Day 14: Jerusalem - Jewish Quarter

Our first challenge today was waking at 5.30 to leave our hotel at 6.45am!
We watched in awe as Saed, our skilled bus driver, negotiated the perilous narrow streets with centimetres between our bus and parked cars. We left the coach whilst a line of honking cars waited behind us Jerusalem style.

Entering the Temple Mount Precinct, we descended a flight of steep stone steps into the Western Tunnel built by Herod the Great, 2000 years ago, to enlarge the Temple. Walking through the narrow tunnel, we were again reminded of the life giving springs flowing through Jerusalem's history for 3000 years. This water is still serving the people of the city today. It helps us understand the power of Jesus's words...."I am living water. Her who drinks of me will never thirst".
We emerged into the dazzling sunlight, to watch worshippers at The Western Wall (previously known as the Wailing Wall). The large area is divided into 2 sections; for males and females.
The Orthodox Jewish men praying are distinctive in their traditional black and white clothes, black hats, and prayer shawls. Young boys, preparing for their Barmitzvah, were reading the Torah. Tradition was broken as a mischievous little Jewish girl ran into the Male area and was escorted out by her embarrassed father.

The Dome of the Rock, with its beautiful gold roof and blue tiles, was built in the 8th Century. This early Moslem architecture was copied from Byzantine churches of that period.
Jerusalem consists of layer upon layer of history and civilisations. In the Jewish Quarter, we marvelled at the excavations revealing Roman streets, the Cardo with shops, and luxury houses, built by Hadrian in the 2nd Century.

Yet another layer of history below, we saw Hezekiah's Broad Wall, from the 8th Century. Each reconstruction used stones from the preceding eras. It's amazing to consider that Jerusalem has been destroyed 17 times, and rebuilt 18 times over its long history.
Walking up the stone steps that led to the 2nd Temple, in the Davidson Museum, we stopped to reflect that Jesus and his disciples may have walked these same stones!
Lunch at a wonderful Jewish Bakery was a welcome refresher stop.
What a joy it was to meet Gabriel Kano, the octogeneration Palestinian Christian, who founded Guiding Star Tours 54 years ago. A man with a deep love for Jesus, and for his country. He urged us to pray for peace in Jerusalem.


By Barry and Jeanine

Photos: Looking across the Western Wall to the Dome of the Rock; Walking the Western Wall Tunnels; The men's prayer section of the Western Wall; Some of our ladies in the women's prayer section;  Columns from the old Roman Cardo; New shops in the Cardo; Mosaic floor of ruins of 2,000 year old house; Remains of Hezekiah's Broad Wall; The market area beside the Western Wall of the Temple where Jesus turned over the tables; The stone steps leading up to the Southern Gate of the Temple where Jesus would have walked & the disciples may have preached at Pentecost.