Does this look like the roof of a building? It is the roof of The Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are on display. It is designed to look like the top of the terra-cotta jars which held the ancient scrolls found at Qumran in the Judea Desert. You actually enter the building down through several flights of steps and enter more like into the basement of the building. Maybe you can see that water is flowing off the top of the roof to help keep the building cool along with the a/c system. For the preservation of the scrolls it is very cool inside the building.
The Dead Sea Scrolls, a collection of ancient documents were discovered in l947 by a teenage Bedouin shepherd searching for a lost goat. He tossed a stone into a virtually inaccessible cave on the chance the goat might have somehow strayed into it. He heard the sound of pottery breaking. Pulling himself up to the cave's entrance, he saw giant terra-cotta jars in which he imagined there might be an Arabian Nights' treasure, but instead, found them filled with rolls of old leather like parchment. An Israeli archeologist Sukenik bought three of them just before Israel's War of Independence from a trader in antiquities from Bethlehem. Can you imagine his feelings when he realized what he had just purchased!! The find of the century. I wish we could have taken pictures inside the building of the Isaiah scrolls. They are about 25 ft long. This is the oldest known version of any complete Biblical book. There are 5 major scrolls housed there.
This was an amazing model of Jerusalem in the year 66 CE. In that year, the Great Revolt against the Romans erupted, resulting in the destruction of the city and the Temple. The ancient city was then at its largest, covering an area of 445 acres (more than twice the size of the Old City today). The model reflects ancient Jerusalem at its peak, just before all was lost. The model is on a scale of 1:50. It is really amazing to see the city as it might have been during the Second Temple Period. You can look across the way and seem some tourist enjoying the site.
Andy Skinner showing a student the Temple Model and explaining how it looked during that period of time.
We travelled by bus to reach this location called NABI SAMWIL which means the PROPHET SAMUEL of the Old Testament. Samuel's birthplace is located near this area. What an amazing view of the whole surrounding areas. No wonder this hill was a strategic location through out the ages because it had water and provided a military advantage over a major route from the Mediterranean coast through several valley's and the Beth Horon Pass to Jerusalem. During the Crusaders period they called the site Montijoie (mount of joy) because it provided the first view of Jerusalem for pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. In 1192 during the 3rd Crusade, King Richard the Lionhearted reach this spot, trying to retake Jerusalem. Over the centuries different religions have had control and built their churches. During the Byzantine era a Monastery was built followed by a Crusader church to commemorate Samuel's death. The Crusader church was turned into a Islamic Mosque. Today that is what's standing but it was interesting to see young Orthodox Jewish boys all dressed in their black clothes attending school in the basement....we wanted pictures but they wouldn't let us take any.
This picture of Dad and Dr. Andrew Skinner is taken beside the "black wall". The Scroll of the War between the Sons of light against the Sons of Darkness - discribes in great military detail a future 40 years war between the Sons of light and the forces of evil, known as the sons of Darkness. The scroll predicts that the Sons of Light will triumph in the end.
This was an amazing model of Jerusalem in the year 66 CE. In that year, the Great Revolt against the Romans erupted, resulting in the destruction of the city and the Temple. The ancient city was then at its largest, covering an area of 445 acres (more than twice the size of the Old City today). The model reflects ancient Jerusalem at its peak, just before all was lost. The model is on a scale of 1:50. It is really amazing to see the city as it might have been during the Second Temple Period. You can look across the way and seem some tourist enjoying the site. 
Andy Skinner showing a student the Temple Model and explaining how it looked during that period of time.
We travelled by bus to reach this location called NABI SAMWIL which means the PROPHET SAMUEL of the Old Testament. Samuel's birthplace is located near this area. What an amazing view of the whole surrounding areas. No wonder this hill was a strategic location through out the ages because it had water and provided a military advantage over a major route from the Mediterranean coast through several valley's and the Beth Horon Pass to Jerusalem. During the Crusaders period they called the site Montijoie (mount of joy) because it provided the first view of Jerusalem for pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem. In 1192 during the 3rd Crusade, King Richard the Lionhearted reach this spot, trying to retake Jerusalem. Over the centuries different religions have had control and built their churches. During the Byzantine era a Monastery was built followed by a Crusader church to commemorate Samuel's death. The Crusader church was turned into a Islamic Mosque. Today that is what's standing but it was interesting to see young Orthodox Jewish boys all dressed in their black clothes attending school in the basement....we wanted pictures but they wouldn't let us take any. 
We hope you enjoy having an insight into our tours. Israel is a tiny country filled with an incredible variety of sites to visit. The blessing of being a service couple is that we are able to join with the students at the Jerusalem Center to visit these sites from not only a historical perspective but a Biblical one. We hope to see as many as possible and share our travels and experiences with you. We love our Savior, we are grateful to serve Him in this Holy Land.
Love,
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