Day Two of the REL 290 immersion trip started in Haifa. Pictured here is the Baha'i Garden.
From there, it was a short trip up the coast to Acre, a prominent city of the ancient world and a UNESCO Heritage site,where the the el-Jazzar Mosque figures prominently.
The class visited the Hospitaller Fortress, which dates back to the Crusades. As a city, Acre has existed for 4,000 years.
Inside the fortress, Anthony Douglas '17 gives a little attention to a cat.
The sheer size and scope of the Hospitaller Fortress is immense, and one of the reasons Napoleon laid siege to Acre, but was never able to control it.
Greg Sklar '17 (center) and Nathan Neal '17 (right) share a light moment.
Here is the interior of the el-Jazzar Mosque.
While Marcus Hoekstra '18 pets a cat (they are everywhere) at right, Dr. Royalty plays a little joke on the class, saying, 'did you know it was the Ottomans who invented Frisbee golf?' The reply, 'really?'
Jimmy Suess '17 strolls the alleys of Acre between the fortress and the Templar Tunnel.
Ben Johnson '18 and Sklar (center) inside the Templar Tunnel, which ran 350 meters from the fortress to the port.
Once at the port, (from left) Luke Gunderman '18, Daniel Azar '18, and Taylor King '18 have a photo taken on the shores of the Mediterranean by Tim Riley '18.
The class then enjoyed a Q&A session with peace activist and reconciliation expert Elias Jabbour, founder of the House of Hope, in Jabbour's home in Shefar 'Am, Isreal.
Jabbour told the students, 'I don't think we can determine who is to blame in this conflict. It's Turkey, Great Britain, Israel, Palestine, and others. It's been 67 years and we are still suffering. Let's share the land. That is better than tearing it up.'
He continued, 'I began House of Hope 30 years ago, and we ask why? The first story in the Bible is a murder case. Two brothers killing each other. Why? They quarrelled over the grace of God. Is this inherent to our psyche? Let's begin to learn peace.'
Dr. Royalty enters the House of Hope.
Political Science Professor Ethan Hollander leads the group through the streets of Shefar 'Am.
Much like other parts of Israel, Shefar 'Am is a densely populated place.
The facade of the Basilica of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the site where the Angel Gabriel spoke to Mary.
The front door of the Basilica of the Annunciation.
The Basilica features impressive architecture.
The students pause for a moment of reflection inside of the Basilica of the Annunciation.
(from left) King, Alex Johnson '19, Ben Johnson, Cameron Glaze '17, Gunderman, Dr. Royalty, and Reno Jamison '17 discuss the inscription on the base of this statue.
Dr. Royalty and Gunderman take the discussion a little further.
The Church of St. Joseph in Nazareth.
HAIFA, Israel – It’s not every day one gets to walk through 15,000 years of history. Fortunately, for the REL 290 students on an immersion trip to Israel, this was the first of what should be many on this visit.
Embarking from Tel Aviv, the group first visited Caesarea Maritima, the Roman Empire outpost, built by King Harod the Great. Roman governors elected to rule from Caesarea’s Palace of Augustus rather than Jerusalem, choosing only to visit the city during festivals to maintain order. In fact, Pontius Pilate resided there when he served as prefect of the Roman province of Judea.
The stunning display of antiquity featured a huge outdoor theater, hippodrome, seaport, and an aqueduct that once ran roughly eight miles from the water source to Caesarea.
“It was a great chance to see ancient architecture, specifically how the Greek and Roman influences impacted the area,” said Taylor King ’18. “It was also stunning to see how the place was torn down and rebuilt, something we also saw at Megiddo as well, that’s one of the themes we’re seeing during our time here. Old meets new. Sacred sites are built on top of one another.
The 19-member group, featuring Professor Robert Royalty and members of his Contested Texts, Contested Sites class, next visited Tel Megiddo, which highlighted both the value of strategic locations and the needs for eternal symbols of hope.
Located in the northern third of Israel, Tel Meggido was on an artery where 
control of the city meant control of movement from Egypt to Mesopotamia. Dating back to 15th Century BCE, Meggido was conquered and rebuilt 25 times. Evidence of its existence is literally stacked on top of itself.
“Learning about the cities and why they are important has become so meaningful,” said Luke Gunderman ’18. “We can talk about why it’s been conquered 25 times, but the actual significance to the landscape and why it’s essential, you really can’t get that in a text book. You have to go and see it.”
Simply, Meggido both knew of wars and cultural development, which included a community granary, and an underground water retrieval system that allowed the walled city to access its water supply even when it was under siege.
The day ended with a trip to the University of Haifa and presentations by Tim Alexander, admissions director for the International School, and Dr. Moshe Lavee, who led thought provoking discussions about the Israeli identity.
Alexander, who was born in the U.S., emigrated to Israel in his mid-20’s and spoke openly about his decision and what he experienced in the transition and of his interpretations of modern Israeli society.
Dr. Lavee used the power of music to show the Jewish people’s gradual embrace of a sense of belonging without religious constraints.
“They were able to give a picture of what the culture and the perceptions are like within Israel between the different sects of Jews and Muslims and their interplay,” said Tim Riley ’18. Hearing the perception of those living in the community give you an even deeper understanding of this location place and the effect on those w
ho come to visit it.”
Reno Jamison ’17 said there was a surreal feeling to the start of the nine-day visit. From strolling the streets of Tel Aviv’s Old Jaffa, to hearing the Islamic Call to Prayer for the first time, to taking in the depth of today’s ruins, much of depth of the culture sprang to life today.
“The sites today were thousands of years old,” he said. “You find yourself in Tel Aviv, and then a short bus ride later you are at 8,000-year-old ruins. You can’t get a feeling like that just by studying it all semester. It just comes to life when you are here. It’s such a deeper experience.”