Yardenet Baptismal Site, Bet She'an and the Dead Sea (J)

Ron playing a Shofar, a musical instrument of ancient origin, made usually of a ram's horn.  It is used for Jewish religious purposes.  Shofar- blowing is done in synagogue services on Rash Hashanah and Yom Kipper. All pitch control is done by varying the player's embouchure.  The horns come in various sizes.

Ron giving his feet a rest.

Yardenet Baptismal Site -a picturesque place on the Jordan River The baptism of Jesus is identified to be in the southern part of the River Jordan, near Jericho but that section of the river became off limits as the international border between Israel and Jordan in 1949.  At Yardenet, there is safe access to the river, where people can be baptized.

Ron by an Israeli flag

People come to Yardenet to be baptized in the Jordan River and renew their commitment to Christ. I watched someone get baptized. Before he waded into the river, someone said a prayer, all sang a hymn and then a person that is provided by Yardenet or  someone you bring goes into the water with the person who is being baptized and  the person is immersed in the water.  After coming back on the shore, the baptized person gives a talk expressing the blessings of being baptized.

River Jordan

Bet She'am (Beth-shan) ruins located 17 miles south of the Sea of Galilee. The excavations were started in 1921-33 by the University of Pennsylvania. It is a place that had people living there as far back as the fifth millennium B.C. In the late Canaanite period (16th-12 centuries B.C.), the city became the seat of Egyptian rule. The Israel tribes did not succeed in conquering Bet She'an.  The Philistines defeated King Saul at Mt. Gilboa and hung the headless bodies of Saul and his sons on the city walls. ( 1Sam 31:8-13) The city was later taken by King David and became the administrative center of the region during King Solomon's reign.

Floor Tile

Part of a Heated Roman Bath

A Jewish school class visiting Bet She'an.

A great earthquake in 747 B.C. leveled the city.  These columns all fell the same direction because of the earthquake.

There were ruins of many stores/shops along the main road of the city and here is an example of one .

Kim is demonstrating how to sit on the ancient communal toilets.

I'm sitting on s theater seat for important people because it has a back.

I'm enjoying exploring the ruins at Bet She'an.

Lunch Time

Our guide Yehudah showing us some Roman glass.

West Bank guard station and fence that separates the boundary of the Palestinian area.

Salt sculptures made from Dead Sea salt.

I'm wading into the Dead Sea. The sharp pointy salt on the beach was really hard on my bare feet.

Kim and Don floating in the Dead Sea.  Even though they are curled up in a ball, they still float.

Dinner in the fancy hotel where we stayed.  It is right on the Dead Sea.

We had a wonderful dinner.  This salmon covered with green sauce was the most delicious salmon that I have ever tasted!

We had a  choice of  a lot of different types of bread.

I didn't have this dish so I don't know what it is.

Lots of Desserts

We really had a feast!

I loved the large selection of Israeli salads.

Sunset on the Dead Sea at the end of our third day on the tour
  Actually it is a sunrise.  I took it from the balcony of out hotel room when I woke up early. It was a thrill to sit outside and watch the sun peek over the mountain and then reflect in the waters of the Dead Sea.