 
Israel Travel Diary
March 1997
Jordan
Valley and the Dead Sea
We left the Galilee early Tuesday morning and
set our sights on finishing the day at Metsukei Dragot a
wilderness camp high above the Dead Sea in the Judean
Wilderness.
Metsukei Dragot - Jordan Valley
I was anticipating the end of the day when we
would roll into the wilderness camp. It was an exciting
goal.
Bet Shean was a two hour visit. We
surveyed the Roman ruins and then clambered up 130 steps
to the top of the ancient Philistine Tel where the bodies
of Saul and Jonathan were hung.
Bet Shean - Jordan Valley
Dennis had been excavating on the Old
Testament Tel for several seasons now and did a good job
of detailing the work and the ancient civilization. I
continue to be impressed with Dennis’ ability to
master the meticulous detail at an ancient site. He is a
real time detective.
The trip from Bet Shean to Jericho
is unusual in several ways.
Bet Shean - Jericho
First, it is ruggedly beautiful all the time,
and second, it is an unusually long journey where you
don’t come across a single site of archeological or
historical interest, as if the land wanted the traveler
to appreciate the beauty of the landscape at his leisure.
We passed the Israeli checkpoint for
the trip down the Jordan Valley and the sign said,
"No Tourists." Fortunately, Dennis and I must
have looked like locals because they waved us through.
The PLO checkpoint in Jericho was different, we were not
invited in, so we took the bypass and went on to Qumran.
The mountains to the north of Wadi
Qumran yielded up some 800 manuscripts during the period
of 1947-1956. The site is a visitor friendly site and
before we walked it we had lunch at the small visitor
center. Maybe Qumran was an Essene community but I
suspect that it was much more than we fully comprehend
today. History has a way of hiding truth.
Finally we arrived at Metsukei
Dragot. The wilderness camp is perched on the edge of the
Judean Wilderness about 1,500 feet above the Dead Sea.
Judean Wilderness
The view is
breathtaking. The ride up the mountainside is
breathtaking. Metsukei Dragot was developed by Mitzpeh
Shalem. They are a kibbutz located on the shore of the
Dead Sea. They have pioneered the cultivation of winter
produce and a host of cosmetics manufactured from the
natural resources of the Dead Sea.
We unloaded our stuff and headed
down the mountain to try and get in a Masada visit before
they closed. About halfway down the mountain, Harold and
Francis discovered that the left rear window of the van
was falling out! We went back up the mountain. Dennis
pulled the duct tape out of his luggage and we taped the
window back in place. The window was definitely fixed
because it held for 800 more kilometers.
Judean Wilderness
It was too late for Masada so we
went into the Judean Wilderness. It was rugged,
beautiful, and awesome. It was different than I had
thought it would be and yet it was as inspirational as I
expected it to be. David fled through this area.
Anticipation had certainly not been disappointed.
Anticipating the Presence of God
Hurting then amidst the pain.
Anticipating evil’s dirge.
Reeling from the fever’s scourge,
Of sin and hate so carelessly dug.
Appealing to an unseen king,
Pleading for a way it seems.
Counting costs of wishes sent,
But soon denied by me, hell bent.
Then in His reign, He reached my pain.
A heart and soul exchanged.
And stand now I amidst my sin.
By Christ from God redeemed.
For in that day that soon will come,
The One I love will say here’s God.
Clay April 1997
 - Arad
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