The Holyoaks in the Holy Land: 2017

This is our last week in the Holy Land and as we prepare to leave in just 2 days, we are trying to make each day the best ever. It's been hard to keep our emotions in check as we bid goodbye to people we have come to love. This has been a marvelous experience and we feel so blessed to have had this opportunity to share our talents and to learn more about the culture and the people of the Middle East.

The Old City of Jerusalem is one of the most fascinating cities of the world. Just walking through the narrow streets to a city of three faiths, one is immersed in history. It covers approximately 220 acres with surrounding walls that date to the Ottoman Sultan. Work began on them in 1537 and took 4 years to complete. The Old City has 8 gates but only 7 are open: Jaffa, Zion, Dung, Lions', Herod's, Damascus and New Gate. Mercy Gate (or Golden Gate) is closed and tradition says that when the Savior returns, He will be the first one to go through it.

Monday, August 7: Monday is usually the day we go to the Old City so off we went. I always smile when I see this sign.

Call to prayer in the Old City (around noon)

The grapes, plums and fresh figs are wonderful!

We never get tired of looking at all the interesting shops.

We see this woman sitting in the same place every week.

I doubt I'll be buying a slush drink from this vendor any time soon!
Do you think they can pass Osha regulations?

On the other hand, this new art shop is wonderful! We purchased two prints on canvas here. The shop is the Levantine Gallery at 16 Christian Quarter Road and the owners are lovely people.

Keren and her husband own this shop.

Co-owner

This design that looks like a hand is called a "hamsa" but is pronounced "cham-sah." It is a popular Jewish symbol depicting fingers that metaphorically represents the Hand of God. It is most commonly used as a sign of protection. Each finger represents one of the five books of Moses and also signifies blessings, strength and power. Hamsas are commonly placed near doorways of homes or are made into jewelry. I bought one to wear on a necklace.

Across the street from the Notre Dame Hotel is New Gate. We went back to check on a piece of pottery that is being shipped home that we bought from the Armenian Sandrouni Ceramic Centre pictured below.

This hand painted pottery in the shape of a pomegranate is stunning! We purchased it recently and we went back to check to see when it will be shipped to Arizona.

George and his wife (Dorin) own and operate this pottery shop. He designs and she paints. They are lovely people and have a daughter whom they are very proud of. I also purchased a few of the pomegranate dishes above to use with my pottery plates which I purchased from another shop (Jerusalem Pottery Shop).

We will love having this beautiful piece of pottery which has most

of the churches of Jerusalem painted all around the outside.

Photo below: Garth, Brent Lind and Doug Coombs found a little time to play "horse" in the JC gymnasium. They look like the three stooges and enjoy teasing one another.

Wednesday, August 9, was our 51st wedding anniversary so we decided to invite the service couples to join us at a little restaurant at Mamilla Mall, the new mall next to Jaffa Gate.

Mamilla Mall is an annex to the Old City. There is a completely different feel in comparison to the Old City as everything is so modern. However, the stores cater to tourists and are very high-priced. Bronze sculpture grace the walkway outside the stores.

Jewish people take great pride in their families and we
always enjoy seeing them always together.

Photo: It's always fun to share dinner with friends. (The Christensens and the Coombs)

Carol and Reg will return to their home in Wisconsin in January. Doug and Janna leave in December to return to Utah. It's been wonderful getting to know such great people and we'll certainly miss seeing their faces every day. They have each become dear friends.

The Holyoaks are growing old together! August 9th was our 51st wedding anniversary. We have had a wonderful life and I cannot believe how fast the years have flown.

August 10th we went to dinner with the Neomi and Gil Weinstein.

We went to their favorite Arab restaurant and the food was divine!

The main entree was preceded by a variety of salads and pickled veggies. I could make a whole meal out of such delicious foods! We ordered fish that Neomi recommended and it was some of the best we've ever tasted.

Is your mouth watering?

Now this is a creative way to serve a dessert of watermelon! I must remember this the next time I serve it and won't forget to use a sprig of mint for added flavor.

Mina Haas has become a very good friend. Her magnificent sculpture is encased on the left. She came to take it from the art exhibit in the LRC because she is casting it in bronze to be displayed at Mamilla Mall.

Many of Mina's statues are associated with music or women.

I love Mina's sculpture of these dancers.

Friday, August 11:

The final tour at the Jerusalem Center was very emotional for me. This was the last time I would have the opportunity to perform for a tour group on our marvelous Marcussen pipe organ, the largest of its kind in the Middle East.

Friday evening, August 11th: Our wonderful Jewish friends (Judy and Stew Telman) go to a great effort to invite the service couples to Shabbat dinner every semester. Judy is 86 and the Telmans recently celebrated their 64th wedding anniversary. Judy always sets a beautiful dinner table in her living room. Her father was a Jewish Rabbi and honors him by keeping a kosher kitchen. Therefore, she has two dishwashers and always insists on doing all the cooking. What a woman!

Shabbat dinner always begins with the lighting the candles and then a prayer that blesses the wine or grape juice and bread. Judy reads it in Yiddish but gave us a copy of the prayer in English.

Judy made pie made from these plums off their tree.

We ate so much for dinner we felt like we should roll ourselves down the stairs. Carol Christensen said, "I'm not going to eat until 4 PM dinner tomorrow." I felt the same way.

Saturday, August 12: This was my last Sabbath in Jerusalem. I have walked up 93 steps for 18 months from the 4th level and they never get easier. Why is that?

Every Sabbath (Saturday), I head up at 8 AM to prepare my music for church. I feel that these are indeed "Hallowed Halls" as thousands upon thousands of people from counties around the world have walked through them the past 3o years.

I couldn't resist playing "The Holy City"
as part of my prelude music for our last Sabbath.

Arselli is the caretaker for a 99 year old Holocaust survivor.

He will turn 100 in the fall. Arselli is from the Philippines and

has been in Israel for about 10 years.

Our last Sabbath meeting was focused on "Why I believe in Jesus Christ" and was very inspiring. The student choir sang my newest song, "The Keeper of Galilee" and a smaller ensemble sang a song I wrote many years ago entitled "One by One." Doug Coombs gave a touching talk and we all left on a spiritual high.

Janna and Doug Coombs. (Service couple) Doug is the District President.

Brent and Rosemary Lind are over housing and he is the medical doctor for the students.

When church was over, some of the girls gathered outside

in their Israeli dresses.

I always love being around the students! They feel like family to me. Directly after church, the students had planned to go to three local churches to sing. Some of us changed our clothes and left from the lower gate at 1:20 PM.

Rather than walk up to the first church, a few of us opted to take the bus from the lower gate. Number 275 or 255 both go to Damascus Gate where we could walk up to New Gate.

We are so proud of our students and as they keep dress

standards at the Jerusalem Center.

Our first stop was a church located near the Notre Dame Hotel.

Students participated by singing solos or duets before the

entire group sang a few hymns together.

Christina & Alayna sang a duet.

We left and are headed to the Church of the Redeemer where I played the organ

recently.

Church of the Redeemer

The stairs leading up to the organ loft.

Looking up at the organ loft and looking out the

doors of the church to vendors.

Katie and Melony sang a duet in Church of the Redeemer.
The acoustics are wonderful here.

Courtyard at St. Anne's Church.

Saint Anne's Church is the best church to sing because
of such great acoustics.

The high arched stone ceilings contribute to the great acoustics.

The students enjoyed singing a couple of hymns.

Saint Anne's Church.

Beautiful girls!

Outside St. Anne's Church.

We left the Old City and went back to the Jerusalem Center for a 4 PM dinner. We spent all afternoon walking to the different churchs and by the time we got back to the Jerusalem Center, it was 4:30 PM, just time for dinner and enough time to get ready and rehearse for the "Upper Room" program at 7:30 PM.

Hannah & Shannon sang "Savior, Redeemer of My Soul" by Rob Gardner. They were accompanied by Claire at the piano and Brian on the violin. It was an outstanding performance! Claire is an extremely talented pianist.

A smaller student ensemble sang my "Why Weepest Thou" and did an outstanding job. I LOVE working with the students . . . it takes me back to the days I was teaching at Suomi College in Michigan.

The "Upper Room" was a program in the auditorium. The stage was set up with a triclinium arrangement of low tables to represent the evening of "The Last Supper." Professor Ludlow gave a wonderful talk. To say the least, it was a memorable evening as students contributed through narration, the reading of scriptures from Mark and Luke and as they shared their talents musically. I played an organ arrangement of "Christ the Lord is Risen Today."

At the conclusion of the meeting, students sat quietly and wrote in their journals. It was an evening to remember and they left the auditorium in silence.

After the program in the auditorium, the traditional Sabbath evening of "bread and spread" was enjoyed by everyone. Students are in heaven when given pita bread, peanut butter and Nutella to smear all over and devour.

Now that finals were finished, the students relaxed

by playing games in the Snack Bar.

Sunday, August 13: The Coombs came for a late lunch and I made Doug's favorite dessert, lemon pie. However, he was disappointed when I served him an onion!

Monday, August 14: I made some goodies to leave with the workers in the office and others who work in the building.

Eran Hayet is the Director of the Jerusalem Center.
He is a non-religious Jew and has led the center
for about 10 years.

Tawfic Alawi is the Associate Director.

Nassif Affour is the IT Coordinator and takes
care of all the computers and IT equipment.

Whenever I head upstairs to the main office, I always look at the clock

to see what time it is in other places of the world.

Avital prepares the paychecks for the musicians and is Eran's
secretary. She's such a cute mom with two young children.

Looking out from the 7th floor just outside the main office.

Cute Lara works in the office on the 7th floor.
Her hair is beautiful!

Ghalib Nubani is our accountant and such a sweet,
gentle man. I doubt he has ever spoke an unkind
word in his life.

Reg & Carol Christensen

Monday, August 14: The service couples (Linds, Coombs and Christensens) took us to a farewell lunch. Garth and I opted to share a vegetable pizza and a Greek salad.

Monday afternoon: After a delicious lunch, we hurried home and made caramel corn to take to the families of the professors for Family Home Evening. Some of the students came to help and enjoyed their own serving of the caramel corn. We hurried to finish so we could attend the last mandatory meeting in the forum where students were given instructions about their departure, August 16.

Final meeting in the forum to discuss departure plans.

Tuesday, August 15: Early morning as I looked out from our patio on Jerusalem. This evening is the farewell barbecue dinner at 6 PM and will be our last night together. The students have tomorrow free but must be back by 3 PM to start the check-out procedure before they leave for the airport at 8 PM.

Roy and Jeanna Huff (Dr. Huff is the Assistant Director of the Jerusalem Center) are delightful and have been such wonderful leaders. Jeanna is a talented quilt-maker. They have been such wonderful leaders and enjoy singing in the choir with the students. They are currently in Idaho and enjoying the birth of a grandson and waiting for the birth of another.

Tuesday, August 15: We are busy packing up and carefully weighing each of our bags. I took these photos this morning at the model outside on the patio. When giving tours, people are shown the models which show the various stages of Jerusalem throughout the history of the land.

Walking outside around the Jerusalem Center gives one a feeling of serenity. However, we have so much to do before the farewell dinner with the students tonight, I must go back to our apartment and keep working!