Israel Part 1- Beth & Jeru

Traveling leaves you speechless..turns you into a story teller..

Ibn Batuta,Moroccan Explorer

Tue 12/11..Shuttle pick up from Ben Gurion..it was a packed  dropping guests at various hotels..we got dropped on the other side of the road in front of Abraham Hostel and had to scurry across  the busy road with luggage.It was well past 9:30 pm.Reception was manned by this enthusiastic guy ..everything was on his computer..He liked my name Ganesh.. we were soon in our private room with en suite facility.We gobbled up some methi parathas and called it a day after a long journey from MUM.
The Israel map below is to give you a sense of the smallness of the  country I will be writing about.Moreover,55% of the land area of Israel is taken up by Negev desert in the south..and there are other desert regions too,throughout Israel.
                                                   
Wed 13/11 Bethlehem tour

We were the first to have our breakfast, rather hurriedly, and start walking to the pick up point which was 30 min away on Jaffa St. in the proximity of our Hostel. Got the coach and another 30 min saw us  going through Israeli security for entering  Palestine.This unique tour provided an opportunity to view the situation on the ground.First came the West bank wall.It soars as high as 25 feet in some places and is topped with barbed wire cutting off Palestine from rest of the country..Israel contends that it was erected for safety reasons following a rash of Palestinian suicide bombings in Jerusalem that killed more than 1000 Israelis.Despite public outcry and UN declaring it illegal in 2004,the wall stands. In Bethlehem the wall has been transformed into artwork..street art that depicts the feelings of oppression along with messages of peace and hope for resolution of the conflict.

We were now on a local bus with a Palestinian Christian as guide.The biblical birthplace of Jesus,is a major Christian pilgrim destination.
Soon we were in Manger square in the heart of Bethlehem walking towards the beautiful Chapel “The Milk Grotto”. The name is derived from the belief that a drop of Mary’s milk spilled onto the ground of the cave and turned it completely white. Mary and Joseph decided to stay there until they knew that baby Jesus would be safe from King Herod’s soldiers.

A church was built over the grotto in the 5th century.The remnants of a beautiful mosaic found in the courtyard of the grotto are believed to be from this time period.
For ages,childless women of many religions have made a pilgrimage to the Milk Grotto, seeking Mary for the gift of an offspring.
Church of the Nativity
Walked back to Manger square and turned towards the Church of Nativity to see a large crowd of tourists thronging the entrance.We had a 20 min wait even to enter this Unique place.

Facade of Nativity Church

This 6th-century Church shares Manger Square with the 15th-century Church of St. Catherine and the 1860 Mosque of Omar.The grotto holds a prominent religious significance to Christians of various sects as the birth place of Jesus. 

On entering the church you face a large Nave.The Nave and interior have decorations dating back to 6 AD!. Complex array of lights and big number of decorative lamps adorn the Nave and the  interior. Church is jointly regulated by, Armenian, Greek Orthodox and the Roman Catholic Church, having separate Naves that are partitioned from each other.

A finely-carved marble doorway gives access to the stairs leading down to the Grotto of the Nativity.This is the focal point of the Church as it is considered "the site" of Christ's birth.It is marked by a silver star and surrounded by colourful tapestry,decorative icons and lighting. Few steps away is the Manger where Mary took Christ after birth and wrapped him in cloth.

At the Nave,we could see well preserved portions of original mosaics of 4th AD church.



We proceeded to the village of Beit Sahour,which has been identified by tradition as the Shepherds’ Field,where,it is believed,the Angels came  to announce the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Area area is full of limestone caves. It is possible that shepherds would shelter a flock from the weather here..It is the type of shelter that Mary and Joseph used.There are niches carved into the walls that would have been ideal for holding an infant.

←The pathway created to approach the caves below.

The top of the site has a small,but not a very old chapel.With this we ended our Biblical tour of Bethlehem.

🎵 Long time ago in the middle east,so the holy Bible says

Mary's boy child Jesus Christ,was born in Bethlehem🎵

Where Olive trees abound so must be artisans who work with the wood to produce articles of interest to tourists.We Visited the Olive (tree) Wood Factory as also the Community Souvenir Store..where Arab coffee and Baklava was served.
At the end of the tour fresh Falafel in Pita bread was offered.Returned back to Jerusalem from where we took a taxi back to our Hostel.On the whole it is interesting to imagine how the Palestinians carry on in the west Bank with a wall surrounding them and Israeli security strictly observing their movements.Yet they were very pleasant and hospitable giving us an enjoyable day!
Tower of David,Jerusalem 

Despite being referred to as the 'Tower of David', the Citadel we saw as we entered Jaffa Gate of the old city, started life as a palace of Herod the Great.This was also used by the Romans and Crusaders and later the structure was extensively remodeled by the Mamluks and the Ottomans. Today it is home to the impressive Museum of the History of Jerusalem, which tells the city's story in a series of chronologically arranged exhibits starting in 2nd millennium BC and finishing in 1948.

In the evening we attended the spectacular sound and light show.It takes place after dark in the castle courtyard among the archaeological remains. The experience begins with a walk through the open air museum courtyard.Then the 4000 years of Jerusalem history unfolds in a grand sequence with virtual reality images and optical illusion techniques and captivating music over multiple speakers.Some 20 computers and 14 projectors are used to create this spectacle.

Thus did we end our first day in Israel

_________________________________________________________

Thu 14/11...Jerusalem "Old city" tour

A little background first on the this ancient holy city.
Jerusalem was founded as the City of David in 1010 BC, but there’s evidence of settlements there going back all the way to 4500 BC. Jerusalem has been conquered more than 40 times..by the Persians,the Romans,the Ottoman Turks and the British Empire.In mid 19th century Jews became the largest ethnic group in Jerusalem. It is a walled city; its walls being 2.5 miles long,40 feet tall,and 8 feet thick.There are 34 watchtowers along Jerusalem’s walls,and there are 7 gates for traffic.Jerusalem is a holy site for all three Abrahamic faiths, and more than 3.5 million tourists visit every year.There are more than 50 Churches,33 mosques and 300 Synagogues in the city.1500 public parks and gardens in Jerusalem – that’s a lot of green space in the desert!Some of the olive trees in Jerusalem are more than 800 years old.If you’re looking for (arguably) the best hummus in this town, visit Abu Shukri... Delicious..Neil Armstrong said when he visited Jerusalem, “I am more excited stepping on these stones than I was stepping on the moon.”

Our tour guide and some 25 of us entered through the Jaffa Gate into the "Old City".

Armenian quarter was the first; Their presence in Jerusalem dates back to the 4 AD,when Armenia adopted Christianity as a national religion and their monks settled in Jerusalem. It is considered the oldest living diaspora outside the Armenian homeland.In front of an Armenian church our Guide unfurled the Timeline↑ of Jerusalem and the different occupants of the holy city and spoke about it for 5 minutes. Proceeded to the Jewish quarter where we saw maximum action.

Here,the narrow alleyways are lined by the homes of Ultra-Orthodox Jewish families and Yeshivas (schools for Torah study). Walking around,we could  observe the residents of the Jewish quarter go about their daily lives.There are teenage students in the Yeshivas who are often here from around the world,children playing outside schools between lessons,men rushing around between places of worship.
Now I will tell you about the Temple of the Jews. First Temple was built in 1000 BC by King Solomon after King David conquered Jerusalem and made it his capital. It was destroyed in 586 BC.Second temple was built in 530 BC and destroyed by Romans in 70 AD leaving behind the western wall.

The Western Wall also called the wailing wall (Kotel in hebrew) is the number one attraction of the Jewish Quarter and probably the whole of the Old city.The holiest site in Judaism,this iconic wall is actually the last remaining wall of the courtyard which surrounded Second Temple.From times ancient, Jews from around the world come here to pray. 
Prayer area for men and women are demarcated and there was an area where young boys were being initiated for special prayers.You don’t have to be Jewish to go up to the Western Wall – you just need to be dressed modestly and have your head covered; One traditional act which is undertaken at the Western Wall is inserting a prayer note in a crack in the wall.

Temple Mount:We then lined up behind many many other tourists to take the wooden bridge to the Temple Mount.It is one of the  most incredible sights in Jerusalem!!It can be accessed through 11 gates in the Old City but tourists and non-Muslims are only allowed to one gate only.We had to go through strict security which also demanded and provided for modest dressing to those who were dressed inappropriately according to them.Women have to cover up till below the knee and no shorts or Tees for men as well as women.

First came the Al Aqsa mosque,a functioning house of worship, accommodating up to 5000 worshipers at a time.The name Al Aqsa  means 'farthest mosque', a reference to the journey Prophet Muhammad is believed to have made on his way to heaven to receive instructions from Allah.

Dome of the rock shrine stood majestically in front enclosed inside an ancient compound.It was  built in late 7 AD. It is the oldest extant Islamic monument. The rock over which the shrine was built is sacred to both Muslims and Jews.In Jewish tradition it is here that Abraham, the progenitor and first patriarch of the Hebrew people,is said to have prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.Both the Dome and Al Aqsa Mosque are located on the Temple Mount and are considered the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina.The Dome's structure comprises an octagonal base topped by a gilded wooden central dome with ornamentation all around.The interior and exterior of the structure are decorated with marble,mosaics and metal plaques.

Since its construction the Dome of the Rock has been modified several times. In the 20th century, damaged interior and exterior ornaments were repaired or replaced, and the dome was given a new gold covering by the king Hussein of Jordan.

The Muslim Quarter is a huge contrast to the Jewish Quarter.Its streets are busier and more crowded with vendors selling all varieties of products.In contrast to the other quarters where shops are generally selling religious products,the Souk is literally an ancient shopping mall in the 21st century where one can practice their bargaining skills and buy almost anything.Wandering the streets of the Muslim Quarter it is hard to imagine how the locals go about their everyday business so normally in what is such an intense place. Kids play in the street and men sit out in cafes smoking hookah.

We have been on our feet for about 3 Hrs as the guide brought us to the Eatery she has been talking about,calling it the best available in the Muslim quarter for a quick and interesting meal. 

Abu Shukri is literally a hole in the wall restaurant on the road side,cramped and rustic.The standard fare included bowls of rich smooth hummus, topped with chickpeas and olive oil,accompanied with Tahini (sesame sauce),  stewed beans,pine nuts,crunchy veg salad and a basket of pita bread.To this was added a side order of  Falafel. Was it delicious! Abu Shukri is so popular that it has spawned imitators around Jerusalem.

We were now ready to round off our tour by visiting the Christian quarter.In the 4th century Emperor Constantine’s mother Helena traveled to the Holy Land where she identifying a site in Jerusalem as Calvary or Golgotha where Jesus was crucified and was laid to rest. She had the Church of Holy Sepulcher constructed in this part of the city. Over the centuries other religious institutions and churches were built close-by creating a community of Christians in what we now know as the Christian Quarter.The Church of the Holy Sepulcher is a huge church. It is the main attraction of the Christian Quarter;an opulent, historic site shared by several Christian sects.

Leading to the Holy Sepulcher is the Via Dolorosa (sorrowful way), the route Christ took bearing his Cross to his crucifixion.In fact the location of our restaurant was in the proximity of fifth station of Jesus's route.The Via Dolorosa starts in the Muslim Quarter and ends at the church.The distance of about 600 meters,is a celebrated place of Christian pilgrimage.The route was established in the 18th century.Today it is marked by the 14 Stations of the Cross,the final five stations of which are located inside the Church.There were milling crowds inside when we went and narrow circular stairs to climb at this Holy place that we were better off being outside it.
With this the exciting tour ended..Think about it.For 4000 years the old city of Jerusalem,less than 1 Sq.Km in area,is a site of major significance for the three religions: Judaism,Islam and Christianity and both Israel and Palestine have claimed Jerusalem as a capital city.Bloody conflicts to control the city and sites within it have been waged for thousands of years.

We sat near the Jaffa gate for sometime enjoying the cool breeze and watching the city light up for the evening.We walked up slowly to the light rail stop to catch a ride back to the hostel.At 7:30PM we were at the Lounge/Bar of our Hostel where six more people had gathered for the Hummus workshop.All the ingredients and spices were already arranged on the table as we took our seats.In a very relaxed atmosphere we participated in preparing Hummus starting from chickpeas and were guided by a Hummus specialist on  the process and how we could put our own touch to it.When everything was ready and we had the perfect hummus😋,we feasted on our creation with warm Pita bread.It was great fun! 

Part 2 will follow soon.
Shalom!

___________________________________________________