Acre (Akko), Israel

Another travel post - this one about the glorious city of Acre. It was a tremendous highlight of an already wonderful choral performance tour to Israel (Haifa, Jerusalem, Jaffa, Nazareth, and Caesarea). I had been asked to join the choral performance tour because I helped premiere the work Annelies (by James Whitbourn) in its first Prague appearance a year and a half ago. This tour was a brief trip in which we gave four concerts and sang with two other choirs in educational settings. On January 1st, 2017, my host family from the Efroni choir in Kadimah, Israel, took me to the Bronze Age city of Acre, also known as Akko. It's also written as Aak (Egyptian), Akka, and Adco (Canaanite: Interestingly, Acre is one of the places that did NOT drive out the Canaanites.) (Below: Ancient bread stamp with menorah, Below Left:Templar hallway, Right: Catapult balls)

   
Much of what I learned was from old signs in the tourist areas and from my host family, the father of which was an engineer interested in Biblical history. Cleopatra liked Acre so much that she arranged for her daughter to be married there. St. Francis of Assisi passed through Acre on his way to the Holy Land. Herod the Great built a gymnasium here and Paul the Apostle with Luke were supposed to have stayed a day here before going on to Caesarea. This site gives interesting accounts of Biblical Acre. Here's a quick video about Acre (UNESCO link). Here is a link to an aerial map of Acre that I liked.
(Left: Outside the Al-Jazzer Mosque, Right: underground Templar complex). 
 
Akko is fascinating! If you have the chance, definitely DO visit this gorgeous Mediterranean city and stay in the old village. It's a coastal beauty, on the bay of Haifa, boasting a natural harbor and has been continuously residential since the Bronze Age, between 4,000 and 5,000 years ago. (BEFORE the iron age, wow!) Ancient Israel acted as a bridge between political centers in Egypt and Mesopotamia. Akko is a UNESCO World Heritage site and has been under excavation since the 1990's. There is history above AND below the current street level, mainly a Templar church, refectory, and fortress below. (Here is more about the Siege of Acre). While I was there, I heard and read the term Levantine archaeology. Very interesting. I can see where the term "land where the sun rises" comes into play in Akko. The seafront is stunning. Along it lies the earliest tell (archaeological mound) of the city which is the ruins of its old fortress.

Tel Akko or Tell el-Fukhar in Arabic

The Crusaders conquered the city, followed by the Mamluks (Medieval Egyptian and Levantine). The city also had Greek (Ptolmey II from Egypt renamed Akko to Ptolemais, and it became a major Greek city), Roman, Persian, and Arabian conquests, along with others. It was a refuge for the Persians, Egyptians, and For this reason, it is one of THE most diverse places in Israel. It reminded me quite a bit of the ancient stone city of Uplistsikhe in Georgia  (not sure what blogspot did to my photos in that post, but I'll update soon) - mainly because both places consisted of such prime real estate that they seem to have been conquered by virtually everyone. (Left: Acre harbor, Right: Acre clock tower).
 
In Akko, there are a ton of site to see: The Inn of the Columns (an Ottoman palatial inn), ALL of the city walls and the market, Turkish baths (still operating), the seafront Crusader fortress, the Crusader hall, church, and refectory, the Al-Jazzar Mosque, and Genovese Square where you can find St. George's church. The Order of the Knights Hospitaller, of St. John of Jerusalem, used this complex. (Below: Left - Crusader latrines Right - The Great Hall).

 
You'll see a mix of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and the Baha'i faith in people and buildings. The people are friendly and used to tourists. If you somehow missed eating kanafe while in Israel or Palestine, try some here! This is a Syro-Palestinian dessert and one of the most delicious experiences. (Left: real Turkish delight, Right: kanafe).
 
I LOVED every moment in Akko. It is captivating to look out at the sea and feel the impact of so many ages of conquests and life. The busyness of life in the touristy market area, showcases a mixed, vibrant, and complicated past that is full of the branches of history. Places like this hold multi-faceted gems that sparkle across ages of reflected lights. 
I wish I could have stayed more than one day! I suppose this means I shall have to return :-) Here is my Israel choir tour photo album. In it, you'll find some of these photos from Akko and can look forward and back to find the others.

Ancient bull calf figurine, Canaanite period.

Western Wall, Dome of the Rock, and Israel Museum

Today began with breakfast at 5:30. This was because, in spite of the expected cold snap of 95 degrees, we wanted to hit the cooler part of the morning and to avoid traffic. With Ramadan tomorrow, there were rumors of troubles at some public sites, including the Dome of the Rock. 

We drove to the Western Wall and walked up the hill. After a brief wait in line, we were able to spend some private time at the wall. Many people connected with both if our groups (EDOLA and NC) had requested prayers. Everyone either brought pre-written prayers from congregations or family or they send some time writing on the bus ride.

Approaching the wall, men were separated from the women. I can vouch for the women's area being much quieter and less populated than the men's section. We spent time in quiet reflection and prayer. Many held books, some stuffed their prayer notes into crevices, and many wept. It is traditional for one to back away from the wall so as to show respect.
Next, we managed to get in a short line to go up to Elharam Esh Sharif (the Dome of the Rock and Al-Aqsa Mosque) on the Temple Mount. This is the third holiest site for Islam. It was built by Caliph Abd al-Malik, half a century after the death of Prophet Muhammad. The rock marks the site from where Muhammad's Mirraj or "Night Journey" into heaven and back is believed to have happened.

It is quite an honor to be there. Our guide, Iyad, told us about the five pillars of Islam and some other necessary details we needed to know while there. These included not touching each other (no husband/wife hand holding etc,) and no assuming any stance of prayer. While he was speaking, a group of people came through the Dome area security and were being escorted by many security officers. They were expected to cause trouble and were being watched closely to see that they were not going to do so. In fact, our group had to scurry to enter the Dome area because crowds at the Wall were becoming larger and more frictions were possible.

We enjoyed some time to roam around on our own and then met up for some explanations of panoramic views of Jerusalem that we were seeing.We could see Herod's temple, three towers, where the way of the cross was, the teardrop church of Dominus Flevit (halfway down the western slope of the Mount of Olives and where Jesus wept over the fate of Jerusalem), and the Russian Orthodox Church of Mary Magdalene, also on the Mount of Olives.

At 9:30 AM, we were back at St. George's Cathedral and attended the Sunday Eucharist service, after which we met with Archbishop Suheil Dawani in his house.

The service was in Arabic, the language of Arabic Palestinian Christians in the Holy Land and the sermon summary was given in English. 

After this talk, we walked down Salahaddin Street to the Alshoula Restaurant where we savored lamb and beef shawarma with salads. 

The Israel Museum and Shrine of the Book were our final stops today. Iyad showed us a scale model of the city of Jerusalem. 

Many took the time to visit the Dead Sea Scrolls area of the Museum.Inside, I was amazed to find two original jars from Masada, out of which came several major scrolls (including the Isaiah scroll and Temple scroll.) Another fascinating fact is that this national museum of Israel hosts the Aleppo Codex, from the 10th century and believed to be the oldest complete Bible in Hebrew! The museum itself is shaped like a jar or pot and its covering, standing beneath flowing water fountains representing the Essene community which had elaborate bathing rituals. 

Reflections from fellow pilgrims:

Elizabeth Randall - "When we arrived at the Temple Mount and looked down on the Holy City, I understood for the first time what it meant to pray for the peace of Jerusalem."

deSha Carter - "Our visit to the Western Wall was so powerful and meaningful to me. I felt the presence of the Holy Spirit as I prayed at the wall."

Here's a summary of some of our experiences here today in video form!
:-)

A Peace Building Meeting

This evening, I had the honor of attending a meeting hosted by (and at) the Diocese of Raiwind and sponsored in part by the NCA (the Norwegian Church Association) and the Royal Norwegian Assembly. I did not get all of the names of everyone in attendance so I will, update this document as I can! I was an avid listener and had a couple of questions, but overall was there to listen and learn. Peace and bridge building are some of the things I am intensely interested in and since I am here, the Diocesan staff thoughtfully included me in the meeting.

People in attendance included: Raheel Sharoon (Development Officer for the Diocese of Raiwind), Noman Sajad (Raiwind Peace Building Department), Naufil Naseer (Programme Advisor of the Royal Norwegian Embassy), Thor Danielsson (Norwegian Church Association and Pakistan representative for the NCA, living in Islamabad), Thomas Berdal (First Secretary:Political for the Royal Norwegian Assembly), Amal Zara (Forman Christian College student in sociology and studying political science - and she's singing in my young adult group here at the diocese!), Rev.d Samuel from south Punjab, Ahmed from the Muslim community, Prame Prakash from the Sikh community, myself (a Postulant in the Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana), and others including members of the Sikh, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian Communities.

I share these notes as they are and with very little of my own commentary. I found it absolutely fascinating to hear the voices of many different religions in one room and to discuss the needs of people affected by terrorism. In Lahore, where most of these incidents are targeted, there is a great deal of grassroots work being done in peacemaking and connecting communities. The Diocese of Raiwind has been extremely active in creating, hosting, and continuing talks, community activities to build relationships between various groups, and in organizing events related to peace building. The day before I arrived, they had gathered local religious leaders together to discuss how to handle, examine, and move forward with regards to the Easter Day bombing in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Park that claimed the lives of 74 people and injured hundreds of others.

Raheel Sharoon began by describing the history of what the diocese has done in peace building. In 2004, the diocese began its work with the religious leaders and called it "interfaith diologue". In 2007, they started working with women and young people, primarily teachers. They trained teachers so that they would have some sort of knowledge and plan when an incident happened and know what their resources and connections would be and to have a plan. Pakistan has a reputation for marginalizing groups. (So does the USA). The country's textbooks have grossly distorted portions of history. The diocese has had most successful results from working with young people and women. Geographically, they concentrate on Lahore and immediate environs because it is such a large city and resources and range are limited.

The first question came from the Norwegian First Secretary Ambassador: 
? With attacks on the city and the recent Easter Day bombing, how has the blast affected your diocesan work, the city, etc.? Was it an attack on Christians?
Responses from the room:
- There are two perspectives: 

1. It was an attack on the Christian community and 

2. It was an attack on Humanity itself.
- The damage is done, but the interfaith coalition of religious leaders has come out of it.
- This was decidedly an attack on children. (I've heard this since I arrived....that the blast was done in the center of where young children were playing and the rides were not meant for adults to ride.)

                               

- The main threat is to the children as soft targets
- This was an attack on Humanity to create fear
- The people crating this terror are NOT connected with any religion, in fact they may not be able to be considered humans
- We do not need to be fearful, we need to strengthen our faith and we should be united
- It was an attack on Christians, in part
- When there are so many great things happening which create peace and goodwill, the terrorists try to create a rift.
- This did not weaken our resolve.
- Recently, Bishop Samuel Azariah held a religious leaders meeting after the Easter Day attack. One of the things he asked the group in and out of the official meeting was "Should we be asking - who are the true Muslims? Or What is the true Islam?"

- We are in denial if we say that the people who did this are Muslims.
- Many of these suicide bombers come out of small "homegrown" churches that are disillusioned with the mainline denominations and choices of religions
- The Madrassa area happens to be where many of the Taliban come from.
- We MUST be building connections, trust, and friendship between groups so that those who feel marginalized may have another outlet.
- There is a deeply-ingrained mentality from many that other countries are to blame.
- We must engage all the religious leaders
- When a blast happens, first there is condemnation and then the people get together. They try to make an action plan
- Back to the question and including: How does an incident impact peace building? 
- The international media reports the attack as (primarily) "against Christians"

WHAT STEPS CAN MAKE OUR PEACE BUILDING  MORE LASTING AND EFFECTIVE? 
- Events such as last Sunday's interfaith payer vigil at the site of the bombing.
- Events such as this a public walk comprised of religious leaders down one of the busiest roads in Lahore.
- These events show solidarity with each other.
- It took us many years before the Christian and Muslim guests would eat together on our campus.
- Often, we we reach step #5 (out of 5), a terrorist attack is made and it takes us back to step #1.
 - We must also talk to our fellow peace builders in many places so as to keep our hope alive when something terrible happens (the world is indeed our community)
- Do you feel like the walk will cause you to become a target?
- If they (the terrorists) are being so relentless in their attacks, then why should we not be?

WHAT IS YOUR PEACE BUILDING GOAL? HOW DO YOU MEASURE RESULTS?
- Others asking questions about each other's faiths.
- "yes, my faith may be the right one, but it is not the only one"
- The number of people attending your events increases
- social media impressions
- On March 16th, 2016, The Diocese of Raiwind held a peace building conference and invited a member of the transgender community. (Here in Pakistan, the trans community is ostracized, refused basic living conditions, and refused most jobs.) This was the first time in our country that a church has invited them into this kind of interaction and we did it because they have been marginalized. We held a session on "getting rid of the victim mentality" When you have acceptance of groups and they listen to and learn from each other, you;be made a difference and this is an indicator of peace building results.
- Madrassa is showing signs of cooperation and community efforts to make connections with one another.
- Things happen slowly
- We must share our success stories
- Acess the roots of the people involved and not just the obvious religious leaders.
- Sometimes there must be a language change.

ARE MOSTLY CHRISTIANS BEING AFFECTED AND WHY IS IT MOSTLY IN THE PUNJAB AREA?
- There are higher numbers in this area.
- Other reasons include evangelizing religions.
- There has long been a mindset that each is trying to convert each other and there was a feeling of a long time that Muslims were forceably being converted by Christians. "We are the only way and the rest are heretics"
- When terrorists want to make a larger incident, they target Christians because they know that the West sometimes exaggerates this and that they make a huge picture of it.
- Our mindset is the issue. True religious leaders and these religions are peaceful.
- Young kids coming from poverty fall into bad groups. Sometimes it's because they have food.
- People are touchy about their religions because it has been used to divide  and control people.
- ASK QUESTIONS
- Why you do what you do...
- Even though you may have security, it is extremely expensive and if someone is going to come to you, expecting to die, they almost cannot be stopped. There comes a time when you either sit in a corner and close your eyes or you stand up and live. "I'd rather die by doing something good than to. Be sitting in my corner"
- Respect each other, religion is not responsible for what is happening these days, people are, especially when religious leaders criticize other religious leaders.