a trip of a lifetime...

After grad school, I wanted to travel to Israel with Nana but the parents thought it wasn't safe so we traveled to Ireland instead.  Nana thought it was important for me to learn more about my family's roots in Ireland.  However, when Regent Law and the ACLJ organized this study abroad trip to Israel, I could not wait to sign up.  It is a trip that every believer in Christ should make.  Traveling to Israel turned out to be one of the best decisions that I have ever made.  

We took 2 classes while in Israel.  We studied Biblical & Quranic Law and the history and current state of Israel, but as you can see below, we learned just as much outside of the classroom. The goal of the Zionist movement was to establish a national, permanent homeland for the Jews in Palestine and each day on our trip we had a chance to better understand that story and the promise that God made to Abraham in Genesis 15.  "On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, "To your descendants I give this land..."

My professor asked me what was my favorite place to visit but I couldn't name just a single place.  I could quickly tell him about the food that I loved the most, but I can't choose just one single place in Israel as my favorite.  I learned more about the law in our visits to the Knesset, the Military Court, and the Supreme Court of Israel and I learned more about my faith at the Western/Wailing Wall, the Garden of Gethsemane, the Temple Mount, the Garden Tomb, etc.  

I also learned that CNN- and other news sources- try to be so politically correct sometimes that they paint an inaccurate portrait of Israel.  The news fails to really tell you that the Islamic religion is based on extreme violence and instead the news points blame to Israel for erecting a wall to decrease suicide bombers.  I'm sorry, but if my neighbors were as hateful as Israel's neighbors, I'd build a wall too.  (I could talk forever about the inconsistencies in the Islamic faith; however, the book "Understanding the Koran" tells it much better than I do).  

I am thankful for the opportunity that I had to visit Israel- Jerusalem, Haifa, and Tel Aviv.  I was given the chance to ignore the media and see for myself that Israel really is an incredible place.  To me, it is crazy to think that without a Jew named Jesus, the whole world would be Islamic.  Jesus was a revolutionary.  So, why do the Jews have to have Palestine?  Why can't they just settle in another area?  Why the Zionist movement?  One of our speakers said it best- It's just like driving 20 miles to see your mother.  Why do that when there are plenty of old ladies right near your house....