It
is not only Christians who make pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
Jerusalem is a focal point for the world's three major religions. Not far from
churches built upon sites where Jesus walked is Temple Mount, the location of
Solomon's First Temple, and today's Western Wall, or "Wailing Wall",
which is also where you will find the Al Aska mosque and the Dome of the
Rock,
the third most important Muslim pilgrimage site.
Across the narrow Qidron Valley from the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem
is the Mount of Olives, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Chapel of the
Ascension, where Jesus is believed to have ascended to Heaven.
Israel is a small nation, and it is possible to drive from the Sea
of Galilee
in the northeast to the Negev desert in the southwest in less than one
day, but
in between you will find so many sacred and historical sites that it
would take
you years to see them all. Some of the most memorable are near the Dead
Sea, about a two hour's drive from Jerusalem. On the way you will pass
by
the spot where the Biblical "Good Samaritan" encounter took place. Qumran
is an archaeological dig where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Not far
away, at Masada you can ride a cable car up to the Roman fort captured by
Zealots in 66 c.e. and held until
73 c.e. when the besieged
defenders chose death at their own hands rather than surrender to the Romans.
A 2,000 year old wooden boat
was discovered on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in 1986, near Midgal
(known in the Bible as Magdala, supposed birthplace of Mary Magdalene.) Jesus
Himself may have stood on the deck of this ancient vessel. Now preserved, you
can see this boat in the Yigal Alon Museum in Ginosar. Nearby is the Mount of
Beatitudes, where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, and the ancient village of
Capernaum, with a synagogue in which Jesus is believed to have
preached. Wooden boats, modeled after the 2,000 year old "Jesus Boat",
take tourists out sailing on the Sea of Galilee (see picture at right) from the
ports of Tiberias or Capernaum, and local restaurants specialize in serving
loaves and fishes.
Drive west from Galilee, across the Jordan
River (where Jesus was baptized) and you will soon enter the
valley of Megiddo, which the Bible calls Armageddon. This is where it is said
the final great battle of the world will take place. Tel Megiddo National Park
is a fascinating archaeological excavation, on which James Michener based his
book The Source. Here you will discover one of the oldest sacred sites on
Earth. In the center of the picture at the left is a round, elevated area where
there was once an early Jewish temple, but in even more ancient times was
probably the site of a pagan altar.
Less than an hour's drive from Megiddo is Caesarea, a beautiful Roman
city on the Mediterranean sea. It was here that the Crusaders landed 900 years
ago, on their way to "rescue" Jerusalem. Medieval
fortifications can be seen among stonework that dates back to the time of King
Herod.
It
is not only Christians who make pilgrimages to the Holy Land.
Jerusalem is a focal point for the world's three major religions. Not far from
churches built upon sites where Jesus walked is Temple Mount, the location of
Solomon's First Temple, and today's Western Wall, or "Wailing Wall",
which is also where you will find the Al Aska mosque and the 
A 2,000 year old wooden boat
was discovered on the shores of the Sea of Galilee in 1986, near Midgal
(known in the Bible as Magdala, supposed birthplace of Mary Magdalene.) Jesus
Himself may have stood on the deck of this ancient vessel. Now preserved, you
can see this boat in the Yigal Alon Museum in Ginosar. Nearby is the Mount of
Beatitudes, where Jesus gave the Sermon on the Mount, and the ancient village of
Capernaum, with a synagogue in which Jesus is believed to have
preached. Wooden boats, modeled after the 2,000 year old "Jesus Boat",
take tourists out sailing on the Sea of Galilee (see picture at right) from the
ports of Tiberias or Capernaum, and local restaurants specialize in serving
loaves and fishes. 
Drive west from Galilee, across the Jordan
River (where Jesus was baptized) and you will soon enter the
valley of Megiddo, which the Bible calls Armageddon. This is where it is said
the final great battle of the world will take place. Tel Megiddo National Park
is a fascinating archaeological excavation, on which James Michener based his
book The Source. Here you will discover one of the oldest sacred sites on
Earth. In the center of the picture at the left is a round, elevated area where
there was once an early Jewish temple, but in even more ancient times was
probably the site of a pagan altar.