Where We Be
You don't always know ahead of time what travel experiences are going to be meaningful
to you, but for us, dipping our feet in the waters of the Sea of Galilee was a special moment
Capernaum & Sea of Galilee, Israel
When you visit the ancient fishing village of
Capernaum, you really feel like you're walking
in the footsteps of Jesus because he spent so
much of his time here during his ministry. It is
even reported as his home in Matthew 4:13.
Located on the shores of Galilee, this is where
Jesus chose many of his Apostles. Here is the
home of the Apostle Peter as well as Andrew,
James, John, and Matthew. Here you can see
the excavated ruins of St. Peter’s home. Built
above these ruins is a modern church honoring
him. Adjacent are the ruins of the village itself,
as well as the ruins of two ancient synagogues:
the late 4th century synagogue called the White
Synagogue, and, directly beneath it, the black
basalt foundations of the “Synagogue of Jesus”
which he would have visited in his day.

At a nearby restaurant on the shores of Galilee
we ate
"St. Peter's fish" caught from the lake.
Then we got to do something we've always
wanted to do: dip our feet in the Sea of Galilee.
The waters were warm and inviting, and, for
reasons that are hard to explain, it felt like a
spiritual cleansing of sorts -- and I don't even
consider myself all that religious anymore. But
after an entire youth spent learning of Jesus,
it's hard not to feel moved at some deep level
by being in a place like this with such profound
associations with his life and teachings.
The black basalt foundations of the Synagogue of Jesus remain intact beneath the 4th century White Synagogue
Steps lead up to the modern church that stands over St. Peter's home
After our visit to Capernaum we ate St. Peter's fish (a type of tilapia) caught in the freshwaters of the Sea of Galilee
Looking out the patio at St. Peter's Restaurant at the Sea of Galilee
We walked down to the beach after our meal to see the Sea of Galilee up close and personal
We took off our shoes and waded into the water
Of all the places we visited in Israel, it was easiest for us to feel Jesus' presence here in this natural setting
Boats both ancient and modern line the marina at Tiberias
We also briefly explored Tiberias, a pretty lakeside community on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee
As we headed south from the Sea of Galilee, we caught glimpses
of the Jordan River and some lovely stretches of countryside
Note the two palm trees decorating the lintel of the White Synagogue's entry gate
This synagogue with its white building stones is among the oldest synagogues in the world
You can peer down into the ruins of St. Peter's home through the glass floor in the center of the church
Here you can see the church on the right, the ruins of Capernaum in the foreground, and the Sea of Galilee beyond
This is the courtyard just in front of the ancient fishing village of Capernaum on the shores of Galilee
The statue in the courtyard is of St. Peter, with a caption that reads: "Thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church."
Underneath the church are the ruins of what may well have been Peter's home, where Jesus is said to have lived. Archaeologists have identified
significant changes to this one home and concluded that it was being venerated as the house of St. Peter as early as the mid-1st century.
Here you see the ruins of the actual village of Capernaum in the foreground,
and the modern church built over the ruins of St. Peter's home in the background
Wood carvings celebrate St. Peter's life