Day Two: Into the Streets

After breakfast at the convent where we are staying, the group took to the streets and quickly met up with one of our local guides. He spent the morning with us, first taking us atop a roof near both Church of the Holy Sepulcher and Dome of the Rock. He there explained Jewish life in the city, the four divisions of the old city and the attitudes of Jews and Arabs in Jerusalem. He also patiently answered a plethora of questions from the group.

Later we went to a site purported to be the tomb of King David. Although Bob and our guide had explained the lack of evidence supporting the idea that David is actually interred there, we discussed the possibility of spiritual truths and how it may matter more to people that they continue a tradition of believing this to be the spot of David’s burial rather than it actually being the spot. In other words, this traditional belief passed down through generations makes the spot holy even if David is not actually there. The tomb is organized like a synagogue and thus divided into male and female viewing areas that are separated by a barrier. The males not already wearing head coverings had to put on a kipa to enter the viewing area.

Above the tomb is a room purported to be the site of Jesus’ Last Supper. That the actual masonry of the room appeared one thousand years after Christ appears to be of little concern to pilgrims, again emphasizing the importance of traditional holiness over archeological proof. The room had also served as a Muslim mosque, as evidenced by the niche in one wall pointing worshipers toward Mecca. That a mosque was built in this holy site venerated by Christians who in turn chose to place their holy site above one of the Jews represents a literal layering of faiths. That is, it shows one faith building off an earlier one.

From the roof of the building we were rewarded with striking views of both East and West Jerusalem. We could also see the separation barrier that has been built by Israel in recent years around the Palestinian territories to deter terrorist attacks. Beyond the tall barrier blocks that snake across the hills east of Jerusalem, we could even glimpse the West Bank.

We next ate lunch at a small restaurant, where we enjoyed hummus and falafel among other local favorites. Afterward, we met another guide who led us around the Muslim Quarter of the city and explained Muslim life and history there. He took us to a part of the western retaining wall for the second Temple that is neither as visited nor as accessible as the part generally called the Western Wall. He explained how what is called the Western Wall was similarly difficult to reach before Israel took control of it in the 1967 war.

Our guide led us up and down the often narrow, almost invariably hilly streets of the old city, taking us through markets, past mausoleums and into local community centers, all the while seeming to know almost everyone we passed. We enjoyed both of our guides today greatly and are glad they will both be joining us again in future days.

After parting with our guide and returning to the convent, one of the other students and I ventured out into the city to experience it at night. We first stopped at a small food stall to buy a few snacks, as we were both hungry. We then proceeded down a main street of the Muslim Quarter to the security checkpoint leading to the Western Wall. We went to the Wall, finishing our snacks there. We then entered the Jewish Quarter, where I tried to order gelato but ended up with some sort of hot milky drink. It was good, but far from what I had ordered. Next we began making our way back to the convent. Though we generally knew our way, we did stop to ask directions at several junctures.

Tomorrow we will venture outside the walls of the old city to explore Muslim life in East Jerusalem with our guide from this afternoon.

(The picture is of Bob and students in the group)