Most Amazing Weekend in the World--Day 1

June 11--the day I'd been waiting for since I first decided to come to Israel. The day that holds the memories and sights and wonders that every Christian, Muslim, Jew, history-appreciator, lover of spirituality, etc. etc. absolutely dreams of. On June 11, I went to Jerusalem.

Jerusalem is about two hours from my home in Raanana, so I woke up chipper and excited at 5 in the morning to meet my fellow travelers, Kara and Kajsa, at the appropriate bus station. I mean, of course I got on the wrong bus/went to the wrong station/was a half hour late, but I got there!!! And we began our adventure into the holiest city of all.

Most of this blog and the next will just be pictures with short descriptions, because when it comes to Jerusalem and the surrounding sites, there is no substitution for firsthand experience but a picture is the closest I can come.

I about died when I saw these walls. THEY'RE SO OLD, THEY'RE SO PRETTY, TAKE A PIC WITH ME

We walked from the modern-day city of Jerusalem through Jaffa Gate (the main entrance) into the Old City, which is walled and contains all the holy sites and religious living quarters.

"OMG WE ARE IN THE OLD CITY, TAKE A PICTURE OF ME NEXT TO THIS STREET"

We stayed in Citadel Youth Hostel, this incredible tucked away dormitory right in the middle of the Old City. In a moment of adventurousness, we decided to sleep on the roof! And boy were we glad we did. Look at our view!!!

Rooftop view of the Dome of the Rock amongst other beautiful buildings

Me, duh

After setting our belongings on our mattresses to claim them, we scurried to grab a quick falafel pita sandwich then jumped on the two-hour free tour.

Right at the beginning, a brigade chapter something that means group of soldiers passed right by, casually carrying their AK-47's, or some gun that's big and scary. The domestic soldiers are always considered to be on duty, and some of them are required to be armed at all times. Which means, there are constantly 18 and 19-year-old guys and gals walking by ya on the street carrying enormous weaponry. If you trust the military, you probably feel safer than anywhere. If you're even the slightest bit suspicious of the everyday soldier... it gives you a queasy stomach.

Woah.

These are some of the pictures from our tour. The Dome of the Rock, now a Muslim mosque, is considered the site at which Abraham almost sacrificed his son Isaac. It is the absolute holiest of sites in the entire world for Jews.

Gold Dome: Dome of the Rock. Wall behind meWailing, or Western, Wall. Grey Dome: Al-Aqsa Mosque

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre is built on the location of Jesus's crucifixion and burial. It is the holiest site on the globe for Christians. It's difficult to describe how moving this church is. It takes your breath away when you realize that Jesus Christ suffered and cried out and thought of each individual human being in the exact spot in which you stand.

The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Because the Dome of the Rock is only open to Muslims on account of a treaty between Israel, Jordan, and Palestine, Jews pray at the Western Wall on the side of their holy site instead. It made me uncomfortable to see such a strict and unrelenting religious segregation--especially in the place at which God has made Himself most present and visible.
Many people write prayers on tiny little pieces of paper and stick them in the cracks of the wall. Of course I participated.

Me, the little babushka, at the Western Wall.

After the end of the tour, my friends and I began the Via Dolorosa, or the Way of the Sorrows. It is a path with fifteen stops, each of which hold some significance to Christ's walk with the cross. 

The path is marked throughout the Old City

A description of each stop

Bizarrely enough, one of my favorite places in all of Jerusalem was this one--

Prison of Christ

According to some Christian sects, this cave that lies under the Old City held Jesus in the hours/days before his crucifixion. I'm inclined to believe them, for in that cool, dark, damp room of stone, I felt a serenity and peace I've never experienced in my entire life. It was as if the presence of God lingered in the space, calming those who entered with an assurance of His existence and His affection. This is one of those Jerusalem sensations that's difficult to describe without sounding a little disturbed. But I could simply imagine Jesus crouched under these rocks praying to God for acceptance--and I would guess that if Jesus prays for something, it's probably gonna be granted and it probably won't wear off in a measly two thousand years.

My favorite thing about Jerusalem was that it completely altered my spiritual mindset. I was pondering and considering Christianity not just as an archaic ideology but as a real and true history of events. I thought of Jesus not as a distant ghost but as a man who'd stood where I stood, and saw what I was seeing, and felt the same stones on his palms. It gives me the chills just thinking about it. This alteration in perception is an undeniable gift of God.

After such an emotionally enriching (but draining!) day, it was time to relax and settle onto the rooftop.

One more photo

I'd be waking up in just four short hours.

With love,

Humbled and Holy Aubs