Jerusalem

Ever since we decided to make our trip tp Israel this year, the boys have been really excited to go to visit Jerusalem most pointedly to see where King David resided in the old city. When the time came to go south to Jerusalem yesterday, we were a little apprehensive that a visit to the old city was not going to live up to all the fantastic stories they had been told about King David, the temple and captivating stories of battles past. But of course, how could a place with the strength of energy and the depth of history that Jerusalem has disappoint?
The energy of Jerusalem is overwelming. Somehow it feels like the centre of the Earth, a place that carries the blood of many battles, a place divided by the burden of ongoing conflict and unrest, a religious epicentre that matches no other, and all the time pulsating with a people that know what it is to completely surrender themselves to God and hence live with no fear.
There is a feeling that if Jerusalem found peace then it would permeate across the world but then it would not be Jerusalem how we have ever known it.

We started our journey at Jaffa Gate, the old city with some local munchies, bagella & the biggest felafel balls I had ever seen.....

On entrance of the Jaffa Gate into the Armenian Quater of the Old City of Jerusalem

We walked along the top of the outer wall of the old city from the Tower of David to the Jewish Quater and finishing at the Kortel - the Wailing Wall or the Western Wall.

 

This is a photo of Dormition Abbey - the church that commemorates the place where Mary entered a state of eternal slumber. Just near there is the Building of Three Faiths where David's tomb is situated aswell as the Coenaculum which according to Christian tradition is the room of the Last Supper where Jesus ate his last Passover Seder meal with his disciples.

The Dome of the Rock in the Muslim Quater

To the right you see the golden topped hurch of the Mary Magdelene and the hill beyond is the Mountain of Olives

Then we arrived at the Kotel - the Western Wall which is the last remaining wall of the temple built in 1st century BC by King Herod. It is considered the most holiest of Jewish sites.

Bonbon took the boys into the mens side of the Kotel to pray

Then Bonbon put the Tfillin. Observant Jews put the Tfillin on for morning prayers once a day. It is considered a "mitzvah" to do so and is very holy to do at the Kotel. The 2 boxes, one placed on the arm and the other on the forehead contain verses of the Torah and are a reminder that they obligated to dedicate themselves to God in whatever they do, feel and think.

Then we walked from the Kotel through the Arab market which borders the Muslim Quarter with the Jewish Quarter and then borders the Armenian Quarter with the Christian Quarter.
The arab markets in Israel are great - usually pretty cheap, great munchies & spices & lots of stuff you really want but don't really need.

 

We had a really beautiful day in Jerusalem. It is a culmination of feelings to be there and each of us passed our own journey together.