20 July 2011
It was another hot and humid day in the Galilee. With the sun burning down on our faces, we loaded the buses for a full day spent touring through three western cities of the Galilee: Chorazin, Sepphoris, and Akko. 
The city of Chorazin was mentioned along with Capernaum and Bethsaida as a city where the Savior both visited and performed miracles. However, it was also mentioned along with Capernaum and Bethsaida as a cursed city - one bound for destruction - because its inhabitants would not accept the teachings of Christ and repent. The most astounding discovery at Chorazin was a black basalt stone armchair used in the synagogue during the reading of the Torah (or the Law of Moses). In Chorazin and other Galilean cities of Jesus' day, during the reading of the Law of Moses, the congregation sat on stone benches running along the sides of the walls. However, the elders sat facing the people with their backs to Jerusalem. The most distinguished of elders would sit on a stone armchair (similar to the one found) called the "seat of Moses". The stone armchair found at Chorazin is an exemplary illustration of the "seat of Moses" mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 23. He warned his disciples and the multitudes that "the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not according to their works, for they do not practice what they preach." It was a nice opportunity to reflect on the teachings of the Savior and His call for His people to repent and to follow after Him as their example as well as their teacher. (Chorazin is also a site where there are remnants of motes and beams!! So we took pictures of those as well!)
Sepphoris was the Roman capital of Galilee before Tiberias. This city later hosted members of the Sanhedrin, who completed the Mishnah there. Byzantine Christians and Crusaders also left their marks on the city. After Pompey conquered Judea in 63 BC, Sepphoris became the Roman capital of Galilee. Aided by his father, Anitpater, the future king Herod was named the governor of Galilee in 47 BC, with his headquarters in Sepphoris. After Herod's death in 4 BC, his son Antipas made Sepphoris the capital of his tetrarchy until he built a new capital at Tiberias. Roman-Herodian Sepphoris had a theater, a cardo, and many luxurious villas with fine mosaic floors, including the "Mone Lisa of the Galilee". It was among these mosaics that we spent most of our time. After the Second Revolt against Rome, The Jews were evicted from Judea. They were, however, allowed to live in Galilee. Consequently, the Sanhedrin moved to Sepphoris and completed the Mishnah in 200 AD. As part of their own effort to create the "Holy Land", Byzantine Christians built several churches at Sepphoris - one of which contained the famous "Nile mosaic". The first Crusdaers erected a small citadel atop Sepphoris. It was from Sepphoris that the Crusaders set out to meet Saladin at Hattin, where their defeat doomed the Crusader presence in the Holy Land. The mosaics were beautiful, especially the "Mona Lisa". It is amazing how one artist can fit together many different stones to create a work of art. The time spent to create such a work (the "Mona Lisa has approximately 500,000 stones) is unimaginable. 
Akko was our final stop (and my favorite stop) before heading back to Ein Gev. Akko fuctioned as an important port during Canaanite, Old Testament, Roman, New Testament, and Crusader eras. Akko was captured by the Crusaders in 1104 AD and became the capital of the Crusader "kingdom" after Saladin took Jerusalem in 1187 AD. Genoese, Venetian, and Pisan merchants were assigned separate commerical quarters within the city, while the military orders - Templars and Hospitallers - each constructed large fortresses. These fortresses were the highlight of my visit. Inside the fortresses, we were able to explore different tunnels, water systems, and even Crusader latrines! As I stared at a map of the Crusader city of Akko, I was greeted with a memory of another Crusader city I had visited on the Greecian island of Rhodes. The city walls, the location of the port, the placement of the gates were almost identical to those in Rhodes. It wasn't until later that I learned that the same Crusaders had constructed both cities. After leaving the fortresses, we headed out to the pier (where there was a beautiful lighthouse!) to take pictures and play on the beach for a few minutes. I chose to stay on the pier to sketch and take pictures of everyone playing in the water. The couple of hours we spent in Akko were not enough to visit all of the sites that I wanted to see; two days would barely have been enough! I hope to someday be able to come back to Israel, even if it is just to go to Akko.
When we reached Ein Gev, we headed into dinner and I wandered down to the beach to take pictures of the sunset and wait for the night's fire bon. (If I haven't mentioned this already, the people at Ein Gev call bonfires "fire bons". We don't know why but it caught on among the students, and we now refer to bonfires as fire bons.) As I was taking pictures, Jenny S. came up behind me and asked me if I needed a photographer. I happily replied in the affirmative, and she spent the next little while taking pictures of me before the wood was lit for the fire bon. I was excited for another night of firelight with everyone. Unfortunately, it was not a night for s'mores but it was a night for skits. We were pleased to watch a skit called "Falling Rock" put on by Jarret Lever, Dallin Quinn, and Jarom Smith; I don't think I have laughed that hard in a long time! Hahaha they did an excellent job and there were many calls for an encore, but Dallin disappeared to get some sleep so we were left to our disposal. I ended up spending the night talking to Ashley, as usual. We decided to take a last swim in the Sea of Galilee on our last night in Galilee....shhh, don't tell anyone! Haha. We ended up back on the beach around the fire with Holly, Amber, Josh, and Josiah for a little over an hour, talking and sharing stories. It was the perfect way to end our last night in Galilee...
The city of Chorazin was mentioned along with Capernaum and Bethsaida as a city where the Savior both visited and performed miracles. However, it was also mentioned along with Capernaum and Bethsaida as a cursed city - one bound for destruction - because its inhabitants would not accept the teachings of Christ and repent. The most astounding discovery at Chorazin was a black basalt stone armchair used in the synagogue during the reading of the Torah (or the Law of Moses). In Chorazin and other Galilean cities of Jesus' day, during the reading of the Law of Moses, the congregation sat on stone benches running along the sides of the walls. However, the elders sat facing the people with their backs to Jerusalem. The most distinguished of elders would sit on a stone armchair (similar to the one found) called the "seat of Moses". The stone armchair found at Chorazin is an exemplary illustration of the "seat of Moses" mentioned by Jesus in Matthew 23. He warned his disciples and the multitudes that "the scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not according to their works, for they do not practice what they preach." It was a nice opportunity to reflect on the teachings of the Savior and His call for His people to repent and to follow after Him as their example as well as their teacher. (Chorazin is also a site where there are remnants of motes and beams!! So we took pictures of those as well!)
Sepphoris was the Roman capital of Galilee before Tiberias. This city later hosted members of the Sanhedrin, who completed the Mishnah there. Byzantine Christians and Crusaders also left their marks on the city. After Pompey conquered Judea in 63 BC, Sepphoris became the Roman capital of Galilee. Aided by his father, Anitpater, the future king Herod was named the governor of Galilee in 47 BC, with his headquarters in Sepphoris. After Herod's death in 4 BC, his son Antipas made Sepphoris the capital of his tetrarchy until he built a new capital at Tiberias. Roman-Herodian Sepphoris had a theater, a cardo, and many luxurious villas with fine mosaic floors, including the "Mone Lisa of the Galilee". It was among these mosaics that we spent most of our time. After the Second Revolt against Rome, The Jews were evicted from Judea. They were, however, allowed to live in Galilee. Consequently, the Sanhedrin moved to Sepphoris and completed the Mishnah in 200 AD. As part of their own effort to create the "Holy Land", Byzantine Christians built several churches at Sepphoris - one of which contained the famous "Nile mosaic". The first Crusdaers erected a small citadel atop Sepphoris. It was from Sepphoris that the Crusaders set out to meet Saladin at Hattin, where their defeat doomed the Crusader presence in the Holy Land. The mosaics were beautiful, especially the "Mona Lisa". It is amazing how one artist can fit together many different stones to create a work of art. The time spent to create such a work (the "Mona Lisa has approximately 500,000 stones) is unimaginable. 
Akko was our final stop (and my favorite stop) before heading back to Ein Gev. Akko fuctioned as an important port during Canaanite, Old Testament, Roman, New Testament, and Crusader eras. Akko was captured by the Crusaders in 1104 AD and became the capital of the Crusader "kingdom" after Saladin took Jerusalem in 1187 AD. Genoese, Venetian, and Pisan merchants were assigned separate commerical quarters within the city, while the military orders - Templars and Hospitallers - each constructed large fortresses. These fortresses were the highlight of my visit. Inside the fortresses, we were able to explore different tunnels, water systems, and even Crusader latrines! As I stared at a map of the Crusader city of Akko, I was greeted with a memory of another Crusader city I had visited on the Greecian island of Rhodes. The city walls, the location of the port, the placement of the gates were almost identical to those in Rhodes. It wasn't until later that I learned that the same Crusaders had constructed both cities. After leaving the fortresses, we headed out to the pier (where there was a beautiful lighthouse!) to take pictures and play on the beach for a few minutes. I chose to stay on the pier to sketch and take pictures of everyone playing in the water. The couple of hours we spent in Akko were not enough to visit all of the sites that I wanted to see; two days would barely have been enough! I hope to someday be able to come back to Israel, even if it is just to go to Akko.
When we reached Ein Gev, we headed into dinner and I wandered down to the beach to take pictures of the sunset and wait for the night's fire bon. (If I haven't mentioned this already, the people at Ein Gev call bonfires "fire bons". We don't know why but it caught on among the students, and we now refer to bonfires as fire bons.) As I was taking pictures, Jenny S. came up behind me and asked me if I needed a photographer. I happily replied in the affirmative, and she spent the next little while taking pictures of me before the wood was lit for the fire bon. I was excited for another night of firelight with everyone. Unfortunately, it was not a night for s'mores but it was a night for skits. We were pleased to watch a skit called "Falling Rock" put on by Jarret Lever, Dallin Quinn, and Jarom Smith; I don't think I have laughed that hard in a long time! Hahaha they did an excellent job and there were many calls for an encore, but Dallin disappeared to get some sleep so we were left to our disposal. I ended up spending the night talking to Ashley, as usual. We decided to take a last swim in the Sea of Galilee on our last night in Galilee....shhh, don't tell anyone! Haha. We ended up back on the beach around the fire with Holly, Amber, Josh, and Josiah for a little over an hour, talking and sharing stories. It was the perfect way to end our last night in Galilee...
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