Journey Home to Israel

Daily Journal for Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, IFCJ founder/president, provided the most memorable moments of the last full night and full day of The Fellowship’s 2008 Journey Home Tour.

In Jerusalem’s world-renowned Bible Lands Museum, which places the Bible in its historic context, the rabbi played his guitar and sang Tuesday night – the group’s final full night in Jerusalem – while being filmed for upcoming segments of his popular “Journey to Zion” TV program.

With Journey Home participants joyously singing and clapping along, Rabbi Eckstein sang “This Is the Day That the Lord Has Made,” “Behold How Good and Pleasant It Is for Brethren to Dwell Together” (in both Hebrew and English), “The Lord Is One,” “Jerusalem of Gold,” “I Believe,” and “The Land of Milk and Honey.”

Amanda Weiss, director of Bible Lands Museum, lauded Rabbi Eckstein for his contribution to Israel and his relationship with Evangelical Christians and personally presented him with a certificate of honor. He was accompanied by his wife, Joelle, and daughter, Yael Eckstein Farkas.

Immediately after singing, the rabbi engaged in another informative question-and-answer session with Fellowship partners, one of the most popular activities of the jam-packed Journey Home tour.

As the whirlwind tour wound down on Wednesday, participants took a cable car and then climbed to the top of Masada where Rabbi Eckstein taught about Jewish rituals and shared his personal and spiritual perspective for three hours. He then joined the tour at nearby Ein Gedi, a spa-like resort on the Dead Sea, for lunch and to bid farewell to the tour.

Fellowship supporters spent the remainder of their final day trying to jam everything – including all of their souvenirs – into their bulging suitcases (with some leaving many of their shoes and clothes behind for Israel’s poor); exchanging e-mail addresses with new-found friends; shopping for last-minute gifts for grandchildren; and checking the internet for information about the weather in their hometowns (several grimacing at the thought of returning to temperatures in the 50s and 30s after 12 days in 70- to 90-degree temperatures).

While some nursed blisters, colds, and aching knees, the majority tried to soak in all that Israel holds for one last time – whether it be shepherds with their flocks, ancient ruins, colorfully-decorated camels, Orthodox Jews walking at a brisk pace to work during the morning rush hour, the salt-covered shore of the Dead Sea, the barren mountains near Masada, or the breathtaking view of Jerusalem.

For most, the Journey Home Tour provided the opportunity to visit Israel and realize their dream of a lifetime. For Bertha Moore of Norman, Okla., who came with her two grown sons, it meant the opportunity to be baptized in the Jordan River. For Walt Sorrells of Rosharon, Texas, it meant fulfilling his dream of walking where Jesus walked. For Bonnie Bucher of Sistersville, W. Va., it meant a deeper understanding of her Jewish roots.

Fellowship partners, aware of Israel’s need for rain, prayed daily for beautiful weather, but asked God for rain as soon as their tour ended. Their prayers were answered: As they returned by bus from Masada and were driven into Jerusalem, rain began to pelt the bus windshield.

Emotional Journey Home Tour participants, who left the Regency Hotel in Jerusalem for Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and flights back to the United States late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, vowed, “Next year in Jerusalem.”

Though their dream of a lifetime had been fulfilled, many vowed that one trip to Israel was insufficient – and that, God willing, they would return to the Promise Land.