There were a few stops that fell in the category of “quick stops” and the Church of the Annunciation was one of them. The Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth is a modern Catholic church that was built over the remains of Byzantine and Crusader churches. It was consecrated in 1969, and incorporates the cave in which the Virgin Mary received the news from Gabriel that she would give birth to Jesus. Magnificent mosaics, works of art and ceramic reliefs (banners) contributed by Roman Catholic communities from around the world adorn the vast interior and courtyard.
The inside of the dome is designed to resemble a lily.
The site has been a pilgrimage destination since earliest times and remains an important stop for Holy Land pilgrims today.
Mr Bill had a photo op with a new statue of Mary in the courtyard.
Young Jacob was celebrating his 8th birthday. We each took an assignment and fanned out over Nazareth to pick up appropriate party supplies. Julian, Gail and I found a party store, aptly name Happy Day. Julian was a good sport and tried on Barbie’s tiara!
We celebrated at Nof Ginnosaur that night! The birthday boy blew out all the candles.
Tsfat was an early morning stop to see two synagogues. The Ari Ashkenazi Synagogue was definitely my favorite. The detail on the Ark is magnificent. Built in the sixteenth century, the synagogue is named after Rabbi Isaac Luria, who was a great kabbalist who arrived in Safed in 1570. A Hebrew inscription above the entrance lintel reads: "How awe-inspiring is this place, the synagogue of the Ari of blessed memory.” The synagogue is known for its colorful and ornate Holy Ark.
Sephardic immigrants from Greece who arrived in Safed during the sixteenth century established the synagogue. When Rabbi Isaac Luria arrived he prayed in this synagogue on the eve of the Shabbat. During the service, he was accustomed to leave the synagogue with his disciples and walk to a nearby field to welcome the Sabbath. The Ari’s tradition of welcoming the Sabbath during Kabbalat Shabbat is still echoed in Jewish communities around the world during the singing of Lecha Dodi, when worshippers turn toward the entrance of the synagogue to "greet" the Sabbath.
Tsfat is a mystical place and the clouds had settled so that we were actually above them. Very cool, given our surroundings. We walked on the cobblestone streets admiring the doors; they are a study in design in their own right.
The blue gate with the blue evil eye (which is said to protect the house) piqued my interest.
There were time constraints for the day. Julian allowed us a very limited “shopping” time, which meant going to the Safed (yes, these are many spellings) Candle Company for a supply of Shabbat candles. It was good that some one was looking out for our finances. The money would be left in the country, the question was – where?
Our destination upon our return to Tel Aviv was Nachalat Benyamin. Adjacent to Shuk Ha’Carmel, the street is transformed two days each week. You’d be hard pressed to recognize it as the same place. On Tuesday and Friday, the street comes alive with an Art & Craft Fair that features the works of many artists. We had been rained out on previous days and this would be our last opportunity. It is a favorite shopping place for anyone who has been to Tel Aviv.
Since 1987 the street (which has many textile shops) has been home to the Art & Craft Fair. The artists, who exhibit and sell their creations each have a regular stall, which corresponds to one of the street’s numbers. Artists are accepted by a public committee, which must approve not only the artist, but also the actual items that will be exhibited and sold. The requirements are like those for a juried craft show in the states.
We prayed that it would not be raining and our wishes came true. Retail therapy at its finest! Gail and I spent quite a bit of time with Ahuva Elany’s booth. She designs beautiful copper wall hangings with inspiration from biblical texts.
Her husband, Ami, was showing Gail a translation on the computer. We had a heartwarming conversation with him; I told him of my Sar-El volunteer work on the army base and he shared with us that talking with people at the booth has changed some of his thinking about the country, and he has fallen in love with Israel again. Priceless….
Our overnight accommodations were four stars this time.
We checked into the waterfront Dan Panorama and we each had a room with a view – AND a balcony!
We didn’t leave enough time to enjoy all that this hotel had to offer; we’d be checking out early the next morning as we headed south to the Negev to go hiking.
And the adventure continues.
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