At Banias (Wikimedia Commons)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
We were up early today, as usual, and headed first to the Wadi al-Hammam, \u201cthe Valley of the Doves,\u201d near Magdala. \u00a0We walked up it a bit, looking at the cliffs that are so famous from Josephus, encountering cows, and pondering the fact that this was the ancient path that Jesus and his disciples would have taken between the Sea of Galilee and the much higher towns of Nazareth and Sepphoris.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Next, we went to the Church of the Multiplication of the Loaves \u2014 identified by its German Benedictine custodians on a sign at the entrance as the \u201cBrotvermehrungskirche\u201d \u2014 at Tabgha (an Arabic corruption of the Greek Heptapegon<\/em>, or \u201cSeven Springs\u201d). \u00a0It was gratifying to see that the damage done a couple of years ago by fanatical Jewish arsonists has been fully repaired. \u00a0Still last year, considerable charring was visible.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
We then spent quite a bit of time at the Mount of Beatitudes, a wonderful\u00a0garden spot overlooking the lake, where I harangued my unfortunate group regarding the Sermon on the Mount.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
From there, we drove to the north of the country, through Qiryat Shmona and past Tel Dan to the beautiful waterfalls at Banias, near which we had lunch, and then to the adjacent site of Caesarea Philippi. \u00a0The latter is one of the greatest places we\u2019ll visit on this tour. \u00a0I should probably write a column about it.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Thereafter, we climbed up past the enormous Crusader castle of Nimrod, into Druze territory on the Golan Heights. \u00a0From the United Nations observation post on Mount Bental, we looked back at the last remaining snow on Mount Hermon (which is on the part of the peak that\u2019s in Lebanon) and down into Syria. \u00a0The United Nations observers\u00a0told us that there are now ISIS fighters living in the abandoned town of Quneitra, just below Bental. \u00a0I gave a few remarks on Islam and the contemporary politics and political movements of the region.<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
In the evening, back at the hotel, Eric Huntsman<\/a>, who is on the other bus, and I spoke to the combined groups at a relatively brief fireside.<\/p>\n\u00a0<\/p>\n
Posted from Tiberias, Israel<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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![\"Die](\"https:\/\/wp-media.patheos.com\/blogs\/sites\/186\/2017\/05\/800px-Banias_Waterfall_Israel.jpg\")
<\/a>