In spring the power for hot water is turned off and we switch to solar power. That is fine until you have an over cast day and have to take a cool shower. Sunday it rained here and was over cast most of the day, when we got home from our field study and got into the shower, we realized the importance of sunshine. Our shower was invigorating. Rain this time of the year is called Latter Rain as mentioned in the Bible, it is important for summer growth of wheat, figs, and grapes. June through August there is no rain and then Early Rains start in September. The heaviest season for rain is December through February.
A field study for graduate students had been arranged for Sunday and we went. The whole day was spent at Tel Lachish with Dr. Barkay. Dr. Barkay is the most amazing man, he knows every rock and crevice in Jerusalem, and in all of Israel, he’s a wealth of information and had worked at this suite for over 10 years.
Saturday was a study with Dr. Notley. We stopped at the suite of the Tombs of the Patriarchs, also called Machpelah or double cave. The suite’s historic background begins in Genesis 23 when Abraham purchased it from a Hittite for 400 shekels of silver. His wife Sarah, along with Rebecca, Isaac, Leah and Jacob are buried there. It has not been proven, but there is a lot of evidence to point to this being the actual place.
Because Machpelah is sacred to both the Moslems and the Jews, half of the building, that sits over the graves, is for Jews and the Moslems can’t go in. The other half of the building is for Moslems and the Jews can’t go in, as Christians, we can go in either side. On the Moslem side we all had to take our shoes off and the women had to ware robes with hoods. The women had to be modestly covered, but the men didn’t, is that fair? While wearing the robes, something accrued to me, “I hope the person who wore this before me didn’t have head lice”. I shared my thought with the other girls so we all could worry together. So far no reports of head lice.
After Machpelah we stopped at a glass factory. Two men were working, heating and blowing and shaping the glass. It was fascinating. I would love to add an oven to my studio and play with fire and glass. A number of us purchased pieces from the little shop. I got a wonderful piece of free form glass sculpture. Don said that it was a mistake that they put on the shelf hoping that some dumb American would buy it. Well, this dumb American did, and I just love it. It is about 18 inches tall and I’m sending a picture of it.
More later................Shalom...............Bernice
#1 Shop across the street from Machpelah. Notice in the lower left hand corner..... plastic chair ! .......
#2 Us ladies
#3 Glass worker shaping molten glass
#4 My glass sculpture