In Jerusalem!

We made it! We arrived in Tel Aviv this morning at 5:15am, just in time to see the sunrise over the ocean. By the time we were through security and had taken the taxi into Jerusalem it was around 9AM. Stewart had some problems at security due to traveling to Pakistan and Afghanistan previously. In the end they let him through, though they didn't stamp his passport. This is good if he wants to travel on this same passport to other muslim countries. The bad thing is that it might cause us some trouble if we are ever stopped while in Israel (which we certainly will while traveling in to Bethlehem and other parts of the West Bank) since he has no official proof in his passport that he came in the country. We'll see tomorrow, when traveling to Bethlehem, if this is an issue.

This afternoon we will spend in Jerusalem, visiting the old city as well as having a meeting with the director of the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions (www.icahd.org), an NGO that works on justice issues for Palestinians in Jerusalem whose homes are demolished by the Israeli government. Tomorrow we will be traveling to Bethlehem to see my host family and friends from last year, as well as to show the city to Stewart.

I appreciate all your thoughts and prayers for our time here!

Peace,

Jonathan