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Sunday, June 25
Caesarea Maritima is a seaside city built by Herod the Great in honor of Augustus. It had a huge harbor that encouraged trading throughout the Mediterranean. It was built with an important Roman invention: concrete that could harden underwater.
In regard to Jesus, a revolutionary discovery was made there in 1961. It was a stone containing this inscription: “Dis Augustis Tiberiéum, Pontius Pilatus, Praefectus Iudaea, Fecit Dedicavit” Wow! This was an actual record of Pontius Pilate! Before this artifact, we only had the New Testament and a few writings from ancient historians. This confirms he was was governor of Jerusalem at the time, just like the Bible reported.
The next photo may not look like much, but it's an excavation of the prison. The apostle Paul was probably held here while he was waiting to be sent to Rome (Acts 24:22-26).
I wandered away from the group and found ancient pottery, along with marble carvings. I always remind myself that someone just like me created this over 2000 years ago.
Are you excited about Caesarea Maritima? So was I! I was considering volunteering there this summer. Perhaps we should all go next summer?
Our next stop was a scenic view of Haifa, Israel’s third largest city. We also learned about the Baháʼí faith. This is their religious center.
Next was Acre. It has a long history, but we focused on the Crusader-era. Much of this fortification was recently discovered underground. Today, it’s known for its history and high-quality sound. Here’s a choir rehearsing for a show later.
Our last stop was the Rosh HaNikra grottoes, which are caves carved out of the limestone by the sea.
Other than the scenery, it has the steepest cable cars in the world (60 degrees) and it's right on the border with Lebanon.
One final note. We were taken to a restaurant for lunch. I thought, "Please, don't offer me shawarma or falafel." I was luck! Instead, he offered me falafel or shawarma.
Here's the view from my hotel window. Tel Aviv is quite a beach town!
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