By Bobby R. Henry, Sr.
The American Israel Education Foundation (“AIEF”) is the charitable organization affiliated with AIPAC, America’s pro-Israel lobby, created in 1988. As a member of an African American leaders group selected to participate in one of their annual educational programs. The Foundation funds educational seminars to Israel for members of Congress and other political influentials. These AIEF-sponsored trips help educate political leaders and influentials about the importance of the U.S.-Israel relationship through firsthand experiences in Israel, briefings by experts on Middle East affairs, and meetings with Israeli political elite.
Now, this is where my adventure begins. I boarded the plane at Newark New Jersey’s airport where we took an 11 hour flight to Tel Aviv Israel. The flight itself was an adventure. if you were not accustomed to stretching out as if you were in bed flying for 11 hours and being awakened if you wanted hot meals and other amenities experiencing all the luxuries that come with that. arriving in Tel Aviv I met the rest of the group to my surprise. I was the senior citizen of the group. These were some of the brightest Black minds that I’ve grown accustomed to be a part of as the Chairman of the National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA). They are young, extremely knowledgeable with the political analytical legal mind and spirit of a welcoming resource of intellect. Once we gathered our luggage and posed for a group picture, we were headed to the bus with security in tow headed to Jerusalem to the Inbal Hotel once arriving at our hotel, we were re-introduced to Aldrin Enis, Political Coalition Director and Gabi Duec, Educational Seminar Leader, who lives in Israel.
After we had our welcome lunch and our orientation, we were then introduced to the State of the Nation over dessert in a briefing by journalist and author Matti Friedman. Matti is an award-winning journalist and author. Some of his works have appeared in the New York Times and the Smithsonian, his latest book, Spies of No Country: Secret Lives at the Birth of Israel, won the 2019 Natan Prize and the Canadian Jewish book award.
Mattie was born in Toronto and lives in Jerusalem. Understanding a little bit more about the Nation of Israel we were ready for some adventure.
We departed for the ‘Old City’, Jerusalem. For me this was the beginning of what I wanted to explore as a part of my trip.
We walk the streets of the City of David, and we were treated to some new excavation.
There was a tunnel that we were allowed to go into which led down to the pool up to the city of David to the temple, and we walked the streets and witness the excavations of artifacts, coins, and other relics where the temple of David stood.
We visited the Western Wall. The Western Wall, known in the West as the Wailing Wall, and in Islam as the Buraq Wall, is a portion of ancient limestone wall in the Old City of Jerusalem that forms part of the larger retaining wall of the hill known to Jews and Christians as the Temple Mount. It was here that I prayed and wept and wrote my prayers on paper and stuck it into the cracks of the wall. it was indeed and experience men and women could not pray together at the wall. The women went on one side and the men on the other.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is revered as the site where Jesus of Nazareth was crucified and entombed, drawing pilgrims from across the globe for centuries. According to the New Testament, Golgotha, known as “the place of the skull” (Matthew 27:33–35; Mark 15:22–25; John 19:17–24), is believed to be situated in abandoned stone quarries just beyond the city wall. Again, this is an indication of how Israel and all its differences come together to worship in an area in proximity of each other.
After this magnificent day of walking the grounds of the old city and going into a new excavation was truly indeed taking a step back into time.
To close this day out, we dine on an elegant dinner at the Eucalyptus Restaurant. One would believe with all that good eating should have made for a well nights rest however, all the days excitement and the difference in the time change kept me up and I did not rest well.
Bobby standing at the Western Wall before I prayed.
Entrance to the City of David.
Going down to a new Excavation that is on top of the water system that leads from outside the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem to the southeast to the pool of Siloam.
We had a great meal to end the day and to replenish energy use to walk the hills and steps of the Old City.
