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.