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Israel Journal Day 7

March 13, 2010

Day 7: Yad Veshem/Israel Museum/Bethlehem

We began our day visiting the Yad Veshem which is the holocaust museum as well as the school of holocaust studies. Israel uses this school to enforce and re-enforce the importance of this story to all of the military to which we got a first hand look at with hundreds of soldiers preparing to go through Yad Veshem.

Masada is used for purposes of being sure that the Jewish army is completely clear of what it at stake. It is pretty emotional to see how it is that this country prepares it’s young people and their view of their country.

We were shown the progression of steps that led to genocide and how society missed so many cues where if they would have reacted 6 million Jews would not have been exterminated. The steps start with 1st attitudes – 2nd actions – 3rd discrimination – 4th violence – 5th extermination and murder. These steps were further explained with activities in Germany 1933 where attitudes in January led to anti-Semitist riots in March; later that same year the killing of people unfit to live and finally concentration camps. Sadly no reaction led to this tragedy and which also begged the question “do we have a sense of moral responsibility?”

Some stories of people and countries like Bulgaria, Greece, and the Danish that refused to comply with the Nazis in order to protect the Jews just moved me. The names of these people are located on “The Avenue of the Righteous Gentiles” where trees have been planted to commemorate the many Christians who helped save lives of Jews during World War II.

Charles Coward is one of those names. He was from England and became a leader in one of the concentration camps where our tour guide for the first time heard the story from a family he was giving a tour for. A grandpa brought his whole family to Yad Veshem and as he came across this name he broke down in tears as he told the story to his family. If it wasn’t for this man none of us would be here because as a little boy this man pointed to the woods and told me to run and not to look back. Charles made it possible for the escape!

There is a building called the “Hall of Remembrance” where all of the bones or ashes of Jews that lost their lives by the Nazis were brought here and buried beneath the black floor of this building. White letters in the floor name each of the 22 camps used for the purpose of extermination along with an eternal flame.

May we as followers of Jesus not only refuse to participate in any kind of racism but that we will stand for those that are being treated this way!

Bethlehem
We then entered the city of Bethlehem which is a Palestinian area which required us to leave our Israeli guide behind and we were given an Arab as a guide. This was an eye-opening experience – more on this later. We were going to see the Church of the Nativity which is the oldest church in the world.

Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus Christ, is a town about 5 miles south of Jerusalem.
Micah 5:2 As for you, Bethlehem ..from you a king will emerge who will rule over Israel on my behalf, one whose origins are in the distant past.

During pre-Christian times, it was the home of Ruth and Boaz and their great grandson, David.
Ruth 4:11 …May you prosper in Ephrathah and become famous in Bethlehem.

Samuel anointed David in Bethlehem to be the second King of Israel.
1Sam 16:4 Samuel did what the LORD told him. When he arrived in Bethlehem…

For a time, the Philistines occupied Bethlehem, and it was here that David’s three men broke through the Philistine ranks to bring him water.
2Sam 23:15 David was thirsty and said, “How I wish someone would give me some water to drink from the cistern in Bethlehem near the gate!”

Not far outside of Bethlehem is the tomb of Rachel (Jacob’s wife), which is still there today.
Gen 35:19 So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is, Bethlehem).

In AD 385, a church was built on the traditional site of the Nativity, the birth-place of Jesus. The emperor Justinian erected the building as it stands today. Although most religious buildings were destroyed during the Persian invasion of the 7th century AD, the Church of the Nativity, was not destroyed. The New Testament books of Matthew and Luke list Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus. Matthew 2:1–6 describes the birth of Jesus as the fulfillment of Micah’s prophecy. What surprised me is to learn that the spot I am touching is in a cave not in a barn as I had grown up believing!

Getting into and seeing Bethlehem proved to be a day of a greater understanding of the plight of the Palestinian people. I saw some Palestinians facing hardships behind a great wall of racism and physical boundaries.

Here are some of my takeaways:
1. The Palestinian/Jewish conflict have multiple narratives – but both sides want peace.
2. There is a certain tone of the oppressor which reminds me of how those who took land away from the 1st Nations must have sounded.
3. The wall in Palestine is 4 times longer and 3 times higher than the wall of Berlin.
4. Understanding is different when you see and experience the reality of those who are in pain.
5. I’m not trying to be political by this statement at all yet just reporting what I see. If Christians really saw what was happening here they would come alongside both Palestinians and Israelis who desire justice, equality, and basic human rights.
6. Are we so biased that we are blind-sided to potential abuses of power by those of authority?
7. In one occupied zone of settlers. Here’s the stats: 400 Israeli settlers/1500 soldiers. In this one occupied zone, there are close to four soldiers per settler. Whereas in the same area outside the occupied zone there are 220,000 Palestinians with little protection.
8. There are multiple ways to beat your enemy. It doesn’t have to be a quick strike. Stirring hopelessness via abuse, intimidation, and force is a pure evil that makes me nauseated.
9. A lot of injustice can happen under “security purposes.”
Some of my thoughts are mulling around this question.. if those that are having their rights taken away – should they “be like Christ” by not standing for their rights?
My initial response to this is: We’re certainly not Jesus. While we’re trying to be like Him, His purpose was distinct namely to take the path of suffering and relinquish his rights. He was obedient to death. However, those who follow Jesus are called to live out these words..
Micah 6:8 He has told you, O man, what is good, and what the LORD really wants from you:
He wants you to promote justice, to be faithful, and to live obediently before your God.

While we strive to please God, we also have a calling to be a voice for the voiceless and an advocate activist. Our responsibility as followers of Christ is to be willing to relinquish our personal rights and even embracing pain but also our mandate seems to be about laying our lives down for the voiceless, being an activist of hope and justice.

Today’s Trip Reflections:
1. This trip isn’t a feel good type trip like you often hear from those who go on typical Holy Land tours. I think it may be because the focus is on Justice. To experience so much injustice, is somewhat dark and depressing.
2. Some Palestinians refer to Bethlehem as an “open air prison.” Why? Over 380 checkpoints in the city. The huge wall. Inability to travel to Jerusalem or to fly out of Tel Aviv.
3. Typically in cities, you can feel the energy of the people. Here it is subdued. Reminds me of a place that has been beaten down both physically and economically.
4. There’s a perspective shift on this trip when you shift your mindset from being a tourist to simply experience to being a pilgrim.
5. On a good note, Teresa and I are having a good time processing future trips here with those we hope to come. The best part of the trip is being with her. Hearing her laugh.. She’s so low maintenance compared to me!

I can’t believe this journey to the Holy Land is over. It’s been a rich trip filled with great conversations, reflections as well as disturbing, unsettling realities. I feel I’m not the same person I was 7 days ago. I’ve been drawn to a people I formerly had little compassion for. . . namely, the Palestinians. I love the Jewish people and Israel but I think I also must have bought into an interesting propaganda spin about the Palestinians which I’m embarrassed about and was ignorant of. I still love the Jewish people and now I love and hurt for the Palestinians as well. I now see certain biblical passages in a different light. Scriptures typically purported in our evangelical communities have a certain shading that dare I say “curses” the Palestinians but the reality is they are a people blessed by God. I still have much to learn and discover but my heart is moved by what I’ve seen. Now, God, teach me what I’m to do.

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