GOOGLE MAP: Ben Gurion Airport, Netanya
BEN GURION AIRPORT
Built during the British mandate period in the 1930s, it was known as “Lod Airport’ until 1973 when the name was changed to honor the first Prime Minister of Israel, David Ben Gurion.
In 1994, construction on a new terminal was decided on and it was hoped to be completed by the year 2000, thus the project was named “Terminal 2000”. Unfortunately, the terminal was not completed by then, but was finally opened in 2004 and given the name “Terminal 3”.
There are three mosaics in the airport from three different sites in Israel. They were all fixed into a special cement mold, and were delivered to the airport where they were mounted just before the terminal was officially opened in October 2004.
I was so excited when we walked down that ramp in the airport and I saw these mosaics in front of me! I stopped John and said, “I know this!” You can see my own photo in the gallery below.
The airport ran smoothly and everyone had their luggage. Thank God! Now onto the bus and the rest of the trip…
TEL AVIV – YAFO (JAFFA)
We passed through Tel Aviv to get to our hotel in Netanya and learned a lot about the area on the bus with our guide, Eliav.
Since 1949 this area has been known as Tel Aviv-Yafo. It is the combination of Tel Aviv and Jaffa (known in the Bible as Joppa). The name means “beautiful”. In Hebrew it’s “Yafo”. In Arabic it’s “Yafa”.
SECULAR HISTORY
“In 1906, one group of Jewish settlers purchased sixty plots on the Mediterranean coast just north of Jaffa. Three years later, in 1909, sixty-six Jewish families gathered on a sand dune to divide the thirty-two-acre tract using a lottery of seashells. Family names and plot numbers were written on the shells and drawn randomly from a box. This was the birth of the city of Tel Aviv” (from “I Am Cyrus: Harry S. Truman and the Rebirth of Israel” by Craig von Buseck)
Jaffa is noted on ancient monuments of 1600-1300 B.C., and was attacked by the Biblical King Sennacherib in 702 B.C.
Jaffa offers no original sites to visit, but an old private residence (formerly a mosque) behind Jaffa’s lighthouse is believed to stand on the site of Simon the tanner’s house. Peter’s vision is commemorated at St Peter’s Church on a Catholic property that overlooks the waterfront just off Kedumim Square.
OLD TESTAMENT
First mention is in Joshua 19:46-47. The area was allotted to the tribe of Dan but they were not able to conquer it. It wasn’t until King David came along that the land was conquered.
Solomon used the port to obtain the cedars from Lebanon for the building of the Temple. 2 Chronicles 2:16
The most notable mention is with the prophet Jonah. It was at the port of Jaffa (Jonah 1:3) that he boarded a ship to flee from God’s command. That didn’t work out well for him and he ended up in the belly of a great fish for three days before being returned to shore to fulfill God’s command.
NEW TESTAMENT
It was here that Peter healed many people and brought back Tabitha from the dead. Many people believed in the Lord after this and he stayed for awhile here with a tanner named Simon. Acts 9:32-43
While staying with Simon, Peter received a vision form the Lord. About this same time, Cornelius the Centurion is receiving a word from the Lord in Caesarea to send for Peter. This is where Peter realizes that Jesus is for all nations, Jews and Gentiles all over the world. He then goes to Jerusalem to tell others about this experience. Acts 10-11
Let’s compare Jonah and Peter. From this area both received a revelation to preach to Gentiles. Jonah was sent to Nineveh but he was very reluctant. Even when God spit him out of the fish, he wasn’t excited. He just decided to be obedient. Now imagine being on these same shores again centuries later with Peter. Peter is having a hard time following through with the ministry to Gentiles until God shows him a dream. To me, this is a great place to wrestle with God the things He asks of you that you are not necessarily excited about. Who is He calling you to minister to? What will it take for you to listen and obey?
Video of Sergio & Rhoda in Israel: Simon the Tanner House in Ancient Jaffa
viewed from rocks offshore in the Mediterranean Sea.
NETANYA
We had the privilege of staying at the Vert Lagoon hotel in Netanya. I highly recommend it! Beautiful view, great food, friendly service. But don’t plug in an American fan in your room even if you have the adapter. It’ll start smoking after 15 seconds.
Theresa Haigler 