Day 6 - Saturday - Sabbath - Shabbat

From sundown on Friday to sundown Saturday is the Jewish Sabbath or as they call it Shabbat.  For Religious Jews, it is a day of rest and worship.  For secular Jews, it is their only weekend day.  It simplified our travel because there were fewer people one on the road.  Today we packed up from our hotel in Tiberias and headed to our new hotel in Jerusalem.  We made a number of stops along the way.

This is our guide, Tamar

First, we traveled south along the Jordan River and along the border between Israel and the country of Jordan.  Our guide, Tamar gave us a history lesson about Israel and its neighbors as we rode in the bus.  We got our first view of Jerusalem and it was amazing to look at.  Jerusalem came into view and we were awestruck that I didn't get any pictures as we drove in.  Our first stop was the Shepherd's field.  We had to crossover into Palestine because even though Bethlehem is very close to Jerusalem, Bethlehem is controlled by Palestine.  Shepherd's Field is believed to be where the shepherds were when the angels appeared to them and told them about Jesus' birth.  It is a cave that has been turned into a church.

Shepherd Field cave

Next, we traveled on to Bethlehem and the Nativity Church.  This experience was ruined because of a long wait and too many people trying to get to a single opening to see where they believe that Jesus was born.  The location of the birth was marked by a star on the floor.  Then you turn around and see where the manger was that held baby Jesus.

Star where Jesus was born.  Maybe.

  

Grate and lights to memorialize where they believe the manger was located.

While we in Bethlehem we went to a store that sold Christian carvings made from olive wood.  We were given a tour of their workshop.  The machine below is a router that can rough carve 10 pieces of wood.  The finer carving still had to be done by a person.  The best work was done by hand but could take up to the order of months.  The price of the final product  showed how much time it took.  One nativity scene in the store cost $28,000 but they would ship it for free.

  

Guide showing us the router.

We then returned to Jerusalem.  One important point was Tamar is an Israeli Jew and was not allowed to cross over into Palestine.  We had dropped her off and then picked her up on our way back into Jerusalem.  We had a Palestinian guide while we were at the Shepherd's Field and Bethlehem.  In Jerusalem, we went to the Zion's gate, the Upper Room, David's tomb or memorial (no pictures) and Caiaphas' home.  Below are pictures.  Caiaphas' home is where they brought Jesus after He was arrested.  Before His crucifixion, he was held in the pit in the basement of Caiaphas' home.

Checkpoint getting back into Jerusalem from Bethlehem

Zion Gate complete with bullet holes in the walls.

Pit at the bottom of Caiaphas' home where Jesus was kept.

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