קים סטוקל

That's my name in Hebrew - Posted just to impress you with my amazing Hebrew skills!  (Note - in Hebrew, you read right to left)

I spent yesterday afternoon in Ein Karem, a little village in a beautiful valley just outside of Jerusalem.   I joined another beginner Hebrew student from my language school on a "T-Ulpan" of this area.  T-Uplan is a touring program that is offered to help students gain a better understanding of the language by touring various places in the Jerusalem area.  Participating students are given a book filled with history of the tourist destination and lists of helpful vocabulary.  You then go, with an instructor, to said location and the students pretend they are the tour guides!  As you can imagine, speaking in broken Hebrew at very slow rates did little to convince those around us that we were knowledgeable tour guides :)  But that doesn't matter, as it is a fun and enjoyable way to immerse oneself in the language!

At the end of the day, it is a great experience.  It is a very tangible way to learn new words and gain experience in speaking Hebrew.  Learning a new language is really about being confident in speaking.  And practice, practice and more practice, of course!

So what did I learn about Ein Karem?  It's a beautiful little village tucked into a valley, filled with meandering paths, beautiful old homes and stunning views of the Judean Valley.  Presently, it is a haven for artists and other creative folks, so there are a lot of galleries and boutiques to explore.  Historically, it is where John the Baptist was born and raised.  Therefore, it is also where Mary visited Elizabeth while pregnant with Jesus.  The large church visible in the above picture is the "Church of the Visitation".  This is a modern church built over the remnants of an ancient church and is said to be the site of the home of Elizabeth and Zechariah (parents of John the Baptist).

Mary's Spring is another important Christian tourist destination in Ein Karem.  It is said this is where Mary and Elizabeth first met. 
Note the mosque tower in the background of this photo.  Ein Karem was an Arab village prior to the 1948 War and the founding of Israel.  The mosque is now abandoned and no Arabs remain in the village. 

Because of this significance of this village among Christians, there are many monasteries and convents scattered throughout Ein Karem.  The below picture is of the grounds of the "Sisters of Zion" convent.  This small convent was started as an orphanage for about 50 young girls.  Now they also also operate a guest house that offers an amazing view of the Judean Valley.