Joel Thornton

A common sense conservative.

ISRAEL: OVERVIEW OF A TOUR

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Israel is rapidly becoming one of my favorite destinations. It is not that hard to do, because Israel is a land that anyone who grew up in Sunday School has heard all the stories of ancient Israel—it is a part of our DNA. The first time I traveled to Israel was almost a year ago as I write this blog. I was full of anticipation because I love to travel, especially some place new.

When we landed in Tel Aviv I was filled with excitement, but I had no idea what a magical time awaited me. I found Israel to be inviting. It was everything I had imagined and more.

Everyone I knew who had ever been to Israel had told me that it was like nothing you could imagine. I did not believe them, thinking they were just talking in hyperbole. Little did I know they were right.

There is history in every step you take. Our tour guide on the most recent trip to Israel summed it up well. “Every place you dig a shovel into the ground in Israel becomes an archeological dig.” While that is a slight exaggeration, it is only slightly exaggerated.

Because of the Bible and other writings, the whole country is filled with history. It seems like the world has passed through Jerusalem. The Pharaohs, Alexander the Great, Marc Antony, Cleopatra, King David, King Solomon, Napoleon, the list goes on and on. The land of Israel has seen it all and traveling there helps every part of history come alive like you cannot imagine.

We are now leading tours to Israel several times a year. I think Israel should be on everybody’s must see list. What is it specifically I think you should see when you are there? The truth is there is so much to see in Israel for any student of history, biblical or secular, that one trip will not be enough. We are trying to pack our trips full of the most critical sights for Christians touring Israel for the first or second time.

Let me give you a look at some of the sights that I think are must see when you are in Israel.

The City of Jaffa is where Peter was staying when he was called to Cornelius’ house in Caesarea. This was the beginning of the outreach to non-Jewish people. A walk through the old town is refreshing and gives you the feel of being in an ancient city without being crowded. There are some great places to eat lunch in the old city. Relax, enjoy walking and looking out over the Mediterranean Sea.

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A street in Ancient Jaffa

Caesarea is an archeological wonder sitting by the sea. It was built as a gift to Caesar Augustus to make up for supporting the wrong horse in the battle for control of Ancient Rome. This one of the highlights of a tour of Israel. I love walking through this ancient city that is so full of history. It is from this port that the Apostle Paul began his trip to Rome as a prisoner, the trip where Paul was ultimately martyred for his faith.

In Caesarea you can sit in the theater from ancient times on stone seats, looking out over the Mediterranean Sea. You can walk through the ruins of Pontius Pilate’s summer palace and look out over his swimming pool sitting on the edge of the sea. Then you can stroll down the sands of the hippodrome where gladiator fights occurred, along with several massacres of Christians and Jews. Caesarea is well preserved and well worth an afternoon, even if just for the ice cream.

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The theater in Caesarea

Another amazing sight for any student of the Old Testament is Mt. Carmel where Elijah and Prophets of Baal had their confrontation. Imagine looking out over the area where Elijah called down fire from heaven and ultimately destroyed the Prophets of Baal. From the look out area you have a 360° view of northern Israel which varies based on whether or not the day is hazy. Stand in front of the statue of the Prophet Elijah and imagine the confrontation that took place here centuries ago.

The statue of the Prophet Elijah, Derek Schneider, and Joel

Historically, secular as much as biblical, Megiddo is one of those famous sights that you have probably never heard of. I know the first time I went I had no idea that the city existed, much less what to expect. Megiddo is a fortified city, one of four, built by Solomon. It also housed a palace of King Ahab and Queen Jezebel. This city has 28 layers of civilizations, one on top of the other, and walking among the excavations is simply amazing. You enter Megiddo through the ancient gates that served as protection from invading armies. These ruins set the tone for the rest of the sight. From the top of Megiddo, you look out over the Valley of Armageddon from Revelation where the battle at the end of the age happens. After walking through the area where King Ahab housed his cavalry horses, you can climb down, out of Megiddo, through the ancient cistern.

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Looking up at the gates of Ancient Megiddo

 

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Atop Megiddo overlooking the Valley of Armageddon

Capernaum, the town of Jesus. Here Jesus lived and taught in the Synagogue. You can walk on the floor of the Synagogue that was built in the Fourth Century A.D., but stands on the foundation of the Synagogue Jesus actually taught in. You will also see the house Jesus lived in while he was in Capernaum, the home of Peter’s mother-in-law.

Capernaum sits on the northern edge of the Sea of Galilee, so take a few seconds to walk down to the Sea and look out over the region of Galilee. This region of the Galilee is an amazing place. Take a few minutes to look out over the sea and reflect on the history that has happened in this place. You are literally in the epicenter of where Jesus’ ministry on this planet took place. He eventually condemned Capernaum for their lack of faith and the rest is history.

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The Synagoge in Gapernaum

Take the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River. This experience is incredible when you think about being baptized in the same river where Jesus was baptized. Whether it is your first time to be baptized, or a symbolic baptism for the sake of recommitting your life to God, this is a great experience for everyone to do at least once. Additionally, on any trip to Israel outside of Jerusalem you will see the reach and value of the Jordan River as you ride through the incredibly fertile Jordan River Valley.

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Across the Jordan River into the country of Jordan, preparing to baptize

Another great place to visit is Qumran, where the Dead Sea Scrolls were found. Here, in the deserts of Israel, you will look at the caves in the sides of the mountain where the Scrolls were protected for nearly 2000 years. When you turn from the caves and look behind yourself you will see the Dead Sea—the lowest place on earth.

The Dead Sea is amazing. It is 33% salt because massive amounts of water flow in, but nothing flows out. The only way water leaves the Dead Sea naturally is through evaporation and evaporation occurs faster than the water arrives in the Dead Sea. Take a few minutes and float in the sea. Soak in its mineral rich waters and enjoy the refreshment that comes from this area.

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The shores of the Dead Sea looking across into the country of Jordan

Masada, this fortress is sacred to the modern state of Israel as it is a place where the Jewish Rebellion against Rome was finally ended in 73 A.D. with a dramatic stand against the oppressors of Israel. Take a ride on the cable car to the top or climb up the crooked foot pathway to the top. This mountain fortress was a palace of Herod the Great around the time of Jesus. Wander through the ruins of this mountain palace and meditate on the great sacrifices that were made by the people of Israel on this very spot. While there you must hike down to the Northern Palace for a beautiful view over the desert back to the Dead Sea.

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At the Northern Palace on Masada, worth the climb back out

 

Jerusalem is the jewel of Israel. You need to take two or three days to see many of the sites. They are to be savored and enjoyed in a leisurely manner, rather than rushed through and mark off of a to do list. Jerusalem can be overwhelming, so bite it off in small pieces and walk through the back streets and the main streets. Enjoy the people.

Here Christians, Jews, and Muslims live together in peace and harmony. Here you will have Muslims selling Christian crosses and icons. Here you will see how cultures can mingle in a way that everyone can find something to enjoy. You should not be any different.

This is what travel is supposed to be about, meeting new people, learning new cultures, and learning that we all share humanity in common. Here you can see the hope of one day laying down our swords and working together for a brighter world, filled with peace and decency.

Start any trip to Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives looking out over Jerusalem. This overview leaves you feeling like Jesus looking from the same basic place and weeping over Jerusalem, knowing what is coming for him and for Israel under Roman Rule.     

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Joel Thornton standing in front of Jerusalem

Wander through the Garden of Gethsemane touching the Olive trees that still grow there. Any time I am in this Garden I think of Peter, pulling his sword and cutting off the ear of one of the soldiers. Then I am immediately reminded that Jesus told him to put up his sword and restored the ear to its rightful place on the head of the soldier.

This is the ultimate act of Christian forgiveness as this man had come to take Jesus into custody, a custody that would end in His death. Jesus went forward from this point, resigned to what was coming for the sake of all those to follow.

Dylan sang it on his Saved album: “when they came for Him in the Garden did they know?” That song reverberates through my spirit every time I am in the Garden.

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The olive trees of the Garden of Gethsemane at the base of the Mount of Olives looking over to Jerusalem

Another highlight of any tour of Israel for me is walking through the ruins of the City of David. Here you can see the walls of King David’s Palace and the outer walls of his city. Think about that, you are looking at the palace of the greatest king of Israel. Seeing the walls that protected him from his enemies.

The Israelis have uncovered some of the houses that were built into the outer walls of the Palace for some of the people who worked for the King. See the walls that lead to his greatest sin. Stand just above the walls, look down into the home of King David. I always take a few minutes here and remember the legacy that King David left for Israel and us through his life and his psalms. The great warrior king who was considered a man after God’s own heart.

They are continuing to expand the archeological dig here. So, every time you come it is different. That is one of the things I love about Israel, they are always uncovering their past to help us understand our faith better.

The outer walls of the Palace of King David

When Roman General Titus destroyed the Temple of Solomon in 70 A. D. he pushed the walls down until the ruins were as high as the remaining walls. This left in tact at least one of the walls of the Temple Mount which housed the Solomon’s Temple. It is known as the Western Wall, it is also known as the Wailing Wall.

This wall is the closest surviving wall to the Temple Mount and is one of the holiest places in the world to Christians and Jews alike. It is here that you must take time to pray and reflect. Write your prayers down and stick them in the wall after you have prayed. The Israelis treat these prayers as sacred and store them for a period of time before they bury them with respect.

It is an amazing place where you will stand next to Orthodox and Conservative Jews who are praying. Children run around playing and then suddenly stop to pray at the wall before returning to play. The men and women are separated here at the wall, so that men pray in one place and women pray in another place.

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Praying at the Western Wall

Follow Jesus’ steps to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is one of two traditional sights of Jesus’ crucifixion and burial. Inside this church is amazing. This church has been under the control of the Christians, the Jews, and the Muslims over the course of its life. It is an incredible cross of different types of architecture. It is currently controlled by different religious orders and has been somewhat restored.

There is the site where Jesus was allegedly crucified, buried, and resurrected. I say allegedly, not because I do not believe in the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus, but because there are two sights with credible claims to be the spot. This particular spot was believed by Constantine’s mother to be the sight of the crucifixion and burial and resurrection of Jesus.

Climb up and see the spot where the cross was planted in the ground. Climb back down and visit the tomb of Jesus which is covered with a pinkish stoned chapel to preserve it. Wait in line and step into the tomb. It is crowded, but usually the wait is little enough to be worth the time in line, as long as you are not there in October or during the Easter season. Besides you are inside one of the most historic and fought over churches in the entire world, so a few extra minutes in line can be filled by looking around at the vast interior of this holy place.

Virtually every tour of Israel ends at the second option for the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, it ends at the Garden Tomb.  This garden enclave is peaceful. There are places to sit and reflect. There are small structures where groups can gather together to share communion and devotions. There is the Place of the Skull, a small hill where many believe Jesus was crucified. You can make your own decision about this, but one thing is certain, there is a peacefulness in the Garden Tomb that is unmatched at the Church of the Holy Sepluchre.

The crowds are less here. Walking into the tomb is a sacred experience that is sure to affect anyone who does so. It is a fitting way to end any tour of Israel for a Christian.

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Joel coming out of the Garden Tomb

If you are thinking about traveling and would like some more information, contact me at [email protected]. You can also ask to sign up for our travel newsletter (we are beginning it soon) and to keep up with tours that we are currently planning. We can help you make memories to last a lifetime!

HOW TO DECIDE WHERE TO GO.

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There are probably hundred of factors to consider when trying to decide where to travel. We will explore five factors to help you decide where to go.

  • Follow your dreams;
  • Follow your passion;
  • Count the cost;
  • Consider the tensions in the area where you are traveling;
  • Have courage and step out boldly.

Follow your dreams, they can lead you to great places! We all have places we have dreamed of traveling. Think about those moments when you imagine being somewhere else. You lift yourself out of the world that surrounds you and deposit yourself somewhere else. Where is that place? Is it France? Is it England? Is it China? You are the only one who knows.

            I think when you travel you should follow your passions. I was always interested in Germany, from the earliest memories of foreign countries Germany was there. So, naturally when I began to travel that is where I went. I have never regretted being in Germany. Following your passions will mean that you are always somewhere you are excited to be. That opens a whole new world for travel. It helps you get the motivation to get out of the hotel everyday and explore the city where you find yourself.

            I have expertise in European travel and in travel to Israel. I have led two tours to Israel and right now have three more scheduled. I am leading my first tour to Greece and Germany soon. These are all places I love. So, every time I go there I am excited. Even though I have seen many of the sights dozens of times, they always come alive when I am there again. That is what I mean by following your passion when you are choosing where you are going to travel.

            It is important to count the cost for your trip. In addition to following your dreams and your passions you should also consider what your budget is. International travel can be expensive because the airline tickets are much more expensive than domestic airline tickets. There are many ways to save money when traveling, but the airlines are typically not one of them. You can stay in lower rated hotels that are safe and comfortable without being extravagant, make sure you eat with restraint (Have one expensive meal to experience the cuisine of Paris and eat more frugally the rest of the time. This does not mean you do not eat well. It is easy to eat well in France without spending a lot of money, you just have to be more discerning.), use public transportation, walk when you can, or check to see when free museum days are and build your itinerary around that perk (it is easy enough to rotate days to take advantage of free admissions in some cities). There are many ways to take advantage of cities that make a lot of their revenue from tourism. You just have to be prepared.

            Do your research and consider the tensions you might run into. You should never just travel blindly without considering the tension that exist in a country or city where you are planning to travel. There are several ways to check on hot spots, including the State Department’s web site. This site tends to be very cautious, so do not stop with that one check. You should do an Internet search of the area where you are going. See if there have been any terrorist attacks. See if violent crime is a problem there. Use some common sense. Remember, even in American cities where you might feel very safe because it is home there are parts of the city where you would not go at night. There are other places where you would not go during the day. The same is true in every city in the world.

            There are ways to determine if you are in a safe environment. For example, if you see women walking alone that is a good sign that the neighborhood you are in is fairly safe. If you see women with children walking alone, without a male escort, that is a positive sign. Regardless of how safe you feel, it is important to always be vigilant. Often, if I am leaving a hotel to walk about I check with someone at the hotel to get their take on the area where I will be heading. They almost always speak English and they are always willing to help.

            I will talk in depth about safety and tensions in another blog dedicated to the subject. While it is a matter that deserves our attention, it should never keep us from traveling.

Have courage and step out boldly. Plan your trip with courage. There is no reason to let fear keep you from traveling to those locations to which you have always dreamed of traveling. Europe is less violent than the United States. Remember, their cities are the opposite of ours, the safest places in most European cities are the inner cities areas. The troubles typically happen in the suburban areas.

Also, television, especially the news, give us the impression that when there is a riot going on in a country it is dangerous to be there. I have been in Athens, Greece during riots that made it look like the city was being burned down. We barely saw any signs of riots, and we were careful to stay out of harm’s way. I was in Jerusalem the day we announced that we were moving the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem. The next day was the begin of three days of rage by the Palestinians. On the first day of rage we went into Bethlehem, there was no sign of rage or danger. The next day Bethlehem was closed for security reasons. My point is that there are people locally who are making sure that tourists stay safe. Keep an eye out but never let fear keep from traveling.

The most important thing is that you travel. Travel changes how you view the world. It changes how much you appreciate home. It changes who you are, so I always encourage people to explore other cities and other countries.

Be safe, be smart, but travel.

If you are thinking about traveling and would like some more information, contact me at [email protected]. You can also ask to sign up for our travel newsletter (we are beginning it soon) and to keep up with tours that we are currently planning. We can help you make memories to last a lifetime!

WHY TRAVEL?

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            There are literally dozens of reasons to travel. We each have our own reasons for traveling, reasons that cause travel to rise to the top of our list of options of how to spend the next week. I travel because I have a wanderlust. Early in my career as a lawyer my boss called me a vagabond. He laughed and said, “Joel, you are a vagabond, have bag, will travel.” Perhaps I would have been better placed to have grown up in the age of Jack Kerouac, hopping on and off trains as a “hobo.”

            Nonetheless, here I am stuck in the 21st Century, lost in an age when security precautions and family concerns make it unrealistic to ride the rails like they did less than a hundred years ago. So, I’ll make the best of life and travel in the era into which I was born.

            Why do I travel? I travel because travel opens the world to everyone of us. When I travel I expand my borders. I expand my understanding of different cultures. And in the middle of those two great reasons to travel, I get to see some of the coolest things a person could ever see. I get to experience some of the most different views of life, views that I could never experience sitting in my living room watching television.

            I also travel because I love the process of traveling. There was a time when I was not able to go. In those days, I would spend hours planning trips I never took. I would work on where to fly from and where to land. How to get from the airport to the city center. How to travel from town to town. What sights to see while I was in town. What day trips to take. How to navigate the subway systems of the city where I was planning my imaginary trip. I did all this just for the fun of planning the trip.

            I have spent most of my time traveling in Europe. Since 1980 I have been to Europe at least forty times. I have traveled from country to country by train, by car, and by plane. I have wondered around cities, walking from sight to sight. I have driven around major European cities looking for a place to park. I have ridden on their subway systems, which are some of the best in the world. I have wondered cities and villages alone and with family and friends. I have experienced Europe in virtually every way that you can experience Europe. Every time I went, I went as an American, a fact that is hard to hide because of the way we dress, the way we talk, and even the way we walk. I have lived and worked in Germany and France.

            The purpose of this blog is to help open the doors of the world to you and your friends. I hope to provide information that will help you make decisions on where to travel, what to take, and what to do when you get there. We will explore countries, cities, sights, and all the little details that help make a trip successful.

            Sit back, relax, let me do the work for you. If there is something you need to know that I am not talking about write to me. Let me make it easier for you. Let’s explore the world together.

If you are thinking about traveling and would like some more information, contact me at [email protected]. You can also ask to sign up for our travel newsletter (we are beginning it soon) and to keep up with tours that we are currently planning. We can help you make memories to last a lifetime!

FOR THE LOVE OF TRAVEL

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I will admit that I am a travel nerd. I love to travel. I always have loved to travel. I remember when I first started working for Jay Sekulow we were constantly on the road. We would fly out of town on a day trip and not return for three or four days. Or we would return from a trip and before I could get home I would get a call from the office telling me to come back to the airport for the next trip that had just been moved up.

            Jay used to tease me and say, “Joel, you are the original vagabond. Have bag, will travel.” It was a true statement.

            I am such a travel nerd that I used to plan trips that I was not scheduled to take. I would plan the air travel, the hotels, the trains—including their scheduled departure times, what sites we would see, and even plan where we would eat.

            Now, I am planning trips that people are actually taking. We have already done two trips to Israel and are organizing five more trips, three to Israel, one to Greece, and one to Germany. I want to spread the love of travel to more people. I want to help everyone I know learn to love to travel.

            Why do I love to travel so much? Other than the fact that it is in my blood, I have little to do with that, I love to travel because I am a naturally inquisitive person. I want to know what is over the next hill, what is around the next curve in the road. There is nothing more exciting, and sometimes a little frightening, than going to a new place and seeing something I have never seen. Experiencing a place I have never experienced before.

            The second most exciting thing I can think of is to go back to a place and reexplore its sites or see a new part of a city or a country. I love to climb up onto Mars Hill in Athens, even though I have been on top of the hill numerous times, again and experience Athens from above as if it were a new city I have never seen. I never tire of that view.

            I am not a people person by nature. Don’t get me wrong, I like sitting around and talking to people I know, but I do not like meeting new people. I am a bit of an introvert when it comes to meeting new people. You would not know it because I am also very outgoing if I am in charge or if I am in a room full of people I already know and am comfortable with. Having said that, I love to go to a new place, especially a new country, and meet people from a different culture so that I can learn something about what it means to live in their world.

            I am greatly interested in what it must be like to be a German, or an Israeli, or a Greek. What is it like to wake up every morning in Greece with Greek language running through your mind? What is it like to work in Germany? What is it like to start your day every day in Germany and then take a day trip to Salzburg, Austria?

            The closest I can come to that feeling, to understanding how those thoughts work, is to travel to Munich and take a day trip to Austria. The closest I can come to understanding what it is like to be an Israeli is to travel to Israel and interact with Israelis. Ask them questions about what their days are like. Ask them questions about where they shop for their food, where do they buy their clothes, where do their children go to school. These things help me better understand what life is like for other people and that satisfies some level of curiosity I live under.

            Another reason I love to travel is much like what I have heard that drug addicts deal with everyday. They are always trying to achieve the feeling of that first high. The second high and ever high thereafter is not as good as that first high. This principle is not true with travel. With travel I can experience the same level of high every time I travel. Every time I go to a new place, or revisit an old place, I experience a travel high that cannot be matched by anything else in life. That is what it means to have wanderlust. The lust of wandering.

            I am also someone who enjoys trying new things at the table. I love to eat what the locals eat. One of the best things about traveling is that you get to experience the local food with the locals. There is no replacement for bratwurst in the Hofbräuhaus. You can go to Aldi and buy the German sausages and grill them, use German mustard on them, they are not the same, the experience is not the same. You have to be there to experience the sensation. There is no substitute for being there.

            One of the greatest reasons I love to travel is to meet new people. Traveling abroad erases so much prejudice. It gives us a better understanding of what everyday life is like for others. When we see people living in their own world we can have more compassion for their plight in life. It also helps us to better appreciate how good we have it as Americans. I have found one principle to be true beyond anything else. It is impossible to hate people that you have come to know and share experiences with. That is what helps make the world a better place for all of us to live.

            That is why I love being there, I can only experience the excitement of life abroad by going abroad. I can suck up the fear and the anxiety and experience a piece of this world that God created for our enjoyment.

If you are thinking about traveling and would like some more information, contact me at [email protected]. You can also ask to sign up for our travel newsletter (we are beginning it soon) and to keep up with tours that we are currently planning. We can help you make memories to last a lifetime!