The Holy City
I went down to the concierge desk at our hotel in Tel Aviv this morning at 7 am to ask about their guided tours of Jerusalem. He informed that one was leaving in thirty minutes. I woke Michael up with that news and was relieved when he sighed and said, "alright, let's do it..."
Our tour guide was this hilarious Israeli dude named Eilon:
Eilon really added to the overall enjoyment of the tour. He was energetic, knowledgeable, and generally did a good job of anticipating everyone's needs (we were in a group with six other people, four Canadians who work for Air Canada and were on a three-day stay over and two guys from Hong Kong). When the day was over, Michael and I each gave Eilon a 100 shekel tip as a small way of showing our gratitude.
The four Canadians had purchased a package for a tour of both Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The Chinese guys and Michael and I only purchased the Jerusalem package. In our case, this was mostly because we were unaware there was a Bethlehem option, but being that it rests in the West Bank, we were fine with letting the Canadians enjoy that part amongst themselves.
Eilon dropped the four of us off on the outskirts of Jerusalem at Yad Vashem, the foremost Holocaust Museum in the world, before taking the Canadians to Bethlehem for two hours.
What to say about Yad Vashem? It's a thoroughly impressive museum. A lot of people and a lot of money have gone towards preserving the history of the Holocaust and memorializing its victims in this museum. At times, it was pretty easy to feel overcome with emotion.
The lesson I took from Yad Vashem is that humanity's worse doesn't materialize overnight. It's a process. There is a saying I like a lot that goes, "if you put a frog in boiling water, it jumps out immediately. If you put it in room temperature water and set it to a boil, the frog will stay in the water until its death." The world was the latter such frog in the Holocaust. It didn't start with Hitler coming to power and promptly declaring that he wishes to exterminate all Jews. It started slowly: first requiring Jewish property owners to register themselves, then for all Jews to identify themselves, then for them to be relocated to ghettos, then for them to be hauled off to work camps... it was a very slippery slope in which the better nature of many people was lulled to sleep in the face of an injustice.
The Chinese guys leaving Yad Vashem. No photography was allowed inside the museum.
Eilon returned to pick us up and we made our way to the Mount of Olives. It is here where Christ made several journeys between Bethany and Jerusalem and also where he is said to have ascended into heaven.
From the vantage point of the Mount of Olives, the entire Old City can be seen. For about an hour, Eilon pointed out several historic sites and routes from religious history dating back 5,000 years while we were occasionally interrupted by a Palestinian guy practicing his drifting in a run down Kia some 50 feet behind us.
The view of the Temple Mount from the Mount of Olives. The land inside the walls where the Dome of the Rock is seen is probably the most highly coveted area of land on Earth. Jews believe it is the site where God created the world in its current form. Muslims believe it is the site where the prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven. In the 9 o'clock direction from the Golden Dome is a grey colored dome. That is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the site of Christ's crucifixion and burial. He was nailed to the cross 200 meters to the right of the Golden Dome (in this picture) and was forced to carry the cross through the streets to the site of his death.
Me looking like a tourist.
Eilon explaining the history of the area.
The building towards the bottom-right of the picture with the multitude of small grey domes rests over the land where it is believed Judas betrayed Jesus. The Temple Mount is just out of site to the upper-left.
At the base of the Temple wall is what appears to be a bunch of rubble. Those are actually grave sites. It is said that when Jesus returns to Earth, he will go through the gates and into the Temple. However, Jewish law states that no person of priestly origin (of which Jesus is) can enter a graveyard. For this reason, Muslims have buried people all around entrances to the Temple in hopes of preventing Jesus from being able to enter.
We left the Mount of Olives and made our way to the Temple's Western Wall (perhaps better known as the Wailing Wall). The Western Wall marks the spot that is as close as Jews can get to the Temple since it is under Muslim control. It is a hugely significant site, quite probably the most significant site in all of Judaism. Eilon said that a crummy apartment in Jerusalem with a view of the Wall goes for multi-millions.
Entering the area of the Western Wall.
The Wailing Wall with the Dome of the Rock barely visible above.
I spent probably five minutes at the Wall. No cameras were allowed within about 100 feet. The Wall is packed with notes and prayers placed by people from all over the world. I was actually a little uncomfortable, or at the very least felt awkward while at the Wall. The gap between what it means to me and what it meant to the pilgrims three feet away made me keep my social awareness dial on it's maximum setting. I wanted to see the Wall and touch the Wall but not for a second if it came at the expense of offending anyone or seeming out of place. I spent a few moments touching it and appreciating the history behind it before removing myself.
Michael and I at the Wall.
The holiness of the Wall was probably lost on this cat.
Several Hasidic Jews praying and talking at the Wall.
Michael explaining why the Wall is overrated.
From the Wall, we made our way through a crowded Muslim corridor with several merchants selling trinkets.
We stopped at a great place for lunch. I had a shawarma sandwich and a falafel sandwich both of which were quite tasty. The food here seems to be really good if you stick close to the vest. The only poor meal I've had was when I took a gamble and ordered a steak. Bad decision.
After lunch, we made our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (meaning "tomb of Christ").
At the entrance to the Church. The ladder outside the window above and a little to the left of my head has been there since at least 1850.
Crosses rest against a wall of the Church.
Stairway leading up to the site of Christ's crucifixion.
A mural depicting Jesus on the cross which also marks the spot of where one of the prisoners who died alongside Christ was crucified.
The site of the crucifixion of Christ.
A tablet that commemorates where Christ was placed after being removed from the cross to be cleaned for burial.
Outside of the tomb of Christ.
The entrance to the site commemorating the tomb of Christ.
After leaving the Church, Eilon lightened things up by dragging Michael into a Muslim barber shop and having the guy threaten to shave his head. To me, this picture captures a fact I did not realize before today: relations between Muslims and Jews in this region aren't as hostile as the nightly news might have you think. While the governments may be hostile towards one another, the average people from each group co-exist just fine on an individual level for the most part.
A broad view of the Western Wall as we made our way back to the tour van.
Eilon leading us towards the outside of the Old City walls.
I got the chance to call my Mom from the Mount of Olives and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which I could tell meant a lot to her. I did not speak with my Dad while he was at work, but I texted him from the site of Christ's crucifixion. I think they're enjoying living vicariously through me on this trip and I hope they can make a visit themselves at some point in the future, perhaps even with my company.
Israel is a very beautiful country rich in history. I plan on squeezing as much juice out of the fruit as possible in my remaining five days here.
Our tour guide was this hilarious Israeli dude named Eilon:
Eilon really added to the overall enjoyment of the tour. He was energetic, knowledgeable, and generally did a good job of anticipating everyone's needs (we were in a group with six other people, four Canadians who work for Air Canada and were on a three-day stay over and two guys from Hong Kong). When the day was over, Michael and I each gave Eilon a 100 shekel tip as a small way of showing our gratitude.
The four Canadians had purchased a package for a tour of both Bethlehem and Jerusalem. The Chinese guys and Michael and I only purchased the Jerusalem package. In our case, this was mostly because we were unaware there was a Bethlehem option, but being that it rests in the West Bank, we were fine with letting the Canadians enjoy that part amongst themselves.
Eilon dropped the four of us off on the outskirts of Jerusalem at Yad Vashem, the foremost Holocaust Museum in the world, before taking the Canadians to Bethlehem for two hours.
What to say about Yad Vashem? It's a thoroughly impressive museum. A lot of people and a lot of money have gone towards preserving the history of the Holocaust and memorializing its victims in this museum. At times, it was pretty easy to feel overcome with emotion.
The lesson I took from Yad Vashem is that humanity's worse doesn't materialize overnight. It's a process. There is a saying I like a lot that goes, "if you put a frog in boiling water, it jumps out immediately. If you put it in room temperature water and set it to a boil, the frog will stay in the water until its death." The world was the latter such frog in the Holocaust. It didn't start with Hitler coming to power and promptly declaring that he wishes to exterminate all Jews. It started slowly: first requiring Jewish property owners to register themselves, then for all Jews to identify themselves, then for them to be relocated to ghettos, then for them to be hauled off to work camps... it was a very slippery slope in which the better nature of many people was lulled to sleep in the face of an injustice.
Eilon returned to pick us up and we made our way to the Mount of Olives. It is here where Christ made several journeys between Bethany and Jerusalem and also where he is said to have ascended into heaven.
From the vantage point of the Mount of Olives, the entire Old City can be seen. For about an hour, Eilon pointed out several historic sites and routes from religious history dating back 5,000 years while we were occasionally interrupted by a Palestinian guy practicing his drifting in a run down Kia some 50 feet behind us.
We left the Mount of Olives and made our way to the Temple's Western Wall (perhaps better known as the Wailing Wall). The Western Wall marks the spot that is as close as Jews can get to the Temple since it is under Muslim control. It is a hugely significant site, quite probably the most significant site in all of Judaism. Eilon said that a crummy apartment in Jerusalem with a view of the Wall goes for multi-millions.
I spent probably five minutes at the Wall. No cameras were allowed within about 100 feet. The Wall is packed with notes and prayers placed by people from all over the world. I was actually a little uncomfortable, or at the very least felt awkward while at the Wall. The gap between what it means to me and what it meant to the pilgrims three feet away made me keep my social awareness dial on it's maximum setting. I wanted to see the Wall and touch the Wall but not for a second if it came at the expense of offending anyone or seeming out of place. I spent a few moments touching it and appreciating the history behind it before removing myself.
We stopped at a great place for lunch. I had a shawarma sandwich and a falafel sandwich both of which were quite tasty. The food here seems to be really good if you stick close to the vest. The only poor meal I've had was when I took a gamble and ordered a steak. Bad decision.
After lunch, we made our way to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (meaning "tomb of Christ").
I got the chance to call my Mom from the Mount of Olives and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre which I could tell meant a lot to her. I did not speak with my Dad while he was at work, but I texted him from the site of Christ's crucifixion. I think they're enjoying living vicariously through me on this trip and I hope they can make a visit themselves at some point in the future, perhaps even with my company.
Israel is a very beautiful country rich in history. I plan on squeezing as much juice out of the fruit as possible in my remaining five days here.
posted by Cory Albertson at
7:41 AM
3 Comments:
Awesome dude. Very good post; informative and brought some things historically to light that I had not previously known.
We're living vicariously also. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy this wonderful experience and tell Michael hi for us. Love, Gram Oops
Well done sir, informative and entertaining. Good job.
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