Old Jerusalem's Western Wall

Yes, of course, we went to the western wall, or The Western Wall. You can't go to Jerusalem and skip the western wall. It's the Wailing Wall, a sacred site for Jews, because it is part of the wall that surrounds the Temple Mount. For centuries Jews from the world over have made pilgrimage to the wall and there have prayed and lingered to pray again.

You might guess that there is a section of the wall designated for women. They cannot stand near the men. The men of orthodox Jewry are not allowed to look at--or on or whatever the right word is--women.

As I indicated many weeks ago, the Temple Mount is a sacred place for Jews and Muslims. And conflicts have arisen over the wall. Muslims fear it is part of a Jewish reclaiming of the entire temple mount. And so on and so forth. Religion can be a great divider. Should I say that? Of course I should. Everyone knows it anyway.

Jewish sentiments.

When we talk about the Temple Mount, we have to bring up Herod. Remember Herod, the Great? The murderer of many, including his own wife; the tyrant; and the rebuilder of Solomon's Temple. Actually, he did begin the rebuilding in about 19 BCE but probably did not finish it. This wall is part of that rebuilding era.

Anyway, we went there, and I was glad, because it has long been a point of interest for me. And yet I did not write a prayer on a slip of paper to stick into one of many cracks in the wall.

This is it. Spectators can go up to the wall, although it doesn't look like it here.

I turned around and took a picture.

My pants are long enough and my posture could be better. Or perhaps I should say, "What a cute white-haired woman." The canopy-covered passageway leads to the wall. It's for the non-orthodox people, like me. See also the corner where the western wall meets a "new" wall.

Here you can see the places to put your prayers. You can also see a newer wall built on top of the older one. It's the way of Israel.

I was in Israel eight days (another five days in Egypt and Jordan), and my blogs have stretched over many weeks. I'd apologize, but I don't feel like it. Life has intruded, and, besides, I figure people can only tolerate one or two posts about this trip in a week. Again I will say this was the trip of my lifetime. Certainly not the only place I've been but likely the most interesting to me.