, Palestinians, Jews, ands Arabs. I would be honored to strengthen this relationship by going on this trip. This is a wonderful opportunity for me to learn more about our Savior. Learning more about Jesus is also a great way for me to grow as a Christian.

I am most excited about two things. I think most interesting to me is to see how Western culture and technologies have influenced other parts of the world. The other interest is just seeing the Holy Land and visiting places where the bible stories took place.

Meet the Pilgrims - Shelby

2008-06-29T20:18:00.000-07:00

I'm Shelby, and I go to St. John the Baptist in West Seattle. I'm going to Israel this summer to learn more about the faith that I have had since I was a child. I am really looking forward to visiting sites such as Masada, the Dead Sea, the Dome of the Rock, and visiting Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. During my freshman year, my history teacher was a fanatic about Masada, so I had heard a lot about it and started wanting to see the actual location, and now I have my chance! I'm so looking forward to this trip.

Meet the Pilgrims - Flora

2008-06-27T18:13:00.000-07:00

I am going on this trip because I think that it will strengthen my belief in God as well as give me an amazing opportunity to see and learn abut a new part of our world and the culture that exists there. I am most excited about climbing Masada and visiting the Dead Sea, but also for walking the Stations of the Cross and getting to be where Jesus once lived. I can't wait and I think it will be so much fun! - Flora

Youth Pilgrimage Retreat - Whidbey Island

2008-06-09T22:18:00.001-07:00

This past weekend, the pilgrims were treated to a warm welcome by the wonderful people of St. Augustine's In-the-Woods Episcopal Church in Freeland on Whidbey Island. This was the first time that all 8 youth and 3 chaperones were gathered together in the same place. It was a wonderful time of getting to know each other, enjoy each other, and begin to trust each other.

As part of our getting to know each other - pilgrims Flora Muglia and Shelby Bautista led us in some ice breaker games. Thanks Ladies! Members of the group also reported on some research they had done, investigating aspects of life in Israel and Palestine such as art, music, sports, and food. We also each talked about the things we fear the most about this journey, and what we are most looking forward to during this trip.

In the evening - we were welcomed by the Idso family to a wonderful cook-out at the home near Freeland. We wandered along the beach, and enjoyed the amazing scenery of Whidbey. The youth stayed in homes of members of St. Augustine's that evening.

In the morning - we all gathered at the church for Holy Eucharist. We were also present for the Adult Forum. St. Augustine's welcomed two Israeli graduate students who were there to tell there stories. (Unfortunately, the pilgrims missed out on the similar talk by two Palestinian students two weeks prior.)

Christ Church, Blaine, WA - Supporting Our Pilgrimage through Music

2008-05-09T14:26:00.000-07:00

One of our pilgrims for the journey this summer, Alexandra Hendricks-Hockey, is a member of Christ Episcopal Church in Blaine, Washington. Alexandra (or Alex) is a gifted musician, as is her vicar The Rev. Jay Rozendaal. As a means of raising financial resources and awareness of the journey this summer- Christ Church is putting on a concert tomorrow, May 10th. Here are some notes about the music from Jay:

(Jay) will be playing a set of Bach Chorale Preludes, transcribed for piano by 19th century pianist Ferruccio Busoni, and a set of pieces by Chopin and Liszt (including his "Legend: St. Francis of Paola walking on the waves"). A student of (his) from Western, and a Blaine H.S. alum, Celeste Fraser will be singing arias from La boheme, and a group of Lieder by Richard Strauss. (Celeste will be going to Manhattan School of Music in the fall for her master's.) And, on the lighter side, (they) will have a set by members of a local Celtic band, Seamus, led by (a) parishioner Clea Taylor - and joined by Alexandra for a couple of songs. Alexandra and (Jay) will do "Morning has broken" and "Taste and See."

What a wonderful example of a community supporting its young person both in prayers and resources!

Gathering the Pilgrims

2008-05-08T17:17:00.000-07:00

On April 12th, we had our first orientation with the youth who will be journeying to Israel and Palestine this summer. Among our activities was to view the photos from the 2007 trip. The journey last year was a wonderful one. 5 of us from the Diocese of Olympia journeyed with a larger group of youth from the Diocese of Olympia. After we returned, I have heard from participants and their families about how much the journey changed their understandings of themselves and their awareness of the world around them.

In addition to learning a bit about where we will journey this summer, we also asked the youth to read Richard North Patterson's book Exile. We hope that through this fictional murder mystery, our young people might begin to explore some of the issues surrounding the current conflicts in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. If you haven't had the chance to read this book- you should.

Our group will gather again at the beginning of June for a weekend retreat on Whidbey Island. Please keep us all in your prayers.

Welcome!

2008-05-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

This blog will document the journey of 8 American youth and 3 chaperons from the state of Washington on our journey to Israel and the Palestinian Territories. While there are 11 of us journeying, we are joined by the thoughts and prayers of so many friends and family. While we are in the Holy Land, we will be joined by a group of our fellow Christian brothers and sisters from the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem. Our youth will also have the opportunity to meet Jewish Israeli young adults, and hear their stories.

This journey is sponsored by the Episcopal Bishop's Committee for Israel/Palestine. Our hope is that through building friendship between our youth and youth of the Holy Land, we can begin to sow some seeds of peace.