Last March, I met a man who experienced a small miracle here in  the Holy Land. Today I was incredibly saddened to learn about his passing.

On February 15, 2010 my connection with Robert Buchan began with a simple email exchange. On the recommendation of some friends, he wanted to bring his wife, Anne, and himself on a private 8 day guided tour of the Holy Land. He asked for George Said, the same Catholic guide that we hired to guide the Buchan's friends in a similar  tour a couple months earlier. From that point began an exchange of emails that lasted approximately a month, until he arrived in Israel on March 13, 2010 with wife, Anne.  Robert was very involved with the particulars of his itinerary. He wanted to ensure that the program that we designed would  include major Catholic sites of interest because his wife, unlike him, was a practicing and baptised Catholic. It was critical that they journey to the holy sites and experience the rituals  and services that were important to her. For instance, he wanted to  make sure that they went to the Jordan at some point along their tour. We made sure that they were able to attend mass at appropriate holy sites during their tour as well.  But beyond that, he really made it sound as if he was kind of going along for her sak

While not the exact temple destroyed by Samson, archaeologists in Israel have uncovered a Philistine temple that dates back to the 10th century BC that could typify the type of structure Samson brought down with his God-given supernatural strength as told in Judges 16.
 
Prof. Aren Maeir of Bar Ilan University said he and his team of international volunteers have discovered a Philistine temple and a number of ritual items dating back to the Iron Age.

“We found a structure that we have been slowly exposing over the last few seasons,” Maeir told Travelujah, the only Christian social network focused on travel to the Holy Land. “What is unique about this temple is there are two large pillar bases situated 2 meters away from each other. That immediately rings the bell of the story of Samson.”

The temple of Dagon, the one Samson knocked over, was located in present-day Gaza, Maeir said. Finding this temple, however, is reminiscent of the time of Samson and the biblical narrative.

“It adds flesh on the bones or color on the story to the biblical story,” he said. “Even if you don’t believe if it happened ... the story resonates cultural authenticity (through the archaeology).”

The excavations at Tel Zafit National Park have been ongoing for 15 years. This ye

Participating as a volunteer in an archaeological digs generally  comes with a nice price tag. But here's a deal that's really worth looking at. Magdala, the home of a 1st century synagague. This incredible archaeological site where several months ago the oldest known engraving   of a seven branch menorah from the 1st temple period was discovered, is situated on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee just south of Ginosar, will soon be hosting its own on site dig and is looking for volunteers. And get this - its free. Read on.

According to the magdala dig blog - The dig will finance accommodations (meals and transportation) for volunteers for up to one month, if you wish to stay more, a  special price will be made. The accommodations will be in Tiberias, a town 5km /3 mi from Migdal. According to our discussions with Father John Solana, director of the Pontifical Institute of Jerusalem, the entity that owns the project (which is being developed as a 120 plus rooms Christian guesthouse and multi media center, known as Magdala Center) -accommodations are being made for dig volunteers to reside in the center of town, within a home owned by the Melkite Greek Catholic Church. . The Insitute has rented the home and is now refurbishing the quarter to include guest rooms which will come equipped with air conditioning, internet and a couple of small kitchenettes.

Tags: archaeology magdala migdalm volunteers