JERUSALEM FOR SUKKOT LONG WEEKEND

Kids at entrance to Church of the Holy Sepulchre

VISIT TO THE CHURCH OF THE HOLY SEPULCHRE, OLD CITY - JERUSALEM

Entering Church of the Holy Sepulchre

Franciscans praying before the Tomb of Christ

Franciscans at prayer in Church of the Holy Sepulchre

In front of the Tomb of Christ

Dario and Conor lighting a candle at the Tomb of Joseph of Arimathea

Brigid venerating the Stone of Unction

Mosaic as you enter Church of the Holy Sepulchre,
depicting the Anointing of Christ's body

We have arrived into Israel at the holiest time of the year for the Jews so there are many holidays, which the children are loving.  School finishes at 12.30pm on Friday in preparation for Shabbat so we jumped in the car and drove an hour to Jerusalem where we stayed in the convent of the Franciscaines De Marie, just outside the Damascus Gate in the Arab area.  The kids were a little shocked by the accommodation - 2 x triple single bed rooms with a very basic bathroom.  What I loved about this though was that when we came back to our home in Jaffa, which they originally had considered a lot smaller than their home in Sydney, they were so excited by how big it is - it's all relative and this is one of the reasons we wanted to bring the kids here - to realise how most of the world lives and how blessed we are.

On Friday afternoon we headed straight for the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.  There were not as many people as when Alex and I visited in 2008, which was a relief.  Alex came here in 1992/93? and there was absolutely no one in the Church, except for a little, old nun guarding the Tomb of Christ.  Alex said he had no idea what it was until the nun told him.  

Although there were hardly any people we arrived just as the Franciscan friars were leading the daily procession throughout the Church.  It's a beautiful site to see all these Franciscans floating through the Church and hearing them sing in Latin.  Some of the Russian tourists weren't impressed though when they were pushed back from entering the Tomb but, being the obedient Australians that we are :), we just waited until they had finished.  We then went into the Tomb, a couple of us at a time, as it is very small.  It was so beautiful to watch the reverence of the kids.  Brigid and Dario were both very moved by the visit yet I also saw a deep reverence in Conor and Marcus that I don't get to see often.  

We then visited the other sites within the Church.  It's a labyrinth of passages and each part of the Church is cared for by different Christian churches - Roman Catholics represented by the Franciscans, Armenian, Copts & Greek Orthodox - not sure whether the Ethiopian Orthodox have a plot within the Church?
 It's a little insane how territorial they all are and there have been riots in the past because a monk from one order has stood in the wrong place, etc.  Crazy.  The Church contains both Golgotha and the tomb of Christ, and accommodates the last four Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa, so it the holiest of sites for Christian Pilgrims.

One of the relatively unknown spots, where our family were able to light candles, was in one of the side chapels at the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.

VISIT TO THE WESTERN WALL

Leading down to the security checkpoint into the area of the Western Wall

One of the checkpoints at the Western Wall

Heading down to the Western Wall 

A Jewish family from Brooklyn who were happy to be photographed by tourists

Jewish family at the Western Wall

After our visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre we made our way down through the Arab Quarter to the Western Wall.  The Old City of Jerusalem is divided into four quarters: the Christian; Arabic; Jewish; and, Armenian quarters.  The Western Wall (Kotel) is the most significant site for the Jews, being the last remnant of the Temple of David.   The Western Wall is significant because it is the wall closest to the site of the destroyed Temple's Holy of Holies and it represents a place of prayer and yearning for Jews from all over the world.

Sitting above the Western Wall, is the Temple Mount where you find the Dome on the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque.  It is hard to believe that where the Temple of David stood now stands a mosque.  There is so much conflict in this small area of land, which we experienced first hand while we were in Jerusalem, with two of the world's major religions recognising the same space as sacred sites.

The Muslims believe that it was from this site that Mohammed rose to heaven.  There has been an increase in Jewish extremism in Jerusalem and on Monday morning, 28th Sept, on the festival of Sukkot, ultra-right Jews entered the Temple Mount.  The Muslims saw this as a provocation and believe that the Jews are attempting to reclaim the Temple Mount. From this a riot broke out at the Al Aqsa mosque.  It's far too complicated for me to fully understand but we certainly got a taste of the hatred and anger that exists between some Muslims and Jews, more so in Jerusalem.  Where we live in Jaffa Muslims, Christians and Jews live happily alongside each other.  When we were heading down to the Western Wall on Sukkot, through the Arabic quarter, we regrettably were caught in the middle of a riot- pretty bloody stupid on our part.  It was predominantly Muslim women who were screaming "Allahu Akbar," which means "God is greatest."  They were pointing in our faces and screaming, not knowing whether we were Jews or not.  There were Israeli police everywhere.  We fortunately got out of that street before the police started throwing tear gas canisters.  It was a hair raising experience, which certainly gave us something to talk about for the rest of the day.  Conor's first comment to me, once we moved to safety was, "Wow Mum.  Now I REALLY have something to write about in my journal."

Western Wall with ramp leading up to Temple Mount where the
Dome on the Rock and Al Aqsa Mosque are located.

After this we drove back home to the safety of Jaffa.  I was saddened that the kids didn't get to experience the festival of Sukkot as Alex and I had in 2008.  It is such a joyous festival for the Jews. The festival of Sukkot (Feast of Booths) begins on the fifth day after Yom Kippur and is very different in spirit.  Where Yom Kippur is a day of fasting, atonement and silence, Sukkot is a joyous period, lasting 7 days.  Sukkot is an agricultural festival that originally was considered a thanksgiving for the fruit harvest.  Sukkot are hut-like stuctures that the Jews lived in during the 40 years of travel through the wilderness after the exodus from Egypt.  As a temporary dwelling, the sukkah also represents the fact that all existence is fragile and Sukkot is a time to appreciate the shelter of one's homes and bodies. Below is a photo of a "sukkah" which you will find all over Israel.  Our neighbours upstairs have built one on their roof.  You see them on the side of the streets.  They consist of at least three walls and are covered by branches of something that grew from the earth but is disconnected from it, such as palm leaves or pine branches.  Jews eat their meals in the sukkah for the period of Sukkot, with some sleeping in it for the day of the Festival.  During Sukkot you see, predominantly men, carrying an arba minim, which is four kinds of plants carried together: a palm branch; two willows; a minimum of three myrtles; and, one citron.  The custom is to wave or shake the arba minim in all six directions - south, north, east, up, down and west, symbolising and acknowledging the fact that God is everywhere.

An example of temporary "sukkah"on the streets of Jerusalem.

You can just see some of the men holding the Arba Minim

I love visiting the Western Wall. As the ultra orthodox Jews control the Western Wall, men and women are required to pray in separate parts of the Wall.  Brigid and I went off on our own and shared a very special moment together writing out our prayer requests and putting them into the cracks in the Wall where thousands of pilgrims have come before us.

Brigid washing her hands before heading
down to the Wall.

Brigid writing out her prayer request.

Three boys with their kippahs inside the men's section
of the Western Wall.

16th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY DINNER

Our 16th Wedding Anniversary dinner at the Jerusalem Hotel

The kids were entertained by the cats walking between the tables....mmmm???

Jerusalem Hotel

Our first night in Jerusalem was our 16th Wedding Anniversary, so we took the kids to a special dinner to celebrate.  It was such a special night for all of us.  The kids loved having the cats move between their feet whereas Alex and I weren't quite so impressed.

Kids with Israeli soldiers

All over Jerusalem you see a much greater Israeli military presence, which the kids were intrigued by.  I had asked a number of soldier groups if I could photograph them with the kids but they had all refused.  I was able to convince these two soldiers though ....

Alex and kids - view of the Temple Mount

View of Western Wall & Temple Mount where there has been so much conflict lately - well... perhaps always, but particularly at the moment.

View of Jewish cemetery on the right

Dario in front of the Garden of Gethsemene
where there are olive trees dating back 2000 years.

Dario Robben at Garden of Gethsemene

Orchard of olive trees as you're heading back up to the Old City from Garden of Gethsemene

Steps leading down to the Chapel of St Helena where the true Cross was supposedly found. 

Church of Mary Magdalene overlooking the Garden of Gethsemene

Kids and Alex playing soccer in the convent grounds

Etienne & kids playing soccer

When we were staying at the Convent we  befriended a Frenchman, Etienne, who the kids took a real shine to.  He is a big soccer fan and loved playing soccer with the kids in the courtyard of the convent.  Poor ol Marcus laid his body on the line and ended up with some heavy bruising from the games played.