janeandbobandmore: THE OLD CITY, JERUSALEM

THE OLD CITY

Inside the Old City in Jerusalem are the holy sites that are most sacred for Jews, Christians and Moslems. After the Six Day War in 1967, Jerusalem was re-united as part of Israel. As IDF Col. (Ret.) Miri Eisen, former spokesperson for the Prime Minister, told us - Israel sees it as a great honor to be entrusted as the custodian of these age-old religious sites in Jerusalem. And Israel feels it has a special responsibility to protect these sacred sites and to keep them open for those who wish to visit. Since Jerusalem has been reunited under Israeli control, each sacred site has been placed under the direction, law and protection of leaders from its own faith - Jewish, Christian or Muslim.

Before 1967, access to the Jewish sites was forbidden by the Jordanians who held the older half of Jerusalem after the 1948 War. In fact, the Jordanians made a concerted effort to wipe out the any trace of the 3,000-year Jewish presence in the Old City. The Jordanians destroyed the Jewish Quarter including its grand synagogue, built a road through the ancient Jewish cemetery on Mt. Scopus paving it with memorial headstones and forbade access to the Western Wall of the Temple Mount. Although the reconstruction had been planned, on his 2009 visit to Israel, Bob saw only one remaining arch of the domed Great Synagogue surrounded by rocky rubble where the Synagogue had once stood; on this visit in 2018, we saw the Synagogue totally rebuilt and now serving its original function—as a place of worship and study. The new interior and exterior were copied from photos taken in the 19^thand 20^thcentury. A yeshiva/school is connected to it as in the past. And fulfilling the ancient prophetic vision of Zechariah 8:5, “and the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls playing there,” the stone plaza outside was filled with young boys in white shirts and black pants kicking a soccer ball.

In large numbers, alone or walking with guides speaking many different languages, Christians and many others visit the Church of the Holy Sepulcher within the Old City. Tourists waited in long lines to kneel at the holiest site within the church, where Christians believe Jesus was placed when he was brought down from the Cross.

Access to the sacred Muslim Dome of the Rock is open but carefully monitored to assure peaceful access. Jewish guided groups are limited to specific times and a specific narrative—no talk of the First or Second Temple.

Israeli archaeologists have conducted meticulous excavations to reveal the sites and the stories of ancient times. This research has to be done with sensitivity and concern so as not to disturb any possible future excavations. Archeologists also consider the interests and views of all religious groups.

The Old City is very vibrant. One walks up and down stone staircases to get from place to place. In the middle of the steps is a stone ramp, used by merchants to wheel a cart through the slope to restock their shops. Merchants in the Arab market or souq, located in the Christian and Muslim quarter of the Old City, sell spices, shawls, leather goods, all types of merchandise from their stalls in this labyrinth of alleyways.

Look around within the Old City and one sees the mosaic of cultures that form today’s Jerusalem ––Arabs in hijabs, orthodox men in black coats, young people in shorts and tee shirts with slogans, IDF soldiers in uniform - every matter of dress. There undoubtedly are hidden cameras but few or no guns are seen. Add to this, tourists from every continent and you have an amazing mix of people. We are grateful to see peace in Jerusalem as people stroll past each other talking, browsing, and enthralled by the mystique of the Old City.