Day 5

Bright and early out of the old city walls and into an Orthodox Jewish neighborhood.  I only saw men, all dressed in orthodox garb, and giving us some stern looks.  I don't think they wanted us there.

Orthodox Jews only make up a small portion of the population in Israel.  The government is worried about the "hardcore" practicing religious Jews because they want the temple mount back from the Muslims.  The only way to have peace in Israel is to let the Muslims have the Temple mount, but the radical Jews would probably be in favor of warring to get it.  They want to destroy the Dome of the Rock, the sight where Muhammed supposedly ascended into heaven, and rebuild the temple.  It is the second most holy Islamic site after Mecca.  I think it is curious that he ascended in the exact place that the Jews consider most holy.  It sounds more like a religious slap in the face to the Jews.  The State of Israel is mostly comprised of Jews and Arabs who just want the radicals from both sides to chill.  Most of the country is non-religious or atheist.  I am very surprised that the Dome has been sitting on the most holy place of the Jews since 600 AD.  Even the crusaders didn't destroy it when they had control of Jerusalem.  I believe the Dome is still there because of divine providence.  If the Jews overrun the temple mount and destroy the Dome, it will be World War Three.  Sadly, I probably side with all of the non-religious people in Israel.  If something happens, thousands of people will die or become more oppressed.  Only those who are less religious in Israel seem to want prosperity for everyone.  Even Palestinian Christians are persecuted by Jewish influence.  That is offensive.  How about the love of Christ?

On our way up the walkway to the temple mount, we stopped to watch some Jewish Bar mitzvahs at the Kotel.  It is considered the best place in the world to have one.  Groups from all around the world come to Jerusalem to have them by the western wall.  When a boy turns thirteen, he is considered part of the Jewish quorum and a man.  Five Jewish men can establish a synagogue.  The women are not allowed in this certain area of the Kotel, and must watch from over a fence.

There was a stack of riot shield on the walkway to the temple mount before security.  Yikes.  The women must have their shoulders covered on the mount, and men must wear pants.  In photographs, people of the opposite sex cannot be touching.  There are Muslim men around who make sure these rules are obeyed.  Sarah got in trouble for not covering her chest up enough twice.  There are people there who want you to hire them as a tour guide, so they don't allow any guides with groups.  We turned down some offers, and Tim talked to us some quietly.

I climbed up on the wall to try to get a good picture of the Mount of Olives, but quickly jumped down because somebody was yelling at me from a ways off.  I hid for a wile.

We had boiling hot lava potato soup for lunch.  Perfect for a scorching day.

During the afternoon we went to the Armenian quarter of the city, and passed by David's tower.  King David didn't build it, but it is still a very old and impressive structure.  Tim said that nobody really cares about David's tower, but if something in America was that old it would be a hot tourist attraction.  It even has a moat!

We went to the Jaffa Gate and did the Ramparts walk.  This is the walkway on top of almost the entire Ottoman city wall.  Some of us went most of the way around the city.  It is a very long walk with some great views.  People are allowed to walk on the wall anywhere but around the temple mount.

This is the place where they would pour boiling oil down on attackers.  Kind of like the boiling lava we ate for lunch.

When we were on top of the Damascus gate, we could see the the skull at Golgotha.  It was so much closer to the city than I thought.  This being the place of the crucifixion really makes sense to me.

After the Ramparts walk we went to the Lutheran Church in the Christian quarter and climbed up the tower.  There were three winding staircases to the top, and it gave an awesome view of Jerusalem in all directions.

 The group sat in the sanctuary of the church and sang together after coming down.  It was a special time, and the echoes sounded very good.  I really like this church.  It was built in 1896.

We were done touring for the day, so I went to wonder around Jerusalem by myself.  I stopped at a shop to buy a yamaka (Jewish cap) for Tyler.  I had gotten one a previous day and got the guy down from 20 shekels to 10, so I wont pay more for another.  The vendor was a kid no older than 12.  This is exactly how the conversation went.

Kid: You like these?

Me: Ya. I like this one. 10 Shekels right?

Kid: No, 20.

Me: I got one at another shop for 10, so thats all im paying.

Kid: Where?

Me: Um, some shop over there.

Kid: 20 Shekels

Me: Ok. bye.

I started to walk away.  He let me get about 10 feet before he called me back.

Kid: Ok, ok.

Me: Here's ten.

Kid: ..But it's HAND MADE. 15.

I picked up another yamaka made of different material

Me: And this one isn't hand made?

Kid: ..well, that one is too.

(ya. none of them are)

Me: 10 or bye bye

He put the one I wanted down and picked up another exactly like it, and quickly put it into a bag I was carrying.  I took it out and there was a giant stain on it.

Me: You tried to cheat me.  I want THAT ONE.

He tried to put another stained one in my bag AGAIN. Unbelievable.  I pushed his hand out of the way, got the one I wanted, and left.  That was more trouble than it was worth.

Sam and I ate so many strawberries for dinner.  We had gotten some in the market for the group a few days ago and were last in line to eat.  By the time we got to the strawberries, they were all gone.  We made sure that wouldn't happen again.  We also did the dishes together.  Actually he did.  I dried some but mostly watched.  Weston didn't do anything either.

Sam has not changed at all since I knew him before high school.  He is a very quality man, a jokester, and incredibly fun to spend time with.  One of the men who works at the Hostel sat in the kitchen and talked to us while we were doing dishes.  His name is Hani, a Chicago born Muslim with a computer science degree.  He decided to move back to Jerusalem to be with his family.  Mani said that he can't live without family, even if he likes America.  An American citizen with a computer science degree working at a hostel in Jerusalem.

After all the older people (and Weston) went to bed, all the youngsters went to get coffee at the Jewish quarter.  Weston has been sick with a cold and migraine.  We went to the Marzipan bakery at a cool square of shops.  Our cashier was a jew probably 20 years old.  He asked us if we liked it here, and he told us that Jerusalem was just for religious people. "Tel Aviv is where the party's at".  Hmm.  Lots of Jewish teenagers hang out here at night.  Fun night with the kids!