Friday, Sept. 12, 2008: Jerusalem

Shabbat Shalom from Jerusalem!
Today I bought my first loaf ever of Challah bread in the Jerusalem Market. It was bustling with literally thousands of people all doing their last minute Sabbath Shopping to prepare for dinner tonight and the day of rest tomorrow. Fresh fruits and nuts, breads, meat and spice aromas permeated the air. Jews, Christians and Muslims alike shop here and people brush past you left and right with plastic shopping bags filled with necessary items. We got there nearly at the close of the market, so shop owners were even more generous with some items, knowing if they didn't sell, they'd spoil. One woman gave us free candles for celebrating the Sabbath, two simple votive candles for the meal.

I also took a short walk from our YOuth Hostel to the Jerusalem YMCA. Look it up on line. It is majestic and unlike any other Y in the world. Since we are members, we can go swimming there tomorrow if I can produce our card...can I???!!

This morning we visited the most incredible place, an archeological dig site from soil removed from under the Temple Mount. Muslims removed tons and tons of precious soil and artifacts while attempting to build a third mosque on this site that is so very sacred to the Jews. They dumped it in an illegal site away from the city and hoped no one would notice. Thankfully, some very wise Jews were aware of what was going on and petitioned the government to take the soil. They were granted permission to do so and estimates are that it will take 10 years to sort thru it all! Volunteers are so desperately appreciated for sifting thru it all...which is what our group did today! I actaully found a coin from hundreds, maybe even thousands of years ago. Our team found 3 altogether, which was really unusual. Hannah found a very cool charm from a woman's necklace, also very rare. We also found tiles, mosaics, marble peices and lots of pottery shards. They catalog the very important things and then determine its age and compostion. We didn't want to leave!!
But we had to....
Because we then visited the Holocaust Museum. We only visited the children's exhibit, which was so brilliantly done. 24/7 thenames are read of the 1.5 million children who perished at the hands of the Hitler and his Nazi regime. The exhibit hall is all glass, dark, and candles. With the way the mirrors are set, it looks as if you are looking into the stars, one for each of the 1.5 million children. It seemed to me, as if I were looking into the descendents of Abraham that man tried to remove from the heavens. It would seem that no one could keep track of so many people. BUT GOD! Not one of those precious children was a stranger to God, or forgotten by Him. Man can never remove the stars from the heavens, nor remove the descendents of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob from the face of the earth!

People don't seem happy here. Collectively, when you have events like the Holocaust in your national consciousness, maybe it is impossible. There is no peace and constant tension. Soldiers with machine guns are everywhere. EVERYWHERE. WIthout the Prince of Peace Himself, it is an impossibility for the US Congress, the Knesset, the Parliament..but WITH GOD, all things are possible.
Thanks for reading and have a great weekend...SHABBAT SHALOM!
Love,
Lisa