Seperation Wall

Yesterday we had a field trip to the separation wall and a member from the US Embassy came and gave us a run down of the reasons the wall was built. The main reason for the separation wall is to decrease the number of suicide bombers and terrorist attacks within Israel.

The wall has its pros and cons: the pros being that it has decreased the number of attacks and violence has decreased. The Cons thousands of people living on the other side of the wall lost their jobs, family ties and for multiple people in our ward lost the opportunity to come to church.

This is considered to be a temporary solution but no one knows what that means.....

People graffiti the walls to raise awareness and protest against it. The interesting thing is that all of the graffiti is in English because they are trying to reach the American audience and have them intervene.

 Now let me tell you a little tale about this tel. 

A tel is an ancient city that was usually destroyed and then another city was built upon it. Many of the ancient ruins that we see are tels, and they usually consist of 4 or 5 cities built one upon the other. 

The tel that is directly behind us is the city of Samson (This picture was taken during the last field trip)

Today has been a really good day, a few of us went into the city to read for our classes. We went to the "broad wall" which is the wall that was standing during the first temple period. In my OT (Old Testament) class we were assigned the reading in 2 Kings and Ezekiel where it is talking about the first temple destruction. It still just amazes me that I can read the Bible and be in the exact place where it occurred! I know you must be all jealous right now. 

So the Jerusalem Center is under quarantine, not really but over 30 students have gotten the flu in the past 48 hours. Most of them are returning back to health so it was probably food poisoning. I guess I have a solid stomach and I did not get sick. phew.

So those who know me well know how A-MAZING I am at basketball so Lindsey, Emily and I signed up for the bball tournament here. Our team name? mo' money mo' problems. We are going to dominate. The first game is tonight so wish me luck.

I am SUPER excited for tonight because it is alos our Passover/ Seder dinner! It is like a 5 hour program and the food is going to be delicious. I will post pictures tomorrow. 

Love ya!