July 1

This is our last day of field trips and the most poignant. Our first stop was at the Holocaust History Museum. As we entered the Exhibition Pavilion, it was amazingly quiet and reverent. There was no talking, no pictures, but lots of tears. The exhibit took us through the German (and other countries) persecution of the Jews beginning with Hitler. Exhibit after exhibit showed pictures, artifacts and video of survivors.

We only had two hours to complete the 180 meters of exhibits and that was too little time, yet way to much to absorb. The most heart breaking pictures were those of the children. The expressions of despair on their faces was almost too much to handle. Man's ability to inflict so much pain of his fellow man is hard too understand, yet we still see it all around the world. The frightening thing is that we are capable of similar behavior (maybe not as atrocious) when we fail to submit to the second of the two great commandments - you shall love your neighbor as yourself.

As I said pictures inside were not allowed, but I did take a few outside.

This is a plaque honoring Corrie Ten Boom and her family - whom many of us know as the author of the Hiding Place. There were many plaques, including one for Oskar Schindler.

A railcar used to transport Jews to the camps.

We then visited the Israel Museum where we saw the model of Jerusalem in the 1st century prior to its destruction in 70 AD. The model was amazing and is constantly updated as new facts about the city are uncovered. It is built on 50:1 scale. If you would like to see an interactive view of the model click the following link: Model of Jerusalem.

This is the temple area and part of the city looking from the east to the west.

We then drove up to Shilo(h) to visit the early location of the temple and the Ark of the Covenant. This is where Hanna prayed for a child and was blessed with Samuel. Samuel grew up here under Eli's training.

The excavated temple site (lower part of picture). It is not at the top of the hill, but down the hill on the north side.

Our last stop was at the Garden Tomb - the alternative site to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus. Archeologists and others are not in agreement over the location. Whatever the location, out tour guide gave an excellent and horrifying description of an actual crucifixion. Our pictures and images from our growing up years are not exactly accurate.

The tomb inside the cave.

This is an ancient olive press uncovered at the site.