Amali and Sivan at the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount

At the Dead Sea -- the water stung a bit, but the mud was wonderful

The rock hyraxes of Ein Gedi are oddly enough, taxonomically related to Elephants more than to other mammals

Sivan and Amali in thfe springs of Ein Gedi -- four days ago

Sivan climbing at "King Solomon's" Pillar, Timna, Israel, near Eilat

Been really busy, but here come some pics of where we've been

This is our fourth night in Jerusalem. My mom has joined us and Becky is leaving us tomorrow for Jenin. We spent 3 nights at a hostel right in the heart of The Old City, literally around the corner from the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, and five minutes from everything else. Becky and Amali spent two days in the West Bank, near Bethlehem, at a summer camp teaching African and Turkish dance to Palestinian children (I tried to teach them to play ultimate frisbee, but without much success). In Jerusalem, we have visited holy sites of the 3 faiths based here, we have visited historical museums, we have toured the walls of the old city, and eaten more Humus than we probably should have. We participated in a rally against the displacement of Palestinians in East Jerusalem by Settlers. And we have visited with some old friends here as well. Jerusalem is a city divided. Orthodox and Secular, Palestinian and Jew, Modern and Old, Cheap and Expensive (At some locations we purchased coffee for prices that make Starbucks seem like a bargain).

Becky and I are both disturbed by the depth and nature of the divisions we have observed and by the activity of Settlers within East Jerusalem, displacing and destroying neighborhoods that have been traditionally Palestinian (South of the old city, in the area called "David's City" -- historically the site of Jerusalem in the time of King David -- Arab homes were demolished and families rendered homeless in order to build a parking lot!). The tragedy of Jerusalem's expansion and systematic displacement of it's Arab population has definitely made this a rough stay for those of us who were here 20 years ago. On the other hand, the development and improvements in West Jerusalem, are exciting and stimulating. See the pictures above.

More soon,
Chuck

The Ein Gedi and The Dead Sea

A few days ago we drove from Kibbutz Grofit to Jerusalem. On the way we stopped at Ein Gedi and the Dead Sea. At Ein Gedi we did a very beautiful hike that went along a stream called Wadi David and ended up at a big waterfall. We were all wearing tennis shoes so in the end we got them all soaked. After a small hike we then drove to the Dead Sea, the lowest place on earth. The water in the Dead Sea is somewhere around twice as salty as normal ocean water. It's so salty that if you lie back you float on top of the water. I tried it and at first the water stung a little bit on my arms and legs, but i got used to it. it hurt my sister and dad too much so she and my dad went out. After my mom and I floated awhile we took a mud bath. The mud in the Dead Sea has minerals of some kind that make your skin very moisturized and soft. I slabbed mud all over my arms and legs and face. We let it dry and then rinsed it off and I felt the difference. We foated aroung a little more and then drove to Jerusalem...
Sivan :-)