Ready for some more pics?? These are from my field trip 2/12

 This is an early morning view from Mount Scopus (right next to the Mount of Olives, looking down on the Old City with the sun shining on the Eastern Wall.

 And here's the view from the Mount of Olives, again looking at the Eastern wall and the Eastern Gate, and of course at the Temple Mount.

 Standing in the same spot as the pic above, here is a look at the Southern wall, and just below the Southern wall you see the City of David. David originally had his city down on these slopes, around the Gihon Spring where they got their water from.  At the very top, almost center, you see Dormition Abbey (the round building) and the church spire right next too it, they are on Mount Zion right next to my campus.

 Now I'm walking down in the Kidron Valley, looking up at the Eastern Wall and Eastern Gate, which has been closed for centuries.

 A view of some tombs down in the Kidron Valley

 Here we are having class on top of the Herodian, the palace that Herod built on a hill out past Bethlehem (see video in the last post)

 Here's a look down into the Herodian ruins...bath houses, dining room, living quarters, etc.

 This view is from the Herodian, looking east to the Judean Wilderness.  The fields below may have been where David watched his father's  flock as a boy.  If you look real close, you can see the Dead Sea way over there in the distance.

 An anciety foot bath found at the Herodian...I could use a good foot massage right now...

There I am at the Herodian, taking a rest against an ancient column.  I get a little tired keeping up with all these young people, but it's a good and happy kind of tired:)

View from the Herodian

We had a loooong 11 hour field trip yesterday.  Went up to the Mount of Olives, walked back down, drove to the Herodian, then to Bethlehem. Saw lots of things, but wanted to show you this short video from the parking lot of the Herodian. Later I will post some pics of our trip, and you'll see what the inside looks like. Herod the Great built many extraordinary things, he seemed to have an insatiable appetite for extravagance. This was a summer home he built on a hill, it looks like a volcano from a distance but it's not.  It was a huge round structure with living quarters, a dining hall, gardens, baths and sauna's etc.  This is just southwest of Bethlehem and we could see the Mount of Olives from here.

Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall

I got tired of studying/reading, and this afternoon wandered down to the Western Wall. I stood on a chair on the women's side, and over the fence took this video of a young man at his Bar Mitvah. There are multiple bar mitvahs at the wall, I think on Mondays and Thursdays. Lots of celebrations, lot of people praying. I love going there. I wormed my way up to the wall, leaned on the cold stone wall, and prayed for the salvation of the Jews, that their eyes would be opened. The Western Wall functions as an outdoor synagogue. The men just cover their heads, the women don't have to, but this is the most holy Jewish place. When women leave the wall, they back up to exit, not turning their backs to the wall, showing respect and reverence as they are leaving,
By the way, I also wandered to the money changers (needed some shekels), and to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Christian Quarter, then found my way to the Western Wall in the Jewish Quarter, and back to campus through Dormition Abbey.  I have learned where some of the major streets are and am getting better about finding my way!

More pics from Jerusalem!

My friend Hermana, from South Africa, a prayer partner, prayer leader, a missionary on campus.

 That's me sitting on steps that led to the southern entrance to the temple, these are the very steps that were used in Jesus' day, and He ascended these same stairs to enter the temple. Wow!

 Dr. Paul Wright, Director of JUC, teacher of my physical settngs of the Bible class, explains about the Herodian stones that were used to build the Temple Mount retaining wall.

 Down in the City of David, which is down in the valley slopes south of the Temple Mount, they unearthed this ancient toilet...can you even imagine this on a cold morning!!

 The Hulda Gates, on the Southern Wall of the Temple Mount, these were unearthed not long ago, at the time the steps to the temple were found.

 Sign I took a picure of that hangs in the courtyard of the Western Wall.

Pic from a rooftop, a green lit-up Moslem minaret in the foreground, the Church of the Redeemer Bell tower top left, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher domes top right.

Ramparts Walk - high up on the city walls all the way around!

 A group of 13 of us went on the ramparts walk, climbed up high to get up on the walls surrounding the Old City.

Looking down at the street which is just inside the Zion gate

 View down into the valley.  It was a beautiful clear day!

 Here I am with a group of the girls.  I love hanging out with these 'kids'.

 View of the Dome of the Rock from across the Muslim Quarter

 Zoomed in picture of Gordon's Calvary, where the Garden Tomb is. Again, this is not likely Golgotha, but Gordon saw the rock and thought it looked like a skull, the mouth, etc, would be covered up after 2000 years. Still is a very nice place to visit, they have a beautiful garden, and a tomb that has been dated much later than when Jesus died and rose again.

 The Church of All Nations, built over a rock that is said to be the rock Jesus leaned on to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane.  See the Olive trees to the left of the church, that's the Garden of Gethsemane.

 View of the zillions of graves on the Mount of Olives.  Jewish graves on the mount of olives side, and moslem graves on the Temple Mount side.

We are done the Rampart walk, heading back home, this street is the Via Delarosa.

Pics from Old Jerusalem, and from the Bell Tower

This is David from JUC, and a coffee shop owner from the Old City

 This is a view of the Hurva Synagogue, which is in the Jewish Quarter of the Old City

 This is the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount, the Mount of Olives in the background, you can see lots of graves up htere, and you can see the Palm Sunday (walled) road coming down from the Mount of Olives,

 Looking down from the bell tower, this is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The smaller dome is over the rock of Calvary, the larger dome is over the tomb of Jesus. This is the most sacred spot for Christians in the world. There is much evidence that is truly is the place where He died, was buried, and rose again.  The garden tomb, which is outside the city walls is a nice place to visit, but does not have the evidence to support it being the actual tomb

 David, JUC student, taking pic of me at the top of the Bell Tower

 The Bell Tower of the Church of the Redeemer that we climbed to take the pics

 David and Ben sipping mint tea that the shop owner gave us

Shabaan, the money changer, was happy to change my dollars into shekels for me, very nice hospitable man, he also owns the shop above, and ordered the tea for us.

View of the Temple Mount and the Mount of Olives from the Bell Tower

OH, I had an awesome morning. I went with 2 students into the Old City and climbed the bell tower of the Church of the Redeemer (178 steps up!!) to get this view. This church is in the Christian Quarter of the Old City, and is right next to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre (Calvary and Jesus' tomb).  Here's a video from the top of the tower.  I will post pics later tonight, but right now I have to run - going to a Shabbat dinner:)  Many blessings to all of you!!