A Hike to Hell and Back

This Shabbat, I joined a couple of friends on a walk around Jerusalem. Our original destination was Yemin Moshe, a century-old neighborhood just outside the Old City. To get there, I successfully navigated our group through the Arab neighborhoods around the Old City, where we made our first pit stop--at the Garden Tomb.

The Garden Tomb, according to many (mostly Protestant) Christians who doubt the authenticity of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, is one possible location for Christ's death and burial/resurrection. The major argument for the authenticity of the Garden Tomb is the curious, skull-like formation in the cliff face ("Golgatha" = Place of the Skull, see picture below). Comically (though unfortunately), however, this would put Jesus' crucifixion site in what is currently the Arab central bus station (pictured below). The site does contain a 1st-century cave/tomb and wine press. As a Protestant shrine, tomb itself was characteristically unadorned, so that even if the Garden Tomb's claim to historicity is less strong than that of the Holy Sepulcher, the Garden Tomb felt more real.





We proceeded then to Yemin Moshe. This neighborhood was the first to be built outside of the Old City walls in the late 1800s. Today it is a beautiful upscale neighborhood and artist colony; the main landmark of the area is the iconic windmill (pictured below). The second picture shows the stone architecture of the houses, along with their amazing view of the Armenian Quarter.






From Yemin Moshe, we proceeded southward, to the summit of Mount Zion. Zion is the hill to the south of the Old City, though in biblical times, Zion came to refer to the city of Jerusalem (hence the Temple Mount is often called Mount Zion), or the entire land of Israel. It is easy to see why--look at the view! FYI--the blue-green dome at the right edge of the picture is El Aqsa Mosque. The hill just above it is the Mount of Olives. The small tower in the top-middle is the Hebrew University campus.



Somewhat disoriented, we hiked the dangerously-steep slope downward into the valley that separates Mount Zion from the Old City. The area is called the Valley of Hinnom, but in biblical times, it was called Gehenna. In this location, sinful Israelites sacrificed their children to idols by making the children "pass through fire." The valley's association with judgment and damnation made Gehenna synonymous with Hell (who knew Hell would be so pretty?). Perhaps for this reason, the area is still completely undeveloped.



Notice, in this second picture, the pile of ash that somebody leftover from a recent bonfire. How appropriate/morbid.



We proceeded up the other side and met the south wall of the Old City. There, we happened to stumble across (though nobody had planned this) two important religious sites, both pictured below. The first is the Church of the Last Supper, built where Jesus and his disciples ate before Jesus' betrayal and capture (and the birthplace of the Eucharist!). The second is the Tomb of David. Unfortunately, no photography was allowed inside (but I took a picture of the sign, below).





Our sightseeing hike concluded at the Abbey of the Dormition, a Benedictine monastery commemorating the death of the Virgin Mary. To answer a question I asked in my Mount of Olives post--in Catholic tradition, Mary DID undergo physical death, but was resurrected and assumed into heaven. Though mass was going on, I snapped a picture (below) of the church's unique light fixture.

JStreet Updates--Movement and Economic Development in the West Bank

In spite of a text-message warning to "avoid east Jerusalem and the Old City on Friday, February 25th, because of expected heightened tension" (a response to the United States' vetoing a U.N. resolution which would condemn Israeli settlements in the West Bank), I joined JStreet for another tour of the West Bank, this time focused on the issues of movement and economic development.

We accessed the West Bank through the Qalandiya Crossing, the largest checkpoint near Jerusalem. The crossing is both a pedestrian and vehicle checkpoint which serves Palestinians who are considered residents of Jerusalem, as well as Israeli settlers, and Palestinians with permits to work in Israel proper. The crossing actually sported some cool hand-scanners which are supposed to expedite the crossing for workers with permits.

A representative for the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) explained the history of the crossing and its day-to-day operation. During peak hours, getting through the checkpoint can take as long as an hour and fifteen minutes (imagine doing that every day)! ACRI has won several small legislative victories which targeted the Qalandiya Crossing, including (1) the installment of a humanitarian lane for the sick and elderly, (2) a change in policy which allows children to remain on school buses (rather than forcing them to step off the bus and proceed through the pedestrian crossing while the bus is checked at the vehicle checkpoint), and (3) a change in policy allowing children to show a copy of their birth certificate (rather than the original) at the crossing.

Several pictures are below. The first picture is of the huge sign at the Qalandiya Crossing which warns travelers (in Hebrew) that entering the nearby Area A (i.e. areas under the total control of the Palestinian Authority) can present a danger to one's life! The second picture shows two of the three pedestrian crossing lanes, not including the humanitarian lane (which is wide enough for people using wheelchairs). The third picture is the intimidating security barrier which separates eastern (Palestinian) and western (Israeli) Jerusalem. What surprised me was how--much like traveling from the U.S. to Mexico--getting into Area A is so easy... going the reverse is an extremely tedious process (unless, of course, you are visibly Jewish).





Our tour then proceeded to the village of Taybeh. Mentioned several times in the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament and the New Testament, Taybeh is the only Palestinian village that is entirely Arab-Christian. The religious life of the villagers is divided between a Greek Orthodox Church, a second rite I cannot remember, and a Roman Catholic Church. We met with the priest from the Roman Catholic church who told us about his church's history, as well as his dream for a more unified society. He called the land neither Israel nor Palestine but Canaan (a politically neutral and historically accurate term), and expressed his hope that Jerusalem will remain "one city for two people of three faiths." (He also talked about the parish school--33% of its enrollment is comprised of Muslim students from the neighboring villages.) The coolest part for me was seeing the beautiful (Christian) church, with Arabic writing (pictured below).



The priest also showed us an ancient stone house on the church grounds. The house was several centuries old, and the priest explained how the centuries-old house illuminates many of the parables Jesus told in the Gospels, as well as other stories. For example, he explained how the people and animals used to live together inside the house--the people would sleep together in an upper room, whereas the livestock would be kept in the lower room. The priest believes that Jesus' birth did not occur in a modern stable, but in the lowest room of the house where the animals were kept (because there was not enough room on the upper floors). See the picture below.



The trip concluded with a tour of the Taybeh Brewing Co., the only Palestinian microbrewery in the West Bank. Let's just say it was delicious. The owners talked about the unique issues which face a Palestinian company--for example, rather than exporting their product through the nearby Qalandiya Crossing, the truck drivers must make a three hour journey south in order to move their product into Israel. International exports are also a logistical problem.



This last picture is a shout-out to Zach, who (I forgot to mention in the last post), moved into a vacant bedroom in my apartment, bringing our total up to four. I feel I should point out that this is the second time Zach has been pictured on this blog drinking beer (= alcoholism?).

The Navel of Creation

I have been VERY busy this week with classes and my internship (the Orion Center held its annual symposium, so I have been working long hours), but here--finally--is a new post--a post from the navel of creation, the Temple Mount.

On Tuesday, I met up with my mom's friend Ambika for the final time. As this was our last meeting, we decided to walk the Via Dolorosa and re-visit the Austrian Hospice, but the real reason for our meeting was to see the Temple Mount. After being turned away at two of the three entrances to the Temple Mount (apparently the other two are for Muslims only), we joined the long line of tourists waiting to take advantage of the Temple Mount's very limited visiting hours. The Mount is actually accessed via the Western Wall plaza through the Moor's Gate, by walking up a sketchy-looking temporary bridge (pictured below). The ascent appropriately afforded a spectacular view of the Western Wall plaza and the ancient City of David, both pictured below.







The Israelites conceived of the Temple Mount as a cosmic mountain--the fulcrum of creation, and the meeting place of God and man. Whereas the giving of the Torah at Mount Sinai was a one-time, non-repeatable event in Israel's history, the Temple was (supposed to be) the permanent residence of God on earth. Access to God at the Temple was mediated by the priests, who controlled the sacrificial cult. The destruction of Solomon's Temple by the Babylonians in 586 BCE and the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 CE were among the most traumatic events in Jewish history. The Mount is now under Muslim control (Muslims call it "Haram esh-Sharif," the Noble Sanctuary), though the status quo remains a complex political issue. The construction of the Third Temple on the Temple Mount (which is also called Mount Moriah or sometimes Mount Zion) is the centerpiece of Jewish messianic and apocalyptic hope. In Christianity, of course, the Third Temple is replaced by the eschatological return of Christ, who will reside here and establish paradise on earth following the resurrection of the dead.

The Temple Mount did not disappoint--it was absolutely beautiful. Near the Moor's Gate entrance is the famous El-Aqsa Mosque (pictured below), the Temple Mount's main attraction for Muslim worshipers. The 8th century architecture was stunning (as a non-Muslim, I was not permitted entrance, though I hear the interior is similarly breathtaking). Interestingly, during the Crusades, the Mosque served as a kind of Templar headquarters--remnants of Templar architectural style is visible in the Mosque's facade.



The second big attraction of the Temple Mount is the famous Dome of the Rock. The site is not actually a mosque--it is considered a shrine, like the Shrine of the Ascension on the Mount of Olives. Nonetheless, we were told that non-Muslims are not permitted entry (and let me tell you, I was irate). Below are two pictures of the Dome of the Rock. Notice the tiling around the outside of the Dome (these are verses from the Quran describing Muhammad's night journey).





What makes the Dome of the Rock so important? Underneath the Dome lies the Foundation Stone, an ancient rock which is associated with several important religious traditions. These include:
1. It is believed that creation began at this point. As the navel of creation, all the rest of the earth proceeds from the Foundation Stone.
2. God gathered the clay which he used to form Adam from the Foundation Stone.
3. Abraham bound and nearly sacrificed his son, Isaac, on this rock.
4. Jacob dreamed of a ladder upon this spot by which angels ascended and descended from heaven.
5. The Inner Sanctum of Solomon's Temple and the Second Temple stood upon the Foundation Stone. As such, it was the resting place of the Ark of the Covenant, God's dwelling place on earth.
6. In Islam, the Foundation Stone is believed to be the location of Muhammad's ascent into heaven following his night journey.
7. Beneath the Foundation Stone, Muslims believe the souls of the dead gather in prayer. The spot is called the Well of Souls.

Several other important shrines and buildings are to be found on the Temple Mount. These include the ancient Dome of the Prophet (first picture below), the Dome of the Chain (which was unfortunately undergoing renovation), and an impressive ancient series of staircases topped by a sort of archway called a qanatir (second picture below). The third picture is yet another beautiful view of the Mount of Olives.







The next time I'm in the area, I must remember to snap a picture of the Golden Gate--the former entrance onto the east side of the Temple Mount complex--by which Jews believe the Messiah will enter the Temple. Perhaps for this reason, the Muslims filled in the Golden Gate in the 7th century.

What surprised me most about the Temple Mount was the normalcy of it all--schoolchildren carrying backpacks were using it as a shortcut to get home from class, and teenage boys were playing soccer outside of the entrance to the Dome of the Rock. Oh Israel, you never cease to amaze me.

The Mount of Olives

It's been a long time since I've posted, and this delay is directly related to the fact that classes are in full swing--the Hebrew University semester has begun. While my schedule is still not 100% confirmed, I managed to retain a three-day weekend (although I will probably spend my day-off at my internship). Here is my course list:

-Introduction to Rabbinic Literature
-Modern Study of the Second Temple Period
-Hebrew Bible reading tutorial
-Astronomy and Historiography (of the Ancient Near East)
-Bi-Nationalism in Israel/Palestine
-Priestly Law and Holiness Legislation
-Internship--the Orion Center for the Study of the Dead Sea Scrolls

Many of the above classes are graduate-level (I am test-driving Hebrew U's graduate program in Bible and Ancient Near East). I had the opportunity to discuss grad school with a current grad student (and Notre Dame alum!), Joe. At the recommendation of our Hebrew teacher back at ND, Joe and I tried an amazing hummus restaurant in the Old City (see the picture below). Joe also showed me another cool lookout spot, at the top of a convent in the Armenian Quarter.



On Shabbat, a group of us decided to walk to the Mount of Olives, which although it was not particularly far, proved to be a strenuous uphill journey. Our day started at the Shrine of the Ascension, both a Muslim and Christian holy site which marks the spot at which Jesus ascended into heaven, 40 days following his resurrection. Disappointingly, the inside of shrine contained no artwork and was not particularly impressive, but it did preserve a stone on which Jesus' footprint is supposedly visible. The other disappointing thing was that we had to pay to enter. Two pictures (an exterior and an interior) are below. (Is it irreverent for me to thumbs-up here?)





We made our way next to the Church of the Pater Noster, where Jesus delivered the "Our Father" prayer. The complex consisted of a small chapel amidst a huge outdoor courtyard, and on the walls were translations of the "Our Father" into every language imaginable, from Swahili to Gaelic, Syriac to Hebrew brail. As you can see from the pictures, the site was infested with tour groups. The second picture is the English text of the prayer.





In previous blog entries, I posted a couple of pictures of the Mount of Olives, and I mentioned the huge Jewish cemetery that dominates the slope of the hill. Jews (and Christians) believe that the Resurrection of the Dead will take place here, and many opt to be buried as close to the site as possible. It is apparently customary for family members to leave stones on top of the grave markers, instead of flowers. The cemetery provided a fantastic view of the Old City and Dome of the Rock, (second picture below). In the last picture, I'm trying to "pick up" the Dome of the Rock (although I think it looks slightly off).







There is a beautiful Russian Orthodox Church (of St. Mary Magdalene) on the Mount, but it was closed--I shall have to return another time. Instead, we visited the Church of All Nations, also called the Basilica of the Agony. This church is built on top of the Garden of Gethsemane (where Jesus prayed and sweated blood before his betrayal by Judas). The first picture below is of the garden (mostly obstructed by huge olive trees); the second is the altar of the humongous church. The rock beneath it is said to be the original upon which Jesus prayed.





At the bottom of the Mount of Olives, we stumbled upon the Tomb of the Virgin, where some traditions say the Virgin Mary was buried. The Greek Orthodox Church operates the shrine in conjunction with a few other rites (Syriac, Coptic, etc.). The tomb is found at the bottom of an impressive flight of Crusader steps (pictured below). After ducking through a tiny stone opening, pilgrims can see (in the second picture) the stone on which she was laid. Where is the body, you ask? Catholic and (most) Orthodox theologies hold that Mary was assumed into heaven (this doctrine, however, is only a few decades old, although the tradition certainly is much older). It is apparently up for debate whether or not Mary underwent physical death before her assumption.

The Old City--A View from the Top

Yesterday, our group returned to the Old City to walk the Via Dolorosa (I insisted on showing everybody the water cistern as well). It was recommended to us that we go to the top of the Austrian Hospice in the Muslim Quarter. The roof of the building afforded us the most beautiful view of the Old City, Mount of Olives, and Temple Mount. A couple of pictures are below:

An aerial shot of the Muslim Quarter. Most apartments are ABOVE the shops, which is why you can see all the power lines and satellite dishes.



A Jewish cemetery on the Mount of Olives. It is believed that the resurrection of the dead will begin here, which is why many Jews opt to be buried in this location.



The Dome of the Rock (the best picture yet)!



The dome of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. A short distance away (though not pictured) is the bell tower of the Lutheran church. Ah, the ecumenism.



Our group in front of the Dome of the Rock.

JStreet Updates--All About Gaza

On Wednesday night (rather than studying for my ulpan final exam!) I attended another event put on my JStreet, the American lobbying group committed to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The night's topic was Gaza. Again, the panel consisted of two speakers--a woman named Tania Hary who represents the Gisha Legal Center for Freedom of Movement, and an official Israeli Defense Force (IDF) spokesperson, Captain Barak Raz.

Since the rise of Hamas (the Palestinian political party/terrorist organization) in Gaza in 2006, Israel has maintained a kind of blockade which controls the movement of people in and out of Gaza, as well as regulates imports and exports. The Gisha representative explained that the Israeli government used blocked the import of basic supplies into the region--from coriander to children's toys--under the premise that such imports constitute a security threat. The closure of the border especially affects building supplies, thereby preventing Gaza residents (and, Israel would remind us, Hamas terrorists) from building infrastructure. Changes in regulation (effective June 2010) have brought some improvement to Gaza, but some major issues still exist--for example, Israel does not currently allow students from Gaza to travel to the West Bank (even though a joint university system was set up in the two territories).

After the talk from the Gisha representative, Captain Barak Raz from the IDF spoke about the security issues surrounding Gaza. The ousting of Fatah (the party in power before Hamas) triggered a sharp rise in Gaza violence against Israel, mostly in the form of rockets. According to IDF intelligence, Gaza now possesses state-of-the-art rockets which can reach Tel Aviv. The border blockade, according to Raz, is in place to prevent the import of weapons and "dual use items" (items that could be used in home-made weapons, for example, batteries).

The night's discussion reached its peak when someone asked Captain Raz about the Gaza students who are unable to study in the West Bank due to Israeli border laws. Raz's justification of this policy was to suggest that allowing Gaza residents into the West Bank would allow for the "flow of information"--that is, Gaza residents who support Hamas could potentially teach West Bank residents to build rockets. This explanation seems hypocritical. After spending so much of his time complimenting JStreet for encouraging such important dialogue, and expressing his sincere concern for the well-being of the people of Gaza, Raz will not allow Gaza students to study at universities in the West Bank.

As with the West Bank, Gaza is a complicated issue (one about which I will have to read up)! I am glad I got the chance to learn more, and look forward to the next JStreet events: a discussion with Ami Ayalon (former Knesset Member), and a tour of Taybeh (an Area A city in the West Bank... home of the only Palestinian microbrewery).

The Busiest Week Yet--part 2 (Jaffa and Tel Aviv)

Here is part two of my busiest week yet:

On Friday morning, the University took us on a tour of Jaffa (pronounced "Yaffo") and Tel Aviv, which lie about an hour north of Jerusalem on the coast of the Mediterranean Sea. Jaffa is an ancient port city, which our tour guide said has been conquered by "every conqueror in history." Nowadays, Jaffa is something of an artist colony, full of galleries and high-end restaurants. Jaffa is a prominent location in ancient literature. Popular tradition links the city's name to Noah's son Japheth. Jaffa also is the setting for a famous Greek legend (more on this below). Additionally, St. Peter travels to Jaffa in the Acts of the Apostles (here he performs an important miracle and receives a revelation from God).

Tel Aviv, conversely, is the modern city (only about a century old) which expanded out of Jaffa. If Jerusalem is the heart of Israel, Tel Aviv is the brain--it is a large, mostly secular city which is famous both for its beaches, as well as its importance as a political and culture center. I've already mentioned Tel Aviv once or twice--it is the location of the Ben Gurion Airport. Due to its accessibility from the Mediterranean, Tel Aviv was the route by which most of the early aliyah immigrants entered Israel. Below is a picture of me in Jaffa, with downtown Tel Aviv in the distance.



Here is a picture of Jaffa. The building on the left is most likely a gallery or restaurant, built in the same chic architectural style as most other Jaffa buildings. The building on the right is a mosque. In the water, you can see several stones above the surface. According to the Greek legend of Perseus (the hero who is more famous for beheading Medusa), the Jaffa residents placed a beautiful maiden out on these rocks every year, to be eaten up by a sea monster--that is, until Perseus slayed the monster.



Due to the bad weather, many of the Tel Aviv attractions--the shuq, flea market, craft fair, etc.--were pretty much closed. However, in the city center we DID come across this man who claimed to be the messiah. Two things are funny about this picture: first, the messiah is drinking shoqo (the Israeli term for chocolate milk); second, look a the girl's face! (She's thinking: "how did I end up here?")



Here is our group next to the Mediterranean. From left to right: me, Dana, Brittany, Shiri, Andrea, and Zach.



We stayed in a hostel on the outskirts of the Florentine neighborhood. The street on which the hostel is located looked very sketchy and run-down, but the hostel was actually very nice. The hostel manager is the co-owner a restaurant in Jaffa, so we received free drinks and appetizers for dinner. Here is a picture of our group at the restaurant. The food, as expected, was really excellent (I ordered lamb), albeit pricey.



We spent Friday afternoon admiring the Tel Aviv sights and graffiti art (in the future, I will be uploading an entire post about Israeli graffiti). We saw the Israeli equivalent of Independence Hall, where the State of Israel was signed into existence. The building looked more like a bomb shelter than a national monument--I didn't take a picture due to the rain. That night, we sampled the Florentine area night-life, although I turned in early due to a major stomach ache.

Thankfully, on Saturday, the weather cleared up, so we spent most of our day on the beach (see below). First, however, we took advantage of one of the best features of Tel Aviv: the highly secular population does not keep kosher. At breakfast, I ordered eggs benedict with bacon! (The bacon was actually pretty disappointing, but the point was that I was able to order it.)



Lastly, here are two pictures of me on the beach (I think the second one looks like a senior photo).





This weekend was a fun first excursion to Tel Aviv; I will definitely be returning there to hit the beach once it gets warmer. In the meantime, however, the Hebrew language ulpan is almost over. Proper classes start next week--yikes!