Day 50: Amateur Archeologists. We awoke early and were on the road by 8:15 heading to Bet Guvrim National Park where we had signed up for the “Dig for the Day.” In this program we pay for the privilege of working for archeologists uncovering the remains of the Edomites from over 2000 years ago. All kidding aside, the program is great! After some training we all climbed down into man-made caves from about 2400 years ago that extend nearly 50 feet into the ground. The caves were originally constructed as quarries for bricks, but later became where the Edomites worked making oil, wine, clothing, and other products. The five of us, along with four other families, spent nearly an hour digging in the caves, finding pottery, shards of bone, and pieces of charcoal, and loading up buckets with spoil. We then hauled the buckets above ground and ran everything through screens to see what else we may have missed. After the screening, we spent about half an hour in an unexcavated cave system where we literally crawled, shimmied, and slithered through the cave. Some spaces were so small that Scott could not fit through with his arms at his side! After this tour, we received a lecture on the work at the site, and then the kids were able to take some pottery shards with them for memories.

After the tour we wondered around the Park some more and toured some of the completely excavated cave systems. They were remarkable! We then ran back to Jerusalem for quick showers, and then drove about 80 minutes to Netanya for Shabbat dinner with friends. We had a great time, returning to Jerusalem after midnight.

Day 51: The Seventh Day. As it should be, Shabbat was a day of rest for us. We slept until 9:30, got dressed fast, and went to the Great Synagogue for services. In the tradition of German Orthodoxy, the service was sung by an operatic-style Cantor with a full men’s choir. The building was lovely, with the men sitting downstairs and the women on the balcony. While the service was not one we would go to every week, it was an experience worth having. After the service we went to the park for some quick play, and then back to the apartment. Here, Scott and Monica alternated napping (two hours apiece) while the other played with the kids. With some school work and apartment chores out of the way, and Shabbat coming to a close, we went out onto Ben Yehuda Street for some more people-watching, and then dinner at the Burger Bar. The kids tasted their first hamburgers ever, and requested that this not be their last! After dinner and some more people-watching, it was another late bed time.