Thoughts On [insert religious topic(s) here]

We got up and out at 8 AM this morning and headed to the rental car place hoping to get our car today. Unfortunately, it was closed for Shabbat. We decided to grab a cup of coffee at the YMCA across the street. When I think YMCA, I think of gyms and hang-out spots. Aside from the King David Hotel, a five-star hotel, the YMCA is the second nicest hotel in Jerusalem. The building is built onto an old church and has amazing architecture. We also headed over to the King David just across the street. There is no wonder that it is a five-star hotel. The floor has the signatures of famous dignitaries that have come to the country. The back patio looks out over the entire Old City.

We walked off the back patio and headed down into the gardens below it. Jac’line remembered seeing a tomb in the gardens so we walked around looking for it and eventually found it behind some trees.

As I was taking pictures of the tomb, Jac’line went to lay in the grass and relax. We are starting to find the same pace with what we want to do and how much we want to get done in one day. After shooting, I laid down as well and we just stared at the sky for a while, enjoying the serenity of the gardens.

Since we were already in the valley outside the Old City, we walked over to Yemin Moshe, the first modern city built outside the walls of the Old City. It was built in the early 1900’s and renovated in the 1970’s. Now it is one of the most prestigious housing areas in Jerusalem.

Yemin Moshe from the Ramparts

The windmill was built with the city and is an iconic structure seen from all of the Old City.

Windmill at Yemin Moshe

We headed back up through the valley into the Old City. As we passed the Upper Room and Dormitian’s Abbey, Jac’line took me back to a back tunnel that led to an open field. In the center of the field was an archaeological dig surrounded by gates and barbed wire. Jac’line explained to me that this was the first place where the “grafted in” symbol was found.

Cave behind the Upper Room where the "grafted in" symbol was discovered in 1990

The symbol depicts a belief that Christians are grafted into the Jewish faith story with a menorah leading into a Star of David leading into a Christian fish symbol. Here is an example of the symbol from a pin my secret friend gave me.

The Messianic "grafted in" symbol discovered in 1990

The basis for the symbol comes from Romans 11:19 in which Paul talks about how Gentiles have been grafted into the tree that is the Jewish heritage and are part of that history.

We headed back into the Old City through Zion’s Gate and had lunch at a tiny Armenian deli that charged a bit much for a sandwich with two slivers of turkey on it. After lunch, we went back to the hostel and rested. Might not sound like busy day but the valleys surrounding Jerusalem are both deep and steep. So the walk down may not be taxing but every time you walk down, you have to walk back up and that wears you out very quickly.

Around 4:30 we got tickets to walk the wall ramparts that surround the city. The walk goes south and then west atop the walls until you are let off right at the Western Wall. The tour is unguided, so you go your own pace and enjoy the cool breeze and scenery. Luckily, at the time we went, the sun was just starting to get low enough in the sky that we had shade the entire way.

The Ramparts of the Old City of Jerusalem

We stopped right before the Western Wall and actually sat atop the ramparts for a half hour reflecting on our desires for our time together and our joys of having two weeks to spend exploring. The more we talk, the more I feel like this will not be the last time that Jac’line and I end up in Israel. Perhaps the next time, we’ll be leading a group. (Just a thought…)

Temple Mount and Western Wall

We went down to the Western Wall after we got off the ramparts, prayed, then headed back to the hostel. Along the way, we passed the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. Jac’line suggested that we go in because I hadn’t seen it much the last time, so we headed into the church as crowds were funneling out. Out of all the sites in the Holy Land, I’m just not impressed with the Holy Sepulcher. I respect the appreciation the Catholics and Greek Orthodox Christians have for the relics in the Church, however they don’t move me like the hundreds of devout Jews at the Western Wall or the people reliving their baptisms in the Jordan. If I were raised to understand their value and significance, such as many people in the Catholic and Eastern churches, I would probably be more easily moved by them.

One thing that has moved me in the Old City is the young Jewish children. The word “abba” will has a new dimension, one of a young boy running up to his father, tugging on the strings of his talit and stretching out his arms, “Abba!!!!” It gives a new perspective to how we relate to God when we call out to him.

Once we got back to the hostel, we met with Nancy and Jacky to head down to Ben Yehuda Street where many of the Jewish youth go to celebrate the end of Shabbat. That was quite an experience. The streets began to fill up with youth celebrating with friends. I was surprised to see two groups of Christian youth proselytizing with music and praise songs in the streets. Why they would do this in a prominent Jewish community, I don’t know. But I found it to be pretty inconsiderate of the culture around them. I think there are more fruitful-and respectful-ways to witness to others about your faith.

Although it was a fun day in Jerusalem, I’m getting ready to see some other sites-especially from the passenger side of a car.

Shalom,

Mat