Lessons in Judaism

Jewish men praying at the Western Wall

This morning we woke up early. The city was almost dead at 7 am. The busiest thing going on was all the children rushing to school. Our first stop was the Western Wall (or Wailing Wall), located just outside the Temple Mount.

This wall is the most holy place for Jews and they go there to pray and stick notes with prayers on them in between the stones in the wall. They believe praying here is more beneficial than praying anywhere else. The Jews face the wall and pray while rocking back and forth. When leaving the wall, they walk backwards away from it rather than turning around and walking away.

Temple Mount

After seeing the Western Wall, we went to the Temple Mount, which is located on the other side of the Western Wall. It is a holy site for both the Jews and the Muslims and has a long and dramatic history. It is claimed by both Judaism and Islam but is currently controlled by an Islamic council. The Dome of the Rock sits in the middle but only Muslims can go inside.

Later we checked out the Mahane Yehuda Market and enjoyed looking at the spices, fruits, breads, and pastries. Jewish families were there buying food.

Randy pondering the spices at Mahane Yehuda Market

Nearby the market there is an Ultraorthodox Jewish neighborhood called Me'a She'arim. Life here revolves around prayer and study over work or anything else. The people adhere very strictly to Jewish laws. The group, originally from Eastern Europe, wear long black jackets and hats despite the harsh Middle Eastern sun. Women wear long skirts and cover their heads after marriage.

We happened upon some kind of rally in the Jewish neighborhood Me'a She'arim. We heard talking over loudspeakers and everyone started walking toward this town square.