Tuesday-May 29-Last day of group tour—Part 1

Written from Boone (June 1, 2019)

Dear Family and Friends,

We are all back safely in the United Stated and it is time for me to complete my task of writing about our last two day in Israel. So much was included in these last two days that writing time was limited.

Tuesday was such a full day. We spend the entire day walking around the Old City of Jerusalem. This is the section within the Crusader wall area surrounding the old Temple Mount. During our three days in and out of Jerusalem, we had traveled around this section often so I found photographs of the different gates into the city and the Dome of the Rock which because of its location helps to identify where you are. During the time of Christ, the Temple would have been this visual marker.

This photo is from May 25th on our walk to the Mount of Olives.

Our first stop was at the Western Wall or Wailing Wall. This is a section of the supporting wall for the Temple Mount that is still standing. While the Temple was completely destroyed (not one stone upon another) by the Romans in 70 AD, the wall that helped level this area survived. This has become a special place of prayers for the Jews since becoming part of Israel in 1967.

It is a very inspiring place. A fountain is available for washing, a built-in library with Hebrew Bibles for prayers, and lots of soldiers. While not in the area they are stationed at strategic locations out of sight after you enter the area. The area is divided into two sections one for Men and one for Women. This was a special time of prayer. I was moved by the hundreds of swallows flying around the wall. They symbolized to me the prayers going up to heaven.

A walk brought us to the Temple area which is now the area of the Dome of the Rock, a 7th century shrine built at the location of the Temple, 55 years after Muslims captured Jerusalem. It is build over the Rock sacred to Christians, Muslims and Jews as the rock where Abraham was asked to offer Isaac as a sacrifice. The Temple Mount is the location of the original temple build by Solomon.

Our visit was during the festival of Ramadan (May 7-June 5, 2019). The area has strict dress code so all the men wearing shorts or women without head coverings had to use long skirts or don hoodies. At other sights, shorts were permitted for men but women had to have their knees and shoulders covered. The group was lectured by the first guard for not listening to Gee our guide about appropriate dress.

The area was covered with shaded areas preparing for the thousands of pilgrims that will be in Jerusalem toward the end of this festival. The ones who have already arrived had set up places to sleep and eat while there. Once they have arrived, they will not leave the area until the end of Ramadan. As you can see below, all the trees in the area were having their trunks painted.

Our next stop was at the excavated remains of the Pools of Bethesda. In John 5, Jesus healed a paralytic at this pool. This was part of the water system for Jerusalem and the deep cisterns collected water for use by the citizens. The upper area was shallow and surrounded by areas where individuals could come waiting for healing when the water moved. At the chapel at this location, our group followed several other singing groups in singing the Doxology.

I’m limited in this WordPress format in length of publication so I will close for now to write Part 2. I apologize that my editor Linda is now in Kentucky (sleeping I hope, as it is 3:19 AM in Boone, 10:19 AM by my Jerusalem clock). I know what I mean to write but a good editor helps to make sure the audience know what I mean, too. I’ll try to make sure this makes sense to you.

Ellen