If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
Psalm 137:5-6
may my right hand forget its skill.
May my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth
if I do not remember you,
if I do not consider Jerusalem
my highest joy.
The year was 2005. I had just finished my masters degree in computer science and had accepted a job offer. However, before beginning my career, I hopped on a plane to spend five weeks at one of the places I most wanted to visit in the world: the land of Israel. I had learned of a school called Jerusalem University College (JUC), which offered short summer programs. Longer than an average tour, it provided a great learning opportunity to explore the land of the Bible. For five weeks I journeyed around the country, seeing the ancient sites of the Bible, learning the lay of the land. What was it like for those ancient people? As the rabbis said, you learn with your feet. It’s easy to read about these places and look at pictures, but to actually see and touch them presents a unique experience.
At the end of my time there, I asked myself where my next top place to visit would be next. Unexpectedly, the answer remained “Israel”. That wasn’t the plan. It was supposed to drop down the list, perhaps visiting again a long while later. Instead I left a piece of myself in that narrow strip of land along the Mediterranean and have spent the last six years pondering how to get back.
I looked at various tours, but one after another, I decided against them. One idea stuck in the back of my head, though. JUC offers longer term programs, including semesters abroad. But how could I take that amount of time off from work? That is a big commitment. Could I do it? After many prayers, I finally asked my manager at work if I could take a leave of absence this fall to go on this adventure. The answer was a gracious affirmative.
And so here I am. I leave in one month.
In this blog I will be documenting this adventure. I’ll give more background and details of my preparations for this trip in the coming weeks. I hope you’ll follow me on this journey this computer geek explores ancient history and the Bible.