We have arrived!

We had a good flight to Tel Aviv - lots of leg room and the 11 hours went by smoothly in spite of a few crying babies! Good food; a paper came with each meal indicating that the preparation was supervised by a rabbi - who gets a job like that I ask you?? The meals also had a card wishing us a "Happy New Year".

Our guide for the day, Josi ("Joe" in Hebrew) was wonderful. He took us up the Mount of Olives and explained the history of the Jewish people and the area. At that time the cantor was singing to call Muslims to prayer - it was very moving. Imagine the whole area stopping to pray - wow.

Then we checked in at our hotel which is lovely and after a shift of a few rooms to get the right beds everyone settled in. Off to the Garden Tomb for our tour by Ivan who was delightful and then communion. It was a beautiful place of serenity and spiritual presence.

There is a rooftop area at the hotel to gather for conversation and Happy Hour; then off to our dinner and an early night for some very jet-lagged pilgrims. At sundown tonight the high holy Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur begins - no vehicles, airplanes, buses or businesses are open for this time of repentance and renewal. Fortunately for us we are staying at an Arab Hotel so we will have all the ammenities.

We will be going on a walking tour of Old Jerusalem with our new tour guide in the morning. Most of us can't even go there yet until we get some much needed shut eye!

We have surely arrived, and how grateful we are to have this amazing experience.