Last few days of sight seeing (Part 2)

Looking west down Gershon Agron street, April 26th

I apologize for not getting this post up faster--the pictures have been uploaded for almost a month, but I haven't seen to find the time or mental focus to write anything about them. Part of the reason for that is six weeks after returning from Israel, I was honored to be offered a full-time job at a hotel here in Windsor! I was not anticipating finding a job that fast and am so grateful. However, I once again have limited time to write and blog.

But enough excuses--here's another glimpse at one of my last sight seeing days in Israel . . .

After a couple days walking around and through Jerusalem's Old City, I spent most of Tuesday, April 26th in the western New City. Jerusalem's Great Synagogue had been on my list for a long time, but I found it hard to fit in. You might be wondering why . . . mostly because it is only open for visitors until noon, and I did not want to be up and bushy-tailed that early on my days off! :-) But with two weeks at my leisure, I had lots of other mornings to sleep in . . .

In Israel, Pesach (Passover in English) lasts for seven days, the first and last days being a bit more ceremonial than the middle of the week. The international Jewish community, however, celebrates an 8-day Passover feast. Okay, here's where I try not to confuse anybody--there are those who live outside of Israel, travel to Israel for Pesach, and retain their eight-day celebration. So, while all the shops had been closed on Monday for the final day of Pesach, there were still some holding services in the synagogue on Tuesday for their final day. The downside to this was I wasn't able to take in my camera and photograph the interior of the synagogue (it is beautiful!). The upside was I got to sit in on some of the Jewish prayer service. I didn't understand every word (it was in Hebrew), but I picked out some words here and there. The experience was special and memorable.

For more history on the Great Synagogue and a few interior pictures, go to http://www.jerusalemgreatsynagogue.com/EN_HomePage.aspx.

The first synagogue on this plot of land was built in 1958, but the current building was completed in 1982 at a construction cost of $18 million. The building was constructed in the style of the Jewish Temple that stood in Jerusalem two thousand years ago, and it was inaugurated on Tu B'Av 1982 (wikipeda has a fascinating article on that specific date). The synagogue was dedicated to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust as well as fallen soldiers of the IDF. (The building is visible in the top picture, just to the left of the tall building and above the trees)

The outside of Jerusalem's Great Synagogue--it really is "great", seating 850 men and 550 women. You can imagine the height of this building when compared to the people standing outside the doors. The windows are stained class and are beautiful from the inside with the sun streaming through them.

The dedication plaque to the left of the entry.
A closer look at the doors . . . the doorkeepers were quite kind, but unfortunately I couldn't take my camera any further.

A random picture as I walked back down Jaffa Road to the Old City . . . this is Jerusalem's version of a fabric store

After a relaxing afternoon at Christ Church, a friend and I went to the Israel museum that evening. This had also been on my list for the 16 months I was in Israel--I have no idea why I didn't get there sooner.

I have been to the Israel Museum on two of my three previous trips to Israel. The museum visit was scheduled for the first day of the tour my first two visits. As some of you know, traveling so far a distance aggravates vertigo for me, and it takes two or three days before balance is restored. My memories from my first two visits to the museum consist of dark edges around my vision, extreme lightheadedness, and concentrated efforts to not faint. Not very pleasant! In 2008, the museum was not scheduled for the first day in Israel--it ended up on the day I was confined to bed for 24 hours per doctor's orders. Unbelievable. I was so looking forward to actually seeing what was in the museum!

And I was not disappointed. Tal allowed me to spend a bit over an hour in the archaeological wing of the museum--that is a long time for somebody who's not into archaeology that much! It's not my number one interest, but I love to see all the finds from Bible times. Especially since I've visited so many of the actual locations--I can picture where the pieces came from. I was torn between being excited to be there and being disappointed I wouldn't be able to fit in a second visit before returning to Colorado.

After the archaeological part, Tal took me on my own private tour through the art wing. To be honest, if I had gone by myself, I probably would have skipped these exhibits altogether. I would have missed out bigtime! There was a whole Jewish history exhibit that was fascination, complete with reconstructed synagogues from around the world. Even the fine art exhibits were much more intriguing than I ever anticipated, largely due to my guide! Tal explained so many artistic concepts/techniques, the artists' backgrounds, and pointed out many details I likely would have overlooked. I walked into the art wing out of obligation to Tal (he had let me have my time in archaeology) but left having really enjoyed the tour. Tal--thank you so much for your patience and untiring explanations. I still can't believe how much I enjoyed perusing all the art, and that is due completely to you!

By the time we exited the building (three hours after entering), it was dusk over Jerusalem. The view was breathtaking.

The Jerusalem skyline, looking west from the Israel Museum
An illuminated waterway ran along the wide concrete path; it's unfortunate this picture can't capture sound and atmosphere.
At the top of the pathway stood this unusual display. The ground is reflected in the top, while the sky is reflected in the bottom. Tal knew the story behind its creation which really made it interesting.
The Jerusalem skyline reflected in the top of the metal sculpture
And then Tal and I had some fun with the reflective metal and my camera :-). The dusk colors made these a touch more intriguing . . .
Another look west at the skyline of Jerusalem
Darkness was falling quickly . . . here is one last look up the pathway at the museum. At the top is the reflective sculpture we stopped to examine.
A reflecting pool meets the glass wall of the museum's coffee shop
The illuminated Knesset building from the museum grounds
Tal and I took one last look back at the illuminated Israel Museum before walking back home.

Last few days of sight seeing (Part 1)

Beginning of the Via Dolorosa

A few posts ago, I shared with all of you my tour of Jerusalem's Old City via the ramparts. The views from the wall in all four directions are breath taking! If you remember, I had a different itinerary for that April Monday, but the morning's plan fell apart one site after another. Before walking the ramparts, I wandered around the Old City for awhile and thought I'd share with you some unique views . . .

I retraced the path of the Via Dolorosa from Lions Gate on the east through the narrow and winding city streets to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher . . . Literally meaning "way of sorrow," this path follows Jesus' route from His condemnation to His crucifixion; however, it is likely more traditional than historically accurate.

The beginning of the Via Dolorosa in the Muslim Quarter . . . it feels a bit crowded walking this street with one car going by, let alone cars trying to pass each other going opposite directions! The wisest thing to do at this point is step into a doorway and wait for the cars to work their way through.
Also near the beginning of the Via Dolorosa, these are original street paving stones from the Second Temple period (100 B.C. - 100 A.D.). The complete street was discovered about 9 feet below the current street and restored in the early 1980s.
One of the fourteen stations composing the Via Dolorosa--this seventh station is the traditional location of the Gate of Judgment and also the the traditional site of Jesus falling under His cross a second time. This station is still located at a busy intersection of Old City streets.
A look back down one of the streets along the Via Dolorosa--it is quite a climb from the east side of Jerusalem towards the Church of the Holy Sepulcher on the western side of the Old City. For a good read on the Via Dolorosa, go to: http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/ViaDolorosa.html
Turning down the road leading (eventually) to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Christian Quarter, one comes across an interesting sight. Tourist often second guess if they've taken the correct turn as this street appears to lead to the Mosque of Omar.
A bit of history here . . . this Omar was actually the main companion and adviser to Islam's prophet, Muhammad. He became Islam's second ruler after Muhammad's death. After the Rashidun army broke into Jerusalem in 637 A.D., the patriarch of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher would not surrender to anyone except the Caliph Omar. Omar traveled to Jerusalem to accept the surrender, and the patriarch invited him to pray inside the church itself. Omar declined, opting instead to pray in the courtyard. Thus, the Mosque of Omar was built over this site. The initial structure was built around 680 A.D., and the structure that stands today dates back to 1193 A.D. Its 45 foot minaret was added sometime before 1465.

But, once you actually walk down the little street towards the mosque, an alley to the left become visible. This alley only goes a few meters before it dead ends and the entrance to the church's courtyard is on the right. On the left, directly opposite, is this store . . . some things in Jerusalem never change . . . :-)
I wasn't interested in shopping for any souvenirs, so I turned right and down the stairs towards the church's courtyard. This is looking back up those stairs
The courtyard and entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This is quite a massive complex with numerous chapels and altars. This place has been a primary place for Christian pilgrimage since at least the 4th century A.D., and the first building constructed here around 326. As one might guess, the building has gone through many destructions, rebuildings, and restorations in the last 1700 years (and we Americans thought we had old buildings in New England!)
A closer look at the windows above the entrance--this ladder has an interesting and unique story. Well, to be truthful, the reason behind the story is discouraging and downright embarrassing for Protestants. Six religious groups share custody of the church--Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Roman Catholic, Coptic Orthodox, Ethiopian Orthodox, and Syriac Orthodox. Sadly, these groups do not always agree and get along, and there have been numerous arguments over the years (to the point where a Muslim family living nearby has been entrusted with teh keys to the doors since the 12th century). In 1852, the Turks declared a status quo which is still in practice today. Part of this edict refers to religious practices in the compound--whatever arrangements were in place at the time (including worship times, decorations, lighting, etc) cannot be altered and are still in place today. Another part of the status quo edict states that no part of any place designated as common territory can be rearranged without consent from all the communities. Unfortunately, this often leads to neglect of areas that badly need attention and repair. On the lighter side of things, this wooden ladder was apparently placed outside the window more than 150 years ago and was used to haul food up to Armenian monks locked in the church by the Turks. Since the ladder was in place at the time the status quo was established, and since window ledges are considered common territory, the ladder has not been moved (and probably won't be moved).


On that odd note, I will bring this post to an end. The Old City has such a fascinating history and so many intriguing stories. I suspect one could spend years exploring all the streets, alleyways, buildings, and shrines and still not see everything. I am so blessed to have been able to live there for almost a year and a half and hope that I have been able to give you glimpses into this unique corner of the world!

Another birthday in Jerusalem!!

April 27, 2011 City of David, Jerusalem

I was thrilled to be able to celebrate a second consecutive birthday in Jerusalem! But, the story of this year's birthday actually begins last fall . . .

One Sunday last September/October, a volunteer outing was arranged with a local tour guide to the City of David excavations in Jerusalem. Due to the fact it was a Sunday (one of the dining room's busiest days), not all the volunteers were able to go. I was one of the skeleton crew who volunteered to stay back and go the second time around. As it turned out, the "second time around" never happened. I was somewhat disappointed. While I have been to the City of David before (two or three times actually), the guide is quite knowledgeable and I was looking forward to going in a small group and being saturated with information! :-) Netanel made some other trips to the City of David in the six months following the volunteer trip, but they were never mornings when I was free to go.

As my departure date grew nearer, I became resigned to the fact that it just wasn't going to work out (at least, not this time around). I was grateful I had been there before and didn't regret my decision of last fall to stay behind and hold the fort.

As the week of April 24th began, I had a few plans for that Wednesday, but as the days progressed, plans were constantly changing. My itinerary for Monday pretty much fell flat, so I walked the Old City ramparts that day instead of Wednesday. Tuesday, I visited Jerusalem's Great Synagogue and the Israel museum. Upon returning to Christ Church, I ran into Netanel who informed me he was taking a little group to the City of David the following morning and asked if I would like to join them. Answering that was a no brainer!! I was glad things had worked so I walked the ramparts Monday and I had no concrete plans for Wednesday morning. It was a bit of a birthday gift from God--I didn't think I would get to go and here, almost at the last minute, plans fell together. I was so excited!

Thus, at 9:00 that morning, we all met up for a bit of a history lesson and then left for David's City.

If you don't mind, I'll share a brief history lesson with you about this piece of ground. At the time of David, "Jerusalem" was actually called Jebus and covered approximately 10 acres. This is the city that David conquered in 2 Samuel 5. The picture below is a "then and now" view of David's Jerusalem. Looking north, the city was located on a little ridge south of what is now known as the Temple Mount. Late in his reign, David bought the threshing floor located on that northern ridge, and Solomon later built the First Temple there. Interestingly, the original city of Jerusalem is located on one of the lowest mountains in the area. The Temple Mount on the north, the Mount of Olives on the east, and the hills to the west are all much higher in elevation. Jerusalem is not located on any main trade routes, by a major water source, or near any other special natural resource deposit. There is no logical reason for it to become David's central city or such a renowned city today.


David conquered Jebus about 3,000 years ago; the centuries between 1000 BC and 2011 AD have seen many cycles of destruction and rebuilding in Jerusalem. Thus, the remaining city structures and walls are quite a ways below modern street level. Located about halfway down the mound are these remains of city gates from the time of the kings of Judah.
While there is interesting archaeological remains above ground, there are equally fascinating "footprints" underground. Assuming nobody is claustrophobic, it is an intriguing walk down to three thousand year old history.

Part of our path down . . .
Prior to arriving at Hezekiah's water tunnel, remains of a fortification from David and Solomon's time are visible. Jerusalem only has one water source (the Gihon spring), and protecting the city's water supply was extremely important. Here is a picture of what that fortification likely looked like. Interestingly, in 1 Kings 1, Solomon was anointed king at this location.
The remains themselves--this is the channel running atop the right wall in the previous picture. Unfortunately, the picture does not convey the size of this. It is huge and the rocks are massive!!
One of the highlights of a City of David tour is walking through Hezekiah's water tunnel. In the 8th century, the Assyrian army marched through Israel, conquering the Northern Kingdom and virtually all of Judah's walled cities. Hezekiah did a couple things to prepare for an Assyrian siege of Jerusalem, including bringing water from the Gihon Spring inside the city. While David and Solomon had built a fortress to protect the spring, Hezekiah diverted its course completely. According to an inscription found in the tunnel, workers started at both ends and met in the middle. Hezekiah's tunnel is mentioned in 2 Kings 20:20 and 2 Chronicles 32:30. This water channel runs into the Pool of Siloam, located on the southwestern slope of the City of David. You may recognize the name from the story in John 9 when Jesus healed a blind man by sending him to this pool to wash his eyes. The Pool of Siloam is cut into the rock and was only rediscovered in 2004/2005. (There is a lot of details and pictures of this tunnel on the web, just google "Hezekiah's tunnel" to explore further!)

On this warm April day, I had a tough decision to make. Walking through Hezekiah's tunnel (complete with calf- to knee-high water!) is such a fun thing to do! It is amazing to walk through something so old--the chisel marks are still visible in the walls. But, there are also dry tunnels in the area, dating back to the time of the Canaanites. I had never walked through those before. Prior history made the decision--as much fun as the water tunnel is, here was an opportunity to see more.

So, I followed Netanel, Nathan and Nick (fellow volunteers), and Olga (CC staff member) through the dry Canaanite tunnel. It is much shorter than the water tunnel; other than that, it is quite similar, just dry!

Following Nick; this is one of the wider/taller sections of the tunnel
Little did I know what reward was awaiting me . . . Upon exiting the dry tunnel, one gets a breathtaking view of the city walls from the time of Manasseh. Once again, these are actually on the side of the hill because the city kept being rebuilt on top of former ruins. This double city wall dates back to the 7th century BC.
Looking south from the City of David . . . the city wall is visible on the right (we had climbed mostly above it), the Kidron Valley runs below it to the left. The hill on the left is now the village of Silwan.
And another new thing to see--south of the walls and a bit east of the Siloam Pool are the Tombs of the Kings. Nobody knows for absolute certain, but it is believed this was where the kings of Judah were buried. Obviously, the tombs have been long since emptied--Jerusalem has been conquered and exchanged hands so many times, it is hardly possible they would have been left intact. The area has also been worked as a stone quarry.

All in all, it was a fascinating walk through history. The people I shared the morning with made it even more memorable!

Netanel, our fantastic guide (Manasseh's city walls and a classic olive tree in the background)
Olga-one of my best friends
Nick--a fellow volunteer from Nebraska. In true gentleman-like style, he carried a bag for one of the girls who was going through the wet tunnel.
And Nathan-another fellow volunteer (from Oxford). Once again, the city walls are in the background.
After spending close to four hours exploring the City of David, I returned to Christ Church for lunch and found out my plans for the afternoon were not going to work. While I was a bit disappointed, that change freed me up to visit the Garden Tomb complex for my first and only visit this time in Israel.

Located outside the Old City's Damascus Gate, it's a beautiful and peaceful corner in a bustling city. I don't believe this is the actual site of Christ's crucifixion, burial, and resurrection, but it is a good visual and a quiet corner to spend some time with Bible and journal.

The Garden Tomb itself
A couple photos of the quiet path where I spent some time . . . You can almost hear the birds singing in the trees!
The one treat I wanted to get for myself on my birthday was a crepe in the Jewish Quarter. I don't know about all of you, but crepes are not extremely common in my area of the world. (Or maybe it's just me not knowing the places to go!) So, I entered the Old City via the Damascus Gate, trekked across the Muslim Quarter, entered the Western Wall plaza, and then climbed up to the Jewish Quarter proper to this great shop!

Spreading out the batter . . .
She did an amazing job flipping it!
And, all ready to eat!
I initially wanted a crepe with cream inside, but they were out of cream. So, she put hot chocolate syrup inside instead. At that point, it turned into a chocolate lovers' crepe--hot chocolate syrup, crushed oreos, and chocolate sprinkles. :-)

No more pictures from the day, but my lovely fellow volunteers also celebrated my birthday at dinner that night. The cooks had sung to me that morning--truly a special moment. One is Jewish, one Arab and they sang in English in harmony. That memory will last a long time! At dinner, they turned out the lights in the dining room to bring in a cake with candles and sang "happy birthday" both in English and then in Hebrew. The cake was chocolate chip and absolutely delicious (Well done, Elsa!!).

Other than catching a cold that day (severe enough to keep me in bed the following day), this birthday was enjoyable and memorable. So many special moments! Thanks to each of you who contributed!

Walk about Zion . . .

April 25th, 2011--Jerusalem ramparts (the orange sticker was to give me access to both rampart walks)

"Walk about Zion and go around her; count her towers; consider her ramparts; go through her palaces; that you may tell it to the next generation." Psalm 48:12-13

One of the things I had had on my list to do ever since I arrived in Israel was to walk on the ramparts around Jerusalem's Old City. It is so mind boggling--these walls were built in the 16th century, they are older than the United States (or Australia (-: ), and yet, at 500 years old, they are not considered old enough to be a valued historical artifact in Israel. Despite that, the walls (along with the Old City itself) were added to the UNESCO World Heritage Site list in 1981.

The Old City is only approximately one kilometer squared; the wall around the perimeter runs close to 2 1/2 miles. The average height of this wall is 40 feet, and its average thickness is eight feet. Along these 2.5 miles are eight gates and thirty-four watchtowers.

Interestingly, the gates in the wall were actually in use (opened at sunrise and shut before sunset) up until 1887.

On Monday, April 25th, my plans kept falling through, so I began my trek around the ramparts of Jerusalem. Come for a walk with me and "consider her ramparts" for yourself!!

(Please forgive the font change--can't figure out why the computer is insisting on doing this!)

The ramparts walk, unfortunately, does not give a person a complete circle of the Old City (the Temple Mount in the southeastern corner interrupts the path). Both the northern and southern routes begin at Jaffa Gate.

Choosing to walk the northern path first, I climbed up to the top of Jaffa Gate and had an incredible view of the newly repaved road leading into the city from the gate.
Looking north along the city wall . . .I walked this road up to Jerusalem's New City hundreds of times. It never got old--walking along such an old wall and seeing different people each time.
The plaza just outside Jaffa Gate . . . crossing this plaza leads to the Mamilla pedestrian mall, Hebron road, and western Jerusalem.Looking across the plaza . . . the rectangle building on the horizon is the King David hotel.
Looking south across the plaza towards Talpiyot, Gilo, and Bethlehem!
The skyline of Jerusalem's Old City (looking northeast)
I walked along the western city wall, arriving at the northwestern corner. Below and outside is the plaza I walked through so many times after walking along the wall. The road taking off the the left is Jaffa Road.
Also taken from the northwestern corner of the city walls, this is looking east toward East Jerusalem and the Mount of Olives (some of the towers on the top of that ridge are visible).
Turning east, I walked along the northern city wall for quite a while. This is the main market street inside Damascus Gate. The golden Dome of the Rock is visible in the background.
From my vantage point above Damascus Gate, this is looking back west over the Old City. The steeple of the Lutheran Church of the Redeemer is plainly visible as well as the two gray domes of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. If you look closely, you can see a white dome left of the steeple--that is the Hurva synagogue in the Jewish Quarter.
A couple photos of the ramparts walk itself. While much of it was out in the sun, this was a pretty little shady section.
Looking ahead to the coming path--this ramparts walk was by no means flat; there were many stairs!
Getting closer to the northeastern corner of the wall, another look out across the Old City skyline.
Turning south to walk along the east wall, this was a spectacular view of the Kidron Valley and the Mount of Olives on the east. The golden onion-looking spires belong to the Russian Gethsemane/Church of Mary Magdalene (where we walked the previous Thursday evening). Below it is the traditional Garden of Gethsemane and Church of All Nations. Further south is the largest Jewish cemetery in the world.
The "northern ramparts" walk ended at Lions Gate on the east side of the Old City (almost directly opposite of Jaffa Gate in the west). This is looking south from Lions Gate inside the walls. The visible wall is actually the northern boundary of the Temple Mount. While the arched opening can serve as an exit for tourists, generally only Muslims are allowed access to the Temple Mount from this point.
At this point, I had to come down off the wall and walk back through the Old City to Jaffa Gate. I stopped at a couple places along the way and also to have a water/snack break at home! Then, it was on to the southern portion of the ramparts walk.

A glimpse of the path walking south along the western city wall. It's not very wide and views are limited at this point . . .
. . . but there are still some! This is the Artists' Colony just opposite Jerusalem's Old City. Also known as Hutzot Hayotzer, this avenue was established in 1969 in an area that had been a no man's land from 1948-1967. The artists here are quite prestigious, having exhibited their work in museums both in Israel and abroad.
Brownie points to those who recognized the Artists' Colony at the bottom of this photo! Behind and above it is the neighborhood of Yemin Moshe--one of the first neighborhoods established outside the walls of Jerusalem's Old City (1891). The original houses were surrounded with a wall and a gate that was locked at night.
Continuing to walk south, this a glimpse at the outside of the western city wall.Having reached the southwestern corner and turned east, this picture looks back at one of the main roads running through the Armenian Quarter. I walked along this road many times as well--Christ Church is located on it a bit further north!Looking east at Zion Gate, one of the defensively-structured L-shaped gates in the Old City walls.
Looking east inside the city wall--this road runs from Zion Gate to the Jewish Quarter.
Looking east at the Arab village of Silwan
Another amazing view! This is looking at the outside of the southern city wall. At the far end is the Temple Mount (the grey dome of the Al Aqsa mosque is visible if you look carefully) and behind it, the Mount of Olives with the Jewish cemetery.
The southern ramparts walk goes as far as Dung Gate, and then I opted to walk back along the outside of the walls. This is another view of the western city wall (south of Jaffa Gate) from its foot.
The people in this picture help lend a sense of size and scale to the wall.
A bit further along this wall walk--looking north at more city walls. The minaret on the right is part of the Citadel of David and just behind that is Jaffa Gate and Christ Church.
These are only a few of the pictures from the ramparts walk (I know, I hear the sighs of relief!)--the day was incredibly clear and the views spectacular! I really enjoyed the walk and am glad I had the opportunity!