The Encounter Chapel at Magdala

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The woman in Mark 5:24-34 believed she would be healed of her bleeding if she could only "touch the hem of his garment"  [some think this means the ritual fringe on the bottom of his garment, such as Orthodox Jews wear till today].
She had courage and touched and was immediately healed by Jesus, the New Testament says.
This mural-sized painting of the famous scene is in the lower chapel of Duc in Altum, below the Boat Chapel and the Women's Atrium that we visited in previous posts.

(Remember that my photos here can be greatly enlarged with a click or two.)

The Magdala Center brochure describes The Encounter Chapel:

The basement chapel makes use of original stones found in the excavations of the road and marketplaces near the port.  This interdenominational place of prayer is modeled after the synagogue plan with its 6 columns, colorful walls and placement of stones.
The chapel features a beautiful mural-sized painting of the encounter between Jesus and the hemorrhaging woman (Mark 5:25). 

The stone benches along the walls are also like in the ancient synagogue of Migdal.

The one and only window looks out on the Sea of Galilee.

And the window creates the shadow of the cross.

Mother Teresa, Saint Teresa of Calcutta, adds her prayerful presence to the special place.
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There is more about the chapel at the website:
http://www.magdala.org/visit/duc-in-altum/encounter-chapel/

To all the Christian readers, Holy Week blessings and happy Easter wishes from me, your Jewish friend here at Jerusalem Hills Daily Photo.
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(Linking to inSPIRED Sunday, Monday Murals, and Our World Tuesday.)
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Being comforted on Shabbat Nachamu

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Click to enlarge for the beautiful window details

Shabbat Nachamu begins this evening.

After going down to the depths on Tisha B'Av, mourning the destruction of the Temple and of Jerusalem [in my 9 B'Av posts], we are brought back to the light by Isaiah's visions of a better future.
He tells us that Jerusalem has paid the price for her sin and is now forgiven.

The haftorah, Isaiah 40:1-26, begins "Nachamu, nachamu ami . . ."
God is telling his prophets to console his people:

" 'Comfort, oh comfort my people,' says your God.
'Speak softly and tenderly to Jerusalem . . .' "

Are they not lovely and welcome words?!

The other verses are equally lovely and well-known.
You can chose your preferred translation of the Isaiah chapter:
"The Message" in modern English or NIV or the translation used by Chabad or the Hebrew with classic old English.

The painted stained glass window is exhibited at Hechal Shlomo museum of Jewish art in Jerusalem.
It was made in England in 1907, one of twelve windows that graced a synagogue in Manchester.
It is based on sketches made by 19th century pilgrims to the Holy Land.

Shabbat shalom!
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Delilah of the Valley of Soreq

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And here endeth my multi-post saga of the great train journey up to Jerusalem through the Valley of Soreq.

But not without recalling a Bible story --
 "And it came to pass afterward, that he [Samson] loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah."

Yes, the famous story of Samson and Delilah -- how she tricked him into revealing the secret of his super strength, how she revealed it to the Philistines, and how they cut off his hair and weakened him.
Read it in Judges 16.
Then see more about Samson  and a bit about Delilah.
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(Linking to Our World Tuesday.)
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Plowshares or swords?

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"And He shall judge among the nations, and shall rebuke many people: and they shall beat their swords into plowshares  and their spears into pruning-hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more,"  is what Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 2:3-4.

The prophet Joel, in contrast, said this:
"Beat your plowshares into swords and your pruning-hooks into spears;  let the weak say: 'I am strong.' "

Chapter 4 of the biblical book of Joel is sounding very modern right now.
It is worth a read.

The Oliver model plow, USA, 1860,  was lovingly restored for the Tractor Museum in Ein Vered.
I saw it in Tel Aviv at the 2012 AgriTech fair.
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Woe to you, Bethsaida ...*

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I leaned over to take the "street" sign at eye level and out popped a reflection!
For  James' Weekend Reflections, of course.

Here is another shiny sign, this one reflecting rocks and August (2012) dryness.

The site is Bethsaida, of New Testament fame, located on the northern tip of the Sea of Galileee.
You can enlarge the photo twice and read about its history. 

Look, they even found the city gate at the end of the street!

I worked two seasons digging there in the early 90s.
Even my then-teenage daughter took part in one  of those expeditions.
We volunteers slept in straw huts ("bungalows") in nearby Katzrin, together with bugs and scorpions.  (Ugh, better to forget that part.)

I had not been back up to Bethsaida since then, and I was so impressed at the archaeological progress (on-going) and the unique signage and visitor paths.

I remember having to swing a pickaxe  to break up the concrete floor of a Syrian bunker so we could dig down to lower strata.
In the photo above I see that long-time director Dr. Rami Arav chose to leave one bunker in situ.
Syrian troops were up there on the Golan Heights, shooting down on Israel, until the 1967 Six Day War.

Not much shade at the site, but this tree offered some, complete with a bench.
The sign says "To a shaded meditation place."

Meditate on all what Bethsaida has seen over the millennia . . .
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* My post title comes from Matthew 11:21 .
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The megillah of Esther, in German!

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Be sure to enlarge this one! (you know, one click, then another)

Every year at this time, Megillat Esther is unrolled and read out in the synagogue to tell the story of Purim. 

Tonight and tomorrow morning in my village (just outside of Jerusalem), and Sunday evening and Monday morning in Jerusalem. 

The scroll is read in Hebrew, of course, to recount the deeds of brave Queen Esther, of her uncle Mordechai the Jew, the Persian King Ahasuerus, and the evil Haman back in the 5th century BCE.

So you can imagine how I did a double-take when I walked near the scroll pictured above at the Jerusalem International Book Fair!  -- It was in old German and lavishly illuminated! 

German art book publisher Taschen  has just published their facsimile of the Esther scroll.

It is produced from a very fine and rare example of the scroll held by the Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz Library in Hanover, dated 1746 and measuring 6.5 meters long (over 21 feet).

 The artist of the Hanover scroll was Wolf Leib Katz Poppers, a Jewish scribe and illustrator from Hildesheim.

From the limited edition of only 1,746 copies you can buy one from Amazon for only $744 or through Taschen for about 500 Euros.  

It comes with a commentary volume by Falk Wiesemann containing an introductory essay, the biblical text of the Book of Esther in German, Hebrew, English, and French and a fold-out sheet with an overview of all the illustrations. 

Please see a pdf of the facsimile with more description and some of the beautiful colored illuminations.

The Book of Esther is only ten short chapters and is an exciting story. 

You can read it in English next to Hebrew here.

Interestingly, it is the only book of the Bible that does not mention God. 

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A pillar of cloud, and danger in the skies

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Who changed the name to Operation Pillar of Defense?
Our IDF Israel Defense Forces?

In Hebrew this strike against the Gaza rocket launching is called Amud Anan, literally Pillar of Cloud.
I wish they had kept the original name, straight from the Bible epics.

By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night.
--Exodus 13:21

 Then the angel of God, who had been traveling in front of Israel's army, withdrew and went behind them. The pillar of cloud also moved from in front and stood behind them . . .
--Exodus 14:19

As Moses went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and stay at the entrance, while the LORD spoke with Moses.
--Exodus 33:9

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A post for Sky Watch Friday. This week we watch the sky over southern Israel and now even over Tel Aviv for Qassams, Grads, and long-range Fajr missiles and hope that the Iron Dome batteries will intercept them.
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"Eikhah, how can it be?! "

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1 How doth the city sit solitary, that was full of people! How is she become as a widow! She that was great among the nations, and princess among the provinces, how is she become tributary!

2 She weepeth sore in the night, and her tears are on her cheeks; she hath none to comfort her among all her lovers; all her friends have dealt treacherously with her, they are become her enemies.

3 Judah is gone into exile because of affliction, and because of great servitude; she dwelleth among the nations, she findeth no rest; all her pursuers overtook her within the straits.

4 The ways of Zion do mourn, because none come to the solemn assembly; all her gates are desolate, her priests sigh; her virgins are afflicted, and she herself is in bitterness. . . .

Thus begins the biblical Book of Lamentations, read every year on Tisha B'Av, the 9th of Av, our day of fasting and national mourning for the destruction of the First and Second Temples and other calamities that befell the Jewish People on this day.
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Learn more about Lamentations at Wikipedia, more about Tisha B'Av at Chabad.org or at MyJewishLearning.
See how the day is observed at the Western Wall and in other ways at my other posts.
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A messianic mural in the making

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You don't really expect to see much new when you visit a small cemetery begun at the end of the 19th century; so when I stopped in to the Alliance Church International Cemetery in Jerusalem's German Colony in November, I could hardly believe my eyes.

A grand mural painting was underway!

Most days the tall gate is locked on this place of final repose of Christians, Messianic Jews, internationals, and people refused burial elsewhere.
I took advantage of an open moment when a woman came out; the gardener allowed me in and when I asked him about the mural, he said that was the artist who just left.

Back home, I found their website which explains it thus:

[In 2009 a Wisconsin woman, Patricia Solveson,] announced to us how the Lord laid it on her heart to donate her talents to the cemetery. As the Lord would provide, she would put together an assisting work team and periodically visit Jerusalem to paint a biblical mural on our "unfinished" cement walls. The mural would begin with Genesis and continue through Revelation and tell the prophetic story of "God's Sacrificial, Salvation Lamb".

This webpage, with photos, interprets each Bible scene of the mural in a messianic way.
They call it "The Jerusalem 'Wall of Life' ministry project."

Tall enough to need a scaffold.

Here you see how part of the 300-foot wall is being prepped for painting.
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"Over the years, neighboring construction projects have caused some of our historic stone walls to be destroyed and replaced with unsightly, unfinished cement walls," the website explains.

It seems like artist Pat couldn't wait, got ahead of herself and skipped over to the end of the Christian scriptures to what looks like her favorite scene, Revelation 1:13:
"and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest."
This portrait is not yet finished.
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In future posts I'll tell more about the interesting history of this place and of those buried here.
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I want to contribute this post to some new memes--Monday Mural and Taphophile Tragics (for those who like to wander through graveyards), and also to our old favorite Our World Tuesday.
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The binding and unbinding of Isaac

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The frightful story of the binding of Isaac, in Genesis 22, is read in the synagogue every Rosh Hashana.

I talked about it and showed other artistic portrayals of the almost-deed here and here.
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But the photos in today's post are of Sam Philipe's sculpture "Akedat Yitshak" (the Binding of Isaac), on exhibit at Jerusalem's Mamilla mall.

We can be glad that the angel was sent just in time to stop Abraham's hand.

In the story's happy end, the angel quotes God as saying to Abraham
". . . in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast hearkened to My voice."
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By the way, Christians are celebrating today too. It is the Feast of St. Michael and All Angels, also known as the Feast of the Archangels.
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More about Rosh Hashana in previous posts:

A stone sculpture of the Akeda

Fish heads

New calendar for a new year

Tashlich bread to the fish

Shofar, tashlich

The world's birthday

Pomegranate symbol
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The olive branch, birds, and St. Jerome

. "Noah's Ark" . It's part of the Bible Stories exhibit still going on at Mamilla mall. Genesis 8: 8 And he sent forth a dove from him, to see if the waters were abated from off the face of the ground. 9 But the dove found no rest for the sole of her foot, and she returned unto him to the ark, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth; and he put forth his hand, and took her, and brought her in unto him into the ark. 10 And he stayed yet other seven days; and again he sent forth the dove out of the ark. 11 And the dove came in to him at eventide; וְהִנֵּה עֲלֵה-זַיִת טָרָף בְּפִיהָ and lo in her mouth an olive-leaf freshly plucked; so Noah knew that the waters were abated from off the earth. . . An interesting tidbit from Wiki:

In his 4th century Latin translation of the story of Noah, St Jerome rendered "leaf of olive" (Hebrew alay zayit) in Genesis 8:11 as "branch of olive" (Latin ramum olivae). In the 5th century, by which time a dove with an olive branch had become established as a Christian symbol of peace, St Augustine wrote in On Christian Doctrine that, "perpetual peace is indicated by the olive branch (oleae ramusculo) which the dove brought with it when it returned to the ark." However, in Jewish tradition there is no reference to an olive branch in the story of the Flood and no association of the olive leaf with peace in the story of the flood. 

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Shabbat of Consolation

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The bus goes down down down from high altitude Jerusalem to below sea level Dead Sea.
With reflections of the skilled driver in the mirrors for Weekend Reflections.


A few days ago, on Tisha B'Av, Jews mourned the destruction of the Temples and of much of Jerusalem and the beginnings of our exile.
But God in his mercy does not leave us totally in this doom and gloom.
Instead, on the first Sabbath after Tisha B'Av he gives us Shabbat Nachamu, the Sabbath of Consolation, named after this day's reading from the prophet Isaiah 40:1-31 which begins "Nachamu nachamu ami," meaning "Comfort ye, comfort ye my people."

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God. 2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and cry to her that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins. 3 A voice cries: "In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
. . . 9 Get you up to a high mountain, O Zion, herald of good tidings; lift up your voice with strength, O Jerusalem, herald of good tidings, lift it up, fear not; say to the cities of Judah, "Behold your God!" 10 Behold, the Lord GOD comes with might, and his arm rules for him; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him. 11 He will feed his flock like a shepherd, he will gather the lambs in his arms, he will carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young. . . .

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Shabbat shalom!
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Tisha B'Av begins

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Tonight and tomorrow Jews around the world remember the destruction of the First and Second Temples and many other calamities that befell our people on this day, the 9th of Av.
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More about Tisha B'Av:
How I sat on the floor and read Lamentations by candlelight--here and here
Tisha B'Av at the Western Wall
Diorama of Titus breaching the city wall of Jerusalem
Remembering the destruction on the wall of one's house
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That's My World today--collective remembering for thousands of years.
And for Shadow Shot Sunday too.
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The Bible on a necklace?

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I've heard of wearing your heart on your sleeve, but would you wear your Bible on your necklace?
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This miniature Hebrew Bible has a metal case with a built-in magnifying glass.
It was made in Warsaw in 1896.
The sign in the Bible exhibit display case at our National Library suggests that perhaps the little case was meant to be worn on "a chain of the neck."
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Xerxes on an old scroll from Italy

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Fortunately there is a name with a Jewish connection for today's ABC Wednesday X-day.

Xerxes, King of Persia, is Achashverosh in Hebrew and became Ahasuerus in English Bibles.
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Enlarge the photo and see if you think that is Xerxes on the throne on the top of this beautiful old Scroll of Esther.
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The story of Purim is told in the Book of Esther.
Esther is a Jewish girl who becomes Queen to King Xerxes and through her bravery is able to thwart an attempt to slaughter all the Jews living in Persia at that time, about 2,500 years ago.

This parchment scroll was made in 1616 in Ferrara, Italy.
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"The Bible in Manuscripts and Printed Books" is a wonderful permanent exhibit that I found at Israel's National Library while I was there, at the Hebrew University, for the big book giveaway.
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Understanding the desert images

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When one needs strength, consolation, encouragement, hope, or help--the 23rd Psalm is the best psalm to know by heart.
Or so I have found in times and places that I was lost.
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Since today's psalm is already so well-known, I want to do something a little different for Robert's weekly PsalmChallenge. I want to recommend a book.

You can enlarge the photo and read a sample.
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The book is a must for those who have never walked Israel's deserts or never herded sheep and goats (I have done both, but I still need this book!).
-- This because so much of the imagery of David, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Isaiah, and other prophets and sages assumes an understanding of such things.
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As the dust jacket says

One of the Bible's best-known and best-loved psalms begins with the words of the young David: "The Lord is my shepherd" (23:1). The experiences of David as a shepherd in the Judean Desert affected the imagery of his psalms, his escapes from the pursuit of Saul, and even the judgments he rendered as king.

Each chapter bears the name of a verse from Psalm 23.
For example

Chapter IV "Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me."
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Terrifying cliffs and canyons
. An arid land, a land of the shadow of death
A land of darkness
Cliff and fortress
. Rock of Ages
The shepherd's staff

The late great Nogah Hareuveni, of blessed memory, wrote Desert and Shepherd in Our Biblical Heritage several decades ago.
There are three in his Biblical Heritage series.
He also founded Neot Kedumim, the only Biblical Landscape Reserve in the world.
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Enjoy the Neot Kedumim website.
You can order the book there too. I would be lost without it.
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PSALM 23

¹The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.

²He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

³He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

⁴Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

⁵Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

⁶Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.

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For Shavuot -- faces of Ruth

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Today Jews celebrate Shavuot, also know by its Biblical names Chag HaKatsir, the [wheat] Harvest Festival, and Yom HaBikurim, Day of the First Fruits.
By tradition today also marks the day of King David's birth and death.

But mainly Shavuot is Zman Matan Toratenu, The Season of the Giving of our Torah.
Seven weeks (shavuot) have passed since Passover.
It took 49 (+1) days of wandering in the desert for God and Moses to prepare the People for the the biggest day in history.
In today's morning prayer service Exodus 19-20 is read.
All rise in silent reverence to listen to the Ten Commandments with the feeling that we all are standing at Mount Sinai.
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The scroll of the Book of Ruth is also chanted, in loving memory of David and of Ruth, his Moabite ancestor, the mother of all converts.
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Let's look at some very different portrayals of Ruth, all at the current exhibit of Bible story sculpture at Mamilla in Jerusalem.

The one above is called "Ruth and Naomi, the dialogue."
Sculptor Ruth Agmon quotes the famous passage in Ruth 1:16-17 that widowed Ruth speaks to her mother-in-law Naomi:

And Ruth said: 'Entreat me not to leave thee, and to return from following after thee; for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God;
where thou diest, will I die, and there will I be buried . . .

"Ruth the Moabitess" by Judith Sudai who quotes Ruth 2:3:

So she went. She came and gleaned in the field behind the reapers. As it happened, she came to the part of the field belonging to Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

"Ruth" by Cathy Kerner. Ruth 2:2:

Let me go to the field and glean among the ears of grain . . .

"Ruth and Boaz" by Rachel Levi. Ruth 2:10:

Then she fell prostrate, with her face to the ground, and said to him, “Why have I found favor in your sight, that you should take notice of me, when I am a foreigner?”

"Ruth" by Cathy Kerner.
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Notice the crown of future kingship on the boy's head!
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For other aspects of the holiday please click on my label "Shavuot."
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HAPPY SHAVUOT!
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A king and his harp

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Our weekly group of Psalm-illustrating bloggers is slowly growing.
Thanks to Robert at Daily Athens PsalmChallenge for getting us started and keeping us going.
You too are welcome to try it once or twice or 150 times.
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Psalm 21

1 In your strength the king rejoices, O Lord, and in your help how greatly he exults! 2 You have given him his heart's desire, and have not withheld the request of his lips. (Selah) 3 For you meet him with rich blessings; you set a crown of fine gold on his head.

4 He asked you for life; you gave it to him— length of days forever and ever. 5 His glory is great through your help; splendor and majesty you bestow on him. 6 You bestow on him blessings forever; you make him glad with the joy of your presence. 7 For the king trusts in the Lord, and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved.
.8 Your hand will find out all your enemies; your right hand will find out those who hate you. 9 You will make them like a fiery furnace when you appear. The Lord will swallow them up in his wrath, and fire will consume them. 10 You will destroy their offspring from the earth, and their children from among humankind. 11 If they plan evil against you, if they devise mischief, they will not succeed. 12 For you will put them to flight; you will aim at their faces with your bows. .
13 Be exalted, O Lord, in your strength! We will sing and praise your power. .
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Photos--
Statues at Mamilla Mall Bible Stories exhibit:
"David" by Avri Regev

"David BaRuach" by Gavriel Ben-Haim, inspired by I Samuel 16:23 -- "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took the harp, and played with his hand; so Saul found relief, and it was well with him, and the evil spirit departed from him."
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Creepy crawlies

Enlarge to see the surprising details.

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Every time I walk through Mamilla Avenue (the mall), I find more sculptures have been added to the Bible Stories exhibition.
Here, for That's My World, is a new one.
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The face created by Yael Erlichman is on the wall next to the Ahava (Dead Sea cosmetics) store.
Its inspiration came from Genesis 1:20 --

And God said, "Let the waters bring forth swarms of living creatures . . .
So God created the great sea monsters and every living creature that moves, with which the waters swarm . . .
And God saw that it was good.
And God blessed them, saying, "Be fruitful and multiply and fill the waters in the seas" . . . .
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Only at this time, 7:30 a.m., is Mamilla Mall so empty. Later in the day and all evening it is packed.
All the black boxes you see, and about a hundred more that you don't see, have sculptures on them.
The Bible Stories theme is going on until October.
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