The World We Leave Behind

Well everyone, we are on our way back. I’m sitting here in Ben Gurion, pecking away at the keyboard of Judith’s undersized laptop. It seems like just yesterday that we passed through this same place, but at the same time so much has happened since then. It has been an incredible week for all of us; I think it’ll take some time to really process what we’ve experienced and discover the full meaning of the world we are leaving behind – but one we will never forget.

Hand it to Bob and Maurine – a day walking around the town that Jesus grew up in was the perfect way to wrap up our week-long pilgrimage to Israel and Palestine. We met our tour guide, Azar, after breakfast and began hiking up the hill to visit Don Bosco, an Arab school. 

 

The Church at Don Bosco

The view was simply incredibly; the entire city of Nazareth was spread out before us, and Mt. Precipice – where Luke says an angry mob once attempted to throw Jesus off a cliff – stood tall in the distance.

We then descended the hill, passing through the busy marketplace to the Basilica of the Annunciation, which stands over the location where Mary was visited by an angel. We followed Azar inside, passing by the ancient Crusader and Byzantine ruins. There’s not much left – only a small grotto – but the altar remains inside. The walls are lined with beautiful mosaics that almost every country in the world has donated to the basilica (to be honest, ours isn’t particularly stunning). The upper level is entirely dedicated to Mary.

 Basilica of the Annunciation

We stopped by St. Joseph’s and the Greek Orthodox Church before heading to the Sisters of Nazareth Convent.  Our first order of business there was to explore the underground ruins beneath the convent, which were discovered in the waning years of the 19^th. century. There are some pretty impressive archeological designs: 1^st century tombs (which had housed the skeleton of what excavators believed to be a bishop), and structures build by both the Crusaders and the Byzantines. One of the tombs in particular garnered our interest – one which shared the same model of the tomb that Jesus was resurrected in.

After a while poking around the musty (but still fascinating) ruins, we returned outside. Bob handed us each some shekels, and set us loose upon the Nazareth marketplace to find our own lunches and peruse the shops and sights. 

 The Nazareth Marketplace

There were a few pretty good finds, including a sweet shop with everything from Turkish Delight to honey balls (amazing!), and an Arabic pizza parlor that served pizza on pita bread. Once we were all shekel-ed out, we returned to the convent.

We were all looking forward to the last event on the program: a visit from Knesset member Haneen Zoabi, one of only 11 Palestinians to represent the 1.2 million that live within the country. She spoke passionately to us about the political aspect of Palestinian self-identity. While Palestinians with Israeli citizenship are commonly referred to as Arab Israelis, Zoabi rejects that term as a denial of her own historic and cultural identity as a Palestinian. 

  Haneen Zoabi (far left)

To be an Israeli citizen, she told us, the country demands that they deny their own Palestinian identity. To call herself Palestinian is to be “disloyal” to the state. Much of her work is to reverse that notion, and to make a Palestinian heritage a thing of pride and not of disloyalty. We hope and pray that she will help lead the way to political and social equality for all Palestinians.

And with that, our pilgrimage came to a conclusion. We returned to St. Margaret’s for a final debrief and dinner.  As we were to leave Nazareth at 3am, some chose an early bedtime, while a few bolder ones (those crazy kids) elected to stay up all night.

And so we return to the States. Barely a week has passed, but so much has changed. We return with an awareness of a beautiful and holy land halfway across the globe.  The land where our Lord lived, ministered, and died for us. We have followed in His footsteps to continue that never-ending quest to be close to Him. We have prayed, and we have felt His presence.

But we also return with an awareness of a terrible and cruel land. We have witnessed the occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people, on the same earth that Jesus called us to show love, kindness, and mercy to all. And so we are called to do what we can. Jesus tells us that helping the least of His brothers is to do His work, and so that is our mission.

Just to conclude, I’d like to thank some who helped to make this wonderful pilgrimage possible. Thanks to all of you, for your constant support over the past few months; thanks to Bob and Maurine Tobin, who planned and led the trip and provided a wealth of knowledge and understanding to us;  Judith, who helped organize and lead the trip, and was also a wonderful resource to all of us who needed anything; Brandy, who managed our finances; Trish, who helped chaperone; Shan, who created and maintained this blog; Bishop Tom Shaw, who was an incredible spiritual resource the days that he was with us; and Mohammed, our driver who not only can maneuver a gigantic tour bus with the precision of a brain surgeon, but was an amazing friend to us (he even got us snacks when he was waiting for us to return!). You have created an experience that none of us will forget.

And we’ll be seeing you all, our families and friends, very soon. Thanks for taking the time to read and follow us on our journey. We look forward to returning home, but we will never forget what we have experienced and learned here. 

God bless,

MacLean Cadman

Communication, 2012

Boston College

From Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee

For some of our group, today started at 4am so that we could spend time in the Old City of Jerusalem without the crowds. The early risers visited the Holy Sepulchre, where it is believed that Jesus was crucified and buried. During the day, the crowds here are unbearable, so the early morning visit was a huge success. At 7:30 this morning, we packed into the bus with all of our luggage and headed toward Nazareth. The bus ride took approximately three hours, and the scenery was breathtaking.

We arrived at the Mount of Beatitudes, where we had some time to pray and reflect on our experiences of the past five days. It was quite a change of pace from our past few days. We were able to find some peace after the turmoil and suffering that we’ve witnessed. Following our time of reflection in the beautiful gardens of the Mount of the Beatitudes overlooking the Sea of Galilee, we had lunch at the convent of the Mount of the Beatitudes. The staff served us a filling meal of pasta, bread, and fish from the Sea of Galilee called Peter’s Fish. An entire fish was served to each of us, as well as French fries.

Lunchtime at the Mount of Beatitudes!

Peter's Fish -- Our Lunch. Say Hello!

Once we were well fed, we headed toward Capernum where we got closer to the Sea of Galilee and to some ancient ruins. Some of us dipped our toes into the Sea. It was a moving experience to be walking around where Jesus did most of his ministry. Our change of pace today gave all of us some peace, through which we have been processing our trip as it comes to a close.

College Pilgrims in the Synagogue at Capernaum

All text by Paulina Muratore,
Class of 2013, International Relations
Boston University

All photographs by MacLean Cadman
Class of 2012, Communications

Boston College

From Capernaum to Nazareth

After touring Capernaum, we traveled a short ways along the shore of the Sea of Galilee to the Church of the Primacy of Peter. A short walk separates the church from the nearby parking lot and tourism center (which featured a fountain with a variety of brightly colored fish). Once we had our fill of exploring, we hiked up the hill to the church.

There was plenty of exploring to do up there as well. The church itself is a beautiful stone structure, built upon the ruins of a 4^th century chapel. According to tradition, it is the same spot where Jesus laid out a breakfast of bread and fish for His disciples two thousand years ago. The Rock of St. Peter protrudes from the church’s floor, a unique replacement for the typical altar. Outside, the church stands a stone’s throw from the Sea of Galilee; the distant shores of Syria shimmered through the mist rising from the water.  The entire scene creates an atmosphere of peace and spiritual richness.

But we weren’t there just to poke around; our clergy team had prepared the outside worship area for a special confirmation service for one of our students, Hannah. It was an amazing thing to see someone confirmed at the Rock of St. Peter, and Hannah was more than a little excited for it. And it was perfect; the sun was setting, the air was cool, and the birds were singing as Bishop Tom confirmed her and led us all through a reaffirmation of our confirmation vows.

The Confirmation at the Sea of Galilee

After some extended photo ops, we packed up and left for St. Margaret’s Guesthouse in Nazareth. We were in for another treat; as we rounded the hills that surround the Sea of Galilee, a beautiful sunset lit up the western sky, prompting several “ooh”s and “aah”s and a barrage of camera flashes.

Sunset in the Galilee

The courtyard at the Guesthouse.

An hour later, we arrived at the Guesthouse with just enough time to unpack and unwind before dinner. Tomorrow’s it, folks. We’ll have one more entry then an 8:00 am departure from Tel Aviv (after getting up at 3am!). See you all soon!

All text and photographs by

MacLean Cadman

Communication, 2012

Boston College

A Romp in the Old City

 After our extensive tour of the Old City, our guide Ali led us to Al Quds University to meet with a few of its students. Nanara and (name) treated us to a lunch of falafel sandwiches (which, after trudging around the Old City all morning, was a welcome sight) and discussed with us the life of a Palestinian student in Jerusalem. While their studies go quite well, the social disparity between the Israelis and Palestinians still touches other aspects of their lives. The check points, for example, make it very difficult for them to visit their families, and impossible for their families to visit them. What was a fifteen-minute trip turns into an hour-long wait to pass through the wall.

We also were treated to a tour of the ancient baths located under the university. Our guide showed us the clever mechanisms that provided for steam baths, hot and cold-water treatment, and ventilation systems. Though they have long been out of use, the impressive designs still speak to the genius of the city’s ancestors.

We then departed Al Quds, and enjoyed a few hours of roaming around the Old City, taking pictures, perusing the countless shop, and enjoying (hopefully!) the wild experience of negotiation prices with fanatic salespeople. Everything one could imagine was no more than a few steps away; souvenirs, jewelry, clothing, pharmacies, meat, spices, candy, electronics – there was even a shop devoted to t-shirts with Hebrew logos of American sports teams.

 Spices

By MacLean Cadman

There was also the opportunity to more closely inspect some of the Old City’s religious sites. One of these is the Wailing Wall, a towering behemoth that stands as the last remains of the Old Temple and a major prayer site for Jews. There are two parts; a smaller wall, tucked away in the recesses of the Old City’s catacombs, and the larger wall that stands nearby Ibrahimi Mosque. We visited the smaller wall, which was much less crowded than its counterpart. Between the stones and crumbling mortar are countless pieces of folded paper. 

 Prayers in the Wailing Wall

By MacLean Cadman

Jews traditionally write prayers or messages to God and insert them into cracks in the Wall, like tiny messages in a bottle that might somehow float their way up to God. We later saw the larger part of the Wailing Wall from a nearby viewpoint. Its location provides a picturesque scene that includes the Wall, the Dome of the Rock, and the Mount of Olives in the distance.

The Wailing Wall, Dome of the Rock, & Mount of Olives

 By MacLean Cadman

With bags stuffed full of souvenirs and wallets near empty of shekels, we meandered back to St. George’s to prepare for that night’s service. I’ll pass the baton onto Paulina for a description of that.

Well, tomorrow it’s to Nazareth and the tail end of our pilgrimage. We’ll all be seeing you before long!

MacLean Cadman

Communication, 2012

Boston College

Ecumenical Prayer Service

This evening our group attended a memorial service for the Christians who were killed in Alexandria, Egypt, a few days ago by a bomb. The service was organized by Sabeel, an Ecumenical Center of Liberation Theology in Jerusalem run by mainly Palestinians.  A few months ago, there was a bombing of a Christian church in Iraq. Many people fear that there soon may be a wave of attacks on Christians throughout the Middle East. The service we attended was an Ecumenical service, consisting of many different Christian denominations from Catholic to Orthodox to Lutheran and Episcopal. Bishops and priests from all these denominations attended the service and participated in it, including our bishop, Tom Shaw.

Media from Palestine, Lebanon, and Egypt attended the service, filming the entirety of it. Tonight (8pm Israel/Palestine time, 1pm Boston time), the service was on  both the Palestinian and Lebanese news. On Friday, the entire service will be broadcast on CTV which is the Coptic TV, a denomination of Christianity known  as Coptic Christians who have origin in Egypt.

The main purpose of the memorial service was to use the recent tragic bombings of Christians in the Middle East in a positive way, to work against the violence in a peaceful way. We are continually hoping and praying for peace between and among all religions.

All photos and text are by:
Paulina Muratore

Class of 2013, International Relations

Boston University



The Dome of the Rock & Al-Asqa Mosque

Damascus Gate

By MacLean Cadman

This morning, we found ourselves entranced as we climbed the cobbled roads of Jerusalem's Old City through shafts of light filtering into the narrow openings along the street-side markets and cafes. We entered the Old City through the Damascus Gate and swiftly wound around in the bustling maze along the Via Dolorosa, where Jesus walked his last steps before his crucifixion. Our goal was to arrive at the Dome of the Rock on time--having been granted access, just this morning, to both the shrine and the Al-Asqa Mosque, something that does not happen very often these days.

After passing through the crowds and the rush of the Old City, we passed through a security checkpoint and entered into a very quiet Temple Mount, where we could hear birds sing and feel the breeze blow. It was a beautiful morning in Jerusalem. Just across the courtyard, we saw the 7th century golden dome rising above the sacred Islamic shrine, and it took our breath away.

Dome of the Rock

By MacLean Cadman

Once all the women in our group had covered our heads with scarves and put on large, flowery skirts over our jeans, we were escorted up the marble staircase to the Dome of the Rock, a magnificent octagonal structure built using a Byzantine architectural style for the dome. Below the dome, the building is covered in colored porcelain tiles to create engaging geometric patterns that are echoed in the interior. We took off our shoes and entered the shrine, first built as a resting place for pilgrims to the mosque next door.

Scarves & Skirts

By MacLean Cadman

In the shrine, we saw men, women, and children at prayer, study, and rest. We had the opportunity to go down below the dome into one of the niches beneath the rock to touch the holy rock and observe prayers taking place in this holiest of sites for Muslims. The experience was truly breathtaking for many of us. The calm beauty all around us--gorgeous, intricate stained glass windows; thick carpets donated by the King of Jordan; an ornate ceiling held up by wide marble columns. We wished we'd been able to stay longer to soak up the spiritual energy of the place.
After leaving the Dome of the Rock, we walked across the plaza to the Al-Asqa Mosque, which means "the Farthest Mosque from Mecca," our guide told us. Another beautiful structure, the mosque was surrounded by groups of men and women studying the Koran and was filled with people in prayer. Our experience of this place included a profound sense of devotion to God and to living a good and peaceful life, which made it as hard to leave the mosque as it had been to walk out of the Dome of the Rock.

Inside the Mosque

By MacLean Cadman

In my Father's house, there are many mansions. ~ John 14.2

~ Shan Overton

PhD student, Theology and Education

Boston College

Yad Vashem & East Jerusalem

A country is not just what it does--it is also what it tolerates.

--Kurt Tucholsky, German essayist of Jewish origin

Quotation from Vad Yashem, the Holocaust Museum

Vad Yashem, the Holocaust Museum

Monument at Vad Yashem

by Paulina Muratore

At the Children's Memorial

By MacLean Cadman

A view of the valley from Yad Vashem.

Paulina Muratore

East Jerusalem

A market in East Jerusalem.

by Paulina Muratore

The Winding Wall

By MacLean Cadman

A Bedouin encampment outside of East Jerusalem.

by Paulina Muratore

A Demolished Palestinian Home

By MacLean Cadman

Walking down the hill to the Peace Center of

the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions (ICAHD)

with our guide, Yahav.

by Paulina Muratore

Mural at ICAHD's Peace Center.

by Paulina Muratore

Maqluba (a.k.a. Upside Down), a traditional Palestinian lunch. YUM!

by Paulina Muratore

Ramallah & the Dead Sea

Dear Friends, 
We spent today in Ramallah in the West Bank and on the Dead Sea. It was another intense but fruitful day. We offer to you the Scripture passage we carried with us for the day and reflected upon at evening's end, followed by several photographs of our journey.

~ Shan Overton

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.

~ Lamentations 3.22-23

Visit with The Rev. Manuel Musallem
in Ramallah

College Pilgrims with The Rev. Manuel Musallem,

Roman Catholic priest who served in Gaza for 14 years

and current Director of Christian-Islamic Peace Center

by Judith Stuart

Meeting with Hanan Ashrawi
in Ramallah

Diocese of Mass College Pilgrims with Hanan Ashrawi,
Founder and Secretary General of MIFTA,
the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy

by Judith Stuart

The Rev. Judith Stuart with Hanan Ashrawi

by MacLean Cadman

Playing in the Dead Sea

Bobbing in the salt water!

by Judith Stuart

A bunch of us in the mud!

by Judith Stuart

Because of the Lord's great love we are not consumed, for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.
~ Lamentations 3.22-23

Going There: Aida and Hebron

Today, we visited Aida Refugee Camp and Hebron in the West Bank. Our own words cannot possibly describe all we have seen and heard, so we share with you several photographs because a picture is worth a thousand words. But first, a poem by R.S. Thomas, which articulates both the suffering and the grace we have witnessed.

 

The Coming
by R. S. Thomas

 

And God held in his hand

A small globe. Look he said.

The son looked. Far off,

As through water, he saw

A scorched land of fierce

Colour. The light burned

There; crusted buildings

Cast their shadows: a bright

Serpent, A river

Uncoiled itself, radiant

With slime. On a bare

Hill a bare tree saddened

The sky. many People

Held out their thin arms

To it, as though waiting

For a vanished April

To return to its crossed

Boughs. The son watched

Them. Let me go there, he said.
Aida Refugee Camp

Entrance to Aida

by Paulina Muratore

 A wall in Aida listing refugees' home villages.

by Paulina Muratore

Our lunch hosts at the Lajee Center in Aida.

by Paulina Muratore

 The Wall, sometimes called the Apartheid Wall, sometimes called The Fence.

by Paulina Muratore 

Children in Aida.

by Paulina Muratore

 

Ibrihimi Mosque

The beautiful room for prayer.

by MacLean Cadman

Several of us prepared for entering the room for prayer.

by MacLean Cadman

The 1,600 year old minbar, where the imam stands to deliver sermons.

by Paulina Muratore

Sarah's Tomb

by Paulina Muratore

Meeting Israeli Soldiers

At the checkpoint near the Ibrihimi Mosque.

by MacLean Cadman

Getting a little exercise!

by MacLean Cadman

Soldiers at our last checkpoint leaving Hebron.

by MacLean Cadman

Seek Peace and Pursue It

This entry is part two of two entries for Saturday, January 1.

Barbed Wire Fence on Olive Tree Terrace

by Paulina Muratore

Class of 2013, International Relations

Boston University

One of the gifts of coming to a disputed land is meeting people who want to resolve conflicts not with violence but with civility, creativity, and a concern for the common humanity of everyone involved. Today, we met two such people, one a university professor who left a job at Yale University to focus on empowering non-violent approaches to the Israel-Palestine conflict from his home in Bethlehem; the other, a farmer committed to establishing good relations with his neighbors, to creating beautiful art, theater, and music with children in order to promote peace, and to making a space where people of all traditions and backgrounds can come together in peace. These men, Mazin B. Qumsiyeh, professor at Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities and a leader in several civil and solidarity movements, and Daoud Nassar, owner of Daher's Vineyard and director of Tent of Nations, are Palestinians with a passion for justice and peace. Their long-term dedication to the creation of opportunities for mutual respect between Palestinians and Israelis, despite the ongoing discord about land ownership and use, water access, human rights issues, and much more, was both a sobering and an energizing aspect of our journey today.

We met Qumsiyeh after spending the morning at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. He welcomed us with hospitality, including a delicious Turkish coffee, and talked to us about his activist work. Qumsiyeh is deeply concerned about what is happening to Palestinians as Israelis build more walls, annex more land, uproot profitable and very old olive trees and vineyards, tap water resources underneath Palestinian-owned property, require Palestinians to carry special IDs, and control Palestinian movement throughout the region. It is clear that, despite his concerns for these and many other problems, Qumsiyeh follows the lead of globally-respected persons such as Mohandas Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr., and Desmond Tutu, as he tries to respond in a non-violent manner that still makes his political points. He told us what it means to him to be a Palestinian at this time, saying, "to exist is to resist." Resisting, for Qumsiyeh and the people he works with, does not mean violent acts; instead, resisting means farmers picking olives in front of bulldozers and women taking sheep to pasture in forbidden areas, children going to school in the streets when their schools are blocked off by Israeli military units, writing books and talking to groups about peace and justice, hugging trees about to be torn down or burned, refusing to pay taxes without representation, and other similar kinds of actions. His message is a message of hope and empowerment, one that draws inspiration from the anti-Apartheid movement, women's suffrage and feminist movements, and the like.

After we left Qumsiyeh, we had much to ponder on the short bus ride and walk across the terraced fields and up the hillside to Daher's Vineyard just outside of Bethlehem. We arrived at the farm to a delicious lunch prepared for us by Daoud Nassar and his family, after which Nassar told us his family's story of land ownership in a rich farming area where Israelis are currently annexing land and building new settlements very rapidly.

Lunch in a Cave at Daher's Vineyard

by Paulina Muratore

 The Nassar family bought their land in 1916 and have been farming it continuously in vineyards and olive trees and living in the caves on the land for three generations, but they have had to mount an extraordinary legal battle with Israelis for more than ten years in order to keep it despite having clear title to the entire property. The family was offered a large sum of money to give up the property rights to their 100 acres, but they refused because, Nassar said, "The land is our mother. We cannot sell our mother." They have endured nine demolition orders, all rescinded thus far, but they fear that the bulldozers could arrive at any time to destroy the few structures on the property. In addition to fighting the battle in court, the Nassar family's response to this situation has been to make something good come from the conflict. They host a summer camp for children and youths from the area; invite people, including Israeli settlers, to join them in working the land and sharing meals; and have been inventive in creating a self-sufficient farm with solar energy, rain water tanks, organic farming techniques, and good use of the natural caves on the property. They are not interested in theoretical peace-making but try to live it every day, from the grassroots up, whether they are engaged in hosting visitors like us or crossing through an Israeli check-point. As Nassar told us, "We refuse to be enemies." His goal, and that of his family and Tent of Nations is to develop friendships that will enable them to cross boundaries and solve problems together.

 Peaceful Resistance, Daher's Vineyard

by Paulina Muratore

As we said our goodbyes to Nassar and headed back down the hill and across the fields to the bus, we were struck by how these two good men are, in their own ways, seeking and pursuing a future of peace. Both want unity with their fellow human beings, and one approaches it by researching and writing books and engaging in non-violent political actions while the other plants olive trees and invites everyone to participate in the planting and the playing afterward. Their kind hospitality, their honesty, their diligence in the face of many obstacles, and their humor will stay with us through the rest of our journey and as we return home to all of you.

~ Shan Overton

PhD student, Theology & Education

Boston College

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is 

for brethren to dwell together in unity!

~ Psalm 133 (KJV)

Most of Our (Very Unified) Group at Church of the Nativity!

by Paulina Muratore