GISCHALA TO JERUSALEM CHAPTER TWELVE - Page 1

BEFORE THE SHIP had docked, Shallum shouted, "Saul, look at those carriages! They must be the ones waiting to take us to Gischala. They are really beautiful. And look, the horses are all the same. What horses!"

Not only had Uncle Hasham sent his luxurious carriage to meet them in Joppa, many of the other celebrating Tarsians had arranged for other carriages to make the wedding journey in caravan. Saul noticed a young man of about 16 years of age, working efficiently with the horses and drivers. He was tall and blonde, and very handsome in appearance. Quietly he was giving instructions to the drivers about where to line-up their coaches.

As the family came down the gangway, the young man approached Benjamin and Esther saying, "My father Hasham was so involved in making arrangements for all of the people attending the wedding, he apologizes for not coming personally to meet you."

"Dan, is that you?" Esther gushed, embracing him happily. She turned to her son. "Saul, this is my nephew, Dan--Hasham's youngest."

The two greeted one another warmly.

"How is my Miriam?" Esther asked. "And how are your father and mother?"

"We must not block the gangway, dear," Benjamin suggested. "Let's move on."

The family reunion quickly descended the gangway to the pavement below, allowing the other eager travellers ashore.

"All is well with Miriam," Dan answered as he helped Esther down the ramp. "We all think that Esrom is a blessed man to have such a beautiful bride. When he saw her he took little time in confirming my father's predictions in the matter. Both of them seem to glow these days."

Esther hugged Benjamin at this joyous news.

As they neared the Carruca, Dan added, "Father trusts me completely with the carriages and drivers, but today, our best driver is with me. You may recall Phineas?"

"Phineas!" exclaimed Saul's mother. "Phineas brought Miriam from Tarsus." Phineas had been standing unnoticed to this point. When he heard his name called, he stepped from the shadow of the Carruca smiling, and received a welcome from Saul's parents as though he was a member of the family.

The family friends who were coming to the wedding had already moved on to the nearest post to meet their own carriages. Without being asked, Shallum and Jephuneh were busy moving baggage belonging to Saul's family to the Carruca, and were peering inside, no doubt counting the spaces available.

With a little hesitation on his part, Rabbi Benjamin asked, "Dan, do you think there might possibly be room for the two sons of Rabbi Gershon who have come with us? Their grandfather was Rabbi Jehonadab, a wonderful friend of my father Ben-Lemuel in Tarsus. He was killed by the Romans when he tried to block them from the synagogue during Antony's reign. Their father spends most of his time in Jerusalem, and is trying to get Gamaliel to accept his boys into class."
Dan smiled cheerfully. "Regardless of whether or not the boys have a place with Gamaliel, I am sure we will be able to make room for the descendants of the great Rabbi Jehonadab somehow."