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| Orthodox Jews in Old Jerusalem on the Sabbath |
Frankly, Israel wasn’t really on my radar as somewhere to visit. Then Batya came to do a presentation at the AWC about a tour she was leading for the American Women’s Club of Amsterdam in November 2011. She was born in Maryland, but her parents moved to Israel when she was young and they lived on a kibbutz until she was ten. After moving around the world, she eventually settled in Israel where she became a tour guide with her Dutch husband. They now live in Holland and lead occasional trips back to Israel. Having an American expat lead a small group of expats around her adopted home seemed too unique of an opportunity to pass up. Thankfully, Jimmy gave me a hall pass to go.
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| Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa -- Station 6 where Veronica wiped Jesus’ Face |
It wasn’t until our group met at the airport that it dawned on me that my fellow participants might be interested on going on a religious pilgrimage and that our desires for the trip might not mesh. I took a quick poll and it was a relief to discover that the five of us were like-minded (four Jews and one ex-Lutheran). Getting to know my fellow travelers was definitely a highpoint of the trip.
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| A Mix of Jewish and Arabic Goods in the Muslim Quarter |
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