Day 11 — Western Wall, Within the Wall, Garden Tomb, Dinner, and Depart

As I write, I’m on the flight from Israel back to JFK airport in New York. Our final day in Jerusalem, and of our Holy Land trip, was as full as all the rest. We started by packing luggage and checking out of the hotel, then headed back into the old city of Jerusalem. This is a place of so much history that it’s just hard to wrap your head around it all. Land, tribe, religion, war, cruelty, hope and longing for peace and salvation, rules, custom. How can anyone grasp all that has happened here, and is still happening?

Jerusalem is important to so many, for so many different reasons. I guess my overall thought, at least this close to it, is that it’s a place to be treasured in so far as it is a celebration of the better aspirations of mankind. At its best, it shows how many cultures and traditions can exist together in a small space.

Of course, that “existing together” still has many separations. There are definite different areas, so much so that turning the corner from one street to the next can induce a kind of culture shock. Yet people move freely among those areas, at least as much as they care to.

I know we were just passers-through, insulated by language, culture, and being part of a tour, so you have to take anything I say with a huge grain of salt. I am writing as only a light observer. As a keen follower of international news, I’m aware of the political and religious conflicts in the region, but I can truly say that I didn’t observe any of that conflict first hand. Perhaps it simmers just below the surface, ready to erupt at any time, but I know there are many who are working for peace.

Anyway, enough introductory musing. What did we do today? We started with a circuitous route around, and then to, the Western Wall. Along the way we passed several celebrations with music. You see, this was Thursday, Bar Mitzvah day. Families were celebrating, bringing their joy to be shared in the “town square,” if you will. This means the area was a lot more crowded than when we passed by it the other day.

After yet another security check, we passed through a wooden ramp-tunnel along one edge of the wall. Looking out from this vantage point, we could see several features of the traditional prayer area, the first of which was that the area in front of the wall is separated by a fence — women and young children go to the right and men go to the left. Along the fence there are a row of tents, arranged so that they are half over the women’s side and half over the men’s. All the activity is taking place on the men’s side, and the women not only have to look over the fence to join in, but they have to stand on chairs (your garden variety white plastic lawn chair) to be able to look over the fence. Of course, there are a limited number of chairs, so there are always women standing around, not able to see the activity. This is very strange to my sensibilities.

Along the surface of the wall itself are crowded those who want to pray there. After a few feet for those standing, there are grouped many other women (of course, I was on the women’s side so can only speak about what I observed on “my” side) sitting in chairs. I assume they were praying, though many looked like they were just hanging out with the kids. All around there is activity, bodies moving constantly, some seeingly oblivious to everything but their prayers, others navigating in and out. And there was the everpresent noise; people talking, celebrating, praying, most talking loudly to be heard over the noise so the sound feeds on itself. I don’t think I’ve ever heard anything quite like it. And oh, there were fireworks! These sounded to us like gunshots, but they were actually fireworks to celebrate the Bar Mitsvahs. I got some video that I hope will show the smoke — that’s all we could see since it was broad daylight. They were certainly loud, though!

But we didn’t visit the wall itself at this time. We walked through the tunnel to the plaza where both the Al Aksa and Dome of the Rock mosques are. My first impression was of a wide-open space, unlike anyplace else we’ve been in this city. The way we walked, the Al Aksa (not sure of the spelling, so forgive me if that’s wrong!) mosque was on our right and the golden dome of the Dome of the Rock mosque was a ways off to our left. Between the two is a fountain where those about to enter wash before going in. You can see the seats in the picture. These are necessary because washing your feet is part of the ritual.

The golden dome really dominates the whole area, which is exactly what I’m sure it was intended to do. The mosaic work was intricate and beautiful. No images, though, since that’s prohibited. In a quick walk around the mosque I saw two girls singing their prayers sitting in one of the niches in the wall.

In walking to our next experience, we passed a great example of how construction has often happened in this area. Structures are both hewn out of rock and built up with stones, layering one on another throughout the centuries.

We then walked through Solomon’s porch, and a right turn through a doorway plunged us into one area of the Arab market. This was one of those quick transitions that can be a little jarring. One minute peace and quiet with calm sand-colored facades and open space, the next the cacophony of sights, colors, and sounds of a busy market where seemingly every square inch is displaying some type of ware. But this was just a quick pass-through. We were on our way to a close enounter with the traditional prayer area on the Western Wall.

After walking through the plaza (where Maxine was reminded by a lady from the “uniform police” to cover her shoulders), Mishi gave us some time to wander the area as we wished. Since I hadn’t come all this way to just observe, I waited for a space along the wall and had my own encounter with it.

Now, I certainly don’t believe there is anything magical or holy about the wall itself, and I know many others don’t, considering it only a physical representation of something spiritual, but I have to admit I was moved. I don’t know if it was because the place has been such a focus of so many prayers over the years and continuing to today, but as I stood there touching the wall, I looked up and felt my own prayer rise humbly and strongly to God. I don’t know if I can even verbalize what I prayed. I guess the closest I can say is that it was an acknowledgment of God’s power to both generate and fulfill the hopes of mankind for love and peace, and an acute awareness of man’s need for that peace of love.

On my way out of the women’s area, I got a good shot of the ladies lined up looking over the fence, then we said good-bye to the Western wall and walked up (yet more!) stairs, though another Arab market section. (Here I couldn’t resist getting a picture of a Money Changer shop, which reminded me of Jesus’s throwing the money changers out of the temple).

Next we headed for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. This is both a church and a shrine. It’s very, very ornate. There was lots to see, but I have to admit I was more impressed with the architecture than anything inside. I’m not a fan of icons of any sort, so while it’s interesting as history, it’s mostly tradition built on assumptions that this is where this or that happened. I can’t get excited about feeling there’s any kind of special power in a physical place or thing, so a quick pass-through was all I needed. I did like the simplicity of the candles, though.

We passed through several church structures of different faiths, again of the “turn one way and you go into this church and turn another way and you go into that church” variety. All of them kind of melded into one for me.

After a nice lunch, the group got some time to do a last shopping trip in the Arab Market. Since a few of us were all shopped out, we were able to rest under a nice umbrella at a street shop, have juice and ice cream, and wait for the others to return with their treasures. Then it was back on the bus for a short drive to “The Garden Tomb.” This is a really interesting place. They make no claims to being THE place where Jesus was put into the tomb, but everything mentioned in the Bible about Jesus’ crucifiction and burial matches the location and features of this place. I may write more about that in a later blog entry, but for now, you can just see the pictures of what could be the “place of the skull” (Golgotha) and the pictures of the tomb.

Our tour just about over now, we headed back onto the bus. I got a good picture of our driver, Moishe (forgive me if I’m spelling that wrong!) as he always looks welcoming us back to the bus. He has done a masterful job taking care of the driving, maneuvering through tight spots and keeping us safe through traffic (seemingly everpresent in Jerusalem and the surrounding area). Thank you, Moishe! (I’ve also included a picture of how we most often saw him, through the mirror!)

We headed for Joffa on the bus, along the way sharing our thoughts and gratitude about the trip. I think we all picked up a few new “family” members in our little band; I know I have! After a great dinner in Joffa, we headed for the airport. Again Mishi took care of us, helping us get through security with a minimum of hassle — for me, anyway, certainly less than the trip on the way over! Then it was hug-Mishi-good-bye time and we headed to the gate.

And that brings us up to date. Now we’re less than an hour from landing at JFK. I’ll upload this as soon as I get internet access and I’ll be up to date. I’ll write more later as I have time to reflect on the trip — and after I get some sleep!

I know most of the folks on the trip haven’t had a chance to read this blog yet. I hope everyone will add comments about each day, describing what meant the most to you on this trip.

As always, more later. For now, here are the pictures. I’m glad to be able to say, “I was there!”

PS. The last picture is after our arrival at JFK, looking back at the 747 with the sunrise behind it. A fitting finish for the trip…to date. 😉

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