Early on Sunday morning (April 25, 2021), my Turkish Airliner crossed Israel’s coastline, dropped through the night skies over twinkling Tel Aviv – to the south of which enemy rockets had been falling just three hours before – and landed happily at Ben Gurion International Airport.
Despite the early hour (02:00) disembarkation, passport control and baggage pick up were streamlined and smooth, I was whisked through a Covid-19 test and in less than an hour after touchdown my taxi was speeding me into the hills of Judea – destination Jerusalem.
Nine months before, after tour guiding had withered away with no prospect of a quick return, and in line with the leading felt as a family, we had packed up our home and flown out of what was then a Covid-19 infested Israel, its economy under siege, its people isolated, schools closed, tens of thousands sick, thousands of dead and thousands more lives under threat.
In August, home for awhile became the Czech Republic. There, sheltered with my wife and younger children in our own secure ‘Goshen’ during one of the coldest winters of our lives, I watched Israel closely from afar. Watched, worried for her; agonising over her like a mother hen as Covid raged, Trump departed, and elections happened, again.
Don’t get me wrong. I have been ever so grateful for God’s goodness, His protection; the way He has watched over and provided for us. Hodu l’Adonia ki tov!
But, I have ached, ached with longing to have my feet back on the Land, to return to Jerusalem, Samaria, the Galilee, the deserts – this place in which my soul has been rooted and where my spirit flies free.
So, thank God, I am back now. Not permanently, not yet, but back for a month. After 10 days of quarantine I will visit those of my family that have stayed here, run errands, see my doctor, dentist, optician, do official ‘stuff’ and then fly back to Czech. Lord willing I will return again a few weeks later – this time to guide!
The Israel I have come back to is – concerning the virus – well on the mend. Lockdowns and masks on the streets are no more. Children are back at their school desks. Social deprivation is almost completely over. Unemployment figures are falling and falling, along with the daily number of newly infected individuals. Yesterday, the day I flew in, for the first time in months there was not one Covid-related death.
If things continue in this way, in May the skies will open and Christian visitors (among others) will be able to enter the Promised Land. Please God it will be so.
Meanwhile, from my apartment in Jerusalem – with all these hours of quarantine to while away – I’ll record some of my observations. I can tell you already they will not all be cheerful; much that is happening is of concern. But all the news I assess, I try to view from the unshakeable Bedrock of the Mountain of the LORD.
So, do drop by over the coming days.
Stan
This situation is still in flux. For now, beginning in May, Israel will open its borders to tourists from the United States (and some other countries) who have authentic certificates showing that they have been vaccinated against Covid-19. This will enable these tourists that carry antibodies against the virus to embark on their tour right away. It is possible that unvaccinated tourists might be allowed to enter but they would have to undergo two PCR tests and sit through a 10-14 day quarantine before they would be allowed to start their tour – something that will be impractical for most people.
This is not a comment, but a question. Will coming to Israel to tour with you, require a vaccine passport?
Tehillim 121 & 122 🙏👑🙌🇮🇱🔥❤