We're coming home!

Hi, everyone! I've been wanting to write in this on-line journal for days and days, but Internet access has been problematic during the frenetic pace of our tour these past two weeks.

It's hard to put in words what an incredible experience these past three weeks have been, the first in Britain, and the last two in Israel. We've viewed ancient Roman ruins from the 1st Century in Wales, and climbed a mountain there to explore a ruined castle. We've visited Arab markets in Tel Aviv. We've stayed in a Kibbutz in northern Israel, and drove by jeep up into the Golan Heights, past land mines set during the 1967 war, where grass fields are still too dangerous to walk through. We've climbed Masada, the towering mountain fortress that was the site of a famous Jewish revolt against the Romans in 73 AD. We've floated in the Dead Sea, where 37% salt makes swimming an unreal experience. We've visited the ancient port cities of Jaffa (photo above), and the ruins of what was once a magnificent port in Caesaeria, built by King Herod. We have wandered through the beautiful art studios of Sefat, and have driven into the occupied territories of the West Bank. We've explored Ammonite caves at an active archaeological site, where I uncovered, for the first time since human hands touched it 2,200 years ago, an ancient oil lamp made of clay. But the crowning jewel of our trip, the place the filled our hearts and memories, was our five day stay in Jerusalem. To touch, actually touch the Western Wall, where countless Jews have prayed over the centuries.. to walk along ancient streets, passing the place where Jesus spoke to moneychangers outside the Temple two thousand years ago... to be part of the frenetic preparations for Shabbat dinner in a Jewish marketplace... to silently listen to the testimony of holocaust survivors at Yad Vashem... to worship in a city that is holy to three cultures with irreconcilable, at times explosive differences.... to see our children meet and play with children here in Israel, and share these experiences with our friends from Vancouver who came with us on the tour.... how can I describe it?

We have close to three thousand photos. The ones in today's blog entry are barely representative, as they were taken using my little blackberry. I made extensive journal notes. Once I have reliable Internet access back at home, they will be compiled into our photo album and, the account itself, in this blog, so that you will have a much better idea of what we saw and experienced.

Market in Jerusalem--->

But, sitting here in the lobby of the Dan Panorama Hotel in early hours of our last day here in Jerusalem, I can say, without hesitation, for all of our family members, that this was one of the most remarkable journeys of our life. We're looking forward to coming home and sharing it with you.

We'll be leaving on a 7:30 AM flight tomorrow (Monday) morning, Jerusalem time, arriving back in Vancouver from Heathrow after a six hour lay-over, at 6:35 PM. The ten hour time difference means we arrive home on the same day. Naomi leaves for camp Miriam early on Thursday the 24th for three weeks. She will no doubt be napping on the bus, but she is excited about this! Rebecca leaves for Camp Solomon Schecter the following day. Some of the kids who have been with us here in Israel will be joining here there. They're having quite a summer!

Anyway, I must go now, but will be on the Internet later today. If you have a chance, we'd love to hear family news. With love, Stan


Stan's note, written later: the on-line journal and photo album is now complete. We hope you enjoy it!

Site of the Last Supper in Jerusalem

Synagogue in Sefat

Israel: Tour Day 12 - Shabbat in Jerusalem

It is hard to imagine that this is our last day on the tour. We went to the Shabbat service at the Fuchsberg Institute, followed by a lovely kiddish in the basement.

The rest of the day was exactly that, a day of rest. I took no photos today - photography is frowned upon in Jerusalem on Shabbat. So, we soaked in the sun by the pool on the roof of the Dan Panorama. Feeling much better now, I worked out in the gym to celebrate. I do hope that "working out" is considered a restful activity on Shabbat, but I don't dare ask the Rabbi if that's the case!

That evening, we celebrated Havdallah, the end of Shabbat, in the hotel. As the flame was extinguished, it took me back to what seemed a lifetime ago, when we were in the kibbutz at Hagoshrim, celebrating Havdallah last week under the trees. What a week it has been. We left the hotel together, to share a final dinner at "Little Italy", a lovely little restaurant about a block away. Then, inevitably, we had our sad partings, as most of the group will be leaving Jerusalem at midnight, or in the early morning.

The tour was for many of us a revelation. I don't think many of us can adequately summarize what the tour to Israel has meant to us, spiritually, emotionally and intellectually. That will take time. I can say now, that it was profound, at many levels. I am so glad we made the trip.

The formal tour is now over. However, our family has an extra day in Jerusalem. We each have some ideas on how to use it. It's our last opportunity, at least for this trip, to take in the richness this holy city has to offer. I am looking forward to it.

Israel: Tour Day 11 - An archaelogical dig, and preparations for Shabbat at the Machane Yehuda market

After our rather somber day yesterday, we were ready to have some fun. How about digging out in the middle of the desert? I was not so sure.... it sounded pretty hot and dusty to me.

Anyway, we all loaded onto the bus and Yoshi, our driver took us through the West Bank, on the way to the Bet Guvrin-Maresa national park, located in the middle of the country, between the cities of Jerusalem and Tel Aviv but to the south, just west of Hebron off highway 35.

As we traveled there, about an hour's drive from Jerusalem, we passed through the West Bank, a dry region with brown grasses and simple homes. The security fences and walls that marked its borders could not be missed.











In addition to these walls and fences, large sections of the highway on which we were traveling had cement structures that curved over the highway. I wondered about this, until Yehuda explained that the highway walls had been constructed to prevent Palestinians from shooting at cars passing by.

<----highway walls, facing the West Bank


Emerging from the West Bank, we found ourselves driving through rolling hills filled with trees. The difference between the the dry West Bank and the green areas of Israel adjacent to it was striking, a testament to the huge efforts Israel has made to reclaim the desert.

We proceeded down highway 60, with the Judean mountains on our left. The highway outside of the West Bank appears to be quite popular with cyclists on Fridays and the weekend. Passing down a very long hill leading out of the West Bank we found a number of cyclists on the road. One of our friends on the trip with us, Gaynor, mentioned that every year the Hadassah hospital does a fund raising cycling tour. Who knows, if I win the lottery someday, I just might come back to do it!





Bet Guvrin National Park and the Tel Maresha archaeological site
This 1,250 acre park is in the the rolling hills of the Judean plain. Since very early times, caves were dug by inhabitants as the ground is chalky, but soft and is relatively erosion resistant. The caves were used as quarries and burial grounds, spaces to raise doves for meat and fertilizer, and, because of the cool interior, as storerooms, workshops and hiding places.

The Tel Maresha (Marissa), where we were going is in the highest area of the park. This is the site of a city in Judea that was fortified by King Rehoboam after the Egyptian pharaoh Shishak invaded the region in 926BCE. The city is actually mentioned in the bible: "And Rehoboam dwelt in Jerusalem, and built cities for defense in Judah and Gath, and Mareshah, and Ziph" (Second Chronicles 11:5, 8).

Maresha reached its height during the Hellenistic period (332 - 63 BCE). Then, the 2nd century BCE Maccabeen leader, John Hyrcanus, captured the city and gave the inhabitants the a difficult decision: convert to Judaism or leave. Many left, but before they did, they destroyed their homes and filled up the caves, now in the hundreds, with debris. By Roman times, the site was completely abandoned.

Later, Crusaders took over the region and built a massive church, St. Anne's cathedral, nearby. We saw the ruins of the cathedral can be seen on the highway, coming into the national park.




We entered the park and walked up a barren hill where we were met by Iranda, our guide for the morning. A very enthusiastic student archaeologist and guide, she made us all excited over the opportunity of participating in an archaeological dig. Before we began, however, she quickly introduced us to the history of the area. As we looked around this wasteland, with only sparse vegetation and hardly any structures that we could see above ground, it was hard to imagine that this was once a Jewish city of over 20,000 people. For much of the treasure we were about to see lies below ground.

She took us down into one of them, an active archeological site. Iranda explained that, from what they could determine the inhabitants of this particular site were Ammonite in origin. Ammonites are mentioned in the bible as an ancient, warlike people that were often at odds with Israel. It was not surprising, therefore, that when the Maccabees took over the region during the Hasmodean period, they would not convert to Judiasm.

And so, what we found, deep below, were caves that were partially excavated, but still filled with so much earth it was not known yet where the original floor was. The caves were well lit, and large enough for our entire bus load of about fify people to enter the cave.

Iranda's energy and enthusiasm for archaeology was infectious. The kids quickly started digging, using short pick-axes to break up the soft earth, then carefully look for items of interest.

Within minutes, there was a shout! "I found something!". Then another, and another. Nearly everyone found multiple pieces of pottery, bits of bone and charcoal, all dating back to over 2,200 years old.

What an amazing experience. We dug for about an hour, until all of the black buckets were filled with earth, to be carried out of the cave by hand and carefully sifted above ground.

We were just about to end our dig, when I took a last swipe with my pick-ax at a hole I had dug with Naomi... and then spotted something odd. Reaching down, I pulled out a nearly intact, beautifully crafted clay oil lamp.

And so, it was my turn to shout! It turned out to be the find of the day. Brushing off the earth, one could see where the spout of the lamp had been blackened by a flame.






Iranda was quite excited about it. She showed me one of the holes in the cave where these lamps had been placed to provide light. I gently placed my lamp there, imagining what it must have been like to have dozens of these lamps providing light in these caves. Quite possibly, it had been in that location the last time human hands touched it over two thousand years ago. I'm hooked. Archaeology is awesome!



We returned to the surface, carrying our buckets with us and sifted the soil to catch anything that might have been missed. A few pieces of charcoal were found, but that was about it. Iranda mentioned, however, that all sorts of things have been found, from ancient coins to jewelery.

After our dig, we explored some of the caves that had already been thoroughly excavated. Some of the ceilings of the caves are nearly fifty feet tall. Because the caves have narrow mouths in the hard nari rock near the surface and become wider in the soft chalk below, the caves are shaped like bells, hence some have been called "bell caves". Early inscriptions found on cave walls suggest that they date to the early Arabian period, as far back as the 7th to 10th centuries BCE.

Yehuda demonstrates a ladder that was built into the sides of a chimney leading to the surface above---->

Coins of Antiochus IX, found in the caves, date from 116-95 BCE, in the waning years of the Hellenistic period. This time overlaps with rise of the Maccabean Hasmodian period. The homes and caves, therefore, appear to have been destroyed approximately 2200 years ago.

Stairs and passageways interconnected the complex network of caves hidden below the surface.

Some of the rooms were used to press olive oil. One of the presses has been restored, showing the process they used to produce it.

There, we learned that olives are pressed three times. The best oil, which comes from the first press, was traditionally set aside for rituals such as anointing a king, for use in the temple, or, in Jewish homes, to light a menorah.

The Columbarium cave was truly impressive. A place used to raise doves, the cave had hundreds of nests built into the clay caves for them to be raised for meat and fertilizer.

Our last portion of the tour was set in a small outdoor shed visited by geckos clinging to the walls.

There, Iranda gave us a summary of some of the remarkable discoveries that archaeologists have made. Over the past few years, volunteers and staff found matching gold earrings (found separately, buried in the earth in two different caves - a miracle! What are the odds of that happening?), jugs and stones that were filled with inscriptions. And, oh yes, oil lamps. About a dozen of them. So, my find may not have been so unique after all. But it was incredibly exciting! Who knows what else lies buried, just below the surface of where we were digging?


One of the most significant finds at Tel Maresha has been the discovery of an ancient Ketubah, the traditional religious legal document that in Jewish weddings binds a couple in marriage. Apparently, because of the amounts stated in the dowry, it had been written for a couple from wealthy families. Written in Aramaic, it may be an indication that at least some of the Arabs in the area did convert to Judaism. Another possibility is that, in fact, the Ketubah is not a uniquely Jewish document, but, in fact, may have been used by Arabs and Jews throughout the region. This would be very much in keeping with what Hilary and I have read concerning archaeological evidence that points to the likely integration of Canaanites and Jews in a society that has many more layers of complexity than has been described in the Bible. At any rate, the Ketubah, which was in surprisingly good shape, is not signed. Were the couple ever married? Or did they have to leave this place before the happy event could take place?

So, what became of my oil lamp? The archaeologists kept it, along with all of the items we discovered today. However, before we left, Iranda invited us to pick out pottery shards to take home with us from a bin that they had already analyzed and no longer required. When we finally arrived back at our hotel, I washed the pieces, which had been covered with fine white dust, and discovered they possessed a range of beautiful earthen colors. Suddenly, Hilary had an idea. With a bit of careful arrangement, she assembled the pieces into a Menorah! Once we get back home and they are mounted, perhaps as a wall-hanging using a white base, it will be a lovely reminder of this incredible tour.

Returning to Jerusalem, we passed through the valley of Elah, the site where David and Goliath battled. Yehuda pointed out the hill on the right where the Philistines camped

and the hill on the left, facing them, where the Israelites waited day after day












until David went out to meet the giant with his slingshot in the middle of the field.

The battleground where David met Goliath---->

On the way, we passed by what Yehuda indicated was Solomon's birthplace, then through the Jerusalem mountains. The trees approaching Jerusalem are large and thriving. Yehuda mentioned that there were none before 1948. However, as we came closer to Jerusalem, the trees were younger, smaller. The reason, Yehuda explained, was that arsonists regularly caused forest fires in the region, resulting in younger trees as replanting efforts were made.

We left the bus a few blocks from the market and walked from there. Before we did, however, we said goodbye to our driver, Yoshe, who bravely drove us through busy Israeli cities, parts of the occupied territories that are 'safe'... most of the time, deserts and mountains, all the while negotiating crowded, narrow streets, inching our way through bumper to bumper traffic jams and gently honking at Israeli drivers whenever they got in the way. Thanks, Yoshe!

Machane Yehuda market

As we entered the early afternoon, we were not only famished from the desert heat, but were aware that Shabbat was approaching. What better place to have lunch than the orthodox Jewish market at Mechane Yehuda?

We arrived just as the market was reaching one of its busiest times of the week. The place was alive with vendors and sellers, food and
Jewish products.

This strawberry seller had an entertaining technique to attract attention!---->

It was a wonderful way to finish the afternoon before we headed back to our hotel for an afternoon at the pool before Shabbat services in the evening.





Shabbat in Jerusalem
Thanks to a mix-up, Hilary and the girls ended up going to a different Shabbat service than I did. They had gone swimming in the afternoon, while I had gone downstairs to the little hotel gym for a workout. Unfortunately, I thought I had to be back at the hotel room by 6:30. When I arrived, a few minutes late, I found, to my dismay that we had to leave the hotel at 6:30! So they were just going out the door as I arrived. It all worked out, however. I had a quick shower and went downstairs with the intention of catching up with them. However, in the lobby was Rabbi Solomon and his wife. Having not seen them for fifteen years, I decided to take the opportunity of attending Shabbat services with them. So I ended up enjoying their company and going to a beautiful Orthodox synagogue. Hilary and the girls enjoyed a much more relaxed, "Or Shalom" style service, with some of the most beautiful singing they had heard in Jerusalem. When, Hilary and I compared notes that night, we both agreed we had enjoyed unique, and delightful experiences.

By the end of the day we were exhausted. Naomi, Hilary and Rebecca turned in early. I stayed with some of the adults to continue visiting with Rabbi Solomon. Shabbat continues until sundown tomorrow, a day of rest. We're looking forward to it.

Israel: Tour Day 10 - A visit to the Knesset, the Chagall windows and Yad Vashem

Well, it appears the cold that I came down with, and was later caught by everyone in my family is starting to ripple through the bus. Hopefully, I wasn't the cause of all of this, but, with so many people in close proximity every day on the bus, I would not be surprised. I was relieved to see that one of our friends on the bus, Marc, was feeling better today, and, able to join us for this important day. Thankfully, Hilary, Rebecca and Naomi also seem to be doing better.

Yesterday was a day filled with sadness for Israel, the result of a prisoner exchange that brought home two soldiers who had been abducted in Lebanon at the start of the war two years ago. They came home in coffins, however. This was anticipated, but no one really knew whether they were alive or dead until the remains were presented to them by Damascus officials. Neal, our tour operator and fellow member of our synagogue, brought up the subject on the bus while we were traveling towards the Knesset. The reason, he said, was to ensure we were prepared for some somber feelings among Jews we might encounter today, that we might not be aware of otherwise. In contrast to the Israeli's disappointment, there were mass celebrations in Beirut and in Arab sections across the Middle East when five Hezbollah militants, including Samir Kantar, who had been serving multiple life terms in Israel for a horrific attack in 1979, was handed over as part of the exchange . "This highlights", Neal said, "a key difference between Israel and the Arab countries".

Knesset

We stopped briefly to view the Knesset, and a beautiful Menorah that stands outside, a symbol of the country of Israel.

The name Knesset Israel comes from a root word "gathering" that has private. Yehuda said, however, the Knesset is flawed with "too many political parties". There are, in fact, 120 MK's (Members of the Knesset), but there are 31 registered political parties! Last year, 5 million people are registered to vote in Israel. 3.1 million of them voted that resulted in 12 parties being elected last year. It is a wonder anything gets done!

Unfortunately, we did not actually enter the Knesset. The photo, which shows the entrance gate with the Knesset in the background is about as close as we got. The security around the gates was quite impressive.

The Menorah, which stands in a small park across the street, was commissioned by the British Parliament as a gift to Israel on its eight anniversary of the declaration of Independence in 1956. Created in bronze, it was designed by the Jewish English sculptor Benno Elkan. Interestingly, the artist actually began initial work on this magnificent work of art before the British Mandate ended in 1948. The menorah, a seven branch candelabrum, has been a national symbol of Israel since the time of the Maccabean Revolt, which initiated the Hasmonean period (166- 63 BCE). When the modern state of Israel was created, it was chosen as its emblem, symbolizing the continuity and eternity of the Jewish People.

The Knesset Menorah is quite beautiful, embracing twin olive branches symbolizing peace, and containing 29 detailed motifs with artistic references to classical and modern Jewish history.

Back on the bus again, we passed by the Supreme Court, with its round architectural elements to symbolize the "round" nature of justice. The thinking is that everyone has a different perspective of what justice means. Also passed by the bank of Israel, government buildings, a beautiful bridge (some would say ugly - "not Jerusalem!") that is part of a new high-speed train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. When completed in 2012, it will link the cities in 25 minutes.

Our destination was the national cemetery at Mount Herzl

Herzl's grave

Herzl, , born in 1860, died in 1904, is widely acknowledged among Jews around the world as the founder of the modern Zionist movement. Almost single handed, brought together Jews to dream and act on gaining a homeland. The Rabbi said that, in many ways, Herzl was similar to Moses. Both were leaders. Both had a dream that was not fulfilled in their lifetime. And, yet they guided their people towards a promised land.

Herzl's ideas were, however, wildly radical for his time. Rabbi Infeld: "he was a little off his rocker (sorry, Herzl!)", but it was because his ideas were so different. In the end, many of his ideas have become part of the fabric of Israel. One of these visionary thoughts was his insistence that Hebrew becomes the working language of Israel. He recognized that Jews from around the world, and speaking many languages would be someday coming to a new country. " A new Israel", he said, "needs one language"

Herzl never lived to see two great periods of history that that has shaped the course of modern Jewish history - the Holocaust, and the establishment of the State of Israel. Until his time, there were a number of Zionist organizations, but there was no unified effort to work towards a Jewish homeland. Herzl began this work almost single handedly, organizing the first Jewish national congress and paying for it with his own funds. At that time, a number of countries were considered as a possible place to establish a Jewish country. At first, Herzl thought that Uganda might be a possible option. In fact, after the first congress, an investigative team was sent there to assess it.

The ancient land of Israel was, of course, also considered. At the time, in the 1800s, there were only 30,000 Palestinians living in Israel. About 5,000 Jews lived there as well. The massive influx of Arabs occurred only after Jews began entering the country and started to transform it from a land of deserts and malaria-infested swamps into farms and modern cities. In the end, Israel was chosen, and the rest is history.

Unfortunately, despite the his remarkable achievements, sadness dogged the Herzl's family long after he passed away. Several of his children and grandchildren committed suicide or were killed in the Holocaust. To this date, none of his progeny are involved in any way with Israeli politics. And yet, this man is honored here as the father of this beautiful country. We took time to reflect on this, standing at Herzl's grave, consisting of a simple dark stone monument set at the end of a large plaza.

Distinguished grave sites.
We walked past these graves, which includes presidents and their wives, prime ministers and chairmen of the Knesset, and one deputy minister. We paused to reflect on these, as we stepped quietly by.

Yitzhak Rabin and his wife Leah's grave is made of stone that is part black and white. It is quite different from the rest of the graves in the cemetery. This was as Leah wished, following her husband's assassination in 1995. She died of normal causes; her grave is marked by the white stone.

Golda Meir's grave is made of white stone with a dark marker on which is written a long list of cabinet positions she held: Ambassador to Moscow. Labor Minister. Foreign Minister. Prime Minister. Each only hints at the greatness of this lady. Standing there, I thought of the profound effect she has had on this beautiful country over her many years of service. Without her, and her work to raise money to defend Israel in its early, desperate years, there might not be a State of Israel here at all.

We finally visited the Military cemetery, where graves here map the modern history of the State of Israel. The first graves are of resistance fighters in Poland and Germany who worked to rescue Jews during the 2nd World War. Others are of soldiers who have fought in one of their many wars to defend their country. In contrast to the president's graves, the military graves are covered by a hedge of rosemary and stone. Many of the headstones have small stones placed on them. As a stone is placed on a headstone, it symbolizes a prayer that the person lost is permanently with God, as permanent as the stone itself. Graveside flowers are not part of Jewish tradition.

Chagall windows

We went into Hadassah hospital to a synagogue located in the heart of the building, to view the beautiful Chagall windows. Dedicated in 1962 as part of Hadassah's Golden Anniversary celebration, it is considered to be a national treasure of Israel. Each window depicts one the twelve sons of Jacob. Here are photos of a few of the windows, which were set, three windows each, high above the walls on all four sides of a square shaped synagogue.

Unfortunately, four of the windows were damaged during the 1967 war when the hospital was shelled. When Chagall heard about it, he made plans to immediately repair them, saying "you fight the war, and I will tend to the windows". He painstakingly restored them, however, he purposefully left a small imperfection in memory of the war. There is a lovely site describing the windows, located at:
http://www.md.huji.ac.il/special/chagall/index.html

Yad Vashem

We knew, and prepared our hearts for this spiritually essential pilgrimage to Yad Vashem, the great Holocaust museum located in Jerusalem.

Main entrance, Yad Vashem---->

Thankfully, the younger children on our tour were given an option, and, in fact, encouraged, to enjoy the afternoon at the "Time Machine", an animated look into history from a child's perspective. Naomi went, and had a wonderful time. Rebecca, to her credit and growing maturity, wanted to come with us.

There is nothing like this place on earth. If there were, I would hope it will never represent another event anywhere near the scale or horrific brutality experienced by the Jews who perished in the Holocaust. It would mean that humanity has failed to learned from what happened to six million innocent mothers, fathers, grandparents and children. Our people.


The highest place on the museum site is the Hall of Remembrance. Nearby, is the Path of the Righteous, commemorating those who saved a Jewish life against the Nazis. A garden has been built to honor the righteous of the nations. In it are 22,000 names of individuals who are honored in this way if they saved the life of even a single Jewish person during the Holocaust. One of them, a twin tree rising out of the ground, recognizes Oscar Schindler.



<----Oscar Schindler's tree on the Path of the Righteous outside the great Hall of Remembrance







Although photos are not permitted within the museum itself, the images this place brings to mind will not leave me. I can only describe, in small part, something of what I experienced.

The entrance in the Hall of Remembrance, begins with a movie, showing "the good life" for Jews in Germany, Poland and elsewhere before the Nazis rose to power. As we step deeper into the hall, however, we are progressing to the Shoa. In point of fact, the projector showing the 'good life' movie was not working on the day that we were there. However, it is easy to juxtapose our own 'good life', in beautiful British Columbia, as something that no doubt these dear folk enjoyed in a similar manner.

From there on, the dreaded story, which we all know, but not nearly enough to fully comprehend, progresses chronologically through the unbelievable horror the Jews experienced leading up to and during the Second World War. The most important parts of the museum, however, are not the historical artifacts that are located here. Nor are they the story of events that unfolded as we walked past. The most important parts of the museum are the testimonies. Everywhere I turned, there was another face of a Holocaust survivor speaking to me on a digital monitor, as if they were speaking to me personally, what they had experienced.

We finally emerged at the far end of the exhibit to find a cone-shaped side room that reaches into a small round window where light streams down from above. Looking up into the cone, one can see the names and photos of thousands of Holocaust victims, so many that they seem to stretch into infinity towards the light. The testimony of over three million more is located on black bookcase shelves in a surrounding, enveloping wall. There is room there for a total of at least six million. Beyond, in a separate room staffed by a librarian, there are computers where visitors can search for relatives or contribute their own testimony to the massive database. The database is now completely on-line and accessible throughout the world. The hope is that the Internet will help speed the search to locate lost relatives and document the testimony of victims. This is part of a huge worldwide effort to collect as much information as possible before witnesses die and memories fade. All of this, as well as a massive amount of information about the Holocaust can be found at http://www.yadvashem.org .

The last image I have of the Hall of Remembrance is a quotation that is at the entrance of the cone-shaped hall:

Bridge to vanished world

"Remember only that I was innocent and , just like you, mortal on that day. I, too, had had a face marked by rage, by pity and joy, quite simply, a human face!" Benjamin Fondane, Exodus.

Fondane was murdered at Auschwitz in 1944.

Interestingly, I saw that Barak Obama visited Yad Vashem on July 23rd, less than a week after we did. A photo was taken of him looking up into the cone, filled with photos and names, only a few steps from the quotation above. His statement was simple, and eloquent: "Never again". I wonder what his thoughts were, as he pondered where his place in history might be?

Outside the Hall of Remembrance are a number of special memorials. I visited the Children's memorial, remembering the 1.5 million children who perished during the Holocaust. I did not know quite what to expect as I walked into the darkened memorial. Then as the darkness was complete, I found I was in the presence of candles, hundreds of them. They were reflected in mirrors on all sides, so that I was surrounded by countless candles, stretching into infinity like a universe of stars. As I walked silently around the room along a circular aisle, enveloped in constantly moving pinpoints of light, a quiet voice spoke, name after name, the children who had perished. It gave each point of light an identity. That was it, nothing more. Simple points of light from a burning candle and their sweet names, gently spoken. The effect was extraordinarily moving.

We came back to the bus unable to speak about what we saw. What we experienced was deeply personal. We tended to our thoughts, and the needs of our children as the bus pulled away from Yad Vashem and back onto the streets of Jerusalem.

Though still sniffling a bit with my cold, I had been feeling well enough during the tour today. However, on returning to the hotel, I started feeling spiking chills and pain in my sinuses. Thank God for Peter Lutskey, a family physician, who was traveling with us on the tour with his wife and children. He came to Israel well prepared. Within minutes of my call, Peter arrived at our hotel room and, after a quick assessment, put me on 1000mg Biaxin. I'm drugged up with both Advil and antibiotics now, so I've a good chance of getting on top of this affliction before we jump on a plane on Monday.

Unfortunately, this meant that I had to excuse myself from a long awaited dinner with Hilary's childhood friend and pen-pal from Glasgow, Ruth, who made Aliah (moved to Israel) five years ago. Hilary and the girls were able to see them, however, and had a lovely visit. Her husband, Richard, was sorry that I could not make it, saying he was convinced that all that I would have needed would be a good Israeli beer to set things right. I am looking forward to taking him up on that on our next visit to Jerusalem!

Israel: Tour Day 9 - The Old City, the Kotel and the Western Wall

We set out on the bus at 8:00 AM to make our way to the Old City.

On the way, Yehuda reminded us that Solomon's temple, the original one on the site, was built on Mount Moriah, the place that some believe that Abraham had planned to sacrifice his son Isaac. The first Temple was destroyed in 586 BCE by Nebakanezer. King Herod began rebuilding the temple in 20-19BCE by building a box around Mount Moriah and filling it in. A massive plaza, about 480 x 300 meters in size (the size of six football fields) was then built to cover Mount Moriah. The plaza was kept in place by massive retaining walls. The "Kotel", or Western Wall is part of the western retaining wall, not, as some might think, part of the Temple itself.

The rebuilt Second Temple was completed in 63 CE (AD), however, only seven years later, the entire temple complex and parts of the retaining walls were destroyed in the aftermath of the First Jewish Revolt. Eventually, the Muslims built the Dome of the Rock on the site of Abraham's sacrifice. A new city was later built after arches were constructed through the western wall. In the 13th century. Today, the Old City is approximately 220 acres (one square kilometer) in size. The walls surrounding the Old City date to the rule of the Ottoman Sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566 CE). Construction of the walls began in 1537 and was completed four years later, in 1541.

Map from www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org ---->

The Old City has a total of eleven gates, but only seven are open (the Jaffa gate, Zion gate, Dung gate, Lions’ gate "St. Stephen's", Herod’s gate, Damascus gate "Shechem" and the New gate). One of the gates that is closed is the Golden Gate, located just below the Temple Mount. According to Jewish tradition, when the Messiah comes, he will enter Jerusalem through this gate. To prevent him from coming, the Muslims sealed the gate over four hundred years ago, during the time of Sultan Suleiman (1520-1566). They have not been opened since. However, Jews don't seem to be particularly worried about the Golden Gate being sealed closed. As one tour guide suggested, "If the Messiah came this far, He'd find a way in!"

We began our tour at the Kotel, the external retaining wall on the western side of the city, that has been the traditional site of prayer for centuries.

Women's section of the Western Wall-->

There, with men and women divided by a barrier that bisects the Kotel, we prayed, pressing our hands against the cool surface of the stone face, with hundreds of others beside us. Some of us placed notes containing prayers into a crevice between the stones, a centuries-old tradition

<----Men's section of the Western Wall

We then proceeded into the tunnels of the Kotel itself. The external wall of the Kotel, where prayers are conducted outside, is only 60 meters out of the 486 meters that make up the Western Wall. After the 1967 war, a tunnel was dug that extends along the entire length of the western wall. This makes it possible to be even closer to the holy site of the Temple than the Kotel itself. Deep within the tunnels, we found ritual baths which once extended under an ancient bridge leading to the temple.

As we went deeper into the tunnel, we found a stone, located at the inner wall of an ancient pool, which was 13.6 meters in length, 5 meters thick, and estimated to weigh 570 tons, the equivalent of nine modern tanks.

How it was placed there and without modern machinery, is a mystery. The stones in the Western wall weigh, on the average, 10 tons, and yet are fitted so closely, using no morter, that it is not possible to slip a piece of paper between them. Yehuda mentioned that one method of identifying Herodian stones is to look for a frame around it, a unique characteristic in the ancient world.

If the Kotel is simply a retaining wall, and not part of the Temple itself, why is it so important to Jews? Yehuda explained that it was because, for hundreds of years, this retaining wall was the only wall that was accessible for prayer. Even though a tunnel now exists that can bring Jews closer to Temple Mount, the Kotel remains a holy site.

We continued on into the tunnel to find the original site of the entrance to the Temple. Called Warren's Gate, it is one of four that led to to the Temple Mount. Once, this place was open and accessible to everyone. In fact, the gate was used as a synagogue for hundreds of years until Jews were expelled from Jerusalem by the Crusaders in 1099. Later, when the Muslim recaptured Jerusalem under Saladin in 1187, the area was completely blocked and remained that way for centuries. But the Jews always dreamed of returning to the site and praying at this entrance once again. Now, in this confined space, it is possible to walk on the original pavement from the Second Temple period and follow in the footsteps of the pilgrims who walked through the gate two thousand years ago.

Woman praying in the tunnel at Warren's Gate---->

Here, in near darkness, it is difficult to imagine that huge numbers of people streamed through this gate on the way to the Temple two thousand years ago. But, here I am, part of the same community of believers that they are. And it is possible to touch the same spirit, to touch the stone they touched, and to be still and converse with God in a place that has been filled with prayer for thousands of years. The stillness, and the power of this hidden Kotel, literally at the gates of prayer, will never be forgotten.

It should be mentioned that Warren's gate, which leads into the Temple area from the "Hidden Kotel" was initially accessible after Israel took control in 1967. To allay concerns that it could be used by Zionist extremist groups to blow up the Dome, Warren's Gate has since been closed off with five meters of cement.

Moving through the tunnel, beyond the Hidden Kotel, we found a Medieval cistern, dated from 14th century. We also found Herodian columns and walked on an ancient street, over 2000 years old, uncovered as archaeologists excavated the tunnel. Two pillars can be seen standing by the street, now buried deep underground below the Old City. Interestingly, the Herodian pillars have odd shaped 'handle's on the smooth round surface of the columns, about three quarters of the way up. Archaeologists suspect that this section of columns was likely never completed, as these appendages, used to help fasten ropes when lifting the columns in place, were generally chiseled off by masons after installation

Beyond this, Herod built a massive cistern, was used to hold water. No photo could be taken because it was very dark, but what we saw, which was quite large, is, in fact, only a quarter the original size. The other side was sealed in order to prevent access to a convent located beyond. Towards the end of the 19th century, Charles Warren observed that people still used it to draw water.

Arab street on emerging from the Western Wall---->

<---Arab market
















The Davidson Center and the Jerusalem Archaeological Park

The Davidson Center and the Jerusalem Archaeological Park is one of the largest, most significant archaeological sites in the country. Within are recently excavated and restored storage complexes belonging to the arabian 7th century CE Umayyad Dynasty , which took control of the region after the fall of Jerusalem 638 CE.

<----steps outside the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount. The Black Dome, part of the the al-Aksa Mosque.



When we arrived at the Davidson Center, we were shown, through a movie and a character actor, how the Temple was used in ancient times, and the steps he took to bring an animal sacrifice to the priests as an acceptable offering to God. The steps he took, which were repeated by every faithful pilgrim, was to:

1. Go to moneychangers, who provided money in the local currency. We actually saw the shop of a money changer. It was located was near the Great Arch, one of the largest in the Roman Empire at the time. "Mobetchanger" means "man at the table", the Hebrew root of which is the basis of the word "banker".

Moneychanger's stall just outside the Western Wall---->

2. Purchase an animal sacrifice, typically a dove or lamb.

3. Become purified in a ritual bath, which we saw later at the site. We saw these baths earlier, inside the tunnel at the Western Wall. Another was uncovered at the Davidson Centre archaeological site. The concept of cleanliness is a relative term, especially in the middle east. In ancient times, the "cleanliness" of the pool was tested by placing a stick in the pool. If it fell, was "clean". If it stood up, the pool was "dirty".

<--- ritual bath. Note the guard rail in the center of the steps

4. After purification, do not touch anyone else when emerging from the pool. The pool at the Davidson Center had a guard rail down the middle of stone steps leading into the pool. Those requiring purification went down into the pool on one side. When clean, they emerged to ascend the steps on the other side.

5. Take the animal sacrifice, often a lamb to the temple

6. Pass through the temple gate, one of four, which included Warren's gate that we saw earlier today. Only Jews could pass beyond the temple gate into the temple area itself. We know this because an Inscription has been found at the site, prohibiting non-Jews from entering.

7. Present the sacrifice to the priest, who takes it to the alter for ritual slaughter.

While we were at the Davidson Center, we were invited to see a real-time virtual reality reconstruction of the Herodian Temple, as it stood prior to its destruction. The Temple itself was white with pure gold ornaments, 40 meters high. The entrance to the Temple plaza was at the southern side , through tunnels that emerged at the surface. The entrance to the temple itself was at the eastern end. The Holy of Holies was at the side of the western wall, which is why this wall is most venerated among Jews.

After the presentation, we discussed the meaning of what we saw. Rabbi Infeld: "So much of what we do today comes from what happened here. The sacrifices was the precursor of our modern sacrifice of words. These are the very beginning of what we are. This is us."

We emerged from the Davidson Center with some free time to wander around the Jewish district. There, we enjoyed a fallafal lunch (Naomi found a great pizza!), and shopped at some lovely shops nestled along ancient walkways.

An interesting door in the Jewish Quarter---->

A visit to the Rothberg Institute at Hebrew University

After stopping at the hotel briefly to release the kids for a more "child friendly" program, a group of us, consisting largely of adults and older teens, left for the Rothberg Institute, located on the hilltop of the Mount Scopus campus of Hebrew University. From there, an incredible panorama of Jerusalem can be seen below.

<----Rothberg Institute

We were greeted at the bus by Naomi, the Dean of Student Relations, at the campus, who took us to meet several other senior administrators and three students who are currently taking courses. We learned quite a bit about the Institute, which specializes in making foreign students at home in an academic institution.

The beautiful campus at Hebrew University on Mount Scopus, site of the Rothberg Institute---->

Along with academic degrees, they also offer Hebrew courses so that students with more limited available time can come to study over the summer in Jerusalem. In all, there are about 24,000 students at Hebrew university, approximately 1200 of which are registered at the Rothberg Institute

On the way home, we had an in-depth introduction to a middle eastern traffic jam. Squeezing our bus through bumper to bumper traffic in sweltering late afternoon heat, up the short street leading to the hotel seemed to take forever. Thanks to our driver, Yossi, we eventually got there :-) .

Tomorrow is a day to reflect. We will be visiting Yad Vashem, one of the most important museums of rememberance in the world.