Our final day exploring Israel took us back in time 2,200 years to the era of the Maccabees. We went on an archeological dig at the Sidonian Caves in Tel Maresha.

Bonus blog! Before I write about our last day in Israel, I wanted to share our adventure in Jerusalem Saturday night - and it certainly was an adventure!

Our guided tour of the Christian Quarter of Old Jerusalem didn't start until after lunch, so Sara and I walked to the Old City after breakfast to explore a bit on our own.

None of my relatives that I am aware were held in concentration camps or perished in extermination camps during the Holocaust - but being Jewish, I'm sure someone in my lineage was affected.  That being said, visiting Yad Vashem, one of the most comprehensive Holocaust museums in the world, is still a very unsettling experience.

A new spin on an old story - and a surprise within the mountains of Masada. That's how our day began.