Another Side of Jerusalem

I was delighted to see abundant sunshine on our second morning in Jerusalem. The only complaint I had is that, at breakfast, the toaster and cappuccino maker weren’t operating because it was Shabbat. In Israel, the Sabbath means rest, and this is taken especially seriously in Jerusalem, with its large population of Orthodox and ultra-Orthodox Jews. Most stores are closed and there is no public transportation from sunset on Friday until sunset on Saturday. 

On Saturday morning, as we drove through residential neighborhoods in West Jerusalem, we passed men and boys in dark suits, their heads covered and their shoulders draped in prayer shawls, walking to synagogue. A few even wore tall fur hats, the traditional garb of the East European high society from two hundred years ago. On the other hand, we also noticed a number of joggers and soccer games underway in the parks. So, obviously, there are secular as well as religious Jews in Jerusalem.

In about half an hour, we arrived in Ein Kerem, in the far western part of the city. According to Christian tradition, it’s the birthplace of St. John the Baptist, the cousin of Jesus. Formerly an Arab village, Ein Kerem attracts pilgrims from around the world to the Church of St. John the Baptist, maintained by the Franciscans. The original building dates back to the Byzantine Era, but major additions and renovations were done during Crusader and modern times. We noted the beautiful blue and white tile work in the interior. 

A beautiful morning in Ein Kerem

Church of St. John the Baptist

The interior of the church

A Franciscan monk with a visiting group of Filipino priests 

Following our visit to the church, Alon surprised us with a coffee break at the nearby Chocolate House. Sitting at an outside table with my affogato while jazz played through the speakers, I had to remind myself that I wasn’t back in Brooklyn. Elisa and Christian would have felt right at home here. 

Locals enjoying chocolate, ice cream, and coffee at the Chocolate House 

Afterwards, Alon offered us a tour of Jerusalem’s more modern side. He pointed out the landmark Bridge of Strings or Chord Bridge. This graceful structure was designed to resemble King David’s harp. The bridge carries pedestrians and Jerusalem’s light-rail trains over a busy highway intersection. At the Supreme Court building, Alon explained Israel’s parliamentary system of government, in which the leader of the political party that wins the most seats in the legislature becomes the leader of the government. Several different political parties are represented in the Knesset (the Israeli parliament). This means that it’s usually necessary for parties with differing views to come together and form a coalition in order to get a majority. As a result, parties representing a small percentage of the electorate sometimes wield a disproportionate amount of power. 

Menorah sculpture in the park near the Supreme Court building

After viewing the Knesset building from a distance (it was set far back behind security fences), we drove to the outskirts of the city, to see the 9/11 Memorial. A piece of the World Trade Center is embedded in the sculpture of an American flag and the names of the victims are inscribed on plaques. It was quite a moving tribute. 

9/11 Memorial

We still had a couple of hours of free time when we returned to our hotel. John, Sue and I decided to walk up to the Old City and wander around on our own. John wanted to take some photos, Sue wanted to add to her daily step count, and I wanted to poke around in the shops – not with the intention of buying, of course, but just to look. We followed a pair of young Orthodox men making their way up the street leading to the Jaffe Gate. 

Since Alon wasn’t with us this time, we had to navigate our way through the Old City on our own. It was a challenge, even with the map we’d picked up at the tourist office. The three of us walked for a couple of hours, getting thoroughly and delightfully lost. 

Following John and Sue in the Old City

In the process, we found the souk, which was crowded with shoppers and tourists bargaining for goods of all sorts. 

On a quieter side street, we discovered a Bedouin-run shop selling beautiful jewelry and textiles. 

Wherever we stopped to look, I was impressed by the expert salesmanship of the merchants. Their skills quickly overcome my resolve not to part with my shekels. 

In the Jewish Quarter, the main plaza and the streets were filled with Orthodox families out enjoying the day of rest. Unfortunately for us, the public restrooms in the Jewish Quarter were also enjoying the day off. 

When darkness fell, we were able to find our way back to the Tower of David, where we were scheduled to meet the rest of our group for the outdoor sound and light spectacle. The show greatly exceeded my expectations, both visually and content-wise. It conveyed the long history of Jerusalem from King David through Israeli independence using a combination of music and constantly changing images, projected on the ancient walls and the remains of the Citadel that surrounded us. Besides being educational, the experience was immensely entertaining. I wish I could share photos with you, but once the show began, we weren’t allowed to take pictures. 

We were inside the Citadel for the sound and light show.

There’s much more to tell about our stay in Jerusalem but I’ll stop here for now and continue in my next post. 

Jerusalem, at Last!

I got my first glimpse of Jerusalem on a late Thursday afternoon, standing on the Mount of Olives, looking east towards the Old City. The last rays of the sun were illuminating the golden Dome of the Rock. It’s a famous view, immortalized in countless photos that I’d seen before, yet I still got a thrill seeing it right before my eyes. 

We spent five days in Jerusalem, which I now realize is hardly enough time to see a fraction of the sights and to soak up a bit of the atmosphere that makes it such a special place. Our first evening in the city happened to be Thanksgiving, so our group celebrated with a “special” dinner – we feasted on pizza, pasta, and salad in a restaurant near our hotel. It certainly wasn’t the traditional Thanksgiving meal but it was a nice change from the regular fare of hummus, eggplant and pita. 

The following morning, we began our sightseeing in earnest. Although we could have walked from our hotel, the Dan Boutique, to the Old City in about twenty minutes, we saved a little time by having our bus drop us off at the Jaffa Gate, one of several entry/exit points to the Old City. Alon explained that the Jaffa Gate got its name because it faces the city of Jaffa on the Mediterranean coast. The same reasoning applies to the Damascus Gate. 

When I travel, I like to study street maps in advance to get a better sense of orientation. I had looked at a map of the Old City and tried to get a good picture of the main streets in my mind, but I’m sure I would have gotten totally lost without Alon’s guidance. Once we were through the Jaffa Gate, which cuts through thick stone walls built by the Ottomans 500 years ago, we were in an open area surrounded by shops and small eating establishments. Just to our right was the Citadel, a medieval fortress that is also known as the Tower of David (although it has nothing to do with King David). If we walked straight ahead, we would be on David Street, which separates the Christian Quarter from the Armenian Quarter. And if we continued walking straight, we would eventually reach the Muslim and Jewish Quarters. 

The Citadel (Tower of David) 

Inside the Jaffa Gate

Inside the Old City, near the Jaffa Gate

Alon led us into the Christian Quarter to see a major Christian pilgrimage site, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. This bascilica church is believed to stand on the site where Jesus was crucified and where his tomb was located. The earliest parts of the church date back to the reign of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine in the 4^thcentury CE. The complex was seriously damaged during the period of Muslim rule. The crusaders who arrived in Jerusalem in 1099 made restoration and enhancement of the church a priority. 

Entrance to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher  

Standing in front of the entrance the church, Alon explained how over the centuries, different groups of Christians have fought each other, sometimes shedding blood, over control of the church complex. The interdenominational conflict was never resolved, which resulted in certain areas being partitioned off for the six different Christian religious orders (Roman Catholic, Greek Orthodox, Armenian, Syriac Orthodox, Coptic Christians, and Ethiopians) who continue to share ownership and responsibilities of the church. 

Alon knew how crowded the church would get and wanted us to arrive as early as possible. Even at 8:15 am, the building was already filled with masses of people jostling for a bit of personal space. Added to the physical crush was the overpowering smell of incense. But I soon forgot these minor discomforts because I was dazzled by the stunning beauty of the church’s interior. Gorgeous mosaics and paintings of religious themes decorate the walls and ceiling. Gold is extravagantly used throughout the church and jewel-toned hanging glass lamps add to the luxurious effect.  

  

Afterwards, Alon led us on a walk to some of the Stations of the Cross on the Via Dolorosa, which winds its way through the Muslim Quarter. Many of the shops on the small streets and alleys were closed since it was Friday, the Muslim holy day. From the Muslim Quarter, we entered the Jewish Quarter near the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. 

Standing in the plaza in front of the wall, we could only see the aboveground remains of the wall. However, we took a tour of the underground tunnel, which gave us access to an additional 1500 feet of the original wall. It was fascinating to see the different levels of construction, from bedrock at the lowest level up through Herodian masonry and later Muslim support structures. 

The plaza in front of the Western Wall 

Entrance to the tunnel 

Orthodox Jewish women praying in the tunnel 

Walls of the Temple Mount visible in the tunnel

After we emerged from the tunnel, I had time to walk to the women’s section of the wall (yes, it’s segregated by sex, per decree of the Orthodox rabbis that control such matters in Israel) and slip a note in a crack between the stones. 

The women's section of the Western Wall (much smaller than the men's section)  

We took a quick break for an outdoor lunch in the Jewish Quarter, then walked quickly (too quickly!) down the Cardo, the colonnaded main street built by the Romans. Along the Cardo’s stone walls, the Mosaic Project has installed a lovely series of modern mosaics, showing scenes of everyday life in the Jewish Quarter during the Byzantine era, 1400 years ago.

A plaza in the Jewish Quarter 

Challah for sale 

Part of the Mosaic Project in the Cardo

The Roman Cardo

By 3pm, shops in the Jewish Quarter were beginning to close up in preparation for the Sabbath, which would begin at sunset. We made our way down a street separating the Jewish Quarter from the Armenian Quarter, leading to the Zion Gate. This gate faces Mount Zion, the highest point in the city during ancient times. After exiting the Old City, we went inside the David’s Tomb compound to see the room where Jesus and his disciples reputedly shared the Last Supper. From the second floor room, we took a look out at the exterior of the fortress-like Church of the Dormition. This building dates back to the early 20^thcentury and is under the authority of the Benedictines. It is located on a spot where, according to Christian tradition, Mary died, or “fell asleep.” 

David's Tomb (with the Room of the Last Supper) 

Church of the Dormition as seen from the Room of the Last Supper

At this point, we had been on our feet for at least eight hours. It had been raining intermittently all day and the temperature was dropping. Despite our raingear and umbrellas, we were chilled and damp. There was so much more to see in the Old City, but it would have to wait for another day. Back in the hotel lobby, I discovered the perfect way to warm up – sahlab, a hot Arab beverage that warms the body and the soul. The taste is hard to describe. It’s milky and sweet, with subtle flavors I couldn’t identify, and most people sprinkle it with cinnamon and grated coconut. It actually reminded me of melted vanilla ice cream with a hint of rosewater. I’ve never seen it in the United States, but I’m going to do some online research and look for a recipe.

Delicious hot sahlab!

That's a quick rundown of my first 24 hours in Jerusalem. More to follow!

Around the Sea of Galilee

There’s a wealth of religious sites surrounding the Sea of Galilee. And the historical importance of this body of water is matched by its importance to Israel today as a source of fresh water. When we descended from the hill on which Kibbutz Kfar Haruv is located to the eastern shore of the sea, we passed fields of banana trees and Kibbutz Ein Gev. Prior to the 1973 war, the border between Israel and Syria was just east of the kibbutz, and Ein Gev was regularly shelled by Syrian forces perched on the cliffs above. 

The day we spent visiting sites around the Sea of Galilee turned out to be a fickle day, weather-wise. Some sun struggled through the early morning mist, but by the time we reached Capernaum on the northern shore of the sea, rain was splattering the windows of the bus. This pattern continued throughout the day. It was typical Israeli weather and we knew to pack our umbrellas and raingear everyday, even if the sun was shining. 

Capernaum was originally a fishing village, Kfar Nahum, established during the time of Hasmonean rule (1^st-2^ndcentury BCE). It is cited several times in the New Testament and is the possible home of St. Peter. Capernaum was abandoned before the arrival of the Crusaders in the Holy Land. We saw the remains of a 4^thcentury synagogue, built on the site of an earlier synagogue dating back to the time of Jesus, as well as the remains of a Byzantine church. Placed prominently nearby was a statue of St. Peter standing on a rock with a fish at his feet.

A very short bus ride brought us to the Mount of Beatitudes, the site of Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. A modern church marks the religious site, which is maintained by the brown-robed Franciscan order of monks. Alon told us that the three knots in their rope belts, representing their vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, are related to the tsitsit, the knots in the traditional Jewish prayer shawl. Christian pilgrims from around the world were already milling around the gardens and the church when we arrived. Quotations from the famous sermon were posted throughout the grounds.

  

Our next stop was the Yigal Allon Center, named for the late Israeli military and political leader, in the town of Ginosar, on the western shore of the sea. In the center’s museum, we saw the “Jesus Boat,” a 2000-year old wooden fishing boat extracted in the 1980s from the Sea of Galilee. The nearly intact boat was uncovered during a period of drought. A short film explained the discovery of the boat, the challenging task of removing the fragile vessel from the sediment, and finally conserving it on land. No one knows exactly who used the boat, but it has been dated back to the time when Jesus preached in the area. 

Then it was time for a half-hour boat ride on the sea. As we boarded, I couldn’t help noticing the threatening look of the sky. The captain didn’t seem concerned, however. He gave us a hearty welcome and raised the American and Canadian flags in our honor. While we cruised along, the crew played Israeli folk dance music and we all danced the hora. And despite the eerie-looking sky, we made it back to shore without encountering a storm. 

Then it was time to drive a few miles south to the city of Tiberias, also on the western shore of the sea, for lunch at a restaurant on the seaside promenade. The waiter informed us that the St. Peter’s fish listed on the menu was actually tilapia. Tiberias is one of Judaism’s four holiest cities. Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to explore any of the religious sites in the Old City. We had just enough time for a quick walk through the city’s outdoor sculpture park. Note the sculpture entitled Mother Ship by Israeli artist Ilana Goor. You may recall that we visited the Ilana Goor Museum in Old Jaffa earlier in our trip.  

Raindrops were falling as we boarded our bus. At least we’d enjoyed sunny weather the previous day, when we visited the Yardenit baptism site. This tranquil spot is known as the place where John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Located on the Jordan River, where it meets the southern tip of the Sea of Galilee, Yardenit attracts pilgrims from around the world, many of whom choose to be baptized or re-baptized in the river. Two members of our group participated in this deeply meaningful ritual. 

My goodness – so much to see and do in two days such a small area! We needed to catch up on some rest so we'd be ready for our next destination: Jerusalem.