Monday, July 9 Jerusalem – The Eternal City

Wow!!! I’m back in my room at 4:15pm Monday afternoon to shower, relax real quick and re-board the bus at 6;45pm for a busy night.  But what we have accomplished already is more than a day’s worth of stuff!!!  It’s so fun; but it’s so darned HOT!!!!

Our Torah service at Robinson’s Arch was so wonderful.  All 1st timers to Israel joined together for the first Aliyah Blessing and we were all so moved!  I wore my new Tallit and Kepah for the first time!  I just got it yesterday in support of Women of the Wall and Even though it was a heavy and heavily decorated Tallit, I wasn’t all sweaty and icky the whole time I was in it!  Those of you who know me, will know that that is AMAZING!!!!  Another Israel miracle, I say!!!

Before, during and after, in other areas of where we were, Bar and Bat Mitzvahs were taking place.  Hearing the same music and prayers all around us was so nice.  Robinson’s Arch is at the southwestern side of the Western Wall…on the Western Wall just the same, only it’s part of the current archeological discoveries going on and what they have unearthed is so revealing and so cool.  I hope my photos capture it!

We went to the Davidson Center for some more info on the Second Temple and, thanks to UCLA, there was a video/3-D model of the Second Temple that the guide was able to zoom in and out throughout for us to really see what is going on all around (and it was a pleasure to view it in the a/c and shade!!!).

Afterward, tons and tons of steps!!!  And, lo and behold, we were in the Jewish Quarter of Jerusalem for lunch on our own and, of course, SHOPPING!  Another Israel miracle….I DIDN’T SHOP!!!!!!!!!  I was just happy to look around a bit and then to sit with many of my new friends in our travel group for a bit of lunch.  I had chicken shwarma…yes again!  With hummus and “salad” on it and he even threw in mini falafel and asked for a tip!  Some vacation things never change!!!  Although, I will admit that is the first time anyone has openly solicited me for a tip–very unlike our cruise destination stops!  An interesting happening….One of our group husbands got a bagel with cream cheese; his wife a felafel/shwarma pita.  He was asked to leave to the “dairy only” side as no dairy was allowed on the ‘meat’ side!!!

We have been learning about the recent discoveries of King Hezekiah’s tunnels; a long and intricate system of obtaining water to the King in case of attack and our tour included admission to a tour through the tunnels.  When we found out that there is still water in the dark and narrow tunnels and in a couple spots it could be thigh-high, several of us had 2nd, 3rd and 4th thoughts about our need to make that 45 minute trek in the dark and wet tunnel!  Our Guide, Amos, who is handling our tired and cranky moods quite handsomely, told us that beside the wet tunnel is a set of shorter, dry tunnels that would only take 10 minutes or so to go through!  6 of us opted for that!  A few opted out completely and the rest trekked through the entire 45 minute Hezekiah tunnel tour!  But what I didn’t know beforehand, was we both would share this downward decent to get to either of the tunnels.  It was so scary and at spots I was shaking from head to toe…so much so that when we finished the climb down, I was in tears.  No one who knows me would have expected me to do that once they saw it.  I was brave, but shaking all over when we got down there.  BUT I DID IT!!!!!  It made the 10-minute dry tunnel excursion seem much easier by far!  I took a pic or two by looking back of where we climbed down from…..hope they show up well too!

We finished sufficiently earlier than the other group that I felt totally composed by the time they finished; and our bus driver was soon to pick us up…phew!

I have some sun poisoning on my leg…I’ve been using Factor 100 sunscreen and it’s been working great, but I must’ve missed my upper ankles yesterday and both are not looking so pretty…so what did I do?!  I found Olive Oil and Lemon, all natural lotion and am hoping some love and care will improve it!

We are having dinner in the center of Jerusalem tonight together as a group in what is supposed to be a really nice restaurant.  Afterwards, now I know you won’t believe this, but we’re going to visit the Kotel Tunnels!!!  These are the tunnels UNDER and alongside the Western Wall.  http://english.thekotel.org/visitorinfo.asp . They’re supposed to be much more accessible!  Let’s hope so for me.

On a personal note…I came on this trip to discover things to work through some things, to way away from some things, to emerge from some things and to shed some things.  All that has been done for sure.  And I’ve gained so much more.  A belief in who I am again; and what I can and want to accomplish; the belief that I have much to offer–and the hope that I can successfully do so from this day forward!  OX