Jerusalem, My Destiny!

Jerusalem, My Destiny!

 "He who has not seen Jerusalem in her splendour has never seen a desirable city in his life.  He who has not seen the Temple in its full construction has never seen a glorious building in his life." -Babylonian Talmud, Tractate of the Tabernacle.

Evening Falls on Jerusalem

 Where do I start?  Okay, so I'm a Christian, a Catholic at that.  So when my darling daughter, on the spur of the moment mind you, said she was going to Israel 'with or without' me, I thought about it a bit for a while then decided I couldn't do it.  What??!!  I gave myself a thousand and one reasons why I couldn't go, from too costly a trip, to too spiritual, to too far away, etc. etc.  However, I was in a serious quandary, because deep down inside I really did want to go to the Holy Land!  Nonetheless I posted  my dilemma on Facebook.  I had to let Cristina know what I was going to do within 24 hours.  A couple of friends were very supportive and immediately advised me to go.  Some of the comments I got were something like: "Give me the airfare.  I'll go for you!"  Or, "You have to be crazy not to take advantage of this opportunity!"   

 

Along the Via Dolorosa

 

 Needless to say, I made up my mind to go to Israel, like PRONTO!  And, am I ever so glad I did!  It didn't matter that I almost killed myself when I tripped over some loose bricks in a London street during our eight-hour stopover there.  Or, that I was singled out as an enemy of the state at Ben Gurion Airport, not once but twice, upon our arrival and upon our departure!  Or the fact that we arrived at two in the morning and had to kill seven hours before finally crashing into our hotel bed.  Ben Yehuda Apartments forgot to mention that they don't open their doors until nine in the morning.  During those long hours of sleep- deprivation and all-over body pain from my London mishap, we breakfasted at the airport (no decent eating establishment is opened at that hour!).  We rode from the plane to the train to the center of Tel Aviv.  We hit the beach at 5 o'clock in the morning, walking long stretches of city blocks with suitcases in tow, among other misadventures(?).  Oh, the trials of being your own travel agent!  At the airport, I had looked on with longing and envy, when my new friends the ladies of a Mexican entourage waved goodbye to me as they promptly picked up their bags and followed their waiting party.  "Ah, to be in my bed right about now," I  reminisced sleepily.

Cristina outside Jaffa Gate

But wow!  What an experience!  A visit to Jerusalem should be on everyone's itinerary!  I've been reading the very lengthy and hefty tome, Jerusalem, The Biography by Simon Sebag Montefiori, and what a fascinating story he writes.  Even from the time Abraham was called from Ur to heed God's call, to the time when Jesus performed miracles in and around the city, to the present time, Sebag Montefiori tells a tale like no other writer has done.  The Bible comes alive and world history meshes, with Jerusalem as its capital.  For centuries kings, emperors, and paupers alike have dreamed of ruling the fascinating city. 

Muslims, Christians, and Jewish alike live side by side here.

 But I will not say anything more than that I am blessed to have seen Jerusalem, walked her streets, and marveled at her glorious sights.  Make plans to see it for yourself, before you run out of options.  You are in for the experience of a lifetime!

Inside the Holy Sepulchre Church - Believers waiting to see the place were Jesus was laid to rest!