TEMPLE SINAI VISITS ISRAEL (DAY 8)

Shalom from Kibbutz Yahel in the Southern Negev not far from Eilat.  Sorry we haven’t written in a while, but we have been so busy.  Since last we wrote, we spent the last 4 days and nights in beautiful Jerusalem.  On Thursday we drove through Tiberius and visited the Kinneret cemetery where we met some of the early pioneers.  We then visited the Roman site of Beit Shean and were able to see a Roman town complete with bath house, columned street and marketplace.  We continued our journey towards Jerusalem stopping to visit Bet Alpha, where we found a remarkably well preserved mosaic floor in this first synagogue.  The details and colors were beautiful.  We continued our journey to Jerusalem where we stopped at the top of Mount Scopus to get our first view of the old city.  We stood on an overlook and recited the Shehechiyanu , and did the blessing over the wine.  Our guide then pointed out the Dome of the Rock, giving us its significance for Jews, Moslems, and Christians alike.  We were also able to see part of the wall of the old City.  As the sun set, we boarded our bus and headed for our hotel.  After a quick check-in, we left for our first dining and shopping excursion in Jerusalem.  There is nothing like shopping and bargaining on Ben Yehuda Street.

On Friday, we got our first close-up look of the old city.  We boarded our bus and were dropped off at the Damascus Gate.  We walked through the Armenian Quarter, stopping to see ruins of a Byzantine street that is part of the world’s oldest shopping arcade.  We continued on through the Jewish Quarter to get our first glimpse of the Western Wall.  We were looking down on the plaza and then up at the Wall.  We stood there in awe.  We then walked down the stairs and narrow passageways to reach the Western Wall Plaza.  Each of us stood and looked at the Wall for a time before proceeding to pray at the Wall.  The men of course went to one side and the women to the other.  Each of us said our own personnel prayers, placed notes in the wall, and we were each affected in own way.  We then went to see the Southern Wall excavation and from there we were fortunate to be able to tour the Western Wall tunnels.  As we moved underground, we were actually moving along the entire span of the Western Wall.  It was amazing to see the Wall from this perspective, as only a small portion is visible above ground.  Here we saw a special area set aside for women to pray which overlooks the men’s synagogue.  In addition, we encountered another area where mainly women come to pray…this area is said to be directly in-line with the Holy of Holies.  What a spiritually uplifting experience.  Now it’s time to eat!  Off we went to the Jerusalem Open Market where many of the people of the city hurriedly spend Fridays gathering their Shabbat food supplies.  We walked, ate, took in the sites and scents of Jerusalem preparing for Shabbat.

We spent Friday evening for Shabbat services at Congregation Mevasseret Zion, a progressive congregation just outside of Jerusalem.  We prayed and sang with many of the same melodies already familiar to us from home.  Then we returned to the hotel for a lovely Shabbat dinner and conversation.

Layla Tov Ya’ll!