Travel Biography Photo Extravaganza - Part 15.

About the 1994 life in Israel as a Volunteer.

This week's photo album highlights my 1994 trip to Israel to volunteer at a Christian Conference Centre, Stella Carmel, on the summit of Mount Carmel Ridge, which rises above Haifa in northern Israel. I was in the Holy Land for an unbroken 13-week stay, the longest abroad on record.

It began a year earlier in 1993, while I was attending Christchurch Anglican, just within Jaffa Gate of the Old City and opposite the Citadel. After the service, I found myself chatting with a young man surnamed Jackson. He introduced the idea of volunteering here in Israel at one of the three Christian Centres run by the Israel Trust of Anglican Churches. One was here in Jerusalem and connected with Christchurch. Another was at Tel Aviv, and the third was Stella Carmel, in the provincial town of Isfya, sitting on Mt Carmel. By the Spring of 1994, I was accepted and offered a place at Stella Carmel.

After arrival, I settled into my role as a volunteer (we were known as vollys). Tasks were divided into two categories: House and Maintenance. In theory, House or domestic work were meant to be for the women, whilst the heavier outdoor maintenance work, including shifting heavy boulders, was for the men. However, around 1994, the Centre fostered a culture where "Women's Rights" was forced upon the community by the female vollys, and advocated the rise of the New Man, stripped of his masculine traits and carrying out domestic duties whilst the women did the heavier jobs, including the shifting of heavy boulders. 

On one occasion, I objected to this culture and suggested that we fulfil our proper gender roles, and the management agreed with me. Immediately, I became a pariah, mainly of the female side of the community, and cutting a long story short, I was eventually told to leave. But I wasn't sent straight to the airport, the standard procedure for an offender. Instead, I was escorted to the Haifa Bus Station and "dumped" there to care for myself and fly back home when convenient.

I then spent the next four weeks living in the New Swedish Hostel in Jerusalem's Old City, the same venue I had stayed at a year earlier in 1993. In the true sense, I was living in Jerusalem rather than making a brief visit as a tourist. Rather than see all the same venues as I did in 1993, I concentrated on attractions that were not featured in the album covering the 1993 trip.

Such places unknown to the average tourist include a visit to the Ganei Hugga Park, a lido and picnic area where the Nahal Hamadiya, a stream flowing to join the Jordan River, was widened and modified to form an outdoor pool suitable for bathing. Its location is at the foot of Mt Gilboa, where King Saul and his son Jonathan lost their lives in the battle against the Philistines around 1,000 BC or earlier.

Ganei Hugga Park.

However, I didn't visit Ganei Hugga alone, but with the whole volunteer community, led by Peter Acton, the Centre's Director. After some time at the resort, we were taken to a spot near En Gev, on the east side of the Sea of Galilee. Here, only two people ventured into the lake's choppy waters and swam out - Peter Acton and myself. Then the day ended at a restaurant in Tiberias. Such was the life at the Christian Centre community. From time to time, the volunteers were relieved of their duties and taken for a day out to a popular venue at ITAC's expense. Since I was there for a short time, nine weeks in all, I only enjoyed one of those days.

Except for a walk in the Forest of Carmel with the other vollys, all other venues visited were on my own. This included a 40-mile, or 64 km, cycle ride encircling the Sea of Galilee, starting and finishing at Tiberias. In that coastal town, I hired a bicycle at a hotel and, on it, managed to stop at Capernaum and visit its ruins. One outstanding change was at St Peter's House. During my first visit in 1976, the site was how it was excavated, a ruin facing the sky. By 1994, a church was built over it and literally held above the ruin on pillars. This allowed the visitor to look through the glass floor at the masonry below.

The next stop was at En Gev itself. It's a kibbutz on the east side of the lake but also a stopping point for tourists. The third stop was a short distance south of the lake, on the Jordan River, the Yardenit, a site where candidates are baptised in the Jordan River. The final stretch was along the southwest of the lake until I arrived safely in Tiberias before boarding the Egged bus to Haifa and then the sherut back to Stella Carmel.

In Jerusalem, I visited the recently excavated wall of the City of David. This included a peek into the shaft first dug by the Jebusites and then used by David's army to enter the city and take it over, as recorded in 2 Samuel 5:8 of the Holy Bible. Although it connects with the Gihon Spring, this 13-metre deep vertical shaft predates Hezekiah's Tunnel by as much as a thousand years, that is, the Middle Bronze Age. It's also known as Warren's Shaft, after its discovery by archaeologist Charles Warren in 1867. As I stood alone over its triangular entrance, the waters rushing out of the Gihon Spring and flowing through the Tunnel of Siloam could be heard, the pleasant sound echoing through the shaft.

Also of Jerusalem, I have included a couple of pics of the Dome of the Rock, restored to its former glory after its renovation a year earlier. It was only the second time I photographed the finished Dome since 1976. Once again, I had the privilege to step inside, and I wondered whether any of the other volunteers made the effort. I also visited the Garden Tomb, the supposed site of the burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, but its authenticity couldn't be verified by Archeology.

The Shrine of the Book, close to the Knesset (the Parliament of Israel), contains the 2,000-year-old manuscript of the prophet Isaiah, found at the Qumran Cave near the Dead Sea shortly after the end of World War II. If the Qumran Hebrew was translated into English, the result would be identical to any Bible in existence today.

Just to note that 1994 was the year when Yasser Arafat, the leader of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation, attempted to make East Jerusalem the Palestinian capital against the wishes of all the Jews in Israel. I caught on camera the massive Jewish call to prayer at the Western Wall.

This photo album highlights the contrast between northern and southern Israel. In the north, vegetation thrives, and crop farming flourishes. Eden-like parks such as Ganai Hugga Park contrast with the desert environment of the Masada and the Dead Sea, with Ein Gedi providing a refreshing oasis in otherwise a lifeless desert expanse.

Just two days before flying back home to the UK, I stood on the Mount of Olives, looking over Jerusalem. Suddenly, I had a kind of vision. I saw myself visiting the USA and hiking the Grand Canyon. I trembled a bit. This vision was identical to the one I had while I was cleaning windows in October 1992 after a dispute with a friend. Back then, I saw myself standing on the Mount of Olives, facing Jerusalem. Now, here I was, actually standing on the Mount of Olives, seeing myself in America for the first time after 17 years since 1978. Suddenly, I knew my destiny. Exactly a year later to the day, I took off with United Airlines from London Heathrow to New York J.F. Kennedy Airport.

As for Stella Carmel, I have kept the photos as minimal as possible. In my original album, there are close-up photos of the group, including some of me with a couple of other volunteers. These pics are not included in this Biography album. Instead, I concentrated mainly on North Israel and parts of Jerusalem not featured in the album of 1993.

Click here for the full story of my experience at Stella Carmel - Weeks 52-55.

Photos of Stella Carmel and Northern Israel.

Stella Carmel Christian Conference Centre, Isfya.

The view of Isfya from my bedroom window.

A Wedding took place at the Centre.

Carmel Forest National Park.

Another view of the Forest.

Ganel Hugga Park and Lido.

Some of us swam in the Lido.

This is the outer wall of Acre, or Akka.

Bahai Gardens, Haifa.

View of Haifa from the slope of Mt Carmel.

A lone bicycle, hired at Tiberias.

The route encircles the Sea of Galilee.

Capernaum. St. Peter's House is now under a church.

General Capernaum excavations.

Another view of the extinct city.

Millstones at Capernaum.

To think that Jesus Christ sojourned in this city.

This Synagogue marked the site where Jesus ministered.

On the approach to En Gev.

Looking north along the east coast of the lake.

En Gev Kibbutz and Resort 

My bike at En Gev.

At the River Jordan, south of the Sea of Galilee.

Facing the other way towards the lake.

Canoe hire at the Jordan River.

The Yardenit Baptismal site at the Jordan River.

Re-entering Tiberias.

Jerusalem and southern Israel.

Jews pray at the Wall in protest against Yasser Arafat.

The Dome overlooks the Western Wall.

The restored Dome in all its glory.

Approaching the Garden Tomb.

The supposed Tomb of Jesus, denied by Archeology.

Inside the Tomb itself. Yes, it's empty.

City of David under excavation.

A staircase leads underground.

Warren's Shaft, up to 4,000 years old.

Ruins south of the Temple Mount.

Museum of Israel, Canaanite Coffins.

The Shrine of the Book (the whole of Isaiah).

Nearby, the bent cutlery of Uri Geller.

A stranger poses at the Cave of Machpelah Fort, Hebron.

In 1994, I spent another day at Masada.

Even at Masada, my spirit was broken.

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Next Week, Across the Atlantic for the 3rd time in my life to fulfil the Grand Canyon Dream.

Travel Biography Photo Extravaganza - Part 14.

 An Escorted Tour of Masada - Me?

In 1993, I visited Masada twice, on two different days. The first time was with a small group of about ten backpackers in a minibus arranged specifically for the New Swedish Hostel, where I was staying, and another similar hostel within the Old City, Bab el-Silsileh Hostel. Being a light sleeper, nearly every morning around 4:00 a.m., I was awoken by the commotion when about five backpackers got out of their beds, dressed, and left the dormitory. At first, I thought that they had to head for the airport. Then I learned that they were going out on a tour.

At first, I wasn't interested, as I have always been averse to ranger-led tours. But after I was told of the itinerary, the whole experience lasted just half a day, and I felt interest growing in me. The tour was to Masada specifically to watch the sunrise over the Jordanian horizon. The scene is spectacular, and the sunrise is a photographer's delight. This sunrise enhancement was a reward for making a 400-metre ascent on the Snake Path, a hiking trail first cut by the Romans and then modified by the Israel Tourist Board. From the summit, the sun rises above the Jordanian side of the Great Rift Valley and becomes visible to the eye long before the valley floor, where the Dead Sea begins to reflect the faint sunlight.

My second visit to Masada was on my own, and I wanted to explore the site more thoroughly without the call back to the minibus. So one morning, well after daybreak, I boarded an Egged Bus to Masada, passing through Ein Gedi Nature Reserve and Beach, to ride alongside the west bank of the Dead Sea to Masada car and coach park where the bus route terminated before turning around for the return journey to Jerusalem.

Geographically, Masada is a mesa. A mesa is an island plateau which became separated from the main plateau by erosion, forming a valley between the plateaus. It was a phenomenon I became more familiar with when I hiked the Grand Canyon. Masada rises 400 metres or 1,300 feet on the east side and just 90 metres or 300 feet on the west side. This was not surprising, as the mountains on both sides of the Great Rift were formed when the valley floor sunk by 744 metres or 2,440 feet below sea level, with the surface of the salt lake 440 metres below sea level. Thus, the depth of the Dead Sea is approximately 304 meters. Despite the majestic height of the mountain as seen from the surface of the Dead Sea, its summit plateau would still be up to 40 metres below sea level.

Arieal View of Masada. Stock photo.

During the 1st Century BC, Herod the Great had two palaces built on its summit, making Masada an ideal retreat from the day-to-day affairs of the world. Sometime later, the summit was settled by Jews, who had a synagogue built along with a ceremonial cleansing pool. This synagogue is now the oldest of its kind in the world. Across the plateau, a large cavern was hewn out, and its interior was waterproofed to form the cistern that had been able to supply rainwater for the community for up to three years. The remains of a storehouse are also featured, along with a Roman bathhouse. The hypocaust, with its columns under the floor of the Caledarium, or hot room, is still accessible. There are also the remains of a swimming pool or the Natatio. The remains of the Columbarium, or a dovecote, are also featured, perhaps used by the Jews as part of their sacrificial ritual.

Legend has it that the Masada Plateau was the site of the mass suicide of 960 Jewish men, women and children who preferred to die rather than submit to the Roman army during the AD 70 Jewish rebellion. However, the lack of evidence of this massacre has some scholars doubting that this has ever happened, as only six human skeletons were found during excavations. However, on the west side of the mesa, a ramp still exists, which the Roman army used to break onto the plateau. According to geologists, the ramp was originally a natural rock formation that was modified by the Romans before their invasion.

As already mentioned, in 1993, I visited Masada twice. I was first introduced to the area by a mini-tour group, and the idea was to watch the sunrise from a vantage point, but called back to the van a short time later. The second trip from Jerusalem was on my own by public transport, and I was free to spend the whole day for a more thorough exploration of the site. On both occasions included a hike up the Snake Path and back down again. On the first hike up, it was still dark and cool enough not to break out into a sweat during the ascent. On the second trip, I hiked the path in broad daylight, and it was more tiring. Little did I know that the hike up Masada was a prelude to the Grand Canyon hike that was to follow two years later in 1995.

During the second trip, I also had an alternate way to get to the summit, by cable car. On the first trip, this facility was still closed for the night. But on the second, the facility was open and fully operational. The majority of visitors arriving at the summit were escorted by tour groups who used the cable car, leaving the Snake Path almost entirely free of the crowds to enjoy the hiking challenge Masada threw at me.

Click here for the Index to the main Biography that covers this trip. They are weeks 48-51.

Sunrise pics of the first trip to Masada.

The sun just peeks above the Jordanian mountains.

A couple of minutes later...

Almost complete.

The Dead Sea shimmers in the morning sun.

The dawn desert takes on a reddish hue.

A look at the Roman Ramp before we were called back.

The Second and Main Trip to Masada.

The Egged Bus approaches Masada.

Directional sign for the Snake Path.

The Path is actually Roman. Modified by I.T.B.

Under the hot sun, the trail is demanding.

Yes, tired. But I was nearing the summit.

One more switchback...

At the entrance info board.

From the entrance, looking across the plateau.

Part of the residences.

Residential remains.

Northern storerooms and bathhouse.

Section of the retaining wall and soldier's Residences.

Columbarium Tower.

Northern Palace

Rebel Dwellings.

Snake Path entrance and exit.

The Bakery.

More Rebel Jewish Residences.

View of a Roman Fort, Car Park, and the Dead Sea.

Desert view from the summit of Masada.

Interior of the East Water Cistern with a Tourist Group.

Il Natatio, swimming pool.

Torah Storage House.

Officer's Quarters, Byzantine Church, Western Palace.

Circular Columbarium.

Resident, Storage and Admin, Western Palace.

Residential Quarters.

Grand Residence, Northern Palace.

Jewish Ritual Bathing Pool.

Steps leading to the Bathing Pool.

The Oldest Jewish Synagogue in the World.

Hypocaust Pillars of a Roman Bathhouse.

North Palace Storerooms.

Roman Ramp, West side.

Some ruins were partially restored.

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Next Week: Photos from the 1994 Israel adventure as a Volunteer.