Notes about Cana and Jewish sects

In Cana, we renewed our marriage vows in the Church of the Miracle, where Jesus' first miracle was believed to have taken place. Two churches are here; one is Greek Orthodox, and the other was built by Franciscans in 1879 on top of a 4th century church built by Jewish Christians. Displayed inside the church is a huge stone jar -- a replica of the stone jars used for purification.


In John's gospel, he uses signs that point elsewhere. The water and wine mixed at the Eucharistic celebration; the loss of Adam's rib that made him vulnerable, but completed by Eve; Christ's side being lanced and blood and water poured out; the mingling of wine and water at the marriage feast. Christ is the bridegroom and the Church is His bride. Cana therefore prefigures Calvary. The six stone jars used for purification contained twenty gallons each of water. The number '7' signifies completion; the number '6' is incomplete, waiting for another event.



Further information from our local guide, Bassem, included the types of Jews who had lived in Israel at the time of Jesus. There were four sects: 1. Pharisees -- the term means to 'separate.'
They kept themselves away from sinners, Romans, Gentiles, etc. They were strict on the law and the customs. Hasidic Jews are their descendants. 2. Sadducees -- These were in the line of priests in charge of the temple. Money changing in the temple afforded them income, and were the aristocrats of society. They might be the Conservative Jews today. 3. Essenes - they were ascetics who lived apart from the rest, and thought themselves preparing the way for a new kingdom. It is thought by scholars that Jesus was an Essene. 4. Zealots - the militant Jews who were looking for someone to free them from Roman rule. Judas was probably a Zealot.


Nowadays, Bassem told us that the Jews come from four different groups: 1. the Sephardic Jews who come from Spain and have dark skin, eyes, and hair, 2. the Ashkenazi come from Eastern Europe and Germany -- they are the intellectual ones, 3. Russian Jews who number 1.4 million and are mostly in the medical fields, and 4. Ethiopian Jews who number about 350,000. We saw a number of black-skinned Jews while in the Holy Land.

Notes about the Galileean area

The Galilee area is about 1500 square miles and is very fertile due to the electrical and irrigation systems. Towns are usually set against a hill, with the crops laid out in level fields in the valleys. Rocks are scattered profusely around the hills, resembling sheep, and the sheep in turn, resemble the rocks! Sheep are very stupid animals -- trusting and vunerable; no wonder they have to be shepherded.


On Friday, we traveled to Cana, the site of Jesus' first miracle. Driving through the town, I noticed that all the dwellings were three-storied, box-like, with flat roofs and no carports or garages, built very close to each other. The people who live here must all be apartment dwellers; there is no landscaping, flowers, or grass here. Twelve million people live in Galilee.


Our local guide gave us a little history about the area. Judea is surrounded by desert, but Galilee is surrounded by other nations: Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, and Egypt. Back in Jesus' time, the towns that seemed to be hotbeds of rebellion were controlled by garrisons of Roman soldiers. Loyal towns like Capernaum had Senate control and only a contingent of 50-60 soldiers led by a centurion.


Galilee was a good area for framing and craftmen. Builders were needed, and Joseph was a builder, so that is why the Holy Family moved to Nazareth; he could make a living here. Commerce was good because trade was possible with Phoenicians, Greeks, Romans, Syria, Jordan, etc.


Bassem, our guide, explained the meaning of the Jewish word, "kibbutz." It is a gathering; a community village wherein the residents get no salaries, but do get lodging, food, benefits, education for their children in exchange for working the land that is leased by the State. The early State of Israel set these up so that Jews would get tied to the land -- a form of socialism. There are more than 250 kibbutzes in Israel. Children are often sent there from other locations to be educated. Now, these places have museums, hospitals, etc. The income derived is reinvested. The kibbutzes are declining in number because the younger Jews are not interested in living in a socialist community.