After I rise I will go before you to the Galilee

Immediately after the Easter day of the kehillot, we travelled to Tabgha in the Galilee and there we planned for the next day. Among the participants were Father Apo, Father Roman, two families from Tel Aviv, some young people from Beer Sheba and Tiberias and two Polish students who celebrated Easter in the Haifa kehilla.

On Monday, we got up for morning prayer prepared by Elena from Tiberias: “Do not fear, go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee and there they will see me.” After the prayer and eating breakfast, and then the thirteen participants set off on a trail of 20 kilometers from the Yesha Fortress to the Dishon River. After this exhausting but beautiful walk, we returned to Tabgha, where a meal awaited us. We ate and fell asleep, storing up energy for the next day. Two of the families, because of work, had to leave the Galilee and go back to Tel Aviv.

On Tuesday, we again got up for morning prayer, prepared this time by Father Apo: “Then the second disciple, who had arrived first, also entered the tomb. He saw and he believed.” After the prayer and breakfast, a reduced group of eight set off on a trail that this time was only 15 kilometers, from the Dishon River to the peak of Mount Meron. Most of the trail was uphill but the view was breathtaking. After the walk, we returned and prepared dinner and from there we set off for home.

Father Roman told us that the next day in Haifa he spoke with a group of three Polish ladies who had met by chance on the beach the two students who were with us on the trip. The told them all about their experience and their great joy with great enthusiasm. They recounted how they had been able both to meet Jesus on the way of their life as well as to get to know us and our beautiful country. This witness reminds us of the testimony of Mary Magdalene concerning her meeting with Jesus Risen from the dead. There is no doubt that He continues to reveal himself in the hearts of many people, one only needs to go out to him with the strong desire to meet him and to be joyful because of his presence in our lives.