February 20, 2009

Friends,

The winter season for archaeology restoration is now in progress. Two groups of Christians from Florida and Louisiana are living at Biblical Tamar Park for two days and are excavating an ancient Roman wall. They will take the eroded stones out one at a time and then carefully lay them back in place with a special cement mixture, developed by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA.) All of the work is being done under the watchful eyes of IAA and the Blossoming Rose certified archaeology technicians.

February is the month for the annual class on archaeology preservation to be taught by instructors from the universities and from the IAA. This is the third annual class to be taught and when the students are graduated as “certified archaeology technicians” there will be over 30 people who have completed the course and can take leadership roles in the rebuilding of the ancient city of Tamar.

This is the first February that the Park housing and facilities have been fully occupied. Every bed is being used, every room occupied with tourists and students. More tables and chairs had to be added to the dining commons to serve the large groups staying at the Park.

Updating you on the election of the Prime Minister is rather complex. The Israeli political system, unlike the American system of election of the leader, allows for several weeks following the election for a government to be formed. Kadima elected 28 to the Knesset and Likuk elected 27. It would appear that the party having the majority elected would be the winner but it is not as easy as that. The new leader must have a majority of 61 seats to gain that majority. Stay tuned.

Living at Biblical Tamar Park in February is like living in southern California. The sun shines every day, tee shirts are normal during the day and the evenings are cool but not chilling. It is a good time to leave the cold north of the USA.

DeWayne Coxon