The Western Wall
On the morning of Friday, August 12th, we packed our bags for the first time and said a bittersweet goodbye to the Kibbutz Afik to began our trek to the holy city of Jerusalem. The journey consisted of a 2.5 hour bus ride south on Route 90, which is the longest highway in Israel. The bus ride was absolutely picturesque as we rode along the the Sea of Galilee on our right.
About half way into the drive, we found ourselves on a rode with Jordan on the left and with only a wired fence designating the border. This dividing line has extreme historical significance to Israel and it was an opportunity to learn about the history of this place during our commute. The Jordan valley is lined with high mountain tops in the background and beautiful palm trees close to the streets. We learned that these palm trees are responsible for the copious amounts of dates produced in Israel.
Continuing our bus ride to Jerusalem, we began to see some of the Bedouin tents atop the cliffs lining the highway. As a brief background, the Bedouins are a group of Muslims in Israel who travel from place to place in makeshift habitants. We have an entire day to come with the Bedouins, but it was nice to have a preview.
About 2 hours into the drive, we could all see the awaited Jerusalem sky line. For many of us, this has was a powerful moment as we have gone our entire lives seeing pictures of the holy city. Now we were finally here. The tour educators took us to an unbelievable lookout on Mount Scoupos. This was the perfect introduction to the city of Jerusalem as we had an unobstructed view of the entire city and historical landmarks. We could see the Dome of the rock, Mount of Olives, Church of the Holy Sepulchre and more. Shira provided the background and stories behind each landmark to perfectly set the stage before entering the city. Of course we would also see the dividing lines between the old city and new city and finally the hallmark visit of the day: the Western Wall.
We proceeded to go into the old city boundaries and explore the Jewish section. Everyone was able to purchase small souvenirs and grab a quick bite to eat. My group stumbled upon an unforgettable shawarma stand and enjoyed lunch together. We walked through the rocky walls of the ancient city and ended up at the Cardo. Cardo was an Ancient Greek market. Half of the pillars were still preserved and there is an unbelievable mural showing what the site looks like.
After Cardo, we moved on to the Western Wall. Before entering the Wall, Deb shared some unforgettable personal stories at the wall that prepared us for what we were about to experience. When you approach the actual wall, there are three sections: men, women and mixed. We all took our own walks over and began to pray at the wall. This was the most moving religious moment I personally have ever had. I reflected on many things ranging from family to health and more. We all put notes in the wall praying for our loved ones. A few of the guys in the group had the chance to wrap Tefilin and say a prayer. Words cannot describe how amazing this moment at the Western Wall was for the entire group.
Following the Western Wall, we checked in to our hotel in Jerusalem and showered up for Shabbat dinner. Bruce led an amazing Shabbat service with all of the Major prayers as the whole group sang along. We enjoyed a special Shabbat dinner all together and then played a few team games at night. This was the perfect ending to such a special and unforgettable day. Tomorrow we reflect on Shabbat and spend a majority of the day time doing various team discussions and events. I am so looking forward to it.
Photo Credit: Header Image-@natefrogg773, Image 1-@jaimerjames
