Some medical "excitement" . . .

As you can tell, I've had a little bit of "excitement" this month in Israel. Like I mentioned in a previous blog, I spent some time at Yad Vashem on Thursday, March 4th. While this was a special day for me, one incident clouds my memories of that day. I made a stupid "tourist" mistake, tripped on some stairs, and caught myself with my right arm.

While not a dramatic trip/fall (don't worry--none of you missed seeing anything spectacular!!), I am still experiencing complications from that split second reaction. For the first two weeks, I didn't think too much about it and continued to do my assigned shifts. But, this prevented my arm from healing, and I got to the point where I could not finish my shifts on account of the pain. On March 17th, my supervisor insisted I get x-rays to make sure nothing was broken.

That afternoon was a circus! Although my health insurance is with the "normal" company for Christ Church volunteers, we found out the hard way that they have switched their coverage somewhat, and the normal places don't accept the new insurance. To make a long story somewhat shorter, Jane and I spent over 4 hours out and at least half that time on the phone trying to sort this out. Guess I was the guinea pig for figuring out the new health insurance workings; hopefully, it will simplify the process for others. Anyway, after a myriad of phone calls, a doctor approved by the insurance was able to swing by and refer me to the emergency clinic; then we could proceed with x-rays.

As I expected, nothing is broken; it's just the chronic nerve injury/pain flaring up once again and continuing to use that arm was not helping. I was instructed to try resting my right arm in a sling for two weeks and see if that would help. I think this is probably the best course of action, as rest is what has helped in the past. It has been a challenge trying to work one-handed, though.

I have been placed on the breakfast kitchen shift indefinitely as that is where I can contribute the most. The first couple days were mentally exhausting as I had to really think about what I could/couldn't do, rethink how to do some things with only my left hand, and then look for things I could do. After the first week, work got easier as some new habits/patterns had developed.

There are some things I absolutely cannot figure out how to do one-handed . . . opening cans (both with a can opener and the flip-top types), washing dishes, carrying anything and opening a door :-), spreading butter on bread, etc. Gratefully, most of my fellow volunteers have been quite understanding, encouraging, and willing to help. Also, this isn't the first time I've had real difficulties with my right arm, so I have some practice eating and writing left-handed. Those activities aren't so challenging, if you can believe that.

This Thursday is expected to be my first day out of the sling again, so we will see if 2 weeks of rest was the magic answer. I am a little apprehensive but determined to be wise and not do too much too fast.


In order to make two weeks of wearing a sling more fun, many of my friends added their signatures! :-) I have English, Hebrew, Russian, and German on my sling!!




Other than this medical adventure, I don't have much new news to share. Last Monday afternoon, I went for a lovely walk in Yemin Moshe (the oldest neighborhood outside Jerusalem's Old City walls) and discovered a beautiful park. It was so quiet up above the streets of the Old City, and since it is spring here in Israel, the grass was a luscious green and many flowers were blooming. It was a peaceful, restful afternoon, and I am sure I will be back to that shady bench many more times!

The road down into/through Yemin Moshe

Looking back across at the Old City walls--the people help convey size and scale.
An interesting bird in the park . . .

Lastly, a random picture out my second-floor bedroom window of some sort of parade passing by this morning . . .

I am looking forward to an exciting week. Passover (or Pesach in Hebrew) begins tomorrow night. A volunteer outing to the desert by the Dead Sea is planned for us. The plan is to leave around 1pm and return a little after midnight (that should make breakfast shift on Tuesday exciting!). Then, there are special church services planned for Thursday evening (after which will be a meditative walk to Gethsemane), Friday afternoon, Saturday evening, and Sunday morning. I am excited that my work schedule will allow me to go to all of these! I consider myself truly blessed to be able to celebrate Passover, Easter, and all the events of Holy Week here in Jerusalem this year!

Jerusalem's Via Dolorosa and some fun!

The past couple weeks have been busy, intense, and full of variety! Life here in Jerusalem is never boring . . .

Two weeks ago tomorrow, I worked the 7am-3pm cleaning shift, and after I got off, a friend and I went for a walk down the Via Dolorosa here in Jerusalem. I have walked portions of it before, but I had no idea how to get from Christ Church to the beginning of the Via Dolorosa other than starting at the end, tracing it backwards, and then turning around to walk it forwards. That seems somewhat anticlimactic. Also, I wanted to make sure I could make my own way without worrying about safety.

The present layout of Jerusalem was only established in 135 A.D, so the Via Dolorosa is purely tradition and not the actual path Jesus would have walked from His condemnation to His crucifixion. "Via Dolorosa" is Latin for "Way of Suffering" or "Way of Grief." (On a side note, we once named a goat Dolorosa as her twin sister died fairly tramautically, and it simply fit.) Although the Via Dolorosa is traditional and not wholly historical, it has been a path for pilgrims to come remember Jesus' suffering for centuries. It is certainly an experience not to be missed--both for taking time to remember oneself and also to share a very old tradition with millions of other pilgrims.

Although the Via Dolorosa is not Jesus' exact path carrying his cross, it actually fits well with other roads around Jerusalem. Jaffa Road is so named because it is the road that goes to Jaffa; Damascus Road is so named because it is the road that leads to Damascus. In the same way, even though Jesus didn't walk the Via Dolorosa Himself, it is accurately named because of the place to which it leads. The path culminates at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher--the site long held to be the location of Jesus' death and burial (thus the culmination of His suffering). But, there may be other names for this special path as it also leads to the site of Jesus' resurrection!

This was an amazing walk that Monday afternoon. John shared so much information and insights. Some of what he shared I already knew, but quite a bit inspired me to think from different angles or to consider things more deeply. It was great to get my own individual tour and have unlimited, easy access to the tour guide. :-)

We ended up at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. I have been here many times before and know about the main chapels in the building, but there are numerous side chapels and nooks that I have no clue about. It was really helpful to have these explained as well.

My friend and I arrived back at Christ Church about two hours after we started out, and my mind was full and reeling. I had been given so much to think about and the walk was an incredible experience for me spiritually. Everyone at the dinner table noticed that night that my mind was elsewhere! :-)

The next day when I got off my shift, I went back to make sure I could remember how to get to the beginning of the Via Dolorosa and walk the entire path by myself while the memory was still fresh. It is not necessarily a straight-forward path, and one has to remember where to go amongst the crowded and sometimes confusing Old City streets. I promptly got myself lost in the Muslim Quarter, but was able to trace my steps backwards and rediscover my way. I am so glad to now know the Via Dolorosa myself, but I have to say, I got a lot more heckling from the shop keepers when I was by myself than the day before when I was following John. Oh well, it is an integral part of Jerusalem life.


The Via Dolorosa begins in the northeast of Jerusalem's Old City, in the Muslim Quarter, just inside Lions Gate.

A view of the Temple Mount from what was the location of the Roman Antonia Fortress. This is looking south; the rest of Jerusalem's Old City lies to the right.


Looking left at the Mount of Olives from the same place. This is the official beginning of the Via Dolorosa: Station One where tradition says Pilate condemned Jesus to death by crucifixion.



This stained glass window is in the front of one of the two Franciscan chapels commemorating Station Two of the Via Dolorosa. This is the Chapel of Flagellation. In the glass is Pilate washing his hands.


Another stained glass depiction from the front of the Chapel of Flagellation.


The ceiling of the Chapel, remembering the crown of thorns placed on Jesus' head.

Across the courtyard from the Chapel of Flagellation is the Chapel of Condemnation, commemorating Jesus being given His cross to carry. Contrary to popular belief, tradition, and art, He only carried the crossbeam, not the entire cross. This is a paving stone from the Antonia Fortress with a Roman game scratched into it.



Along the Via Dolorosa are 14 stations commemorating different events of Jesus' walk from condemnation under Pilate, to the place of His crucifixion, to the tomb in which He was buried and from which He rose from the dead. On the Jerusalem streets, the stations are marked with large disks like this. This is Station Eight, remembering where Jesus stopped to comfort the daughters of Jerusalem. The stone disk near the bottom of the photo has a Latin cross and an inscription: "Jesus Christ is victorious."




On the lighter side, one of the volunteers was leaving to return home a week ago (March 13th), so there were quite a few farewell gatherings for her. One Wednesday evening (March 10th), some of us walked down to a McDonalds in the German Colony since Sarah loves McDonalds! :-) It was about a half-hour walk and such an enjoyable time with all the others.

This is looking back up the road in the German Colony at about 8:30pm.

Here are (l-r) Joanne (one of my roommates, from New Zealand), Carolina (Columbia), and Michelle (the US!).

Sarah (from France--she's the one who was leaving), Harri (Germany), James (standing up; from Cambridge), and Andreas (Germany).

Harri and Andreas again, and then Anja. Anja is also from Germany; she was originally Sarah's roommate, now she's sharing with Joanne and I! This picture isn't quite how it looks--Anja is not smoking!!

The two Sarahs--Sarah from the US and "French Sarah."

Amanda (I actually took this picture myself!), Tal (Israeli) and Sarah (from the US). And the unmistakeable golden arches behind us. We sat out on a balcony enjoying our ice cream!


The next night, eight of us took two taxis to a bowling alley. I did not bowl (had to think about my right arm), but went along as cheerleader. It was so fun and brought back memories from when I was much younger and my grandma bowled seriously. Our group was a mixture of attempting to bowl seriously and just bowling for the fun of it.

Jonathan works at the reception desk in the evenings, but not this evening!

John (foreground) and Francis-- both from the States!!

"French" Sarah and Carolina
Harri
Andreas the first (there is now another Andreas here, he is [obviously] Andreas the second!)

So, from walking the Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem's Old City to eating at McDonalds in Jerusalem's German Colony to bowling in modern Jerusalem, there is much to do here and all of it intensely enjoyable!!

Something I've been longing to do . . .

Last Thursday was a day off for me and I took a brave step into an adventure all by myself. I have been wanting to go to Yad Vashem since I got here. The tours in 2004 and 2006 didn't give us enough time to really read and absorb the numerous exhibits in the museum and around the property. Then in 2008, the tour group visited Yad Vashem when I was under doctor's orders to remain in bed for 24 hours. It was one of the top items on my list of things to do/places to visit while I'm here in Israel.

For those of you who may not know, Yad Vashem is a Holocaust museum just outside of Jerusalem. This memorial was established in 1953 and is Israel's official memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. Roughly six million Jews were killed in the Holocaust, 1.5 million of them were children. "Yad Vashem" is Hebrew for "a hand and a name" and comes from Isaiah 56:5. The main museum and all the other memorials on the property are quite well designed and the reality of the horror of the Holocaust is difficult to absorb and understand. If you're interested in learning more about Yad Vashem, check out the wikipedia entry (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yad_Vashem). It is well done and you'll learn a lot!

I hadn't achieved this goal yet because every time I'd arrive at a day off, I'd chicken out and be too intimidated to try and figure out the bus system. I suppose one could walk to Yad Vashem, but it would take a lot of time. My first choice would have been to go with somebody the first time, but that never quite worked either. So, last Thursday I took a deep breath and dove into the adventure.

First step--figuring out how to get on the right bus from Jaffa Gate to Yad Vashem on Mount Herzl. This was actually easy--the bus stops just down from Jaffa Gate, and Bus 20 appeared according to the schedule. The driver was very helpful, telling me where to get off and which direction to walk. It was a 5-10 minute walk from the bus stop down to the grounds of Yad Vashem, and it was a very pleasant walk. Mount Herzl is outside and higher in elevation than Jerusalem proper, the morning was clear and sunny, and it was a pleasantly quiet morning. Pretty soon, I rounded a curve in the road and there was the entrance to Yad Vashem. It was a surreal moment--I couldn't believe I had found my own way there. I walked in the gate a little after 10am with absolutely no time limits, free to spend as much time as I wanted!!


Walking up the road to Yad Vashem . . .


Around a corner, the Yad Vashem grounds came into view. The building to the right is simply the welcome center, and the triangular building behind it is the main museum building with all the historical exhibits.


My first stop was to get a map since there are memorials on the outskirts of Yad Vashem that I have not seen before, then I went to the main museum. This building was completed in 2005 and its design is deeply thought out and intentional. In 2006, I had to keep moving so I would be through in time to get back to the bus, but this Thursday, I took me time and read much more of the exhibits than I had before. The horror of it all is overwhelming, and one wants to weep for the deliberate cruelty the Jewish people have experienced. The exhibits begin with video footage of Jewish life prior to 1933 and then continue with Hitler's rise to power, the early rulings and separation against Jews, Krystallnacht (Night of the Broken Glass) the night of November 9, 1938 in Germany and Austria, the establishment of ghettos, the death camps, the death marches, the end of World War II, the establishment of the state of Israel, and much much more. There are ten exhibit halls in this building, and I spent over 2 hours in there. I think it would be beneficial to go back multiple times because even though I had plenty of time, about halfway through I simply couldn't absorb anymore. I was walking through the exhibits and reading so much material, but my mind simply couldn't process any more of the information. I need to go back and start at the halfway point next time.


The bridge to the entrance of the museum; a sign erected at the beginning of the bridge reads: "Bridge to a vanished world . . ." Inside the door, the first exhibit is a tribute to Jewish life before World War II, "a life and landscape that no longer exists. The Jewish world that was lost."



At the end of the museum, one exits out onto a platform with a beautiful view. It's a complete experience--the videos of Jewish life before 1933, down into the horrors of World War II, and then out to a beautiful panorama of the hills around Jerusalem that lifts one spirits and causes hope to return.




I then explored the outer edges of Yad Vashem. I had never been to the Valley of the Communities before. It was a sobering exhibit to walk around. This monument covers 2 1/2 acres and was carved out of the bedrock. The stone walls towered above me. They are easily 10-15 feet high, and it's like a maze. On the walls are carved the names of over 5,000 Jewish communities that were decimated in the Holocaust. This monument was completely new to me and drove home the enormity of the Holocaust. Most of the community names I didn't recognize, but the sheer number of them is overwhelming.


Overlooking the Valley of the Communities monument.

The entrance to the Valley of the Communities. It's too bad there's no sense of scale in this picture. The rock walls are so tall, I was dwarfed walking through the entrance.

Some of the massive walls in the Valley of the Communities with name after name of destroyed Jewish communities engraved in the stone.



Next, I visited the Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations. This quiet and peaceful garden was established to honor so many non-Jewish people who risked their lives to help Jews. The names are arranged by country and then under alphabetical order, but new names are constantly being added. It was the perfect place to visit after the Valley of the Communities. There, I was just overwhelmed by the depth of human cruelty and tragedy, here a measure of hope and faith were restored. It reminded me of 1 Kings 19 when Elijah wanted to die, but God told him there were 7,000 people in Israel who had not bowed their knee to Baal. Here among the vastness of human cruelty, there were thousands of people who did stand up for the lives of the Jewish people and risked their own lives in doing so.

The Garden of the Righteous Among the Nations.


Two other bigger memorials on the grounds of Yad Vashem worth mentioning. One is the Hall of Remembrance. It is a large, plain basalt structure that is sobering in its simplicity. Inside this building is a black floor with the names of 22 Nazi murder sites hat existed in Europe during World War II. A memorial flame burns continually next to a containing ashes brought to Israel from the extermination camps in Europe. Other than the flame and the light coming in the door, the hall is dark and silent. These places were real, great horrors happened there; the names are etched in history forever . . . Treblinka, Auschwitz, Dachau, Chelmno, etc.


The outside of the Hall of Remembrance (pictures are not allowed inside).


The other memorial at Yad Vashem one must visit is the Children's Memorial. Again, no pictures are allowed inside, but it is quite somber and moving. The path leads downward and suddenly one steps from sunlight into complete darkness. There are dimly lit pictures of Jewish children killed in the Holocaust and dirge-type music is playing in the background. In the second room are three candles surrounded by thousands of mirrors. There is no other light, so it feels like one is among the stars. Here, a looped tape is playing--the names, ages, and countries of the murdered children are read. How can one not weep to hear of children ages 2 or 3, or even 11 and 12 whose lives ended so young?

I had lunch in the Yad Vashem cafeteria (spaghetti and french fries), and then I did a bit of shopping in the gift shop. I am always a sucker for books and found a good one! I also found a couple gifts to send home whenever I get the time and energy to figure out shipping to the States.

After quite a day, I walked back to the bus station for the bus ride back. I'm not quite sure if this was the correct route or not, but I got on the bus I was supposed to and "enjoyed" an hour and a half's trip around some suburbs of Jerusalem. I got on the bus at 3:20pm and got off about a mile away from the Jaffa Gate bus stop as the traffic was getting quite congested and I figured I could walk the rest of the way back faster! :-)

I arrived back at my room with a sense of achievement--I had done it! I had gotten myself somewhere I really wanted to go and back without any major mishaps! It starts giving me a little courage that maybe I can figure out my way around here and get to places on my days off.

This was taken Thursday evening . . . safely back in my room! :-)

So, if any of you ever get to visit Israel and Jerusalem, make sure you get to Yad Vashem--it is well worth your time!! By the way, more of my pictures from Yad Vashem are up on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/47795290@N08/sets/72157623592998590/.

Enjoy!!

Finding a grocery store and getting a haircut . . .

My news from last week is that I have now found my way to a nearby grocery store! There are little shops quite close where one can buy candy bars, chips, cookies, drinks, and such, but last week I needed some items that were only to be found at a true grocery store/supermarket/soup kitchen (whichever term you prefer!). So, at lunch last Monday (2/22), I got directions and headed off all by myself. It was sunny, but a chilly wind was blowing. Not the best day for a walk, but I needed to go while I had the time and opportunity. It was a 15-20 minute walk south from Old City Jerusalem. I followed the road south along the western city wall, then crossed the Hinnom Valley, and continued south on the Hebron Road. Why is it called the Hebron Road? Because it is the road that takes one to Hebron, of course! :-) I didn't actually go all the way to Hebron (it is about 18 1/2 miles south of Jerusalem and a city full of unrest), nor did I go all the way to Bethlehem which is only 6 miles down this road. I found the Super Deal without too much trouble and then had way too much fun inside. All four wheels on the grocery cart swivel, making it quite fun to steer, and I had fun just looking through the aisles at all the available products. Some were labeled in English and Hebrew, some in just Hebrew. All the signs were in Hebrew, all the prices in New Israeli shekels. I did eventually find what I needed as well as some extra things. But, I didn't get too much as I had a 20-minute walk back to Christ Church and only one good hand in which to carry bags.

It's a beautiful walk, and I was so proud of myself for figuring out the directions and finding my way all by myself! It's easy to let fear become prison bars and not try anything new because of fear of failure. Don't worry--I'm not doing anything stupid or risky. I always ask what is safe, but even then, I can easily talk myself out of trying new things.

This picture is outside of Jaffa Gate, looking south. This is the west city wall of Jerusalem's Old City.


As I walked along the road that leads down to the bridge over the Hinnom Valley, the western wall of Jerusalem's Old City was on my left. Everything is nice and green, thanks to three days of rain. (This "western wall" is not to be confused with the famous Western Wall--that is the western wall of the Temple Mount platform, inside Jerusalem's Old City.)

I had to walk south past the wall of the Old City, this is looking up at what is called Mount Zion (south of the Old City). The side of the road almost looks like a road in the Colorado foothills with its trees and bushes.


Looking south into the Hinnom Valley. This was a horrible place in Old Testament times--many children were burned alive in this valley. Today, it is beautiful and green.


This picture is taken from Hebron Road, looking back to the northeast at Jerusalem. In the foreground is the Hinnom Valley, the Old City walls are to the left in the back, and Mount Zion to the right. Although not very clear in the picture, the Hinnom Valley lies lower than Jerusalem, and the roads wind around the hill on which Jerusalem is built.



From the same spot on Hebron Road, this is looking more to the north. It's a beautiful view of Jerusalem's Old City, and the Hinnom Valley is in the foreground. It might give you more of a sense of geography. It may only be 15-20 minutes to the Super Deal, but it is a good walk as one walks down from Jaffa Gate to cross the Hinnom Valley then climbs back up out of the valley. It is not uphill both ways :-), but it is uphill and downhill both ways. If one wants some exercise, this is a good walk! :-)


This is a little closer view of the city walls. In the middle (right above the break in the trees) is an opening in the wall. The patch of black just to the left is Jaffa Gate (under reconstruction). Christ Church is not far inside this gate, so I use Jaffa Gate all the time to go in and out of the Old City into the New City.

From the same place on Hebron Road, a turn to the left brings into view Yemin Moshe. Yemin Moshe was the first neighborhood established outside the walls of the Old City, in 1891. Today it is quite an upscale neighborhood.

The windmill in Yemin Moshe, and the King David Hotel in the background.

I saw some beautiful greenery on my walk today. This was in Yemin Moshe and although they look blue, the flowers on this plant were actually purple!


One thing that makes the walk to the grocery store entertaining is the traffic. We thought people were getting a little careless and rude in Windor--it is nothing compared to the way traffic goes in Israel!!! It is fascinating to me, though probably quite dangerous. I see people come through the right turn lane and then cross straight over into the 3rd lane over on the new road. I've seen people pull U-turns in the middle of the road, and motorcycles simply weave between the cars. It's absolutely crazy! And if all else fails, honk your horn! Horns are beeped so often, they become almost like background noise. Today, it was quite funny as the horn on a bus got stuck, and the driver couldn't get it to stop. He had to simply keep going with his horn blaring away! I am in no hurry to even think about driving here!!!

Normal traffic in Jerusalem--it is almost always busy and bumper to bumper.

Inside Jaffa Gate runs David Street, the site of a major shuk (or market). It is a busy street full almost anything anyone could want--snacks, souvenirs, scarves, jewelry, clothes, incense, olive wood, etc.

This is at the top of the shuk, looking down the street. This is facing east, and walking down the street would take one into the heart of Jerusalem's Old City. I often go this way to go to the Western Wall or the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.



This is closer to the bottom of the shuk looking back up (to the west and Jaffa Gate). The little ramps are for the carts that are used to bring merchandise in to the shops. I was lucky to catch a momentary lull in the pedestrian traffic.

Just for entertainment . . . this is the menu to a restaurant in Jerusalem's New City. Chicken liver or hearts anyone?


Sunday was Purim--the Jewish holiday remembering Esther and how God used her to save the Jewish people from annihilation via the plot of Haman. One of the traditions is to read the story of Esther, complete with cheers when the names of Mordechai or Esther are mentioned and boos when Haman is mentioned. Here at Christ Church, the staff and volunteers put together a Purim party; the headline event was a play retelling the story of Esther. However, the party also had a pirate theme, so the story was a little different in flavor. :-)

Aaron was the narrator and he proceeded to retell the story of Esther complete with piratey language and accent.


The cast of the "Pirate Esther" play . . . Haman, King Ahaseurus, Haman's wife, Sarah (entertainment :-)), Mordechai, Queen Vashti.



The entire play was well acted and hilarious! Every body was quite dramatic and spiced up their parts. Here, we have Haman leading Mordechai after the king realized Mordechai had never received a reward for his part in saving the king's life, and he asked Haman's suggestions on how to reward him. If you've never read the story in the book of Esther, I highly recommend it, although it won't be quite as interesting as this piratey retelling! :-)

One more piece of news for today. :-) Yesterday, I got my first Israeli hair cut. I had run out of time to get a trim right before I left, and I was getting desperate for a cut. A lady from Jerusalem actually came to the Guest House for the two of us needing a hair cut. I was so relieved to find out she has curly hair herself and understands the idiosyncracies of cutting curly hair. I was able to relax and let her do her job. After finishing, she dried it straight. It was a fun change of pace for the day and caught quite a bit of attention. My new hair cut is quite a bit shorter than I've had before, but so far I'm liking it. It's just going to take me a few days to figure out what I can and can't do with it.

It's a different cut than normal, so we had to take a few pictures to share . . .




Anyway, this is what I've been up to lately (besides working, of course!). The weather has been a nice mix. It started raining here Thursday night and continued through Monday afternoon. It was great as the land needs the rain quite badly. Then today, it was nice and sunny again--perfect for my day off!