Jerusalem, Israel

After breakfast we embarked on our tour of Jerusalem’s Old City with both an Israeli and Palestinian guide to see some of the world’s holiest sites. It’s quite interesting to hear the information from two points of view. They work well together to thoroughly explain everything from each of their perspectives. As you can imagine, there are thousands of visitors at the holy sites so it’s a struggle to see and do it all in a condensed amount of time. This week is especially busy as it is the Festival of Lights. Jerusalem is a city that holds a rich spiritual meaning to many faiths. Our tour started with a bus drive up to the top of a hill for an amazing view of the Mount of Olives. Standing above the Mount and reflecting on the events that occurred there in ancient time is very sobering. We’re able to see the numerous Jewish grave sites. Menachem Begin and his wife Aliza are buried there. We learned more about the Green Line (called thus as it was drawn with a green marker) and the Border Museum as we are riding on the bus. The Green Line refers to the 1949 armistice lines established between Israel and its Arab neighbors in the aftermath of the 1948 War of Independence. The Green Line effectively divided the holy city of Jerusalem in half, with the Israel-Jordan border running through the middle of the city, with the Old City and its holy sites on the Jordanian side. Beyond the Green Line lay the Jordanian-controlled West Bank and the Egyptian-ruled Gaza Strip. Israel considers the West Bank–home to over 2 million Palestinians and 350,000 Jews–to be “disputed territory.” The 1995 Oslo II Accords gave the Israeli military temporary authority over most of the area, granting limited autonomy to the Palestinian Authority in Palestinian population centers. We learned about the Kibbutz, a socialist Jewish commune. Kibbutz means “group” in Hebrew. One of our guides lives on a Kibbutz. It is a voluntary democratic community where people live and work together on a non-competitive basis. Its aim is to generate an economically and socially independent society founded on principles of communal ownership of property, social justice, and equality. The members own no property. They have the same lifestyle…same food, same allowance, same house. It is a “social safety net.” Many now own homes and cars, though, as some of the Kibbutz are privatized now. The first kibbutzim (plural of kibbutz) were organized by idealistic young Zionists who came to Palestine in the beginning of the 20th Century. Their dream was not just to settle the land it, but to build a whole new kind of society. Despite many hardships, they succeeded in creating a social system and a way of life which has played a crucial role in the development of the State of Israel both culturally and politically. Next we continued on to the Garden of GETHSEMANE. It is an amazing and peaceful place. The ancient olive trees are such an incredible sight to view. Mixed among them are beautiful flowers blooming and adding color to the garden. It’s almost impossible to conceive how old these trees are and the importance of the ancient events that occurred in this garden. We then visited a number of holy sites in the Old City in what I’m calling the “super-lite” tour. There is an overwhelming amount of information to absorb and numerous sites to see. We covered it all in a fairly expedited amount of time due to our schedule. It realistically takes a week or more to absorb and view it all. We learned about the significance of the site to Jews, Muslims, and Christians. We began our exploration on the Old City beginning at the Temple Mount, a walled compound within the Old City of Jerusalem, which is the site of two magnificent structures: the Dome of the Rock to the north and the Al-Aqsa Mosque to the south. In the southwest stands the Western Wall—a remnant of the Second Temple and the holiest site in Judaism. As expected security is tight. Most unsettling of all though, is the number of military soldiers with guns moving throughout the site. You can almost sense the tension in the air. I’m quite sure these are the kind of military officers who shoot first and ask questions later. It’s scary to think that one little scuffle could quickly result in a disastrous out of control situation. We did hear some noise from protestors but did not see them in the area we were occupying. Next, we then walked to the Western Wall (the Wailing Wall) one of the most sacred of Jewish sites, and touched its ancient stones. Men and women have separate entrances and praying locations at the wall. There were people writing notes and leaving prayers within the cracks of the walls. Many people sit and pray for hours at the wall. When they depart from the wall, they back away and do not turn their backs to the wall. Note–Rubbermaid must be a bargain in Israel…I’m seeing their plastic chairs everywhere! We walked down so many narrow alleyways and marketplaces. How in the world do you not get lost in there?! It’s a labyrinth maze. We wandered through the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which, according to tradition, houses the tomb of Jesus.  Unfortunately, it is under renovation so not all areas were available to view. We walked the Via Dolorosa, the Way of Suffering, and the Stations of the Cross retracing the circuitous route believed by many to follow the path that Jesus walked, carrying his cross, on the way to his crucifixion. We then touched the stone in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where they believe Jesus body was laid after he was removed from the cross. That was a very powerful and sobering moment bringing many people to tears. We had lunch at Nafoura Restaurant inside the Old City Walls. They served traditional Jerusalem fare such as falafel, baba ganache, pita bread, hummus, grilled chicken and lamb with rice. Then Baklava for dessert. After lunch, we drove to the National Israeli Museum. It is one of Israel’s most impressive cultural assets. It is a splendid museum that covers about 5000 years of the region’s history. It has a huge archaeological wing and another equally impressive wing concentrating on Jewish art and life. it is well maintained and houses priceless artifacts. The fine arts wing has a significant collection of international and Israeli art, the museum’s grounds feature an art garden, and there’s a dedicated pavilion showcasing the museum’s prize exhibit, the Dead Sea Scrolls, which is what we went specifically to see. It was an incredible sight to view. Wow…its been a exhausting but breathtaking day in Jerusalem. This evening we had a cocktail hour lecturer! Lecture: Can There Be Peace in the Middle East by Aziz Abu Sarah. He is a cultural educator & peacemaker. He is a very moving and enthusiastic lecturer and delivers a powerful message. He works in conflict area’s and has tried to do work in Syria. He says he would not go back there right now, it is far too dangerous. He was born in Jerusalem, is Palestinian and grew up in a Muslim family with several brothers. His older brother was killed by Israeli’s who accused him of throwing rocks which he did not do. He was beaten and tortured. By the time he was returned, he had liver and spleen damage and died during surgery, He was 19 (Aziz was 10). His name was Tayseer Abu Sarah. Aziz had to learn Hebrew and went to Jewish place to learn. He then went to Christian college (very unusual!). All this time, he had no nationality as his home was in the “no man’s land” zone so he could not get a passport or travel. He has now become a US citizen and lives in DC 3 months out of the year. His goal is to fight for peace in the Middle East in a non violent manner and to help 10 million Syrians who are displaced today Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/azizabusarah Aziz@mejditours.com We were so thrilled to have a free dining night tonight. We went to the French restaurant, La Regence, in the hotel. It’s a Kosher gourmet meat restaurant. Marlise came in alone so we invited her to join us. We had a fabulous meal. Great Salad and steak. Then I had the most intriguing chocolate dessert that came with very unique and unusual olive oil crystal candy beads. I’ve never had anything like it. Chef David Biton definitely serves surprising contemporary and Israeli cuisine. King David Hotel, Jerusalem (B, L, D daily) 1 US Dollar= 3.8 Israel New Shekel    THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE The garden at Gethsemane, a place whose name literally means “oil press,” is located on a slope of the Mount of Olives just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem.  A garden of ancient olive trees stands there to this day.  Jesus frequently went to Gethsemane with His disciples to pray. The most famous events at Gethsemane occurred on the night before His crucifixion when Jesus was betrayed.  As the evening began, after Jesus and His disciples had celebrated the Passover, they came to the garden.  THE OLD CITY OF JERUSALEM There is a magical quality about the Old City of Jerusalem that does not exist anywhere else in the world. Perhaps it is due to the glorious history of the towering stone walls and ancient buildings, or the sacred atmosphere that surrounds the holy sites of Jewish, Christian, and Moslem religions. The enchanting quality of Jerusalem may also come from the colorful markets and narrow alleyways, or from the city’s dynamic history – a history woven with war and peace, love and hate, destruction and resurrection. The Old City was originally built by King David in 1004 B.C.E. and has always been considered the center of the world. Ancient maps show the three continents known at the time: Europe, Asia, and Africa, situated in a circle with Jerusalem at their center. Since then Jerusalem has been cherished and glorified by kings, rulers, and conquerors who attempted to storm its walls and adored by ordinary people who made it the loadstone of their faith. This was the place where the Jews built the Temple, where Jesus was crucified, and where Mohammed rose to Heaven. Pilgrims, beggars, merchants, students of great scholars, warriors and slaves have all walked its streets, and have praised and revered Jerusalem. Over the years the Old City has undergone many changes which have made it one of the most interesting cities in the world as well as an important focal point for tourism in Israel. The city, resting on the original hills of the City of David and surrounded by a wall over four kilometers long with seven gates, 34 towers, and a citadel (the Tower of David), is divided into four residential quarters: The Armenian Quarter The Armenian quarter is the smallest quarter of the Old City. The Armenians settled in Jerusalem in the 4th century CE for religious reasons, and the St. James Cathedral was built in the 12th century. This church later became the center for the Armenian people in Israel. It is one of the most beautiful churches in the country and is built upon the remains of a Byzantine church. At the center of the church is a dome resting on four pillars, through which the sun shines and sheds light on the paintings on the walls. The seminary for Armenian priests and the Armenian Museum, which presents the cultural and national history of the Armenian people, are also located in the Armenian quarter. The most important site in the quarter is the building that houses the Armenian Patriarchate. The Christian Quarter The Christian quarter has more than 40 churches, monasteries, and hostels that were built for Christian pilgrims. In the heart of the Christian quarter is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre or the Church of the Resurrection, which, according to Christian tradition, was the site upon which Jesus was crucified and buried following his final walk along the Via Dolorosa, or the Stations of the Cross. The Via Dolorosa begins at the courthouse – which was located at what is now the Lions’ Gate – also known as St. Stephen’s Gate– and ends at Calvary Hill or Golgotha, where the Church is now located. Many Christian pilgrims walk along the Via Dolorosa following the final path of Jesus. There are several sites that are important to the Christian tradition inside the Church of the Resurrection, including the Stone of Anointing, the tomb, and the rotunda. The market – one of Jerusalem’s most popular tourist attractions, is located in the Christian quarter and is a noisy, colorful market where one can buy decorated pottery, candles, souvenirs, ethnic costumes, mats, rugs, beads, and jewelry, glass lamps and decorative items. The merchants call out their wares and the food stands emit tantalizing aromas. One of the most outstanding attractions of this market is that shoppers are expected to bargain for wares, and if you insist, you can bargain shopkeepers down from their original price. The Jewish Quarter The Jewish quarter is the main residential area for Jews in the old City. This quarter also contains the Western Wall, or the Wailing Wall – which is a holy place for the Jews since it was part of the Temple and close to the Holy of Holies within the Temple. The Jewish quarter also contains interesting archeological sites such as the Burnt House – the remains of a house from the time of the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans 2000 years ago. The Cardo is a typical Roman street built in the 6th century consisting of stores situated between two rows of columns. The remains of the tall columns, arches, and stone floor can still be seen in the Cardo. All these sites make the Old City of Jerusalem a place that visitors will never forget. The Moslem Quarter The Moslem quarter is the largest quarter in the old city, and most of its population arrived after its original Jewish and Christian residents moved to newer neighborhoods. The Moslem Quarter has churches and mosques, and there are several Jewish homes and Yeshivas still remaining. The most important sites in the Moslem Quarter are sacred sites for the Moslem faith such as the Dome of the Rock on Mount Moria (also a holy place for the Jews). THE DEAD SEA SCROLLS The Dead Sea Scrolls are ancient manuscripts that were discovered by a Bedouin between 1947 and 1956 in a cave near Khirbet Qumran, on the northwestern shores of the Dead Sea. They are approximately two thousand years old, dating from the third century BCE to the first century CE. Most of the scrolls were written in Hebrew, with a smaller number in Aramaic or Greek. Most of them were written on parchment, with the exception of a few written on papyrus. The vast majority of the scrolls survived as fragments – only a handful were found intact. Nevertheless, scholars have managed to reconstruct from these fragments approximately 850 different manuscripts of various lengths. Shrine of the Book The distinctive lid-shaped roof of this pavilion was designed to symbolise the pots in which the Dead Sea Scrolls were kept. The first of the scrolls, totalling 800 in all, were found in 1947 and date back to the time of the Bar Kochba Revolt (132–35 CE). Dealing with both secular and religious issues, they were thought to have been written by an ascetic group of Jews called the Essenes, who inhabited the area for about 300 years. The most important is the Great Isaiah Scroll, the largest and best preserved – it is reproduced in facsimile at the museum. The exhibit tells the story of the scrolls and the Essenes and displays some of the original documents. Herrod Herod, byname Herod the Great, Latin Herodes Magnus (born 73 bce—died March/April, 4 bce, Jericho, Judaea) Roman-appointed king of Judaea (37–4 bce), who built many fortresses, aqueducts, theatres, and other public buildings and generally raised the prosperity of his land but who was the centre of political and family intrigues in his later years. The New Testament portrays him as a tyrant, into whose kingdom Jesus of Nazareth was born. Palestine’s vs Israelis he conflict between Palestinian Arabs and Zionist (now Israeli) Jews is a modern phenomenon, dating to the end of the nineteenth century. Although the two groups have different religions (Palestinians include Muslims, Christians and Druze), religious differences are not the cause of the strife. The conflict began as a struggle over land. From the end of World War I until 1948, the area that both groups claimed was known internationally as Palestine. That same name was also used to designate a less well-defined “Holy Land” by the three monotheistic religions. Following the war of 1948–1949, this land was divided into three parts: the State of Israel, the West Bank (of the Jordan River) and the Gaza Strip. It is a small area—approximately 10,000 square miles, or about the size of the state of Maryland. The competing claims to the territory are not reconcilable if one group exercises exclusive political control over all of it. Jewish claims to this land are based on the biblical promise to Abraham and his descendants, on the fact that the land was the historical site of the ancient Jewish kingdoms of Israel and Judea, and on Jews’ need for a haven from European anti-Semitism. Palestinian Arab claims to the land are based on their continuous residence in the country for hundreds of years and the fact that they represented the demographic majority until 1948. They reject the notion that a biblical-era kingdom constitutes the basis for a valid modern claim. If Arabs engage the biblical argument at all, they maintain that since Abraham’s son Ishmael is the forefather of the Arabs, then God’s promise of the land to the children of Abraham includes Arabs as well. They do not believe that they should forfeit their land to compensate Jews for Europe’s crimes against Jews. he conflict between Palestinian Arabs and Zionist (now Israeli) Jews is a modern phenomenon, dating to the end of the nineteenth century. Although the two groups have different religions (Palestinians include Muslims, Christians and Druze), religious differences are not the cause of the strife. The conflict began as a struggle over land. From the end of World War I until 1948, the area that both groups claimed was known internationally as Palestine. That same name was also used to designate a less well-defined “Holy Land” by the three monotheistic religions. Following the war of 1948–1949, this land was divided into three parts: the State of Israel, the West Bank (of the Jordan River) and the Gaza Strip. It is a small area—approximately 10,000 square miles, or about the size of the state of Maryland. The competing claims to the territory are not reconcilable if one group exercises exclusive political control over all of it. Jewish claims to this land are based on the biblical promise to Abraham and his descendants, on the fact that the land was the historical site of the ancient Jewish kingdoms of Israel and Judea, and on Jews’ need for a haven from European anti-Semitism. Palestinian Arab claims to the land are based on their continuous residence in the country for hundreds of years and the fact that they represented the demographic majority until 1948. They reject the notion that a biblical-era kingdom constitutes the basis for a valid modern claim. If Arabs engage the biblical argument at all, they maintain that since Abraham’s son Ishmael is the forefather of the Arabs, then God’s promise of the land to the children of Abraham includes Arabs as well. They do not believe that they should forfeit their land to compensate Jews for Europe’s crimes against Jews.