Day Six - Tour of Bethlehem

This afternoon, we took a tour of the Bethlehem District. We entered the Bethlehem area again, going through the hill country to the south. This is a diverse place, with desert hills in one valley, and agricultural groves of olives, almonds, and small gardens in the next. We went to the Church of the Nativity, and looked around at the shops in the square nearby. We then went and walked through the Deheisha Refugee Camp. The 850 refugees kicked out of their villages and farms in 1948 have continued to live inside a camp run through the United Nations. This is the longest running refugee camp in the world. What started as a camp of tents has become a cramped neighborhood of 12,000 awaiting the implementation of their rights of return according to International Law. We ended the day with a tour of the YMCA grounds, which include a grotto – perhaps the cave of the shepherds. The YMCA has a teen program, summer camps, and on ongoing vocational rehabilitation program for those disabled after administrative detention, torture, or home invasion. Dinner was great again. We continue to get to know the Norwegian, Dutch, and other members of our team.

Day Six - The work of picking

We started at the top of the slope in the grove closest to the caravans – the most recent additions to the settlement – directly adjacent to the olives. It didn’t take long for us to get into the routine of laying down the drop-cloths, setting up ladders, picking and dropping the olives into the bucket. It also didn’t take long for a group of settlers to watch us over the barb-wire fence with a rifle, yelling something in Hebrew, and some of them crossed over onto the farmer’s land. Then a group of minstrels came singing and playing instruments as they approached us. They are called the “Band from the Olive Tree Circus,” a group that came to support us and pick with us. They sang peace songs in English, Hebrew, and Arabic and were great fun. Then the settler’s went back on their side of the fence, and we went back to our work of helping the farmer collect his olives without being harassed.

Around noon, lunch was served by the family and we enjoyed them and each other.

Day Six - Our First Olive Harvest Experience

Up and atta ‘em, early. We took the circle road around Bethlehem to the site of today’s olive picking just outside of Efrata Settlement. The road to the farm was cut off by barriers, so the bus let us off about a half a mile away from the grove. We walked the whole way, carrying tarps, buckets, and ladders. As we started our walk up the slope to the grove, we were followed by a jeep with IDF soldiers. They must have been called by one of the neighbors, and came to talk to the farmer and our tour leader. They demanded the farmer’s identification papers, questioning the reason for internationals on his property. Eventually the soldiers left, leaving us to our work, but not before citing our bus driver and detaining for 3 hours.

Day Five - Driving down to Jericho and the Dead Sea

Today, we drove from Nazareth to Jericho, and took the tram ride up the hill to look over the valley. Right next to the tram is a refurbished Greek Orthodox Monastery, called the Mount of Temptation. Inside, we met a monk from Canada who showed us the living quarters and then opened up another locked door - he must have liked us - to show us the chapel. Amazing. The chapel includes artifacts that are hundreds of years old and icons of Jesus' three temptations in the wilderness.

After Jericho, we went to Qumran and heard the story of the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls which were preserved by the Essene community that lived there. Then we went to the Dead Sea and floated around for a while. What a great feeling to be in the water or cover oneself in the slick, black, nourishing clay.

We then drove through Jerusalem to Bethlehem, and then on to meet the other olive harvesters from all around Europe, including Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Australia, Switzerland, and England. They were expecting 30 or so to come, but this year there are over 80 participating in the olive harvest.

Today, we said goodbye to Raed and Whalid, our able guide and driver.

Day Four - Getting back to the blog

The computer we were primarily using to post on this blog got a software corruption and is out of commission until we return home. :^( - @#*~! Fortunately, we found a way to get back online with another computer.

On Friday, we spent the day on and near the Sea of Galillee. First we went to the Church of the Beatitudes, right next to a natural amphitheater carved into the side of the hill. We listened as all of the Sermon on the Mount was read for us. Next we went to Tabgha, the traditional site of the miracle of the sharing - the multiplication of the loaves and fishes - where a 4th century mosaic of the loaves and fishes is preserved in the church there. Next, we went to the site of Peter's rehabilitation after his three denials (John 21), and we waded in the water. (Actually, Max went swimming.)

Then we went on a boat ride on a large powerboat with pilgrims from the U.S. and the Netherlands. Later, we went to Capernaum and saw the ruins of the 4th century Synagogue there, within easy eyesight of what they believe to be Peter's house, that became the site of various octagonal churches over the years.

One of the highlights of the day was eating "St. Peter Fish" at a local restaurant. These flaky white fish were yummy, but they left the heads on to watch as we ate.

Day Three – Israeli Peacemakers

Tonight we had dinner with Diana and Michal from New Profile, an Israeli movement for the "Civil-ization of Israeli Society." We talked about the policy of mandatory service in the military for young Jewish and Druze citizens of Israel, male and female. What was surprising was that most Israelis think that every young person serves in the military, yet only around 50% of them actually end up serving. Besides those whose who get medical and mental health exemptions, the Orthodox Jews, married women, those with criminal records and others with questionable characters don't serve in the military. Most citizens don't realize that there is a growing number of young people refusing to enlist, or if they do enlist, refusing to serve in the Occupied Territories. New Profile doesn't encourage young people to refuse service in the military, but they do support those who make the choice to do so, for whatever reason. This would be kind of like being a secular Quaker in America. In working for peace, they see their task as working for a more peaceful society in Israel by supporting those whose conscience prohibits them from serving their country in the military and would rather serve in other ways.

Day Three – Kufar Yosif

Later this afternoon, we visited St. George’s Orthodox Church and School in the village of Kufar Yosif in Galillee. Unlike Ibilin, this new school that just began last year, must charge the families $100.00 a month per student since they do not receive either government funds or outside support. Like other parochial schools in Israel, they are heavily dependant on outside donations to keep the burden on parents to a minimum.