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!

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!

First day on holiday . . .

April 20th on the Haas Promenade in Talpiyot (yes, there was a breeze!)

So, after finishing my season of volunteering here, I wasted no time taking advantage of freedom! :-) The next day, I was up and out the gate promptly for a visit to Rachel's Tomb. Kever Rachel is the third holiest site in Judaism (behind the Temple Mount/Western Wall in Jerusalem and the Cave of Machpelah/Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron). The site has a fascinating history and historical records mention the tomb's location south of Jerusalem, on the outskirts of Bethlehem as far back as the 4th century A.D.

The story is familiar: in Genesis 34, Rachel, the beloved wife of Jacob, dies giving birth to Benjamin while they were journeying from Bethel to Bethlehem and was buried on that path. This ancient tomb is located along the "Route of the Patriarchs"--the historical road from Bethel to Ephrath.

While traditions related to this tomb can be traced back to the 4th century AD and the tomb was marked by a pyramid in the 7th century, it apparently lost importance until the Crusaders revived its veneration in the 11th and 12th centuries. At that time the tomb was covered with 12 stones. The tomb is venerated by the Abrahamic faiths and it was controlled and maintained by Muslim rulers beginning sometime in the 15th century. Non-Muslims were barred from the site for a number of years prior to 1615, and in 1830, the Ottomans gave legal recognition to the site as being a Jewish holy site. in 1841, Sir Moses Montefiore purchased the site and obtained the key.

In 1947, the United Nations planned for the site to lie in an international zone, but following the 1947-1948 Israeli War of Independence, the site became part of the territory annexed by Jordan and was under the protection of the Islamic wakf. In 1967, Israel gained control of the West Bank, but Moshe Dayan opted not to include Rachel's tomb within the territory annexed to Jerusalem.

The 1995 Oslo Accords affected the status quo of Rachel's Tomb once again. Located only 1500 feet from the municipal border of Jerusalem, the initial plan placed it in the territory to be turned over to the Palestinian Authority; however, protests led to a reversal and the tomb and entrance road was left under Israeli control. The tomb has since been fortified with an adjacent military post and a 13 foot wall as it tends to be a highly-sensitive area prone to attacks and riots. Interestingly, although the tomb lies on the outskirts of Bethlehem, the West Bank barrier wall was built in a way to include the tomb on the Israeli side.

Okay enough history--now to pictures and my experience! :-) Although often Kever Rachel can only be visited in bullet-proof buses, things have been calm enough lately, I boarded a mostly-normal bus at Jerusalem's Central Bus Station. We traveled through some of the northern neighborhoods of Jerusalem, back south along the Old City, and then down Hebron Road to Bethlehem. Soon, the barrier came into view. Instead of going through the checkpoint into Bethlehem itself, we turned right and drove along the wall for a bit before turning left at a break and down along a road bordered by the same high concrete walls.

The West Bank barrier
On the right, the break in the wall where the entrance road arrives at the tomb complex. On the left, the actual entrance . . .
The modern entrance to Rachel's tomb, surrounded by military fortifications (this is a common flashpoint)
Mural depicting Kever Rachel as it was in the early 19th century. The tomb has become a symbol of God's promise in Jeremiah 31:15-17 that Rachel's children would return to the land.
Once inside the door, one goes down a hallway ...
...before seeing the original pillars, sign and entrance to the tomb on the right. The men's entrance was around this right pillar.
The women's entrance was under the sign, between the two pillars.
The women's hallway was maybe five feet wide--not much space for a lot of people. And it was even more crowded than usual as I visited during the week of Pesach. Rachel is considered the mother of the Jewish people, and women often come here to pray for fertility and easy, successful deliveries.
After getting pushed and jostled down the line, I was finally able to see the cenotaph itself. The stone archway is part of the original building built around 1620 and restructured in 1841, now enclosed within a more modern structure.
The "tomb" itself is actually a rock covered with a velvet drape adorned with 11 stars (for the eleven sons of Jacob alive when Rachel died). Unfortunately, the broad side of this faces the men's section.
I was really glad for the opportunity to visit Kever Rachel--it had been on my list of places I wanted to go for my entire time here. It was quite the experience--so chaotic and noisy. The line in to pray and view the tomb was impatient and full of pushing and yelling.

After catching a bus back up Hebron Road, I walked to the Haas promenade in Talpiyot. I was here once before, but it was so pleasant to be back on my own time on such a beautiful spring day. The views are breathtaking!

On the way, I saw another of Jerusalem's double-decker tour buses. Thought I better take a picture for the record--London, you have nothing on Jerusalem!!

The Haas promenadeLooking north over the promenade grounds and Jerusalem proper in the background
The Temple Mount and Dome of the Rock towards the left, the Kidron Valley running down the middle, and the Mount of Olives on the right
Another beautiful view
A spectacular view of Jerusalem's Old City (the golden dome is the Dome of the Rock on its eastern side). This picture is quite revealing--it shows clearly how much lower the Temple Mount and the Western Wall is than the western half of the Old City. It's always easy going down to visit the Western Wall but returning back home is quite an uphill climb!

After strolling along the promenade, I ducked into a grocery store to get a couple things. At first glance, it looks pretty normal ...
But, this was during the week of Passover. Leavened bread is not the only unapproved item during this week; there is quite a list of non-kosher foods, including cakes, crackers, cereals, coffee blends, wheat, barley, oats, rice, and any liquids containing ingredients or flavors made from grain alcohol or vinegar. Obviously, it would be a massive job to take all this stuff into a back store room for week and then bring it out again, so store managers have come up with a different solution ... shelves containing the non-kosher items are covered up and inaccessable.

I hope you've enjoyed sharing my sight seeing journey of last Wednesday. It was quite a cross section of culture--from the holy site of Kever Rachel and those there to pray, to the promenade where many families were out having lunch and just enjoying the holiday, to the grocery store where Pesach has affected inventory and availability. I really enjoyed this day and all the opportunities to "soak up local color" as Lucy wanted to do when she and Ricky traveled to Europe. :-)

More stories and pictures to come . . .!