Jerusalem! Monday

On Monday I walked through the more modern Jewish areas of Jerusalem, including the downtown pedestrian shopping areas that look like Europe. From there I headed to the Israel Museum. 

It's a large compound, and I decided to focus my time and attention on the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit and model of ancient Jerusalem.

This is the building that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls. It's designed to appear like the top of the clay jar that had contained the scrolls for thousands of years until they were discovered in 1947.

The most exciting and central feature inside is the intact Isaiah scroll. It's the entire book of Isaiah written out by hand on sewn-together pieces of sheepskin seven and a half meters long.
 

The Israel Museum also features an enormous model of Jerusalem from the New Testament period. This is the Temple of Herod on the temple mount.   

There's a great audio guide that takes you through prominent buildings throughout the model. That's why it's easy to spend several hours here.

 

Entryway into the temple. Worshipers would ritually wash themselves here and then start up the long staircase to the temple mount above.
 

The pool of Bethsesda, just north of the temple mount, where Jesus healed a paralyzed man. 
 

 

The city from the South, with the Kidron Valley on the right.
 

I took a bus back to Damascus Gate and wondered whether I had time to see the Pater Noster church atop the Mount of Olives. It had been closed when I was there the day before. Now it was already late afternoon but I decided to risk it. 

I ran-walked through the Old City, down the Via Dolorosa and out Lions' Gate where a street vendor gave me an apple and some delicious grapes for free (and on the way back a whole box of cherries).  Either it was the end of the day and he didn't need them anymore, or I looked tired and hungry!

 

After hustling up the Mount of Olives and being thrilled that my super-glued sandals hadn't torn open, I was so happy that I'd made it to the Pater Noster church with time to spare before closing. 

 

 

 

 

 

                       It was especially pretty and inspiring in the late-afternoon lighting. Being off the beaten path, there were very few tourists here.

Pater Noster is Latin for "Our Father," the first words of the Lord's Prayer. It features the prayer in many languages written on blue ceramic tiles.

The building is part of a Carmelite monastery.
 

Jerusalem! Sunday

Sunday was a perfect day. I wanted to see the Mount of Olives and as much of the Old City of Jerusalem as possible. I think I walked for about nine hours! 

I started at Damascus Gate and wended my way through the Old City to exit at Lions' Gate. From there I headed down the Kidron Valley and over to the traditional site of the Garden of Gethsemane. 

From the Garden there's either a steep road or a staircase with what must be one thousand steps to the summit of the Mount of Olives. Here's the view of the Old City, with a Jewish cemetery in the foreground.

I really wanted to see the Pater Noster chuch, but it was closed this day.

 

On the way back down the Mount of Olives, I stopped at the church Domus Flevit (Latin for "the Lord wept"). This is the traditional site where Jesus looked over the city and wept.

 

Returning to the Old City, I was curious about a sign that read, "Austrian Hospice" and ascended the staircase to find this lovely view and a beautiful old Austrian hotel and cafe. It was the perfect place for a little break.

Scenes from the Old City.
 

In the afternoon luckily the line was short to see the staggeringly beautiful Dome of the Rock, also called al-Haram al-Sharif. 

This is the third holiest site in Islam.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My shorts were deemed inappropriate and I was given a long skirt for modesty's sake. 

I was excited to see the inside, which I remembered from years earlier is covered in gorgeous Arabic calligraphy. 

So I nonchalantly started sauntering in, only to quickly be rebuffed by a guard-bouncer. It used to be open to tourists but now is only accessible for Muslim worshipers and I didn't exactly look the part.

Understandable enough, but hopefully next time!

Come to Jerusalem!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I am urging any young student who has the opportunity to apply to study here for the experience of a lifetime!

Jerusalem! Saturday

I felt like I had won the lottery. Three days in Jerusalem to do as I pleased! There was something about being there that exhilarated me.

On Saturday morning I walked from the group's hotel, fortunately well situated near Damascus Gate, to the BYU Jerusalem Center.

View of Mount Scopus on the left (left tower and buildings are Hebrew University) which becomes the Mount of Olives on the right (right tower belongs to Augusta Victoria hospital built by Germans in early 1900s), with the white arches of the BYU Center in the center-right.

 
 

Unfortunately this picture did not turn out well and doesn't convey the breathtakingly stunning view of the city. I was utterly overwhelmed to be back in this very special place. 

The speakers were all students and impressed me with their sincerity and dedication. When the choir, also composed of students, sang with the accompaniment of violins and the grand piano, I gazed through the windows and thought to myself, Is this what heaven is like?

 

A very youthful-looking student led us on this fabulous organ.

View from the terrace. It was windy!

The architecture is stunning, simple yet elegant. The building is widely known as one of the most beautiful modern structures in the city and is open several times a week for public tours and organ recitals.

On the grounds are displayed some ancient and reconstructed features from biblical times. Storage jars.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Students hanging out after services.
 

Another feature I loved on the grounds were these models of Jerusalem during various historical periods. Here is Jerusalem at the time of King Solomon's temple (1000-600 BC).

New Testament period, with King Herold's temple (66 BC).
 

Byzantine Jerusalem (AD 638).

 

Arab and Crusader Jerusalem (to AD 1517).

 

In the afternoon I walked to the Garden Tomb, a possible site of Jesus' burial. Today it's situated in a little park, beautifully maintained.

When I was a student at Hebrew University I came here for a special service on Easter morning with the branch president's wife and her sister.