May 17 2015

Magnificent Morocco – 21. The tannery

The Moroccans are very talented at making jackets and bags.

I went past the tannery which has been here for centuries.

This place still uses traditional processes to dye and treat leather. These pools have men leave skins in there to achieve the desired colour then leave them to dry on the roofs and balconies.

The dyes range from vegetable (I think beetroot) and pigeon poo.

There is a nice veranda to stand on and look across the old city. On your way out you will got through the showrooms of bags, men’s wear and women’s wear where you will battle to get out without the hard sell. 🙂 I think the treated fabrics are stitched in people’s homes who then bring them to the stores to be sold.

I got a nice brown jacket for about £100. The usual practice of haggling is necessary, so much less than 50% of the original asking price is to be aimed for.

Previous 20. The palaces of Fez

Next 22. Buying a magic carpet

May 14 2015

James Tabor’s false grave of Jesus discovery is an agenda to delegitimise the gospel

When I first got interested in Israel and the Jewish foundations of my faith, I liked looking at all kinds of sources. After many years of being in ministry and meeting various people I’ve got more discernment of sorting out what’s sensationalism, what’s just weird and what has value to history of our background as believers in the Jewish Messiah. Today I worry that I have seen my friends in the UK and the US often may get excited about something that could have an agenda.

Ages ago I heard about the Talpiyot tomb which is being portrayed by a fringe movement of historians like Professor James Tabor as new possible site where a grave of Yeshua (Jesus) could of been. The tomb that Jesus was given from Joseph of Aramathea known today as ‘The Garden Tomb’ (see footnote) is most likely the correct one, but there are other possible locations I’ve seen that were intended as tombs for more wealthy Jews of that time.

From Tabor’s web site:-

the jesus tomb

The crucial point here is this tomb had bones in. These are remains of Jews may be roughly contemporary with Christ and his disciples, but not the bones of Yeshua. To proclaim it is, would be to say that the resurrection never happened. If James Tabor is a believer he needs to repent and accept Jesus’ sacrifice and resurrection. If he’s not a believer Christians should have nothing to do with him.

I’m also quite familiar with the location of Tabor and Jacobovici’s own tomb. Its interesting that they found it among early 1980s built flats that are there now. I blogged about this quite a while back when I was still in Jerusalem.

Why? I used to live in Olei Ha Gardon in Talpiyot for 3 years, the very place this tomb was found. You can’t see where this tomb actually is, as the entrance is blocked and they got pictures of it using a robot sent into a small hole.

Ok, where today there is a big problem with super-sessionism (replacement theology or saying Israel and the Jews have no relevance today) and antisemitism, the regular type and the less obvious types, I’m going to talk more about the Hebrew Roots movement, I think there is a lot of dangerously destructive ideas in this which are leading believers astray.

Tabor lists on his Facebook page as being a Professor at University of North Carolina at Charlotte, he lists his friends as not evangelicals, ordinary Jews, or Israeli Messianic Jews but ex-Messianic groups who aim to destroy the gospel such as Jono ‘Truth2U’ Vandor and Jason Spiritualbabies, these are heretical revisionist groups aiming to convert Christians to Orthodox/Chabad Judaism.

Tabor seems well educated, but its crucially important for Christians to stick to sources of history only from credible sources.

2 Corinthians 11 : 1

I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! 2I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.

12And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

Please also check my other writings on The tomb of Jesus and also Easter at the Garden Tomb 2012

May 9 2015

Magnificent Morocco – 20. The palaces of Fez

Fez is a really old city, these perimeter walls remind me a bit of Jerusalem and Akko.

There are more of these Riyads (mansion houses) here

The tiles, coloured glass, geometric shapes, palm trees and ambiance makes these a beautiful characteristic of Morocco.

This is my Youth Hostel I stayed in 🙂 Its not quite as striking as the one in Tangier. But it has this large grand feel all the same. Under this Arabic text you can see various icons of Morocco, notice on the left is a Jewish Candelabra. 🙂

This roof unusually, isn’t glass.

This is the roof top, this canopy is actually a tent type fabric structure. There’s a lot of places to hang out for the guests of the youth hostel, so I had the chance to chill and chat with a lot of other people, Americans, Canadians and French mostly.

This on the right is a money changer (or an actual bank) that’s close to the outdoor markets.

There are many other beautiful big grand buildings around Fez, mostly part of the Moroccan government with stern looking soldiers outside and they don’t like you taking pictures!

Although this is a unmistakably Islamic country, these large buildings that are fit for a king made me think of this verse:-

John 14 : 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

This makes me wonder what kind of dwellings we will have when we meet with our Lord.

Previous 19. Fez first impressions

Next 21 The Tannery

Apr 18 2015

Magnificent Morocco – 19. Fez first impressions

This station looks even better than the others I saw!

Stepping out of the station on to this neat garden

fez taxis

fez station2 1024

At this point I resisted getting a taxi, as I wanted to get some lunch and thought I’d just have a wander around although the little wheels on my trolley are probably almost worn to the metal, as they are more suited to a shiny airport floor rather than gritty Saharan Africa…

fez roundabout

Fez is characterised by these ancient perimeter walls, this is an exciting place….

Previous 18. On the train to Fez

Next 20. The palaces of Fez

Apr 15 2015

Magnificent Morocco – 18. On the train to Fez

This was Casablanca station when I originally got there, not a great pic, but its quite a huge looking station

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So now, I’m leaving for another city, Fez.

There is quite a large array of platforms as it seems Casablanca is quite a central hub for the rest of the country.

Once getting going, this was a 5 hour journey, with an hour stop in Rabat. I found I could track my location on my Android phone as the GPS would show in Google Maps even with cellular data switched off which would be costly if I had this on.

Rabat is Morocco’s capital. I didn’t get to venture out properly except from with these pictures. It looks quite modern and I like these tree lined boulevards that you see on a lot of streets here.

One of the tough parts of this whole trip is seeing some severe poverty.

Looking out of the window there are people living in shacks by the side of the track. These people look ethnically different from average typical Moroccan (Berber or Arab or inbetween) These people look like they were from more central Africa. I’m guessing they are immigrants from maybe neighbouring Mauritania or Senegal.

This was just approaching Fez itself.

On my train in the same carriage, there was young couple very in love who looked in the early 20s, the girl looked Arab and the boy looked more Berber. Although Morocco does seem to be loyally Islamic, I wonder if showing affection in public in much of the middle east would be possible.

I was looking forward to seeing the ancient city of Fez.

Previous 17. Scooter shops

Next 19. Fez first impressions

Apr 15 2015

Magnificent Morocco – 17. Scooter shops

In Casablanca, a common way to get around is to get a motor scooter.

These are quite different from the mostly plastic bodied scooters I see in the UK.

I think the city could be characterised by the lot of small scale garages that do servicing and also small shops that do accessories and parts.

Previous – 16. Synagogue and Jewish museum of Casablanca

Next – 18. On the train to Fez

Apr 11 2015

Magnificent Morocco – 16. Synagogue and Jewish museum of Casablanca

Until today, the only sign of Casablanca’s Jewish community I saw was this;

I don’t think this building is used any more. Like the first synagogue I saw in Tangier, there are no symbols of anything to show the Jewish faith, just a temple looking place which looked all locked up.

There is actually 17 synagogues in Casa, apparently there is just one that is still active. Had to walk about an hour and 15 mins to the other side of town to the Jewish museum.

Its very quiet here, there are no other visitors apart from me.

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Nicely looked after artifacts, Torah scrolls, lamps, clothing

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I think this museum is run by the Moroccan government as they are keen on preserving history including non-Islamic cultures. This is fairly unusual in a lot of Muslim countries. The lady who took my money and asked for a tip was a religious Muslim who was friendly and kept the place immaculately clean and offered to take pictures of me.

There is no mention of the Shoah (Holocaust) I don’t know if any Jews fled to North Africa from Europe. There is no real mention of Israel, Jerusalem, Zionism or antisemitism. There is no mention why Jews have left Morocco. There seems to be very few left.

What I did learn is this community have had a few tragedies, a typhoid break killed thousands. Many of the Jews left in 1956 when Morocco came independent. Later, I read online there were multiple suicide bombings in Casablanca in 2003, the same time as the intifada in Israel. Still, I think Jews in this country have been treated better than much of the rest of the Islamic world.

There has been a problem with Jizya – this is the Arab name for a term for a unfair tax paid by non-Muslims, this happens other parts of the Arab world.

Check out this blog for music and historical culture of Moroccan Jews http://jewishmorocco.blogspot.co.uk/

I’ll explain more of the Jewish history of Morocco by the time I get to Fez.

Previous 15. Islamic toilets

Next 17. Scooter shops

Apr 10 2015

Magnificent Morocco – 15. Islamic toilets

Yep these are absolutely horrible!

No mechanical process to flush, you meant to wash your behind with a hose or a specially provided water jug which looks like a watering can.

I’m sure people are reading this thinking I’m horrible and nasty and judgmental for criticising how other cultures relieve themselves. I know this to be mostly uniform in Islamic places, as I’ve seen it in Arab parts of Israel (but not in the Palestinian ruled cities of Bethlehem and Jericho which rely on tourism) in Petra, Jordan, even in my own city of Portsmouth (sitting an IT exam) in a small office run by a religious Muslim, and in a house of a Muslim man in Leicester who sold me a car had these water jugs next to the lavvy.

This link here, explains Islamic teaching on toilets
http://www.myreligionislam.com/detail.asp?Aid=6096

For a lot of tourists considering visiting a nation like this, its something of a deal breaker having a civilised way of using the loo. This will put them off coming completely.

In places expected to be used by foreigners, then in restaurants, hotels, you will find ‘orthodox’ type of toilets. In railway stations and tea salons you may only be limited to just these….

Previous 14. Tea salons

Next 16. Synagogue and Jewish museum of Casablanca

Apr 9 2015

Magnificent Morocco – 14. Tea salons

In the middle east, going for a drink is more likely to be coffee than a beer, if you are meeting up with a friend.

In most of the Arabic world, they have their own style of coffee, espresso sized, strong with cadomine flavouring. You also have Turkish coffee, also strong, but large amount of sendiment, means you need to leave the last 5mm or so in your cup.

In Israel coffee shops are all over the place (even the throw away cups I have seen with a symbol of a possible place that Jesus visited!) DSCF8434 1024

However in Morocco, tea is the national drink here, just like India and China.

Its actually normally served with mint and plenty of sugar. It often has the slang name “Moroccan Whiskey” being a similar colour 🙂 its common to see someone delivering a bundle of fresh mint leaves to cafes.

Its custom to offer this beverage before any kind of business is done. Often you may get offered some whilst in a shop, because the owner hopes you are going to plonk down a decent amount of cash for something or he is just being purely hospitable.

The tea salons seem to be a common social place for men, people chat, smoke, read the paper and watch the news (Al Jazeera) on television. Its rare you see females in these places, they are more like a working man’s bar of some sort. They are different from the other types of cafes, they feel like a very manly sort of place, where chaps of all types come to get away from the worries of work or the missus.

I was sitting in a tea salon when everyone stood up. When I stood up as well to see what spectacle was happening. Its was a small Renault ambulance converted van driving slowly with the rear doors open, a lot of men walking behind which was part of a funeral procession. Its good to see the people in here have respect for those in community who have passed on. I noticed all the people in the funeral procession are entirely men, just like a similar event that I saw in Akko, Israel a DSCF8414 1024 few years ago.

People sell mint along with other herbs at random points of the main road also too.

There’s only one thing I really don’t like about these establishments, I’ll explain tomorrow.

Previous 13. Morocco’s King Mohammed VI

Next 15. Islamic toilets

Apr 7 2015

Archaeologist believes he found the site of Jesus’ trial by Pontius Pilate

(I’ll go back to blogging on Morocco later this week)

This is apt for this time of the year! (As we are in Easter and Passover)

http://www.timesofisrael.com/archaeologist-believes-hes-found-site-of-jesuss-trial-by-pontius-pilate/

(Worth mentioning that this is from a secular Israeli news source)

Brit In Jerusalem

A Christian discovering the roots in the holy land….

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