Jerusalem

Holy to Jews, Muslims, and Christians this is where Christ died, was buried and was resurrected. In Islam, Jerusalem is said to be from where Muhammad rose into the heavens, and the Dome of the Rock makes this city the third holiest for Muslims after Mecca and Medina.

We visited Jerusalem for 2 days during our stay in Tel Aviv. Jerusalem was always a place we both had heard about since children and off course we wanted to see it for ourselves. Jerusalem is a modern city (the West) that is growing and we felt better here than in Tel Aviv. Within Jerusalem is the Old City which is a walled one-square kilometer. We got to the Old City’s Jaffa gate and walking into the city was a mix of feelings and a rush of excitement. Holy land, one of the oldest and symbolic places in the world.

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The Old City of Jerusalem is divided into 4 quarters, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Armenian. We were very surprised to see how divided the holiest and sacred place on earth was, this is a fact that you sense within these walls, separation between people due to religion differences. Very disappointing. As you walk by the different quarters you can feel the city is wounded. There are still violent clashes between religions; mainly between the Jews and Muslims. There is an intense mix of feelings as you walk through the streets of Jerusalem and it is so personal depending on your beliefs and religion that you have to experience it for yourself.

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The Western Wall

The Western Wall (Wailing Wall) in the Jewish Quarter is the holiest site in Judaism. The Wall is support to the Temple Mount and this small area is what is left of the wall from when the Romans destroyed the temple. The wall is divided on one side for women and the other for men. Many visit the wall to say their prayers or leave them on a piece of paper in between the cracks. The Western Wall is free and open daily. Women and men must dress modest when visiting The Western Wall.

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Temple Mount

Within The Western Wall you can find The Temple Mount which is an elevated area holy to Jews and Muslims. Holy to Jews because this is where it is said that Abraham demonstrated his devotion to God by taking his son Isaac to be crucified. Temple Mount is also holy to Muslims because in Islamic tradition, this is where it is said Muhammad ascended to heaven in the seventh century. This area is the third holiest in Islam after Mecca and Medina. Currently, you can see the Al-Aqsa Mosque with the symbolic golden Dome of the Rock. There are 11 gates to enter the Temple Mount, one is reserved for non Muslims and the other 10 are all for Muslim access only. Each gate has an Israeli guard police post. Violence can occur anytime due to the Arab-Israeli conflict. To witness and to be standing there at one of the most controversial sites in the world was one an experience like no other that will stay in our memories forever.

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The Church of the Holy Sepulchre

In the Christian quarter of the Old City of Jerusalem you can find The Church of the Holy Sepulchre which is one of Christianity’s most sacred sites. This is where Jesus was crucified, died, and rose from the dead. Since children we used to watch Easter movies about the life of Jesus and now that we were there all we wanted to do was follow his steps and walk where he walked. To enter the church we followed the path that Jesus walked carrying the cross on his way to his crucifixion. This path is called the Via Dolorosa (Way of Sorrows) which is marked by 14 stations of the cross (Via Crusis). The last five stations are inside The Church of the Holy Sepulchre. There is no need for a tour guide to be able to follow the Via Dolorosa, like us, you can do it on your own following the plaques that mark each station. A small guidebook might be helpful to help identify each station along the way since not all stations tell you exactly what happened there. Walking the Via Dolorosa was so rewarding and you can also spot many other important sites along the route, for example, the birthplace of the Virgin Mary.

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When we arrived at The Church of the Holy Sepulchre we continued to identify the areas where Jesus was first stripped off his clothes, nailed to the cross, where he died (the Rock of Calvary which we touched), the site where he was taken down from the cross, and lastly the tomb of the Holy Sepulchre which we witness is empty. We enjoyed doing this very much and felt something special, this was something that as a kid you never think you will get to experience. The church is a bit crowded and so it’s better to get there early or in the late afternoon to avoid a lot of the crowds from tours.

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The Old City of Jerusalem comes with surprises and many mixed feelings. It is something you have to go see for yourself, even if not religious! While in Jerusalem we also went to The Mount of Olives which is another location of many biblical events. You’ll also get great views of the walled Old City of Jerusalem.

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There are many tours to choose from depending on how you would like your experience inside the Old City. The only tour we did was a free 2 hour walking tour, which gave us an introduction to the old city and helped guide us through the different areas. We recommend this tour by SANDEMANs.

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