A Tough Day

 Today was a little hard.  The intensity of touring has caught up with many of us.  We emotionally were overwhelmed at times.  We  had to stand a lot, which is harder than moving. Yet it was a very good day and the team is helping one another.

We left the hotel around 8:00 am and headed to the top of the Mt. Of Olives.  From there Nir gave an overview of the Old City and some of the places we will be visiting.  While there, many in the group took a camel ride (pictures below)  We then walked down the Palm Sunday Trail to the Garden of Gethsemane at the bottom of the hill.

Along the way, we stopped briefly at the Tear Drop Chapel in the area where tradition  says Jesus sat and wept over Jerusalem.  When we got to the Garden of Gethsemane, Nir explained the meaning of the name, “Olive Press.”  This was a garden where olives were grown.  People took time to go into the Church of All Nations, built over the stone where tradition holds Jesus may have prayed and sweat great drops of blood. We then went into a private garden across the street and spent some personal time in reflection after I explained the three pressings of olives and the application to Jesus’  life.

From Gethsemane we traveled the short distance to the Dung Gate where we entered the Western Wall Plaza.  After explanation, we prayed at the Wall and the men went into the adjoining synagogue to view what was going on there. We then walked the Rabbinical tunnel, seeing the construction of the Temple Mount of Jesus’ day.  One stone built  into the base weighs an estimated 500 tons.  How did they move it? Hard to imagine.

We exited into the Muslim quarter and out the Lion’s Gate to meet Shlomo and the bus.  We traveled Yad Vashem, the holocaust museum.  The name means a hand and a name, desiring never to forget every individual lost in the holocaust. Following lunch we toured the museum, being emotionally impacted by its story.  Hearing the names of the 1 1/2 million children that were killed being read was moving.  

Our day ended with the Idan jeweler coming to the hotel to show us his wares.  There will be some quality reminders of our trip being worn in the future.

Here are pics from today, especially the camel riders:

Lowell on a camel, Mt. Of Olives

Rabbinic tunnel, near Western Wall, Jerusalem

Western Wall plaza, Jerusalem

Outside Yad Vashem

Glenda on a camel, Mt. Of Olives

Mt. Zion (in center) from the Mt. Of Olives

Rose on a camel, Mt. of Olives

Palm Sunday Trail, Mt. Of Olives

Mt. Of Olives

Sandee on a camel, Mt. Of Olives

Corrie Ten Boom tree, Righteous Among the Nations, Yad Vashem

John meditating in the private garden, Garden of Gethsemane

Burial sarcophagi at Dominus Flevit, Mt. Of Olives

Bonny on a camel, Mt. of Olives

Janelle on a camel, Mt. Of Olives

Meditation time, private garden, Garden of Gethsemane

Karen on a camel, Mt. Of Olives

Palm Sunday Trail, Mt. Of Olives

Korczak memorial, Yad Vashem

Korczak memorial, Yad Vashem

Eastern Gate from the Mt. Of Olives

Tracy on the camel, Mt. Of Olives

Mary on the camel, Mt. Of Olives

Meditation in the private Garden, Garden of Gethsemane

Denise on the camel, Mt. Of Olives

Kate on the camel, Mt. Of Olives

Mike praying at Western Wall

Synagogue beside Western Wall

Nir explaining at Yad Vashem

John on the camel, Mt. Of Olives

Group up on Mt. Of Olives

Trees being pruned, Garden of Gethsemane

Sign at Yad Vashem

Group picture, Mt. Of Olives

Al Aqsa Mosque from the Mt. of Olives

John on the camel, Mt. Of Olives


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