March 03, 2005
Schwartz - Hail and Farewell, Holy Land (part IV)
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Favorite locales
Jerusalem
Click here for a directory of all my Jerusalem photographs, including many not shown here (and in bigger sizes.) Also, click on the underlined headings to link to my server's subdirectories.
Jaffa Gate, the most famous entrance into the Old City, so named because the highway from Jerusalem to Jaffa (Tel Aviv) began here.
Automobiles driving through another gate. Typical stairs in the Old City.
In the Arab Quarter bazaar.
The Dome of the Rock and the Wailing Wall
The Wailing Wall. This structure started existence as a retaining wall, constructed by the Roman Noriega, King Herod, of Gospel of Matthew fame (he tried to murder the infant Jesus when a spy reported to him that the "king of the Jews" had been born.) Another fun little fact about that old boy, Herod: he was a Hebraicized Edomite--not really a Jew at all! The Edomites were compelled by the Maccabees to convert to Judaism, religiously, culturally and linguistically, not long before the Roman occupation. At any rate, the Talmud says that the spirit of God, which once resided in the Holy of Holies (now believed to be directly beneath the Dome of the Rock) still blows through and around these stones. So Jews of all various degrees of obsverance come here to pray, daven, and jot down their hopes, dreams, and fears onto pieces of paper which they then fold up and shove into the cracks (later, a special rabbi collects the papers, says a prayer, and burns them.) While I did place a prayer in the wall, I can't feel very strong about it spiritually, considering who its architect was...
The Dome of the Rock:
The Chain of Heaven: the entire Temple Mount used to brim with mosques and schools, almost all of which have been destroyed over the centuries, leaving behind a few random arches, the Dome itself, and the pillars, mihrab and roof of a mosque which used to stand directly next to the Dome. From that old mosque's roof hangs this chain, which is just a wee bit too high for a full grown man to grasp. The legends say that when someone is finally able to leap up and grab the chain, the roof shall crumble, exposing the Gate of Paradise, and he or she shall be assumed into Heaven immediately.
A cool old Arab dude just taking a stroll beside the Dome...
Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Truth be told, my favorite site in all of Israel-Palestine.
Damascus Gate
City of David Slums
Mt. Herzl
Acre & Haifa
North Israel
South Israel
Click here for a directory of all my Judean Desert photographs.
Ramallah
Click here for a directory of all my Ramallah photographs.
Click here for Wisam's photographs of Ramallah the day after Arafat's burial.
March 9th, 2005: Endeavoring to update this entry in time for my brother's birthday.
March 10th, 2005: Servers are a bit screwy. I have to reload Wisam's photographs and do some other tinkering. Not much of a birthday present for Scott... Well, it'll be a perpetual birthday present.
Index
Part I: My last visit to Beit Sīra; Campfires; Trip to Philadelphia
Part II: Other Photographs and Reminisces
Part III: Travels (Photographs and links)
Part IV: Favorite Locales
Part V: For my brother Scott (Christmas photographs)
There must be peace between symbols An article I wrote inspired by my time in Israel-Palestine, published in The Journal News newspaper.
