Back from Israel safe and sound. Having been there, and seeing what a wonderful country it is, it saddens us to see the violence there.
To see a slide show of our photos, click on: http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/Ui3PY5NP
Paul

GREETINGS FROM THE GALILEE
Went to the Western Wall before leaving Jerusalem yesterday AM. Left a few messages in the cracks of the wall. Then to the Israel museum, saw the Dead Sea scrolls, and a fabulous recreation of Jerusalem in second temple days. Drove up to the Galilee along a road just north of the dead sea. Found a great rest stop on the way in the middle of the desert with several different kosher food places to choose from. Stopped in Beit Sha'an and Beit Alpha, saw some terrific ruins. Checked in at Nof Ginosar, a kibbutz hotel on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. Had dinner at a very good kosher chineese restaraunt in Tiberias..
Today went rafting down the Jordan river (avoided all spots north of here; it was raining katyushas). Then took a tour of several places in the Golan Heights, including former Syrian bunkers looking down over the Jordan river valley.
Rest of the day we'll spend hanging out on the beach by the hotel. All this touring is very tiring.
Tomorrow to Tel Aviv and then home Saturday after spending the afternoon with Mimi's cousin Michael and family in Ra'ana.

Shalom from Yerushalayim!!
Went yesterday to Masada. It was much easier this trip than my last in 1977. Took the cable car up in about 3 minutes. It was all very nicely done. Spent about 3 hours there, saw the entire area. Absolutely beautiful desert views.
Went to Ein Gedi next. Our guide said the waterfalls weren't much to look at anymore, so we just drove around. Did see several ibex (wild goats). Next went to the Dead Sea. It was an awesome experience floating there!!! The boys loved it!! Jordan was just across the lake less than a mile away. Had dinner Sunday at a kosher Indian restaraunt; fantastic meal!! This is probalby the only kosher Indian place in the world.
Today started the day with a walk along the ramparts of the walls of the old city. Got to see it from a very different light. Then to Yad Vashem (holocaust memorial). This was a very powerful and draining experience. It is all new and done extremely well. I cried twice; first on seeing the details of what happened to our people not that long ago, and again on the fact that my boys needed to see this.
We tried to go to the Israel Museum after, but they closed early today; hope to see it tomorrow. We walked on Ben Yehuda St. and did some shopping. Had dinner in a very good Morocan restaraunt (but the service was just fair).
Finally have some photos for you (had to go the King David hotel to use their internet room).
Tomorrow to Tel Aviv for the day.
Lehitraot. Paul

MORE GREETINGS FROM JERUSALEM!!!
It's now Saturday evening. Yesterday AM went to the Davidson center by the southern part of the temple mount retaining wall. Saw some great archeological finds, including other parts of the temple complex. Went to the old city, did some shopping and bartering in the Arab shouk and had lunch in the Jewish quarter (delicious shwarma). The hotel had a Shabbat dinner, complete with candles and wine for each table. The food was traditional and a real hamish atmosphere.
This morning went to the Masorati (conservative) synagogue which is just around the corner from here. Was pretty much like the services at home, most there were americans. This afternoon we took a jeep tour of the Judean desert. Some amazing sights. We stood on the same mountain where it describes in the Yom Kipur service where a goat is sacrificed for our sins. Also went to the caves of Kumran where the Dead Sea scrolls were found. Benjy especially loved the off roading in the jeep.
Haven't been able to find a card reader to upload photos yet. Net trip I'll have to take a laptop.
Tomorrow we go to the Dead Sea, Masada, and Ein Geddi. Will write more then.
Lihitraot, Paul

GREETINGS FROM JERUSALEM!!!!
It's about 10 pm here now. The flight was long. None of us slept much, but we began touring Wednesday about 9 AM. Our guide is Beirta, lovely woman originally from Denmark. We first stopped at "Mini-Israel", a several acre recreation of everything in the country. This helped us to get our bearings. We then had lunch in Modeine (that's where the Macabees are from). Checked in to the hotel in Jerusalem. We all crashed then, and slept for couple of hours, used the pool and had dinner.
After dinner we took a fantastic tour of tunnels dug under the Western Wall. This gave a great perspective on the holiest place in the Jewish world. We didn't know that the Western Wall is actually only a very small fraction of the wall surrounding the old temple site. Much of it is now covered by the Moslem quarter.
This morning we first took a drive to Mt. Scopus and then to the Mount of olives. Had some fanatastic views of the old city of Jerusalem. Then took a walk to the tower of David and Bierta gave us a very detailed tour of the museum there that gives a great history of the city. Sam loved it; Benjy was falling asleep, so Sam and Benjy went back to the hotel to rest, and Bierta took me and Mimi on a walking tour of the Jewish section of the old city.
Had dinner at another excellent kosher place nearby. Too many kosher places to choose from.
Tomorrow we're to see more excavations around the Kotel. Saturday we'll go to the nearby Masorati (conservative) synagogue, then a jeep tour of the Judean Hills.
Once I can find some place with a card reader I'll post some photos.
Paul

Watch this space for news and (hopefully) photos during our trip to Israel in July.

Also, click on the link to see a slideshow of photos from our boys' graduations!!

http://photoshow.comcast.net/watch/Xy5fc6vK