weekend in Jerusalem

I spent the weekend in Jerusalem on a trip organized by the Overseas Department. The weather was unbelievably warm! I love spending time in Jerusalem since there are so many sights to see, and so many interesting people to observe.

We arrived in Jerusalem on Friday morning. Out first stop was Armon HaNatziv (trans: the Commissioner's Palace. During the mandate period, Armon HaNatziv was the location of the British High Commissioner's house). Armon HaNatziv affords visitors a beautiful view of the old-city of Jerusalem (see above photo). We spent the rest of the morning touring around the Jewish quarter of the old city. In the afternoon we went to Mea Shearim, a densely populated, ultra-Orthodox neighborhood in Jerusalem. The ultra-Orthodox of Mea Shearim include the Mitnagim (European traditionalists) and the Hasidim. Mea Shearim is something of a world unto itself. The residents dress the way their ancestors did hundreds of years ago in the ghettos of Europe. Before entering the neighborhood, the females in our group changed into long skirts and sleeved-shirts in order to comply with modestly standards. Photographs are not allowed, and tour groups are not particularly welcomed by the residents.

We did some pre-shabbat food shopping at Jerusalem's outdoor market, which was totally chaotic. As shabbat nears, the vendors drop their prices in order to get rid of perishables that will not last through to Sunday, when the market re-opens. The vendors shout out their prices as customers push and shove in the search for last-minute bargains.

Shabbat starts early in Jerusalem in December since the sun sets around 4:30. After sunset we walked to the Kotel (i.e. the Western Wall) which was packed with worshippers. Because men and women pray separately at the wall, I was only able to observe other women closely, although I could certainly hear men chanting furiously on the other side of the mehitzah (i.e. prayer partition). The women at the wall ranged from secular to ultra-Orthodox, from infant to elderly, from very pale to very dark. I am continuously amazed by the diversity of my co-religionists.

On Saturday we walked around some of the newer parts of Jerusalem and then headed to the Christian quarter of the old city. We toured the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, which is built on the place where Jesus is believed to have been crucified. The Church was interesting, but very crowded, and unfortunately I wasn't able to fully grasp its significance. I think that the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches share dominion over the church, which is beautiful and quite ornate on the inside.

We spent part of the afternoon in the Arab shuk, which extends through the Christian and Arab quarters. The shuk mostly consists of long, narrow alleyways lined with vendors selling colorful items. The vendors can be somewhat aggressive in selling their wares, and buyers are expected to bargain. I think it's fair to say however that I am not a good bargainer. Since the items are already quite cheap by American standards, and since I imagine that the vendors have a hard time earning a living, I feel badly trying to bargain for a lower price.

One of the most fascinating aspects of the shuk is how capitalism seems to be a much more powerful force than regional politics. For example, t-shirt vendors commonly display Israeli Army shirts next to Free Palestine shirts, and Muslim vendors sell menorahs, crosses, and plenty of other Jewish and Christian religious items. Politically-incorrect humor also abounds, as these two t-shirts clearly demonstrate!

click on the link below to view my photos of Jerusalem (you will need to log in. username: deborahhemel@yahoo.com, password: deborahhemel).
http://www.snapfish.com/thumbnailshare/AlbumID=32857943/a=34757088