My hand feeling the power of The Wall

Lasting image of The Western Wall

On site below the plaza area

Leading up to the plaza

Dome of the Rock at a distance

Entrance to the plaza

Dome of the Rock, close-up

On the grounds, Temple Mount

Walking across the bridge to the Dome of the Rock

Monday October 28, 2019

JERUSALEM, Israel – Because we had two major sites on Monday’s radar screen, we wanted to be out of the house as early as possible. We set the alarm for 6:30 and we were actually out a little after 7 A.M.

Since the two locations were directly in Jerusalem, we decided on public transportation. We left the car in the driveway and proceeded to take the 274 bus to the Damascus Gate and the first site, the Dome of the Rock, on the itinerary.

Familiar with Jerusalem, the 274 bus leaves us off a few blocks from the gate and a 10-15 minute walk gets us to the site. The Dome of the Rock is located on Temple Mount and this is significant to Jews as well as Muslims. It was on this site that both the First and Second Temples were built and the location is considered the holiest site for the Jewish people.

After the Muslims conquered Jerusalem in 638, the site was cleared and Jews were given access. The Dome was completed in 692 and believed to be the location of Muhammad’s journey to Jerusalem and ascent to heaven. Outside of Mecca and Medina, the Dome is the third holiest structure in the Muslim world.

Access to the grounds is through an area above the Western Wall.

You enter the Western Wall area and stay to the right. If you enter at one particular gate and wish to visit The Wall, you need to bear left. Once you pass through security, and there are a plethora of security checkpoints everywhere you go in Israel, you walk across a bridge and look down at the Western Wall. Then, you arrive at the Temple Mount and this is actually part of a campus. The Dome, with its gold exterior, is the dominant structure but there are two other mosques on the grounds. Plus, the area is decorated with a series of archways and imposing sets of steps which lead up to the Dome.

After nearly two hours on site, we left and ventured through the Gate of the Cotton Merchants. There are several gates from which you can exit, but the only way to the site is through the Western Wall.

We retraced our steps back to the Western Wall and that’s because I wanted one more visit. Spending about 20 minutes, again as during the previous visit, I sense a responsibility of being there. Touching the wall, it was like a magnetic charge running my through fingers and across my body. In a sense, I tried to remove my hands but some power, the source unknown, would not let me me pull. Finally, I reached back and extricated my hands but the sense of purpose left an indelible mark.

This could have been five minutes at the wall, five hours or five lifetimes and the sense of belonging became frozen in time. This will remain with me for a very long time and likely not ever leave.

Walking back, Waynette was waiting and we walked back into the Old City. Within about 10 minutes, we stopped for hummus at Abu Shurki, one of the best places for hummus in Jerusalem. Then, it was on to the Israel Museum.

From the Damascus Gate, we took the 66 bus to the museum and closed the place. Of particular interest was an exhibition about Hillebrand Gurlitt, a prominent art collector and dealer, who collaborated with the Nazis in their theft of European art. Both the gallery and accompanying film were fascinating and there were several references to The Monuments Men, a group of artists, art historians and museum administrators in the United States Army at the end of World War II to identify and find art treasures stolen by the Nazis.

There were also galleries on Jewish life, the synagogue, Jewish artists and even a short video on making matzoh for Passover.

Closing the museum at 5, we took the 66 bus back to the Damascus Gate and then popped on the 274 back to the apartment. The commute, both in the morning and at night, was terrible. Jerusalem, during the business day, is a nightmare to drive. We finally arrived home around 7:30 and made dinner at the apartment.

For Tuesday we plan to get an early start and finish the visit to Yad Vashem. Then, the Tomb of David, Oskar Schindler’s grave and Mount Olive are also on the itinerary.

STEPS – Between walking at the Dome of the Rock and through the museum, we did 12,700 steps or just over 5 and one-half miles.