We were hoping to see El Araj, one of the two sites currently vying to be identified as the biblical Bethsaida but there had been an unusually excessive (for May) amount of rain. But John DeLancey pushed the bus out of the mud and we were on our way.

Soon we were at Gamla, a camel-shaped ridge overlooking the Sea of Galilee.

Gamla was the scene of a thriving first century Jewish city until it was destroyed by Roman legions during the first Jewish revolt. The synagogue at Gamla is one of the other first century synagogues that have been excavated in Israel.

In the Golan Heights we were reminded that we were very close to the border with Syria.

Soon we saw the tanks.

We visited the Talmudic village of Qatzrin, a good example of what a Jewish village looked like in the time of Jesus and succeeding centuries.

The remains of the synagogue at Qatzrin.

Then a short time later we were overlooking the border with Syria, although it was a bit foggy. UN observors also use this former army outpost atop Mt. Ben Tal.

Eventually the flog lifted and we got a better look at Syria on the far ridge.

The cave at Banias, one of the sources of the Jordan River, a pagan sanctuary in the first century when the surrounding city was known as Caesarea Philippi.

Another source of the Jordan River nearby at the Tel Dan nature preserve.

The cultic high place at Dan, where King Jeroboam erected a golden calf.

The Iron Age Gate at Tel Dan. In 1993 the famous “House of David” inscription was found in secondary use along the outer edge of this gate plaza, one of the most important archaeoalogical discoveries in Israel in the second half of the 20th century.

The older Bronze Age Gate at Tel Dan dates back to (almost) the time of Abraham, possibly visited by Abraham. (Genesis 14:14) Then on to another site I had never been to before.

Dan Schowalter of Carthage College has lectured on the Omrit excavation several times for our Madison Biblical Archaeology Society, glad to finally visit the site of what he believes is a temple built by Herod the Great in honor of Caesar Augustus.

Architectural details of the monumental building at Omrit.