Israel: Highlights from Jerusalem

After Tel Aviv, we arrived in Jerusalem, the conservative capital of Israel. As we all know, Jerusalem is a sacred place for the three most prolific Abrahamic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. A tour of the Old City is the place to start exploring Jerusalem given the shear enormity of sacred sites for each of these religions within and around the Old City Walls. While we loved our knowledgable guide during our tour, it was our personal experience on a Friday night where we got a chance to experience just how special this place was to all three religions.

Friday Night in the Old City of Jerusalem
It was Friday evening. The sun was about to set and we were rushing thru the Christian quarter looking to buy an icon that I wanted to have blessed early following morning. We were in a hurry as we wanted to catch the views of the setting sun against the gold Dome of the Rock (the iconic image of Jerusalem and the dome structure commemorating where Muhammad is said to have ascended to heaven). After a successful purchase, we bolted out of the Christian quarter rushing past priests from all Christian denominations.

We arrived at the Western Wall (which was the vantage point from which we wanted to view the Dome of the Rock). The Western Wall is the holiest site for the Jewish people as it is the only part of their great temple that remains after the Romans decimated the city in the year 70.

We arrived at the Wall at sunset, which marked the official start of Shabbat. Being Shabbat, Jews ranging from liberal to ultra orthodox were all making their way to the Wall. At exactly the same time, chanting began from the mosque above the wall, calling all muslims to prayer (which occurs 5X per day and happened to concur with our timing and the start of Shabbat). The people of one religion rushing to the Wall and the people of another religion being called to prayer within a few feet of one another was a memory that will be imprinted in my mind. Neither side would dare participate in the others’ rituals yet they were so close, at least in proximity and reverence.

What’s impressive is that the gold Dome of the Rock sits on the Temple Mount. The Temple Mount was built by Herod in the first century b.c.e. for the Jews in the same location King David was said to have united the Jews ~1000 years before. The Temple Mount is over 13 football fields in size! Also considered the birthplace of Adam, the location where Jesus entered during Passover, and where Muhammad ascended into heaven, it’s a holy place for all three main Abrahamic religions.  Interestingly, the Temple Mount is guarded by the Jews but controlled by the Muslims. As it was still The Hajj when we visited Old Jerusalem, the Muslim control did not allow us to enter the Temple Mount.

A Few Moments of Solitude
As is evident from above, it’s only natural for many to people come to these sites to feel a closer connection to God. That was the case for me. Since I grew up with Orthodox Christian teachings, I decided to make a special trip to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the early hours of the next morning to spend a short time in silence and prayer. This was a meaningful time for me as I was finally free from the throngs of tourists visiting the sites. While I spent some time in prayer, Paul captured these beautiful icons in the Orthodox section of the church.

Masada and the Dead Sea
Just a hop, skip, and a jump away from Jerusalem is Masada and the Dead Sea. We spent a delightful day exploring both.

We started the day very early with a hike up Masada to watch the sunrise. Masada sits on the western shore of the Dead Sea. It is best known as the last standing fortress of the Jews against the Romans in 73. In lieu of surrendering to the Romans, over 900 Jews chose to end their own lives here. And while the past history of this place may be dark, the views at sunrise were anything but. Paul captured the moment well with his nifty Canon Powershot!

While Masada is approximately 1000 feet above sea level, the Dead Sea is approximately 1000 feet below sea level. It is the lowest place on earth and its waters are 9X saltier than the sea. Yikes! This is not a place to swim, but rather a place to put your feet up and float. We headed to the Dead Sea beach to relax after our morning hike, where I also got a chance to soften my skin with the mineral-rich mud.

We were saddened to learn that the dead sea is shrinking. However Israel and its neighboring countries are investing in significant technology to reverse these effects. Given that Israel’s main export is their technology, particularly their agricultural know-how, we trust their efforts will be successful.

When we arrived at the beach, we were greeted with the words “Welcome to Palestine” as the Dead Sea beach was in the West Bank. We continued to be graciously treated by both the Palestinian and the Jewish people that were there.

The Dead Sea Scrolls
Named after the location in which they were found, the Dead Sea Scrolls are some of the oldest preserved Hebrew Scriptures that exist today. We viewed them in the Israel Museum in Jerusalem. They were only recently discovered in 1947 and are writings in Hebrew written around the first century. The writings include copies of several books in the Old Testament (Torah) as well as writings on reflections from everyday life at that time.

The scrolls were written by the Essenes, a Jewish sect. The Essenes, like many others of this time including Jesus, were disillusioned by the lavish Roman rule and the heavy taxes levied on the Jewish people. They chose to live monastically in desert near the dead sea where they were ultimately found by a bedouin in 1947.

This concluded our tour of Jerusalem. Next we were off to join a tour that included a few off-the-beaten path adventures. Here’s a pic of Paul at another delicious breakfast in Jerusalem contemplating whether or not he is going to like our upcoming “rustic” accommodations.