Shalom from Jerusalem! After our second consecutive meal without hummos, we hit the bus (good thing it didn't hit back). En route to the Old City we passed the Gei Ben Hinom or the Valley of Hell just to the south of the Old City. It was here that the ancient pagans offered child sacrifices to their gods and it was this practice which Abraham rejected. Because of what they did to their children though, the area has been associated with Hell on earth for all these years.
Our first stop was the tomb of King David on Mt Zion.
From there we entered the Old City, making an abrupt (90 degree) turn into the Zion Gate as we made our way to the South Wall excavations around the Temple Mount. The Second Temple was built by King Herod (who also built the palace on Masada). At the excavations we walked up the steps which actually led up to the Holy Temple. The steps are stagged to remind travelers and pilgrims to reflect on the Temple's sanctity and to prevent them from just running up to the Temple in their excitement.
Only upon arriving at the Western Wall could we fully appreciate the magnitude of being able to approach the holiest site in Judaism, one that could only be viewed from afar for almost 2,000 years. There, we were struck by perceivable contrasts. This included the separation of men and women as well as the Dome of the Rock, which peaks over the Wall. At the Wall, we inserted notes and had tie for personal reflexion and prayer.
From there we entered the Old City, making an abrupt (90 degree) turn into the Zion Gate as we made our way to the South Wall excavations around the Temple Mount. The Second Temple was built by King Herod (who also built the palace on Masada). At the excavations we walked up the steps which actually led up to the Holy Temple. The steps are stagged to remind travelers and pilgrims to reflect on the Temple's sanctity and to prevent them from just running up to the Temple in their excitement.
Only upon arriving at the Western Wall could we fully appreciate the magnitude of being able to approach the holiest site in Judaism, one that could only be viewed from afar for almost 2,000 years. There, we were struck by perceivable contrasts. This included the separation of men and women as well as the Dome of the Rock, which peaks over the Wall. At the Wall, we inserted notes and had tie for personal reflexion and prayer.
We then had free time for lunch and shopping in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. This was followed by an afternoon at Mt Hertzl, the National Military Cemetery in Jerusalem. There lies the graves of Theodore Hertzl, Israeli Prime Ministers, Kenneset leaders and military soldiers. We visited the grave of Cornell alumnus, Alex Singer who died as a 25 year old officer in the Paratroopers in the Lebanon War in 1987. His legacy of commitment to Israel lives on through his memory. Now, were off to the Birthright Mega-Event. We will have a lot to tell you about it tomorrow.
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