No matter how you look at it, the wellspring of life flows through Israel. It all started with a man named Abraham and God’s promise that his descendants would be as numerous as the stars. It seemed impossible, his wife was old and barren. God did the impossible. The fact that a state called Israel even exists today was considered impossible in 1940. Today it is the focal point of life on earth.
Being caught by a winter storm in Montana, I had some time to edit and found these images that I made in Israel when I visited two years ago. I was most interested in scenes of daily life. The fact is, most Israelis, and Palestinians, just want to live a normal life. They pray, they bake bread, they dine in restaurants. The apocalypse is always there though, somewhere in background.
A man returns from morning prayers at the Western Wall
A man reads the Torah in the morning hours at his home.
Dining in Tel Aviv
Conversation at the noodle shop, Tel Aviv
An intense conversation with a man who claimed to be the Messiah. He even dressed the part. He was just another false prophet foretold in the Scriptures.
An old man places a phylactery on his wrist. A phylactery is a small leather box placed on the wrist by Jewish men during morning prayers to remind one to keep the law.
A muslim woman walks along the street on the hill above the Mount of Olives
A man enjoys his morning coffee and a smoke in a little town just above the Mount of Olives.
The bread maker
Selling bread on the streets of Jerusalem
It wouldn’t be Jerusalem without cats.
Royal Cat.
The Star of David on miniature flags dropped across some power wires in the old city of Jerusalem.
Okay.
The Star of David painted on the old cobblestone pathways in Jerusalem.
Mount Zion
The future looks uncertain for Israel. The only certainty is that God Himself will defend her.
There is too much conflict in the land. We are told to pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
I read a blog the other day that I thought contained a very important lesson. It was a good reminder for me anyway. It was about a mother teaching her young daughter that not all Arabs hate the Jews.
Israel shall never be removed from the earth.
nomadruss in words and photos 
It’s a powerful post you’ve got there. The slices of life you present really drive home the human aspect of the issues tearing Israel apart.
Thanks Melinda, it’s such an amazing country. I pray for the peace of Jerusalem.
I pray for that too. 🙂
These are stunning Russ! Wow.
Thanks so much!
amazing photos! I just took part of an israeli-german exchange and made many new friends in our group. they talked a lot about their country and their life – and the photos show me exactly what i imagined.
Thanks for writing, it was good to hear about your experience! Thanks for the kind words!