Israel had always been a place that I had wanted visit. Martin Sanders, a good friend of mine, travels frequently to Israel. His son, Emmanuel, is a Yeshiva student studying in Israel. Martin had heard of a unique event that was being organized by the Likud party that would take place in early July 2007. I would be afforded the opportunity to visit several sites in Israel, including the Knesset, and meet with Likud party members, namely Benjamin Netanyahu.

I am a Roman Catholic. My Catholic faith is a large part of who I am. My family and I would go to Mass every Sunday. We would hear about biblical events that took place in Israel, the 'Holy Land'. Now I would have the chance to see where Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and the twelve apostles walked. It would be amazing to be able to reach out and touch the stones at places like the Via Dolorosa and the well at Cana. These places would become more to that just things mentioned in a book written over 2,000 years ago. They would become places that I had visited.

When I arrived at Newark Airport in New Jersey I began the careful screening process required to board the flight. Where was I going? Who was I meeting? What was the purpose of my travel? Had I been to Israel before? Do I speak Hebrew? Did I study Hebrew in school? Have I taken a class in Judaic Studies? There would be several more checks of this nature before I would arrive at the departure gate. When I reached the gate it too was cordoned off. Quickly I came to appreciate the precautions Continental airlines takes to ensure safe travel, even though the checks can be tedious to endure.

Eventually, I made my way on to the non-stop Continental flight from Newark to Tel Aviv. While I had been waiting at the gate, I noticed many unsupervised high school-aged students. In that moment I too shared their excitement of going to Israel. The atmosphere onboard soon took on the characteristics of a country bus. The students were running up and down the aisles, hanging over seats, piling on top of each other, and generally making a lot of ruckus. Predictably this caused the flight crew great angst.

Can you imagine the relief I felt when the purser's voice crackled over the cacophony that we would be landing soon? Somehow I had managed a few moments of sleep. At this moment I had an adrenaline rush of being in a new country. It gave me a sense of being energized as I made my way through the new, modern Ben Gurion Tel-Aviv airport. Someone from Israel Experts, my guide service, was there to meet me. Quickly I passed through the customs checks, out of the airport, and into my guide's car in under thirty minutes.

As we zipped along through the desert and blinding sun, Jacob Shkolnik, my guide, began telling me about his undying love for Israel and its innumerable historical sites. He was a spry septuagenarian with a pleasant, deep, multilingual voice. Jacob was born in a rural area on the outskirts of Tel Aviv on a relatively small but prosperous farm. At that time the nation of Israel did not officially exist, instead this region was still recognized as Palestine. Eventually in 1948, several years after Jacob's birth, Israel was declared a nation.

When I arrived I had little time to adjust to anything, especially the heat, sun, and dry air. Like a good world traveler I had brought my Diesel sunglasses and University of Michigan baseball cap. I was prepared. Jacob and I talked about everything from what I heard about Israel, to what I wanted to see, and why I was here. Martin Sanders' name soon came up and Jacob was very eager to hear about him. They always are fascinated with Martin, I though to myself.

Over the next several days we saw both secular and religious places. One of the secular sites that I visited was Caesarea. I would be very eager to return to the Roman amphitheater that is located there. On the day that I saw the theatre I was instantly transported over 2,000 years to the roots of Western theater and spectacle. Theatre and Spanish were my majors at the University of Michigan, and my MA is in Performance Studies from New York University. I took several photographs, imagining what it would have been like to see an original performance there, and what it would be like for me to perform something there in the present day. That afternoon a crew was setting up the stage and rigging lights for a performance that would be taking place in the upcoming days. It would have been great to attend the performance, but it wasn't on the schedule.

My itinerary in Israel included visiting many of the places mentioned in the Bible. As a practicing Catholic I was eager to see these places. Some of these sites did not resemble their descriptions in the Bible. The size of the Sea of Galilee is not what I would call a sea. The River Jordan is not exactly what I would think of as 'mighty'. Israel's water features where not those spectacular images I had envisioned from the Bible. Nevertheless, I was spiritually moved when I placed my feet in the River Jordan and watched other Christians being baptized there.

Jacob, my guide, drove me around northern Israel to places like Acco, Haifa, and Tiberius. From my vantage point in the passenger seat I couldn't help but notice the amount of cultivation the Israelis had achieved in this desert climate. Our Chevy Impala whisked by multitudinous plantations where they were growing bananas, mangos, avocados, and apples. We also passed many fields of corn, tomatoes, and potatoes. The hills were dotted with little white apiaries. The Israelis even took the time to plant fragrant lavender and oleander along the highways.

Many people use public transportation in Israel. Every few miles we passed small concrete bus stands that offered shade to waiting passengers. Many of these passengers were young, armed Israeli soldiers who were patrolling and training in the area. At first the presence of so many young people in uniform carrying firearms was a bit distressing to me. However I knew that we were in very close proximity to Israel's less than friendly Arab neighbors and took in comfort in knowing that they were there to protect us.

Jerusalem, the capital of Israel, was the last city we would visit on my tour. It is one of the most important historical cities in the world because three of the world's major religions' holiest sites are located there. The city also has countless churches, mosques, synagogues and cemeteries. Many people consider Jerusalem to be the center of the world. I saw tourists of countless denominations going peacefully from site to site, often stopping to engage in worship, mediation, and prayer. During my travels in Israel I never felt persecuted for my faith and never witnessed others being persecuted for theirs. My belief is that it is crucial for all faiths to have peaceable access to their sites of worship; this is certainly the case in Israel.

Although I had little time to form a strong feeling about the city, I recognize Jerusalem's importance. Many people have an ardent passion for this ancient city. One day I too hope to have this ardor. At the time though, I felt overwhelmed by all that that I saw, not to mention the sun, heat, and near treeless landscape.

In Jerusalem I once again saw many Israeli soldiers, in an out of uniform, carrying around powerful firearms. Many popular restaurants, including McDonald's, have guards posted at the door with handheld metal detectors. They politely searched entrant's bags for destructive cargo such as weapons and bombs. Sadly many terrorists have shot up or bombed street-side cafes in the past. Although, I felt very safe because every precaution was being taken at all times to prevent a terrorist attack. I found it easy to navigate the streets and find the bars and restaurants that had been recommended to me. I felt comfortable asking Israeli pedestrians for additional guidance.

While in Jerusalem we also visited the Holocaust Museum. It was not unlike the Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C. However the museum in Jerusalem has its own unique architectural genius in its simplicity. I felt that the museum in Washington is more experiential. For example, In Washington you have to pass through a "box car" to enter the principle exhibit. In contrast, the museum in Jerusalem was more reflective and almost academic. When I exited the main building on the Jerusalem complex I was filled with a great sense of hope. This feeling was inspired by the architecture of the building; because when I walked out on the viewing platform, still under the cathedral-height ceiling, I saw the magnificent view of the Jerusalem hills.

Jacob then took me down to Tel Aviv where I would meet up with members of the American/Anglo Friends of the Likud party. I arrived at the glamorous Hilton Hotel and quickly recognized the professionalism of the staff. Every guest room in the hotel has a spectacular view of the Mediterranean Sea and the sandy beach. I quickly changed into my swimsuit and headed down to the water. Passing by the hotel pool, I saw many tourists sprawled on terry cloth covered deck chairs and chaise loungers. They were soaking in the sun from the cloudless sky. The scene on the beach was much different- voluptuous Israeli girls bouncing down to the water, followed by young, muscular Israeli men, still taut from their years of military service. The sea was warm and refreshing after hiking around in the desert for the last several days.

That evening, I met up with Ran Shapira, a friendly Israeli connected to the art world. He took me to a local fish restaurant and spoke at length of the merits of not only each fish on the menu, but also each of the waitresses, and Israeli females in general. This was not an uncommon subject for discussion for the average Israeli man of any age. Everyone knew everyone, or was related to him or her in this town. After being on the beach, the Hilton hotel, in the restaurant, and listening to Ran's descriptions of curvaceous women, I understood what Jacob, my guide, had meant when he talked about Israel being the place of "Milk and Honey".

As a young man who has traveled to many places in the world, I have seen few places with more potential than Israel. And though we may not agree with all of Ariel Sharon's politics, I firmly agree with his quote that Israel's "greatest natural resource is (its) human capital."

When I sat with former Prime Minister Binyamin "Bibi" Netanyahu during a Likud sponsored lunch in July 2007, I couldn't help feeling swept up in a sense of excitement and energy present in mise-en-scene before me. I had spent the last several days traveling the countryside, not only traversing the traditional tourist tracts, but also meeting with young Israelis. As Netanyahu spoke he framed my recent experience with the clear focus and concision of a CEO of major world corporation. He laid out his goals to stimulate economic growth, through not only the support of major corporations, but also incentives for new start-up companies and small businesses. Simultaneously, he called for a firm military stance in order to maintain the stable environment required to conduct business and encourage foreign investment.

Netanyahu was very much in touch with all of the information I had received 'on the ground' in the few days I had been in the country. Israeli youth graduate school with the hope of someday forming the next great startup. On average, more than one new business is brought to fruition (through venture funding) every single day. Opportunities for success and advancement are not limited by one's gender, background, or race.

During a visit to the Knesset, we met with the many MKs and government employees who represented a variety of racial, gender, and regional derivations. Another example is the Hadassah Medical Center that employs many female physicians. Often a number of languages are spoken in the work place in Israel. Recent immigrants (more than 1 million from the former USSR alone) are equally allowed to participate in the economy. I spoke with one leading venture capitalist that stated he would employ someone making aliyah over another Israeli to help that citizen adjust to their new life. Can we find that level of immigration acceptance in any other country?

After speaking with my guide I learned about the planeloads of Russian immigrants that made aliyah to Israel in the 1980s and 1990s. Most of them were well educated yet lacked material wealth, and had faced religious persecution and barriers to economic opportunity in the former USSR. Many had held minor janitorial or clerical jobs. In Israel, those same Russian workers are now given great opportunities. These immigrants have gone on to start hi-tech companies, solving unique mathematical problems, as well as to advance academia at leading universities.

The key to Israel's long term economic success will be by continuing to place an importance on education. It is encouraging to know that Israel already has more engineers per capita than any other nation in the world. Or that Hebrew University beats Harvard in the amount revenue it receives from patents annually and that several Israeli academics have won the highly selective Nobel Prizes during the last few years. Israel places a high value on education and its numerous universities affords plentiful opportunities for advanced learning. Israel may lack the lucrative natural resource of petroleum of its Arab neighbors; however it has a rich culture and intelligent society. This is a resource that will never run dry.

Israel has a populace that is highly educated and motivated. Its military provides training in teamwork, discipline, and leadership that readily translates to the field of industry. This is the most meaningful characteristic of the modern Israeli economy. The soldiers learn how to be quick, impromptu thinkers and that helps them solve short-term problems. After their military service, they use their intelligence to cultivate ideas in the world beyond the armed forces. These ideas include innovative agricultural techniques that increase food harvests to new technologies that can make colonoscopies less invasive. Israel is now on the forefront in finding solutions for the water crisis that the Middle East faces. The United States and Israel have coordinated advanced military technologies with great success.

When I arrived at the airport in Tel Aviv several hours before my flight; I followed recommendations of everyone I knew who had ever made this journey before. It seems to me that people are even more eager to leave travel, entertainment, and vacation destinations than they are to get there. Security concerns require careful background investigation before I am to board the plane. First I was questioned, then I was momentarily detained, next I had to completely unpack and repack the contents of my bags three times so the security personnel could search my bags. Finally, I made it on to one of several connecting flights that would eventually take me to Pellston, Michigan.

During the flight I reflected on all the many things I had seen. I was very enthusiastic to bring my family, who are also practicing Christians, to Israel to witness these biblical places. In my heart I know it would be much more powerful to experience those holy biblical places with not only my coreligionists but also my catechists (educators of the Catholic faith). I recalled my last dinner in Jerusalem, with the members of the American/Anglo Friends of Likud, I was surprised at the ingenuity of my fellow dinner guests who were living in Israel. One gentleman gave us a tasting of his budding winery business; and then a biomedical inventor demonstrated a gastrointestinal balloon that inflates in the stomach to create a sense of being 'full'. I am very eager to see how these projects and the larger project of Israel's economic and defensive goals develop. All my predictions are good for Israel after visiting her land, meeting her people, and witnessing their potential; for these reasons that I am eager to return to Israel. I encourage citizens of all peaceful countries and from all religious faiths to do likewise.