ROUND TWO

Well Ali started blogging again and after a very short conversation she convinced me to blog as well. While Provo is not nearly as interesting or exciting as Jerusalem I feel I should document some of my adventures! So here comes ROUND TWO!! We'll see if I can keep it up

St. Mark's Cathedral

This is the basement of St. Mark's Cathedral and might be the room where the Last Supper was held.


This nun (I think she was a nun) ran the St. Mark's Cathedral, a little chapel in the Jewish quarter. She is one of the 7 million remaining people in the world that speak Aramaic. She sang the Lord's Prayer for us in Aramaic.

Walking Where Christ Walked

This is a Herodian stone that Christ most likely walked on while walking to the Temple Mount.

This is a first century neighborhood just south of the Temple Mount.

Men praying at the South Wall of the Temple Mount. They are all standing on Herodian Stone.

Oh Holy Night

The Church of Nativity, Bethlehem

We started studying the New Testament with a visit to Bethlehem. While in Bethlehem we were able to visit Bethlehem University and talk to some of the students. It was very interesting listening to their stories and talking to them about growing up and living on the other side of the Separation wall. After our visit with the students we toured the Church of Nativity which is built over the cave which tradition suggests Christ was born in. After our tour we ran through the streets of Bethlehem looking for Bethlehem blankets, we were unsuccessful, but it was fun to see the city. We ended the day in Shepherds Field talking about the birth of Christ.

Passover!

My Jewish civ professor helped us put together a whole passover meal! It was so fun! We ate all of the traditional foods, some were a little strange, but for the most part very good. We sang and read from the Torah! Some of the boys even did a rap! It was a really fun night and a great experience.

Sunset at the Center

This picture does not do justice to how beautiful the sunset was over West Jerusalem, but I thought I would share it anyway. This was taken from my Balcony.

The Dome of the Rock and the Temple Mount

Before class one morning we decided to make a quick run to the Temple Mount to visit the Dome of the Rock. This building is so beautiful! The Mosaics on the outside are amazing! Unfortunately we were not allowed inside, but we enjoyed the outside and the grounds.


The Dome of the Rock!

The Mosaics on the outside

The door to the Dome of the Rock, if only I could have opened it.

A few Palestinian girls on their way to school, taking the shortcut through the Temple Mount!


More Mosaics

This is the view from the East side of the Temple Mount. The gold onion things are the part of the Russian Church of Mary Magdalene. Just below the church is the Garden of Gethsemane

Another view to the East

The mosaics were beautiful


A gazebo next to the Dome of the Rock

The Dome of the Rock!