In Jerusalem

I was having difficulities with the internet tonight with uploading pictures.  I will try again tomorrow, but I wanted to go ahead and put up my post even though I don't have the pictures that go with it up. 

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Yesterday, Monday, we went to the Old City of Jerusalem and spent the morning wandering around the four mounts in Jerusalem: Mt. Zion, the City of David, the Temple Mount, and the Western Hill.  There was so much to see.  I uploaded some pictures, so I will talk about them rather than try to relate everything.  The first pictures are from driving to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv.  The first picture from within in Jerusalem is the group in the Kidron Valley.  We walked down from the Temple Mount into the Valley.  In the background is the Mount of Olives with tombs descending the slope.  This valley from Old Testament prophecy is associated with the eschaton when the Messiah would return and bring life to the dead.  It was on the Mount of Olives looking down on this valley that in Matthew 24 Jesus recounted to his disciples the events of the last days to his disciples.  The second picture is view of the larger tombs from the Temple Mount.

The third and fourth pictures are from the Via Dolorosa.  Tradition holds that this is the way Jesus walked to the cross.  Although this is not historically accurate, it has offered a space for Christians over the centuries to commemorate this event.  My experience on this road well represents the complicated environment Jerusalem offers to the pilgrim.  This road is filled with vendors, tourists, and local resident with people going every direction.  In this commotion, I saw a group of Christian pilgrims following the Via Dolorosa praying.  A short time later, I saw a young man carrying a large cross on his back down the street.  I did not get a picture of this, but it was so strange to see these religious observances amidst the bustle of everyday life.  I am finding from my short time here already that this is the norm for Jerusalem, no matter which faith it is.

After the morning in the city and class, I found a corner tower/nook on the roof of JUC to write in my journal.  The next picture is the doorway looking out from that hideway.

Today, Tuesday, we returned to the city to view it from the eyes of the Old Testament.  We began the day by going to the Western Wall (aka Wailing Wall—though this is not what they call it here).  The next photo is of me standing in front of the women’s side.  It was very busy at the wall this morning, and it took me awhile to be able to get to the wall to add my prayer to the many stuck in the crevices in the wall.  This wall is the retaining wall for the Temple platform from the Herodian Temple.  Here, as in the Via Dolorosa, there was a mixture of religious devotion and tourism.  I found it hard to pray there because of all the distractions.  However, I know others in the group that were really moved by the experience. 

My favorite part of today was going to the City of David.  I have been struggling with connecting what I am seeing today with the biblical accounts.  I thought that when I got here, it would make the Bible more real.  Instead, on occasions walking through the streets of Jerusalem it has felt no more real here than it did in the United States.  However, at the City of David I had my first real moment of connection.  The next picture is group of us girls standing on the platform at the City of David.  Below us were the recent excavations begun in 2005 of King David’s Palace.  We also could see the rock foundation of the Jebusite fortress that David conquered.  The next picture is from the ruins of King David’s palace looking out over the Mount of Olives.  Since this is a new site and none of the findings published, I felt really honored to be able to key this key piece of archaeology.  I anticipate the day when they publish their work.

From here we descended down into the water system and walked through Hezekiah’s tunnel.  The next three pictures are of that.  It was an amazing experience.  I could not believe that centuries ago men carved the limestone out to make that tunnel.  It was a little tight but not too bad.  I really enjoyed going through it; and I wish I could go again.  

Please keep praying for the safety and health of my classmates and the growing unity of our group.