Jerusalem-A Night to Remember!

After our all day tour we were checked into our hotel and then we went to the restaurant at the hotel and had a buffet dinner. Lots of delicious foods to pick from.

I am not sure I mentioned this rule that to go into any Church or Holy Place, people have to have their shoulders and knees covered. Our itinerary said we would be going on a night drive through Jerusalem. I have had my shoulders and knees covered all day so I thought since we are going for a drive I would wear a tank top, wrong decision!

After dinner all of us except one couple hopped on the bus. Many many people were out and about the streets of Old Jerusalem. Muslims celebrating Ramadam and the Jewish people going and leaving the Western or Wailing Wall. The Wailing Wall is revered asthe sole remnant of the 2nd Temple that was destroyed by Rome in 70A.D. The Wall is the most sacred Jewish Shrine. Jewish men and women go there to pray at the wall, and thousands go there everyday.

Well that is where we went at 9pm without telling us and I am freaking out because I am afraid I won't be able to go into the plaza. I am literally trying to stretch my top to make it cover my shoulders. I made it through security but I just know someone is going to see that I do not have my shoulders covered. We are all standing in a circle around our guide when I felt someone touch my shoulder. I turned around and there was a Jewish woman and she said my shoulders were not covered. So I thought it it goes I will be kicked out, but no she gave me a cape, no charge, and all I had to do is give it to security on my out! Yeah! So in I went! First the women in our group went into a prayer room inside the walls, in the synagouge. There the Jewish women pray and recite scripture and when they look out the windows they can see the men below praying at the Wall. After about 30 minutes we went back outside to meet the men and our guide. Our guide Moishe took the men of our group down to the Wailing Wall. I mean they went down on the mens side and actually touched the Wall. Well we asked our guide if we could go down on the womens side and touch the wall. He said we could so we walked over and went down down down, through hundreds of women, through strollers filled with babies or young children, children running and playing together but most of all, through women who were praying so intensely with eyes closed and hands lifted of other women to touch the Wall. It was such an amazing experience to share with Carleigh who was with me and with all the Jewish women who accepted our presence. Life Changing!