Shore of Eternity

After Caesarea, we return for our last night on the Clio and prepare for a trip to Jerusalem. Our preparations include a celebration of Hanukkah. We celebrate the Feast of Lights by lighting the Menorah, reading the blessings. eating a traditional snack and singing:

Od yavo shalom aleinu.. od yavo shalom alienu…od yavo shalom alienu Ve al kulam…ve al kulam… Salaam

Aleinu ve al kol ha olam

Sallam salaam !!

Peace will come upon us

Peace will come upon us

peace will come upon us

and on everyone

salaam (peace in Arabic)

On us and on everyone.

This ritual and its forlorn hope prepares us for Jerusalem.

We first encounter Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives and Bo Az produces a bottle of wine and plastic glasses so we can toast the City. From our high perch we are on the spot that evokes the shortest sentence in the Bible i.e. Jesus looked upon Jerusalem. JESUS WEPT. We look into the Garden of Gethsemane where (according to Luke) Jesus prayed before his betrayal.

We enter the Old City at the Lion’s Gate and make our first stop at the room believed to be the site of the Last Supper. Jesus celebrated Passover in a high ceilinged room in the David’s Tomb Compound known as the Cenacle. This site is impacted by many influences , Arab inscriptions are on the walls and the room is enclosed by a gothic ceiling from the Crusader period . These mixed influences will prove to be everywhere in the Old City. Close by the Cenacle is the Tomb of King David, now enclosed by a synagogue where prayers are never allowed to end. As we enter the prayers are ongoing in a continuous murmur as Talmud scholars read texts in the background. Prayer without ceasing.

We head to the Western Wall and we dig out piles of small folded papers from pockets and backpacks. These will be placed between the stones on the wall where traditional Jews believe the Divine Presence resides. A small purification is required before approaching the Wall and we pour clear water over our hands from silver pitchers that rest on pillars at the entrance to the site. More that a million prayer notes are placed in the wall each year. Online services are in place to accept these prayers from all over the world… they can be e-mailed, faxed, texted or sent directly via the internet. 5G piety has arrived.

Entering the Western Wall tunnels, passing Islamic security guards and a clutch of tourists near busy souks a short break for Turkish coffee in the Muslim Quarter is our mundane goal of the moment. Moments after the coffee break I am having my picture taken with security guards and enjoying a real Jewish bagel, a ring of dough that looks like a lasso. The vendor provides a pinch of hyssop for flavor.

The Via Dolorosa is now under our feet and we trace the 14 Stations of the Cross. This is the center of the Christian Church, the procession from Jesus’ condemnation to his resurrection and we can’s help but be solemn in spite of the frenetic activity all around us. At station number five tradition tells us that Simon of Cyrene takes up the cross for a moment and there is an indentation on the wall that faces us where Jesus is said to have placed his hand in his moment of rest. Naturally all of our hands-left and right- touch this spot.

At station number 6 we see the spot where Veronica wipes the face of Jesus and is rewarded by having his image imprinted on the cloth. The reality of these sites after years of hearing about them is fantastically powerful.

TO BE CONTINUED…