Day five Jerusalem -old city

Day five - jerusalem old city

I try to take notes everyday so I can remember everything I saw and learned, but it just wasn't possible today. Today was THE day! 

We had 9 new people join us so we had a big tour bus today and a driver, Muhammed. We started at the temple mount. It is traditionally where God formed Adam ( Gen2:7) and where Abraham was going to sacrifice Issac. This is also where King Solomon built the temple and the Ark of the Covenant was housed. The temple was destroyed and King Herod the Great built a more lavish temple and this was the one that Jesus taught at. We had to go through a lot of security to get to the temple mount. You have to be dressed appropriately and you cannot carry a Bible (the site is controlled by Muslims )  Men and women are not allowed to touch even shoulder to shoulder for a picture. The place is on Mt. moriah.The Dome of the Rock is a magnificent Mosque built by the Muslims over the rock where Abraham laid Issac (they believe it was Ishmael almost sacrificed though, not Issac) it is also said to be the place where Mohammed ascended into Heaven. Some of the stone from the original temple is still there. Jews are not allowed to go into the Temple Mount for fear they will step on the place where the Holy of Holies was. We got to stand where they think it was. According to our guide the Muslims offered the site to the Jews for their temple but it wasn't yet time because the third temple will not be made by man so that is why the Muslims have that spot. You can no longer go in the Dome of the Rock, but it is impressive from the outside.

We got to travel on the Via Dolorosa- the way of the cross. The 14 stations are marked- where he fell, where Simon was told to help Him, veronica who wiped His face, etc. There are chapels from a lot of faiths marking the points. There is a place where Jesus was said to ALMOST fall and He out is hand on the wall to steady Himself. The wall is worn where people touch it. The Via Dolorosa is lined with shops and people just living their normal lives. 
At the end is the Church of the Holy Sepulcher marking the place of the crucifixion. It covers Calvary (or Golgatha),the crucifixion spot, the burial cave etc. The church is maintained by Greek Orthodox, Roman Catholics, and Armenians. I always pictured the cross being placed in the ground - dirt. But it is all rock here and holes where chiseled out of the stone to stand the crosses in. There is an alter like thing over the hole in the rock and you can crawl under it and put your hand in the place where the cross stood. There is a slab of Rock that is supposedly the rock His body was placed on to be prepared for burial. 

We walked through the Muslim, Jewish, and Christian Quarters of Jeruselam. We didn't walk through the Armenian Quarter.  We got to go to the Western Wall or Wailing Wall. People stuff prayers in the cracks of the wall. Men and women have to go to separate areas of the wall. People think the western wall is part of the first temple but it is a retaining wall built by Herod. 

King Herod the Great was responsible for a lot of buildings - our guide calls him the Meshugena paranoid :)

We got to see the room of the Last Supper.

The Protestants believe Jesus was buried in the Garden Tomb just outside of the Damascus Gate. There is a hill with rock formation in shape of skull so it could be the place. It's a quiet place run by British Christians. It was the first guide talk we got that was strictly Christian. I like their thinking. So many people fight over "was this the spot Jesus..... Whatever or is it 50 meters from here?" That bothers me. I like these people's perspective on it.  There are facts that point to the Church of the Holy Sepulture being the correct spot and evidence to support their place at the Garden tomb being the spot. But it doesn't really matter. They acknowledge that the amazing church is a great place for people to worship and revel in. But their ministry is proving a quieter garden spot that is more like where Jesus went off to pray. They seem content to give people different kind of place to reflect and not compete with the big site. I like that.

In the old city Jerusalem orthodox Jews were asking for donations for the poor and in return would bless you and tie a red string around your wrist. This Jewish man just grabbed me and started blessing me, my husband, kids, health, etc.  Then asked me where my husband was in the crowd and looked utterly shocked to find out I was not married. He asked me somethign to the effect of "what's the problem?!"how do you not take offense to that ?!! They he started  Lessing me and praying and says now I'll have a husband soon.  Ok then.

We have noticed that people are not nearly as nice in Jerusalem as in Tel Aviv or other places we've been. They push and shove and yell at you. 

I also saw my first begging today. Muslim women and the Temple Mount. Not nearly as bad as India though!

We ate the included dinner at the hotel -Leonardo Inn- tonight. It was better than last night :)

It was chilly today. I needed gloves and had to turn the heat on in my hotel room.