At wake-up, it was still dark outside. Morning drive to Mount Scopus went by quickly. We got to Mount Scopus and stopped near a observation point. The Hanichim got off the bus, their eyes were covered, they went hand in hand up to the observation point, then they were asked to remove the blindfold, the Old City of Jerusalem was was spread before them. It was an emotional moment, after a brief explanation the hanichim spoke about the meaning of Jerusalem for them: Capital city, the holy city, a beautiful city, a historical city. After an excellent breakfast, the mood improved and together they sang tremendous " Brother happiness Jitli empire" in Hebrew, Arabic and Spanish.
We reached the old city; the first stop was on the Temple Mount, the two mosques. Entrance to the mosques is only allowed to Muslims, We toured the mosques square, Our task was to interview tourists and ask what Jerusalem means to them, we interviewed many people from different countries and the answers were interesting. (See video clip) From there we went to the Western Wall. Those days were the days before Memorial Day of Temple destruction, and the Western Wall plaza was full with praying people. Our fellow Muslims were afraid to enter the plaza, but soon they saw that there is no reason to be afraid. During this visit in the Western Wall I began to hear the statement that the Western Wall is just a stone wall and not worthy of the most holy place for Jews. That statement came from very religious Jews and it surprised me.
After a break for lunch in the streets of the Christian Quarter We went to the Church of Holy Sepulcher., Here, too, as well as in the Western Wall we continued to interview people about the significance of Jerusalem for them. And the answers were varied: The priest who came from Greece and serves the Holy Sepulcher claimed that there is not a city like Jerusalem in the world, London and Paris are very small Compared to Jerusalem, the young man who came from Italy explained that he should be a Catholic but he is not religious and he came to Jerusalem to see the places that his mother talked about in his childhood. The professor who came from U.S., he claimed that everything is politics and to cross a road is as dangerous as to visit Israel.
The woman said that, thanks to science and DNA discovery she now know that difference between people is so small, insignificant and therefore people in the world have to live in peace. The talks with the pilgrims made the trip to the holy places very unique. (See video clip).
In the evening we gathered to hear a lecture by Dr. Neil Lazaros " Middle East Update". Most of his speech was about the Hamas in Gaza and about the Injustice that makes the Hamas rule the residents of Gaza, He tried to prove it in movies and facts. Our Muslim brothers found it difficult to accept Neil's description. For some of them Hamas has only brought honor to Gaza Palestinians. There was an argument, painful but honorable. Jews and Muslims, each side tried to defend his position: Hamas is a terrorist organization, Hamas is good to the Arabs of Gaza. We ended the evening talking in groups Jitli and Jitli Peace Makers trying to explain and to bring people together. Ibrahim touched everyone when he told us about his brother, a Bedouin soldier who died protecting the Gaza border. It was a great expression of emotion, and the complex situation in which we live.
The questions that came to me during the writing this post:
1. is religion a belief or a livelihood? 2. How come the most holy places instead of being a places of unity have become a source of hatred?
3. What is the difference between Muslim Hamas and the extremist Jewish movements? Who's worse?
sun rise on jerusalem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIyzd0qnfIk
2010what jerusalem means to me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QKysuDwnUM
holy jerusalem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6k9OOzPQNw
neil lazaros
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n65fivPLV_A
We reached the old city; the first stop was on the Temple Mount, the two mosques. Entrance to the mosques is only allowed to Muslims, We toured the mosques square, Our task was to interview tourists and ask what Jerusalem means to them, we interviewed many people from different countries and the answers were interesting. (See video clip) From there we went to the Western Wall. Those days were the days before Memorial Day of Temple destruction, and the Western Wall plaza was full with praying people. Our fellow Muslims were afraid to enter the plaza, but soon they saw that there is no reason to be afraid. During this visit in the Western Wall I began to hear the statement that the Western Wall is just a stone wall and not worthy of the most holy place for Jews. That statement came from very religious Jews and it surprised me.
After a break for lunch in the streets of the Christian Quarter We went to the Church of Holy Sepulcher., Here, too, as well as in the Western Wall we continued to interview people about the significance of Jerusalem for them. And the answers were varied: The priest who came from Greece and serves the Holy Sepulcher claimed that there is not a city like Jerusalem in the world, London and Paris are very small Compared to Jerusalem, the young man who came from Italy explained that he should be a Catholic but he is not religious and he came to Jerusalem to see the places that his mother talked about in his childhood. The professor who came from U.S., he claimed that everything is politics and to cross a road is as dangerous as to visit Israel.
The woman said that, thanks to science and DNA discovery she now know that difference between people is so small, insignificant and therefore people in the world have to live in peace. The talks with the pilgrims made the trip to the holy places very unique. (See video clip).
In the evening we gathered to hear a lecture by Dr. Neil Lazaros " Middle East Update". Most of his speech was about the Hamas in Gaza and about the Injustice that makes the Hamas rule the residents of Gaza, He tried to prove it in movies and facts. Our Muslim brothers found it difficult to accept Neil's description. For some of them Hamas has only brought honor to Gaza Palestinians. There was an argument, painful but honorable. Jews and Muslims, each side tried to defend his position: Hamas is a terrorist organization, Hamas is good to the Arabs of Gaza. We ended the evening talking in groups Jitli and Jitli Peace Makers trying to explain and to bring people together. Ibrahim touched everyone when he told us about his brother, a Bedouin soldier who died protecting the Gaza border. It was a great expression of emotion, and the complex situation in which we live.
The questions that came to me during the writing this post:
1. is religion a belief or a livelihood? 2. How come the most holy places instead of being a places of unity have become a source of hatred?
3. What is the difference between Muslim Hamas and the extremist Jewish movements? Who's worse?
sun rise on jerusalem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lIyzd0qnfIk
2010what jerusalem means to me
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1QKysuDwnUM
holy jerusalem
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6k9OOzPQNw
neil lazaros
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n65fivPLV_A
I'm waiting to your comments, answers
Itzik Koren
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