I’ve begun my second week of classes. I’m slowly getting into the rhythm. The atmosphere here quite different from when I was at JUC for the short term programs. Whereas the students in those programs were not real serious about studying here, this is a group of intelligent people who want to learn this stuff. This yields a more enjoyable study experience. Friday evening we had a BBQ in the garden. As we sat outside and the sun was nearing the horizon, we could hear the alert going out to the city so everyone would know that Shabbat (the Sabbath) […]
Tag Archives: Jerusalem
Sunrise
The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands….In the heavens he has pitched a tent for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming forth from his pavilion, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is hidden from its heat. Psalm 19:1, 4-6 This morning, when most of you were starting to think about going to bed, I was waking up early to hike to see the sunrise. Leaving at 4:30 am (9:30 pm Eastern time), […]
Scavengers
I rejoiced with those who said to me, “Let us go to the house of the LORD.” Our feet are standing in your gates, O Jerusalem. Jerusalem is built like a city that is closely compacted together. Psalm 122:1-3 Saturday was orientation day. The president of JUC, Dr. Paul Wright, opened with this thought: Psalms 120-134 are called Psalms of Ascent, sung when pilgrims would go up to Jerusalem (Jerusalem is at a local high point, so you always go up to Jerusalem). Today, when Jews immigrate to Israel, they say they make Aliyah, or more literally, […]