The Aikikai dojo in Modi'in is hard to beat - both challenging and kind. "Are you going to stay?" was the first question I heard. I had to say no, just visiting. Still, in a one-hour class, I felt that Jose Magal sensei and a group of friendly, enthusiastic training partners drew out my very best Aikido. I didn't say perfect, just my very best, all the spirit and energy I had. They were very welcoming to a visitor and I got a taste of some interesting blends, sometimes different to what I'm used to at home, sometimes the same. From time to time I kind of wanted to say "We do it different at home," to excuse myself for not getting something right. But I didn't say it. I think people understood very well.
Aikido is one of the universal languages (even though it comes in different dialects), and because it's unavoidably about connecting to another person, it's a very honest one.
Sensei after class showed me a picture of his sensei, with whom he has studied for 30 years, and told a few stories. His sensei lives in Brazil. I'm amazed by the energy and commitment that has gone into developing his practice, keeping it alive, and building their beautiful dojo. As I left I was given an address of another dojo in Jerusalem, and I hope to meet up again with some of these same people before I leave.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Sabbath
I've had the privilege of staying several days with Naomi's cousin, Moshe. One of the high points of this trip has been conversations with him, his explanations of the different philosophies of Judaism I've been encountering on this trip, the history of Israel and the different people here. Another highlight was having Shabbat dinner with his sister Lily and the family. Lily does all the cooking for this every week, and there are about twenty people there with her children and grandchildren. It's a warm and relaxed occasion with lots of conversation and good food. My Hebrew is not so good so at times I just listened and watched (and ate) and that was not bad!
Moshe lives in Modi'in, a residential town located just on the Israeli side of the Green Line, half way between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The name Modi'in rang a distant bell in my mind. When I was pointed out a hill in the distance where the Maccabees are buried, I was able (after quite a bit of wondering) to make the connection to a mention in the Bible of the same place under a different spelling. So this place has been settled for a long, long time, over 2000 years. You wouldn't know it to look at it, it's a modern residential town with parks, lots of schools, mostly low-rise apartment buildings and an air-conditioned shopping center. But if you explore, you quickly run across some ancient caves and a stone water catchment system right next to the modern, much larger, steel water reservoir. (How old? Sometimes you get to guess. It could be 200 years or 2000. But it still has a great echo and you can have fun dropping a stone to see how long it takes to hit the bottom.)
One thing I didn't find was a church; I'll have to make that up when I arrive in Jerusalem in a couple of days. Meanwhile, traveling in Israel gives me a taste of what it's like to be a small religious minority, and what a difference it makes to have that be accepted and respected. Also, of course, I feel the importance that my church community has for me.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
The Best Aquarium in the World?
This is my last day in Eilat on the Red Sea, in fact my last couple of hours, and it was a real pleasure yesterday to take a plunge in the sea and also to visit a special place called the Coral World Undersea observatory, which lets you take a close look at a Red Sea coral reef in several ways. They have some large conventional tanks, artfully arranged, but you can also take a look at the actual reef by stepping down into a large glass-walled room, and/or by riding in a glass-bottomed boat. It's wonderful. I was startled first by how alive the coral looks - an incredible variety of shapes and colors, and while I didn't get to touch it, it looks to be as soft as a plant or the inside of a mollusk would be, nothing at all like the hard calcified pieces you sometimes see.
The other amazing sight was the different kinds of fish and the way they school (or don't school, depending on the species). There were some enormous schools of tiny little fish - thousands of them! - all moving together in a kind of dance. They are far more spectacular than any individual fish could be, no matter how large or colorful it might be. The shape of the school changes as the fish move around, yet it keeps its smooth and definite shape, like a piece of clay or a balloon being squeezed and stretched. Other fishes, bigger ones, make schools but keep a little more distance among each other. Others really seem to travel alone. (Fish hermits? bandits? social rejects? lost?)
We had our dinner at a nice place called the Spring Onion; the blintzes were almost as good as Marc Kagan's (I said almost!) and I tried a very nice glass of Israeli white wine. They were nice people, too. Anne got a plate of food that contained something she couldn't eat, and the waiter insisted on replacing it with something she liked - "We want to see a smile on your face!"
I'm looking forward to meeting Naomi's cousin, Moshe, and his family. Shabbat Shalom!
The other amazing sight was the different kinds of fish and the way they school (or don't school, depending on the species). There were some enormous schools of tiny little fish - thousands of them! - all moving together in a kind of dance. They are far more spectacular than any individual fish could be, no matter how large or colorful it might be. The shape of the school changes as the fish move around, yet it keeps its smooth and definite shape, like a piece of clay or a balloon being squeezed and stretched. Other fishes, bigger ones, make schools but keep a little more distance among each other. Others really seem to travel alone. (Fish hermits? bandits? social rejects? lost?)
We had our dinner at a nice place called the Spring Onion; the blintzes were almost as good as Marc Kagan's (I said almost!) and I tried a very nice glass of Israeli white wine. They were nice people, too. Anne got a plate of food that contained something she couldn't eat, and the waiter insisted on replacing it with something she liked - "We want to see a smile on your face!"
I'm looking forward to meeting Naomi's cousin, Moshe, and his family. Shabbat Shalom!
Petra
Yesterday, we went to Petra, the magical archaeological site in Jordan, which you can see in "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," and which has recently been called one of the New Wonders of the World. Six people went from our guesthouse - Anne and I, and four guys from Slovakia. The van dropped us at the border crossing, saying "Your guide will be here in one minute," and left. The guide did indeed appear after some interval of time, along with several other tourists who joined us for the bus ride into Petra and a tour with explanations.
Leaving Israel through the Yitzhak Rabin Border Crossing, then crossing into Jordan, is straightforward and unscary, though not instantaneous, taking about half an hour to get everyone's passport stamped. From there it's about two and a half hours into Petra and the same returning, going through the port of Aqaba and a mountainous desert region which
our guide identifies with the Biblical area called Edom, given to Esau in the Biblical stories, and named after the red rocks near here. The neighborhood of Petra is known as Wadi Musa, named for Moses.
The rest of a very full day was spent on the site, and really we barely began to see what is here. Petra is not just that one building, called the Treasury, that you usually see in photographs. It's a city that was used for both commercial and religious purposes and flourished around the first century BC. You can see what's left of the images of the Nabatean culture's ten deities, and walk down the spectacular entry path with cliffs on both sides, that was used by pilgrims.
This is part of the Great Rift Valley and has suffered some very strong earthquakes over the years, which have demolished almost every building in this area. Some buildings such as the Treasury are still intact because they're carved directly into the sandstone cliff. Another building also still stands, because it was ingeniously built using alternate layers of wood and stone.
What happened to the people? I asked the guide near the end of the day. They integrated into the culture, he said. So, they're still here? I asked. - He just smiled a nice smile.
There is more to say, but I'll have to do that later, because you shouldn't spend all day in an internet cafe.
Leaving Israel through the Yitzhak Rabin Border Crossing, then crossing into Jordan, is straightforward and unscary, though not instantaneous, taking about half an hour to get everyone's passport stamped. From there it's about two and a half hours into Petra and the same returning, going through the port of Aqaba and a mountainous desert region which
our guide identifies with the Biblical area called Edom, given to Esau in the Biblical stories, and named after the red rocks near here. The neighborhood of Petra is known as Wadi Musa, named for Moses.
The rest of a very full day was spent on the site, and really we barely began to see what is here. Petra is not just that one building, called the Treasury, that you usually see in photographs. It's a city that was used for both commercial and religious purposes and flourished around the first century BC. You can see what's left of the images of the Nabatean culture's ten deities, and walk down the spectacular entry path with cliffs on both sides, that was used by pilgrims.
This is part of the Great Rift Valley and has suffered some very strong earthquakes over the years, which have demolished almost every building in this area. Some buildings such as the Treasury are still intact because they're carved directly into the sandstone cliff. Another building also still stands, because it was ingeniously built using alternate layers of wood and stone.
What happened to the people? I asked the guide near the end of the day. They integrated into the culture, he said. So, they're still here? I asked. - He just smiled a nice smile.
There is more to say, but I'll have to do that later, because you shouldn't spend all day in an internet cafe.
Heading South
From Tiberias I took a bus to Jerusalem, my first time setting foot there, though this time I didn't stay long. My friend Anne a recent immigrant from America met me at the bus station and took me to her home. She was helping lead a concert by youth ensembles in her community, about 30 minutes outside the city. There were two string ensembles (that was Anne's part), a percussion ensemble and a chorus which sang Israeli songs (shir Israeli). The kids performed twice and were even better the second time as they warmed up.
Next time I come here, I might be less hesitant about moving from place to place. It turns out to be quite easy to get around Israel on the bus, and everybody does it. The buses I've been on are usually pretty full, you hear four or five languages being spoken. Generally there is at least one soldier in uniform carrying a fearsome sidearm. These are a sight as common as pita bread, date palms and olive trees and you get used to it.
From Anne's house we took a bus to Eilat, at the very southern tip of Israel. Israel narrows down to a point here on the Red Sea. From the beach you can see Jordan on your left, and Egypt on your right.
Next time I come here, I might be less hesitant about moving from place to place. It turns out to be quite easy to get around Israel on the bus, and everybody does it. The buses I've been on are usually pretty full, you hear four or five languages being spoken. Generally there is at least one soldier in uniform carrying a fearsome sidearm. These are a sight as common as pita bread, date palms and olive trees and you get used to it.
From Anne's house we took a bus to Eilat, at the very southern tip of Israel. Israel narrows down to a point here on the Red Sea. From the beach you can see Jordan on your left, and Egypt on your right.
Monday, June 23, 2008
Exploring the Sea of Galilee
I spent three days in the neighborhood of the Sea of Galilee, staying in a hotel waaay up on a hillside, going for a swim in the lake (warm, clear, sweet water), and looking forward to visiting some of the many interesting places in the neighborhood.
On Saturday with no buses running on the Jewish sabbath, I was at a loss for a way to get around. Finally I decided to get an early start and walk as far as I could before the day got too hot to go on. Tiberias is a few hundred feet below sea level and gets very hot - and this was the summer solstice, the temperature eventually reached over 100 degrees. By a little after 7 a.m. I was sure I would have to turn back soon. You can imagine how disappointed I was to miss seeing these places when they were so close.
Just as I reached that point I noticed a little sign that said "YMCA." Aha, I thought, a Christian association. Maybe there will be someone there that can help me figure out how to get to Capernaum, Magdala, the Mount of the Beatitudes and so on, if not today, then tomorrow. So I knocked, and the door was opened. I met a fantastic person who was there for the weekend with his wife and family. He was very concerned that I was taken care of. In the end (and after a long interesting conversation), someone at the YMCA gave me a lift, but not back to my hotel - onward, to the first of the holy places, Tabgha - the site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. There, people advised me, you'll surely meet a lot of other pilgrims and you can find transportation with them.
So I let them take me on that far, visited the church that has been built on the spot, and soon enough connected with a tour bus that had started that morning from Tel Aviv. They had extra places and the guide agreed to let me go on with them. It was a group of people from many countries - my seatmate was from Poland, and the guide was giving commentaries in English, Spanish, and Hebrew. We visited Capernaum, where there is a very old synagogue (5th century), possibly on a site where Jesus preached in an even older one; a house which may have belonged to St. Peter; and a rock called Mensa Christi which is traditionally the place where Jesus shared a meal of cooked fish with his disciples. We drove on all the way to the southern end of the lake to the place where Jesus was baptized. Stepping into the water I realized it was full of tiny fish, just a little larger than the ones in my aquarium at home.
At that point I had to say goodbye to this nice group, but the sun was on its way down and the evening breeze had started to come up, so I could get safely back to my starting point.
The following day, Sunday, I got perhaps wiser, and let a taxi take me up to two other important places, Mount Tabor (the site of the Transfiguration), and Nazareth. On Mount Tabor I found two groups celebrating Mass with a cappella music. Each time I heard the music and followed my ears to find the Mass. One was a women's choir chanting in a Slavic language (Russian or Polish), the other a men's choir singing in Italian. The only thing less than perfect was that you were not there.
On Saturday with no buses running on the Jewish sabbath, I was at a loss for a way to get around. Finally I decided to get an early start and walk as far as I could before the day got too hot to go on. Tiberias is a few hundred feet below sea level and gets very hot - and this was the summer solstice, the temperature eventually reached over 100 degrees. By a little after 7 a.m. I was sure I would have to turn back soon. You can imagine how disappointed I was to miss seeing these places when they were so close.
Just as I reached that point I noticed a little sign that said "YMCA." Aha, I thought, a Christian association. Maybe there will be someone there that can help me figure out how to get to Capernaum, Magdala, the Mount of the Beatitudes and so on, if not today, then tomorrow. So I knocked, and the door was opened. I met a fantastic person who was there for the weekend with his wife and family. He was very concerned that I was taken care of. In the end (and after a long interesting conversation), someone at the YMCA gave me a lift, but not back to my hotel - onward, to the first of the holy places, Tabgha - the site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. There, people advised me, you'll surely meet a lot of other pilgrims and you can find transportation with them.
So I let them take me on that far, visited the church that has been built on the spot, and soon enough connected with a tour bus that had started that morning from Tel Aviv. They had extra places and the guide agreed to let me go on with them. It was a group of people from many countries - my seatmate was from Poland, and the guide was giving commentaries in English, Spanish, and Hebrew. We visited Capernaum, where there is a very old synagogue (5th century), possibly on a site where Jesus preached in an even older one; a house which may have belonged to St. Peter; and a rock called Mensa Christi which is traditionally the place where Jesus shared a meal of cooked fish with his disciples. We drove on all the way to the southern end of the lake to the place where Jesus was baptized. Stepping into the water I realized it was full of tiny fish, just a little larger than the ones in my aquarium at home.
At that point I had to say goodbye to this nice group, but the sun was on its way down and the evening breeze had started to come up, so I could get safely back to my starting point.
The following day, Sunday, I got perhaps wiser, and let a taxi take me up to two other important places, Mount Tabor (the site of the Transfiguration), and Nazareth. On Mount Tabor I found two groups celebrating Mass with a cappella music. Each time I heard the music and followed my ears to find the Mass. One was a women's choir chanting in a Slavic language (Russian or Polish), the other a men's choir singing in Italian. The only thing less than perfect was that you were not there.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
The Baha'i Gardens, and some fellow travelers
Yesterday, I met up with some other people at the guest house, and together we went up to the top of the hill on the Haifa subway, called the Carmelit. There is a spectacular view of the sea from up there; it's also close to the upper gate of the Baha'i Gardens where we met up with the Kus, so there were eight of us. You are supposed to have a reservation to tour the gardens - our hostess reminded us three or four times - but somehow we got on a tour without having one.
The gardens are huge - a kilometer of terraces running straight down a steep hill - and at the center is a large domed building, which is the burial place of the Bab (a man called the herald of Baha'ullah in the Baha'i faith). They are also very much symmetrical, trim and manicured, and we saw several people engaged in clipping the hedges to keep them that way. Later we learned that these are volunteers who come from all over the world to work on these gardens. There are a lot of bronze images of animals and flowers - on one level, peacocks with their tails furled and at the next level, with tails spread; eagles perched on the posts of the gates; bronze tulips with gilded petals....
I enjoyed the company of one couple very much and we also had dinner together, and talked about all kinds of things, including some work they did for the Australian Reconciliation project, cycling around remote regions of Australia for almost two years. Their energy amazed me!
In the afternoon I enjoyed a visit to Haifa's Japanese art museum, they do themed exhibits: musical instruments, dolls in Noh costume and animals - one thing that sticks with me is a group of ink drawings of whimsical owls: a group of eight standing shoulder to shoulder, a group of three, one leaning waaay over with his ear to the ground, each one just a black silhouette with lively, expressive eyes.
I've found the people here at the hostel are friendly and open, and have had some good conversations. Also I think Rachel, the hostess, makes the best omelette in the world. Today is my last day here though, I'm about to pack and head for Tiberias.
The gardens are huge - a kilometer of terraces running straight down a steep hill - and at the center is a large domed building, which is the burial place of the Bab (a man called the herald of Baha'ullah in the Baha'i faith). They are also very much symmetrical, trim and manicured, and we saw several people engaged in clipping the hedges to keep them that way. Later we learned that these are volunteers who come from all over the world to work on these gardens. There are a lot of bronze images of animals and flowers - on one level, peacocks with their tails furled and at the next level, with tails spread; eagles perched on the posts of the gates; bronze tulips with gilded petals....
I enjoyed the company of one couple very much and we also had dinner together, and talked about all kinds of things, including some work they did for the Australian Reconciliation project, cycling around remote regions of Australia for almost two years. Their energy amazed me!
In the afternoon I enjoyed a visit to Haifa's Japanese art museum, they do themed exhibits: musical instruments, dolls in Noh costume and animals - one thing that sticks with me is a group of ink drawings of whimsical owls: a group of eight standing shoulder to shoulder, a group of three, one leaning waaay over with his ear to the ground, each one just a black silhouette with lively, expressive eyes.
I've found the people here at the hostel are friendly and open, and have had some good conversations. Also I think Rachel, the hostess, makes the best omelette in the world. Today is my last day here though, I'm about to pack and head for Tiberias.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Stella Maris and Elijah's Cave
My first destination this morning was the site of the original Carmelite monastery. The church that is there now, is not all that old, but the history of the Carmelites goes back much further. Something I hadn't known was that the Carmelites (who are named after Mount Carmel) are strongly devoted to Elijah, as well as to Mary and Jesus. The Carmelite brother who showed me around the church suggested I read 1 Kings 17-19 to find the story that happened near here. The first Carmelites imitated Elijah by living alone in caves on the mountainside. Only much later did they ask to have a rule and become an institution.
Inside the church, underneath the altar, there is a cave which is said to have been inhabited by Elijah. Further down the hill is another place which is known as Elijah's cave. On my map, it looked very close to Stella Maris, but you couldn't see one from the other. I took an unmarked footpath down the hill to reach it. This is a Jewish site, though people from several religions visit it.
I went also to the National Maritime Museum which had an interesting mixture of old things related to ships (some very old such as stone anchors and metal ingots), modern models of ships from various times, examples of sailors' handicrafts - rope art, scrimshaw, boats in bottles.
Maybe I will get to the beach tomorrow!
Inside the church, underneath the altar, there is a cave which is said to have been inhabited by Elijah. Further down the hill is another place which is known as Elijah's cave. On my map, it looked very close to Stella Maris, but you couldn't see one from the other. I took an unmarked footpath down the hill to reach it. This is a Jewish site, though people from several religions visit it.
I went also to the National Maritime Museum which had an interesting mixture of old things related to ships (some very old such as stone anchors and metal ingots), modern models of ships from various times, examples of sailors' handicrafts - rope art, scrimshaw, boats in bottles.
Maybe I will get to the beach tomorrow!
safely here
I arrived in Israel last night. We made a stop in Toronto on the way and had a little walk around the city, with a friend of the Ku's named Victoria. She took us through some neighborhoods (Little Italy and Little Portugal) and we got to see an unusual early summer downpour - while we were sitting inside having lunch - and then a series of rainbows when it mostly cleared up.
Maria's aunt met us at the airport and rode the train with us to Haifa. It was already dark and I wasn't looking forward to getting off the train at night. But Haifa unlike many cities, greets travelers at the train station with its most spectacular view. The first thing you see is the Baha'i gardens, which are set up on a steep hill with each successive terrace having its own little string of lights, and the gold dome, also illuminated, at the top. It's actually better at night.
The youth hostel has a pleasant little garden and an aquarium with a 10-inch fish, an oscar named Ben. My room has sheets with squares that remind me of sherbet, raspberry, lemon, lime, orange.
Haifa is built on hills near the sea. I had a map but it was only useful sometimes - at other times you might find that streets which look close together are actually separated by a drop down a cliff, and then you have to explore and find the connecting paths. But it was hard to get too lost (in this case, just keep the sea on your left and you're home.)
Maria's aunt met us at the airport and rode the train with us to Haifa. It was already dark and I wasn't looking forward to getting off the train at night. But Haifa unlike many cities, greets travelers at the train station with its most spectacular view. The first thing you see is the Baha'i gardens, which are set up on a steep hill with each successive terrace having its own little string of lights, and the gold dome, also illuminated, at the top. It's actually better at night.
The youth hostel has a pleasant little garden and an aquarium with a 10-inch fish, an oscar named Ben. My room has sheets with squares that remind me of sherbet, raspberry, lemon, lime, orange.
Haifa is built on hills near the sea. I had a map but it was only useful sometimes - at other times you might find that streets which look close together are actually separated by a drop down a cliff, and then you have to explore and find the connecting paths. But it was hard to get too lost (in this case, just keep the sea on your left and you're home.)
Sunday, June 15, 2008
Ready
Someone reminded me of the Hebrew word for loving kindness - Chesed. That is what you need to have in your suitcase.
I'm still not in Israel, but in a strangely rearranged apartment where about a quarter of the space has been completely emptied out for the workmen, and everything else has been packed into places you would never put anything (there's a small bookshelf, for example, right in front of the refrigerator door). Time is slightly askew as well - I'm planning to catch a few hours sleep and get up at three a.m. to catch the airport shuttle. Next time I post, I'll be in a different place.
Somebody told me a couple of weeks ago, that going on a pilgrimage will make me into a "new person." I don't know what I think of this, but I do know that my apartment is going to be very much changed when I get back. Also, cleaning out my closet and finding a lot of stuff that used to be impossible to throw away, and which I now haven't touched in nine years and no longer need, shows me that I'm already a new person, without having traveled anywhere at all.
I'm still not in Israel, but in a strangely rearranged apartment where about a quarter of the space has been completely emptied out for the workmen, and everything else has been packed into places you would never put anything (there's a small bookshelf, for example, right in front of the refrigerator door). Time is slightly askew as well - I'm planning to catch a few hours sleep and get up at three a.m. to catch the airport shuttle. Next time I post, I'll be in a different place.
Somebody told me a couple of weeks ago, that going on a pilgrimage will make me into a "new person." I don't know what I think of this, but I do know that my apartment is going to be very much changed when I get back. Also, cleaning out my closet and finding a lot of stuff that used to be impossible to throw away, and which I now haven't touched in nine years and no longer need, shows me that I'm already a new person, without having traveled anywhere at all.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
Trying to travel light
Fullness to such a burden is / That go on pilgrimage ...
After I wrote that last post it occurred to me to smile at it. If you are going on a pilgrimage and you can take one thing in your suitcase, what should it be? Shouldn't it be something like loving kindness?
At the same time I'm packing for my trip, I'm also unpacking a remarkable amount of stuff from the closet of my studio apartment. While I'm away, the landlord is going to do some remodeling for me, and I anticipate returning from the trip to some new luxuries: sliding doors on the closet and ... a real bathtub! I had requested only that they re-tile the shower floor, so I was quite delighted when they offered to do a lot more for me.
To accomplish this, of course, everything has to come out of those parts of the apartment, and I'm going through all kinds of things, discarding some of it, and daylighting some of it (Jim Gilman is about to get a stack of New Zealand choral octavos I'd forgotten I had). I found a 1978 letter from my cousin Sue, telling me all about the guy she was about to marry: "I couldn't ask for a better husband." That one, I'll keep.
Monday, June 9, 2008
Getting ready
Thanks for stopping by my Israel pilgrimage blog. I haven't left yet, at least not in body. However, my eyes have that faraway look, and I'm putting things into a suitcase. Bible, passport, bathing suit, the amazingly light new generation hiking boots, the 3 liter Camelbak water carrier which resembles something out of Dune. An interesting collection of herbal supplements which a friend asked me to bring from America, and a needlework project for the plane flight over and back.
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