HBy Deena Levitan and Rachel Israilevich
After our walk at Haas Promenade we took a bus ride to a stop along the Seam Line. We started with a view of the city and saw a part of the old wall that used to surround the Old City. We then continued along the Seam Line and soon stopped in front of the Notre Dame Church. It was absolutely stunning and we were very fortunate to see the Church when we did because being Christmas Day there were many people exiting and entering the church and the church grounds.
We then continued our trek and ended up at Museum on the Seam, which is a museum that collects the artworks from artists around the world and tries to display them in a socio-political way. The pieces are contemporary and bring a lot of conflict and interesting viewpoints with them.
After enjoying the wonderful hospitality of the museum and its curator, we then went on a bus ride to the Old City. I was very excited and could not wait to see the holiest place of the Jewish people for the first time. As soon as I got off of the bus I immediately encountered different smells, sounds, and sights and it was an amazing experience. All of us eagerly got off of the bus, awaiting the tangible history of the Jewish people. Nirit, our guide, explained to us exactly what was in the Old City and what was waiting for us in the Jewish Quarter. Walking along the sides of the Old City, we saw the walls of the old City and were amazed that after such a long time they were still standing. We then walked to the Christian quarter of the Old City and we were very fortunate to be able to see the tomb of King David and the room where Jesus had the Last Supper. I was in shock for a little bit when we entered the room because I could not believe where I was. It is something that needs to be experienced and we did.
After these amazing sights we started to walk to the Jewish Quarter of the Old City. I was filled with excitement and disbelief as we were walking. Before reaching the Kotel, we went on a rooftop to see another beautiful view of Jerusalem. It was getting darker and colder towards the night, but nonetheless we loved to see it. As were were sitting in silence soaking in the beauty and spirituality of the Old City, the Muslim Quarter began filling with the sounds of their daily prayer. It was definitely an experience hearing the Muslim prayers and viewing the Golden Dome of the Old City. Finally, we were on our way to experiencing a moment at the Kotel.
For many of us, this was our first time and it was definitely very emotional and spiritual moment. It was packed with people, tourists and Israelis alike, and we were surrounded by soldiers and their families who came for the swearing in ceremony. It was really exciting to be able to see this ceremony take place at one of the holiest sites to the Jewish people. Going to the Kotel and leaving a note in the cracks was extremely moving, and when I put my hands on the wall, I could feel the centuries of energy reverberating off of its surface, imagining the millions of hands that have touched this wall that managed to withstand against all odds. I got chills down my whole body, and just being surrounded by so many Jewish people (which is uncommon coming from LA) in this holy place was truly an experience I will remember forever.
After several embarrassing requests to take pictures with the soldiers, we made our way to Ben Yehuda Street- the Israeli version of the Santa Monica promenade. Some of us met up with Israeli family or friends, and the rest of us walked around with our Tel Aviv friends and splurged on souvenir shops and delicious shawarma and falafel. It was the perfect end to a busy day.
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