Hebrew Congregation

Its Shabbat so I went to a 10am Hebrew speaking Service of worship. Its pentecostal which means they sing short songs again and again and again. In England I'd find this tedious but here its fabulous. Yeshua melek hamlachim = Jesus king of kings. The projector shines up the Hebrew song with English translation and English transliteration and Russian transliteration and Russian translation. Its vibrant and full and joyful and fabulous.

They gave me a headphone so I could listen to the translator telling me what the preacher was saying. Notices: More people needed for the Coffee Rota and more people needed to teach the Children's Groups.

The Sermon lasted 90 minutes. I kid you not. He said Yeshua loves you and stay close to Yeshua. Only he didn't put it that clearly. I listened to the Russian translation of the sermon for a while because it sounded heaps more exciting than either the Hebrew or the English version. When he said And finally I could no longer stifle my guffaws.

We blessed each other and then I fled. 1.30pm.

Ketchup

After the headiness of yesterday I thought I'd treat myself to a day void of religion or politics. So I went to the Post Office to pay Mike's parking fine (£50). The exchange rate here is even better than the Souk. Ho hum.

A soldier hears my English accent and stops me. He's a volunteer from London, his co-soldier is also a volunteer from Manchester. They spend 14months for which they get their ticket home and should they ever choose to move here properly then they'll have better housing rights and financial help with a degree course and, of course, they won't then have to do the compulsory service.

By Jaffa gate a happy newlywed Jewish couple are caught up in their own world oblivious to all but each other and their photographer. Beside them, a dreadlocked westerner is saying No to a policewoman who would like to see his passport. Its the wrong answer, they sit him down and go through his rucksack, teddybear and all.

My main aim for today was to get to the supermarket, Bettina asked me to buy some basil, an aubergine and broccoli. At least I know what broccoli is. By the ketchup, stands a man explaining to his friend how Jesus is the culmination of the ages and that English translations are so much better for writing songs from than a Hebrew bible.

Hebron

Bethlehem - the star, under the altar, marks the spot, pretty much, where Jesus popped out of Mary. Yes its about right. Ask me why it has 14 points.

I'm on a Tour Bus full of Alernative-seeking tourists. This trip takes us to Aida Refugee camp.

I've always presumed that the phrase 'Refugee Camp' meant temporary tents and barbed wire to keep you in. But these people were driven here in 1948 when some Zionists destroyed 35villages so they've built themselves houses but with almost 3,000 under 18s and only two schools. You do the maths. They can go wherever they like, within Palestine (actually they can't easily get to the West Bank or to Gaza).

A muslim woman who's telling us how she is part of Beautiful NonViolent Resistance: they teach dance and drama as ways of breaking up the stereotypical labels. She says the Two State Solution (reluctantly favoured by most Israelis) is No solution for her, she wants to be able to go back to her village and to worship at Al Aqsa Mosque.

The phrase 'Israeli Settlement' has always conjured up an image of temporary accommodation for a few squatters. But they're as big as towns and cities, attractive to live in because the housing is so cheap. Often they offer to buy up Palestinian homes and can offer big bucks. Shame on me, I'd probably take the money instead of the imminent hassle.

Banksy has done some graffiti on the Palestinian side of the Wall (not sure if this is one of his). One Restaurant has pinned up a huge white sheet on it so as to project the footie on to it.

The Mosque of Ibrahim in Hebron celebrates where the ancestor of three big faiths is buried. Rebecca and Isaac are in the Muslim side of this building whilst Sarah (picture below) and Abraham are in the Synagogue and its claimed even Leah, Jacob and Joseph.

Rachel, if you're wondering, died giving birth to Benjamin in Bethlehem. The Tomb of Rachel is surrounded by The Wall, I have no idea how to get to it. I think its behind the above picture (NOW), so close and yet.

On the bus, everyone has heard of Rachel Corrie who stood in front of a bulldozer in 2003 in Gaza to protect a Palestinian home and was killed. No one seems to know the Bible story of Joseph let alone Rachel. I waxed lyrically all the way home.

Garden Tomb

I was waiting for the washing machine to finish so I read Exodus 1. Reading the bible here is harder than at home. At home, I'd preach a nice sermon about the midwife heroes who apologise for their incompetence as a way of not implementing a culling of baby boys. Hurrah.

But here its a story of a mean ruler who has forgotten about the good that has been done in the past and now driven by fear activates this mad policy of oppression. Oh no Israel has become Egypt?

And look, here come the next generation alas they didn't grow up with Israeli / Palestinian friends so they will become each other's bogey man. ("Lazy, thieves, stupid" - I've heard - but they're all trilingual I suppose this means that I don't even meet the criteria for stupid.)

The Garden Tomb might not be historically quite right, though frankly there's enough places that hang on far looser threads, but this morning it was utterly peaceful and a great place to read and pray.

In the Soukh, if you tell them you're a friend of Russell from Christ Church, then the Exchange Rate is £1 to 5.3NIS (new israeli shekel). That's mildly better than Gordon can get me. (5.1)

Surprise find of the day: The Prison of Barabbas. Maybe. He was that murderer who got let off when the Crowd chanted for his release instead of for Jesus. Ooh looks like Substitutionary atonement. Thank God for it.

Bible Lands Museum

A powerpoint presentation on burn out tells me 3/4 of ministers in the US report severe stress, 1500 pastors leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burn out or contention within their churches. 70% of pastors constantly fight depression. Top of the advice is Exercise.

So I went for an hour's walk to this musem. Here I found a new form of Virtual Worship. First make your god out of clay and put it in a temple. Then make yourself out of clay and pop him in too. Saves a huge amount of time. There's an 8ft version, this one's not a foot high.

I love the eyes. Try looking that keen next time you go to church, see how long you can hold it for. It'll really unnerve the minister!

There's a couple of Christian tombstones (356ad) that both end with the phrase "Be of good cheer, no one is immortal". Its a cheesy catchphrase, you might think something a little more faith-full would suit better.

Eastern Wall

Mike's advice about bending down as if to pick up a stone worked a treat when I came across the dogs again. I tried to go up the Dome of the Rock but they found a bible in my bag - No Ritual Objects - I was going to protest and say Its not a Ritual Object to me but the living word of the living God but if I had I might have missed the wonderful noise and dancing of a jewish boy on his way to his bar mitzvah. (its only a 7sec clip)

Round the corner to the Eastern Wall of the temple where at some point in history they concreted up the gate that Jesus rode in on a donkey and they've added a Muslim cemetery as well to make it really difficult (I think they think) for him to do it again. Bit confusing. So I sat and read my bible and from across the valley came the joyful sound of "Every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord" (not sure what language they were singing but the tune was good).

Ein Karem

Two sermons - 9am Lutheran Church on St Paul "No longer Jew or Greek". He applied this today saying No longer gay or straight, nor Hamas nor Fatah, nor Israeli nor Palestinian. That's not the same as saying there are no differences but it is about saying that No one is More religious or less religious, all that's gone, its all about what Jesus has done for us, its about faith.

At intercessions, the pray-er said Lets all say the Lord's Prayer using the typed liturgy or in your own mother tongue. It sounded great.

11am Anglican Cathedral of St George (incense made me cough) preaching on Legion, he said We're all like Legion, we all have so many different stresses and voices and demands on our days, but Jesus gave him a new identity (calm and in his right mind) and a new focus (Go and tell).

At intercessions the pray-er said "I invite you to find a posture for prayer that you find comfortable".

Here's Mike breathing in deeply with Bettina at Ein Karem where Mary (slightly pregnant with Jesus) said her Magnificat to Elizabeth (heavily pregnant with John the Baptist). I'm not sure which is which in the photo.

Protestant tourists don't come here which is a shame because the birth of John happened somewhere and needs to be celebrated. And this place is credible. Its also a shame because there's a good ice cream shop here.