Janice Rothman relaxes and makes a new friend at the Church.
Jerusalem!
For many of us it is a lifelong dream to be here. It is hard to believe we are visiting places where our Jewish patriarchs, men and women lived, built our religion and died for it. Vibrant and alive.
We experienced a very long day that began with a drive through the downtown of Jerusalem, an older area in need of redevelopment. All buildings are built covered in white stone, a mandate of the British occupation.
We stopped at the Mount of Olives just passing through the Arab sector. We saw many churches and in the distance, the Temple Mt., and further the church where Peter betrayed Jesus.
We viewed the Western and Southern Wall from which the city had never been attacked. Beautiful scene of the walls of the Old City from outside the walls.
We even had a little fun with the local camel driver while there.
We entered the Old City though the Jaffa Gate built by the Ottoman Turks in 1538. This protected the city. This gate is known by the Muslims as the Gate of the Beloved because it leads (after a quick left turn) south to Hebron, the city of Abraham.
We walked through the Muslim Quarter with its shops and more shops, then turned into the Christian Quarter where most of the shops were closed because it was Sunday.
We entered the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.
Janice Rothman relaxes and makes a new friend at the Church.
We roamed through areas and viewed layers of ruins, dug up after the ’67 war. We saw beautiful preserved mosaics, homes of wealthy Jews from Herodian times; not the poverty we might have expected. The archeological treasures found in the restoration of the city is incredible to behold—down to tiny (cosmetic) spoons, cups, buttons and large columns found in pieces. Most fascinating were the many Orthodox children with Tefillin and young girls with long skirts, happily, running, singing. The future of Israel.
Then the Western Wall. Two separate areas—one for women:
Some of “our” women.…and one (much larger!) for men,
