I've now had about a week and a half of classes and they've been great. Hebrew classes are at 8:30 everyday. I'm not much of an early riser or early-to-bed student so it's been a bit of a change. Nonetheless, it's pretty nice to finish classes early and have the rest of the day free.
Islam, Politics, and Terror is an awesome course. We've started looking at Islamic Law and the downfall of Islam/Ottoman Empire. It's seems that the American educational system doesn't do the best job of teaching the Ottoman Empire or the history of Islam given how many questions we are all asking. It's also embarrassing to have to be explicitly told the difference between Sunis and Shias. That said, it's great to be learning all of this stuff, especially because it's so applicable to events and movements around me.
Contemporary Jewish Issues has been surprisingly engaging. It feels at times like a class that I might have taken in 6th grade, but I'm definitely getting much more out of it today. We're going to talk about how Judaism addresses divorce, intermarriage, homosexuality, feminism and other "hot" topics. We have spent two classes looking at the Torah and Talmud/Mishah (commentaries) in order to define who is a Jew. The debates have been pretty contentious and it's cool to see so many kids yelling about these issues (especially because Bowdoin doesn't quite foster debate on religion).
My course in the Arab-Israeli Conflict is cool. It's a strict history course--no talk of the current conflict but rather a survey of movements, -isms, and tensions before 1948 (year Israel was established). The professor is a diplomatic, historian's historian. Very much a part of the discipline and it's plain to see that he cares about history as a discourse. It's great to learn about the roots of Islamic Nationalism, Arab Nationalism, and Palestinian Nationalism, especially because we've been told they're all distinct.
Finally, my Ethics of Terrorism course is amazing. The teacher is smart though she tends to assert her own opinion a bit too much. She starts each topic with her beliefs so it's tough to argue in the hopes of winning anyone over. Nonetheless, the debates have been great--very contentious and very high energy. I've never been in a class where kids are so eager to tell what they think. This is probably a function of talking about terrorism in the Middle East with a bunch of American Jews who have been told what to think for most of their lives. The most interesting opinions, I think, are from the non-Jews and non-Americans. They tend to have more depth to their opinions and can argue their points more eloquently.
All-in-all, the courses are solid. The afternoons and nights are about as open as during Ulpan (the 1 month Hebrew course) so I'm trying to do some pleasure reading.
Next week I'm going to the Israeli ministry of foreign affairs. There is a trip for only 15 kids that I managed to sign up for. It should be great. We can only bring money and a passport inside. No phones, wallets, cameras or pens. Pretty cool.
I'm off to Jerusalem this weekend to see an Idan Raichel concert. He's a pretty popular musician so I'm gonna tag along with friends. I'm hoping to take a tour of Mea Shearim (the ultra-orthodox community in Jerusalem) and go see an exhibit in the big art museum with stolen works from the Holocaust. I just saw an article about it in the NYTimes so I'm guessing it's worthwhile.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
23. more Istanbul
TOP: Inside the underground Basilica Cistern, next to Aya Sophia BOTTOM: Inside the Harem at Tokapi Palace (see below for explanation), Asia behind me.
21. Pictures from Istanbul
TOP: In the Grand Bazaar (an endless grid of shops with excellent fake gear of all kinds) BOTTOM: In front of the Blue Mosque with my friend Sara (from Cambridge, MA)
20. Pictures from Jerusalem (round 2)
TOP: With my Friend David (from Stockholm) overlooking Jerusalem BOTTOM: In front of the Security Fence between Jerusalem and the West Bank. Behind me is the West Bank
Sunday, February 17, 2008
19. Back from Istanbul
I just returned from an absolutely amazing 4 days in Istanbul. Many thanks to Toby and Ivy for their excellent suggestions.
-The history of Istanbul is so rich that it's tough to fully appreciate it without some good research ahead of time. Though I failed to do this research, I caught up quickly throughout my journey by reading guides and asking friends.
-The first thing that I noticed (as well as everyone else) about Istanbul is that there is a dubious lack of women. For every 25 men I would see, there would be one woman. On the tram system, everyone stands/sits in silence and, as I was traveling with a girl for most of the time, all eyes were focused on us. That said, I maintain that my coat was garnering serious attention. The women that we did see were either tourists, or covered head-to-toe.
-It would be an absolute shock to me if Turkey gained entrance in the EU. Though there are forward thinking elements, the treatment of women alone seems enough to keep them out of the playground.
-Turks can't drive in snow. That makes for a scary taksi ride during a whiteout. Trust me.
-The hotspots in Istanbul are conveniently very close to one another. The Blue Mosque and Aya Sophia stare at each other. No city planner could've been nicer to tourists.
-At times, the city felt very Western European given its commercial development while at other times it felt strangely Eastern European. Lots of semi-mullets that are probably popular in Croatia and Bulgaria.
-Only once did I tell someone I was from the USA. I was from Toronto and it felt great. Americans get bad prices and aren't treated all that well. I've also been told that Jews don't do too well in Muslim countries, so I stayed away from talking about Israel.
-Some elements of Istanbul are really modern and out-of-place. For example, see the automatic towel dispensers in the bathrooms and electronic gadgets used to take orders in restaurants.
-The Blue Mosque is as ornate as 9th grade history teachers say. It was the first time I've been in a mosque and as far as I'm concerned, all others will probably be a let down. It's like going to the superbowl for a first football game. Walking around without shoes was inviting. For such a special site, I am shocked at how easy it was to gain entry. Had the place been in America, it would've taken hours.
-Aya Sophia, unfortunately, was a bit of a let down. This is only, however, a function of my lack of knowledge about the building. The Blue Mosque is much more elegant so my expectations were a bit high. It would have been nice to have a tour guide. Nonetheless, the architectural enormity of the structure did not disappoint, nor did the mosaics of Justinian and Constantine holding Jesus.
-Tokapi Palace, the winter home of the Ottoman Sultan for a couple hundred years, was large, extravagant, and surprisingly plain. Tokapi is not Versailles in that regard. From one end to the other was a 20 minutes walk. Huge open green spaces surrounded by low buildings on all sides. Each Sultan added a bit to the palace and the Harem (where he kept his females). The Harem is a complex that housed the Sultan's women (roughly 1000 of them) and looked like an upscale jail. Mosaics everywhere. Inside the museum were the following: Moses' walking stick, John the Baptists' arm and skull, Abraham's saucepan, Muhammed's footprint and beard and sword, and Joseph's cap. Eh, I'll let you judge the validity of the artifacts. We were totally freaking out at the claim that we were looking at Moses' walking stick (which was nice) and John's arm, but were rather curious why the museum isn't celebrated the world over. Muhammed had a low arch and big feet. Much bigger than expected. Muhammed's gold tooth chest was there too. I prefer the plastic ones from the school nurse.
-Turkish Baths are the best thing on Earth. The first day, I was scrubbed by a large, overworked Turkish man. He cracked every vertebrae in my body and nearly yanked my shoulder out of its socket. That said, I don't think I've ever been more relaxed in my life....except for the second day when I went again. I tried to convince every kid that went on the trip (~80) to get one, and most did. Though Americans are obviously obsessed with body image, I didn't realized the extent to which that is true. A lot of the kids absolutely refused and missed out on utter relaxation.
-We took a great boat cruise on the Bosphorus River (between Europe and Asia) and made friends with a nice Italian couple. Though it was snowing worse than the blizzard of '78, the cruise was lots of fun.
-We found the coolest street in all of Istanbul on the third day. Every shop was run by a woman and there were great shops and hipster images everywhere. Andy Warhol would've lived there. In one store--a retro shop that was a house--everything was for sale--there was a Seder plate for sale (an item used on Passover). Needless to say, I was shocked and asked the clerk if she knew what it was and if she was Jewish. She knew exactly what it was and I think she thought it was cool that we were Jewish given her smile when I asked about it. This street--and it's red haired hipster female clerks--gave me hope for Turkey's modernization process.
-I enjoyed traveling with a big group to Istanbul, though I now, more than ever, realize why so many people in this world dislike Americans. It is a sad thing, to be sure, though if Americans were a little more conscious of their surroundings and walked with a bit of humility, it would go a long way.
I great 4 days. Istanbul is a beautiful city and looks wonderful in a snowstorm. Pictures to follow.
Classes start tomorrow.
-The history of Istanbul is so rich that it's tough to fully appreciate it without some good research ahead of time. Though I failed to do this research, I caught up quickly throughout my journey by reading guides and asking friends.
-The first thing that I noticed (as well as everyone else) about Istanbul is that there is a dubious lack of women. For every 25 men I would see, there would be one woman. On the tram system, everyone stands/sits in silence and, as I was traveling with a girl for most of the time, all eyes were focused on us. That said, I maintain that my coat was garnering serious attention. The women that we did see were either tourists, or covered head-to-toe.
-It would be an absolute shock to me if Turkey gained entrance in the EU. Though there are forward thinking elements, the treatment of women alone seems enough to keep them out of the playground.
-Turks can't drive in snow. That makes for a scary taksi ride during a whiteout. Trust me.
-The hotspots in Istanbul are conveniently very close to one another. The Blue Mosque and Aya Sophia stare at each other. No city planner could've been nicer to tourists.
-At times, the city felt very Western European given its commercial development while at other times it felt strangely Eastern European. Lots of semi-mullets that are probably popular in Croatia and Bulgaria.
-Only once did I tell someone I was from the USA. I was from Toronto and it felt great. Americans get bad prices and aren't treated all that well. I've also been told that Jews don't do too well in Muslim countries, so I stayed away from talking about Israel.
-Some elements of Istanbul are really modern and out-of-place. For example, see the automatic towel dispensers in the bathrooms and electronic gadgets used to take orders in restaurants.
-The Blue Mosque is as ornate as 9th grade history teachers say. It was the first time I've been in a mosque and as far as I'm concerned, all others will probably be a let down. It's like going to the superbowl for a first football game. Walking around without shoes was inviting. For such a special site, I am shocked at how easy it was to gain entry. Had the place been in America, it would've taken hours.
-Aya Sophia, unfortunately, was a bit of a let down. This is only, however, a function of my lack of knowledge about the building. The Blue Mosque is much more elegant so my expectations were a bit high. It would have been nice to have a tour guide. Nonetheless, the architectural enormity of the structure did not disappoint, nor did the mosaics of Justinian and Constantine holding Jesus.
-Tokapi Palace, the winter home of the Ottoman Sultan for a couple hundred years, was large, extravagant, and surprisingly plain. Tokapi is not Versailles in that regard. From one end to the other was a 20 minutes walk. Huge open green spaces surrounded by low buildings on all sides. Each Sultan added a bit to the palace and the Harem (where he kept his females). The Harem is a complex that housed the Sultan's women (roughly 1000 of them) and looked like an upscale jail. Mosaics everywhere. Inside the museum were the following: Moses' walking stick, John the Baptists' arm and skull, Abraham's saucepan, Muhammed's footprint and beard and sword, and Joseph's cap. Eh, I'll let you judge the validity of the artifacts. We were totally freaking out at the claim that we were looking at Moses' walking stick (which was nice) and John's arm, but were rather curious why the museum isn't celebrated the world over. Muhammed had a low arch and big feet. Much bigger than expected. Muhammed's gold tooth chest was there too. I prefer the plastic ones from the school nurse.
-Turkish Baths are the best thing on Earth. The first day, I was scrubbed by a large, overworked Turkish man. He cracked every vertebrae in my body and nearly yanked my shoulder out of its socket. That said, I don't think I've ever been more relaxed in my life....except for the second day when I went again. I tried to convince every kid that went on the trip (~80) to get one, and most did. Though Americans are obviously obsessed with body image, I didn't realized the extent to which that is true. A lot of the kids absolutely refused and missed out on utter relaxation.
-We took a great boat cruise on the Bosphorus River (between Europe and Asia) and made friends with a nice Italian couple. Though it was snowing worse than the blizzard of '78, the cruise was lots of fun.
-We found the coolest street in all of Istanbul on the third day. Every shop was run by a woman and there were great shops and hipster images everywhere. Andy Warhol would've lived there. In one store--a retro shop that was a house--everything was for sale--there was a Seder plate for sale (an item used on Passover). Needless to say, I was shocked and asked the clerk if she knew what it was and if she was Jewish. She knew exactly what it was and I think she thought it was cool that we were Jewish given her smile when I asked about it. This street--and it's red haired hipster female clerks--gave me hope for Turkey's modernization process.
-I enjoyed traveling with a big group to Istanbul, though I now, more than ever, realize why so many people in this world dislike Americans. It is a sad thing, to be sure, though if Americans were a little more conscious of their surroundings and walked with a bit of humility, it would go a long way.
I great 4 days. Istanbul is a beautiful city and looks wonderful in a snowstorm. Pictures to follow.
Classes start tomorrow.
Friday, February 8, 2008
18.
The last two days, I explored Israeli culture. On Wednesday night, I went to the Israel v. Romania soccer match. Though it did not count for anything except pride in the soccer world, the two countries put on a pretty good show. Israel won 1-0, which was nice. The crowd wasn't too big, but there were some rather dedicated fans. In front of me were two orthodox Jews, behind me were, I think, Colombians who were going crazy, behind me to the right was a huge group of young Israeli chanting traditional religious songs. At soccer games, everyone gets a big bag of sunflower seeds--it's the equivalent of popcorn or peanuts at a baseball game. The etiquette, however, is much different. Wherever the shells land is fair game. People spit seeds onto other people's back, the chairs, and anywhere else that is in range. I did my best to join the fun.
Last night I went to the enormous Bob Marley festival in honor of his 63rd birthday. Israel really likes reggae music. There was some serious red, green, and yellow everywhere one looked. There must have been 10 different singers that would sing one song and then hand the microphone off to the next performer. At no time were there any fewer than 13 people on stage playing instruments. It was quite the experience.
Being in Tel Aviv for Shabbat feels a little weird. I have an false expectation that the entire city should shut down in an hour as a result of my weekend in Jerusalem. It's nice that Tel Aviv is still relatively open on Shabbat as last weekend I felt a pretty confined by the general atmosphere/environment of Shabbat.
This week is the last week of Ulpan (Hebrew Classes). It's amazing that Ulpan is almost over though I am definitely ready to start real classes. There are a bunch of kids who will be continuing Hebrew with me into the semester so I'm glad that I won't be the only one of my friends waking up everyday at 8:30.
Last night I went to the enormous Bob Marley festival in honor of his 63rd birthday. Israel really likes reggae music. There was some serious red, green, and yellow everywhere one looked. There must have been 10 different singers that would sing one song and then hand the microphone off to the next performer. At no time were there any fewer than 13 people on stage playing instruments. It was quite the experience.
Being in Tel Aviv for Shabbat feels a little weird. I have an false expectation that the entire city should shut down in an hour as a result of my weekend in Jerusalem. It's nice that Tel Aviv is still relatively open on Shabbat as last weekend I felt a pretty confined by the general atmosphere/environment of Shabbat.
This week is the last week of Ulpan (Hebrew Classes). It's amazing that Ulpan is almost over though I am definitely ready to start real classes. There are a bunch of kids who will be continuing Hebrew with me into the semester so I'm glad that I won't be the only one of my friends waking up everyday at 8:30.
Tuesday, February 5, 2008
17.
TOP to BOTTOM: Snow in Jerusalem (and FoxNews reporting the story), in front of the boardwalk in Tel Aviv with huge waves, on the boardwalk looking at Yafo.
16.
TOP to BOTTOM: At Ben Yehuda Market, a spice vendor, at the Kotel, My friend Jake, from BU, at the Kotel, with Jake
15.
Watching the Superbowl on "METV: The American Family Network" was funny. METV stands for "Middle East TV". The Giants are not a good football team, they just have a very good defensive line. While watching the game in a nice bar with lots of Giants fans, I was reminded of how much I can't stand the Giants, and for good measure, the Cowboys, Mets, Braves, Devils, Rangers and Cranston West High School hockey. They are a miserable breed, and for once in my life, I was rooting for the Patriots. Enough about that, after all, the Eagles could've done that too.
Today I continued my quest to visit every one of the notable galleries and museums in Tel Aviv. I got to four: Independence Hall, the Haganah Museum, the Rokach House, and the Gutman Museum. Independence Hall is the house where, on May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the Independence of the State of Israel. I have been there before, but it was great to walk through the museum (as small as it is) with time to read the information and absorb the building's rich history. The declaration of the State of Israel seems like one of the more anomalous occurrences in the history of diplomacy and statehood. At the same time, it is perhaps one of the best examples of the potential of the UN to mobilize international support for a cause. I can't imagine what would happen if, tomorrow, the Palestinian demographic in the West Bank declared themselves citizens of an independent nation. Nonetheless, it was amazing to be in the room where the declaration took place and to see the actual document that was signed by Ben Gurion, Meir, etc.
The Haganah Museum was a terrific museum that tells the story of the Israeli Army before there was an "Israel" and before there was the IDF (Israeli Army). The Haganah began as a loosely affiliated group of settlers in the 1910s/20s that protected small towns and farm land throughout Israel. These were the fighters who seemed to be most responsible for the effectiveness and success of the IDF since 1948. It was a smart organization that thought critically about the future of the land of Palestine. A cool museum.
The Rokach house is the restored home of the man who founded the first Jewish town outside of Yafo (the city that spawned Tel Aviv). This town, Neve Tzedek, is by far my favorite area of Tel Aviv. It is undergoing a rebirth and is lined with great cafes, restaurants and stores. The narrow, one way roads give it a nice European feel. It was interesting to learn about Rokach.
The Nachum Gutman museum is a small museum that features lots of Gutman's sketches and paintings. His sketches are quite impressive. There were probably 80 of them, all of people. I'm not sure if he drew them from photos, but they were amazingly simple, yet totally recognizable. I didn't really enjoy his flat, 2-D looking paintings, but the museum was definitely worth the 10 Shekels ($2.50).
Course sign-ups are due next week. I think I'll take three politically focused courses, Hebrew, and 20th Century Israeli Art. Every single course looks awesome, so it's too bad that I can only take 5. Unfortunately, Intro to Islam is at the same time as the Middle East Conflict course I'm taking. I would've loved to learn about that.
Today I continued my quest to visit every one of the notable galleries and museums in Tel Aviv. I got to four: Independence Hall, the Haganah Museum, the Rokach House, and the Gutman Museum. Independence Hall is the house where, on May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the Independence of the State of Israel. I have been there before, but it was great to walk through the museum (as small as it is) with time to read the information and absorb the building's rich history. The declaration of the State of Israel seems like one of the more anomalous occurrences in the history of diplomacy and statehood. At the same time, it is perhaps one of the best examples of the potential of the UN to mobilize international support for a cause. I can't imagine what would happen if, tomorrow, the Palestinian demographic in the West Bank declared themselves citizens of an independent nation. Nonetheless, it was amazing to be in the room where the declaration took place and to see the actual document that was signed by Ben Gurion, Meir, etc.
The Haganah Museum was a terrific museum that tells the story of the Israeli Army before there was an "Israel" and before there was the IDF (Israeli Army). The Haganah began as a loosely affiliated group of settlers in the 1910s/20s that protected small towns and farm land throughout Israel. These were the fighters who seemed to be most responsible for the effectiveness and success of the IDF since 1948. It was a smart organization that thought critically about the future of the land of Palestine. A cool museum.
The Rokach house is the restored home of the man who founded the first Jewish town outside of Yafo (the city that spawned Tel Aviv). This town, Neve Tzedek, is by far my favorite area of Tel Aviv. It is undergoing a rebirth and is lined with great cafes, restaurants and stores. The narrow, one way roads give it a nice European feel. It was interesting to learn about Rokach.
The Nachum Gutman museum is a small museum that features lots of Gutman's sketches and paintings. His sketches are quite impressive. There were probably 80 of them, all of people. I'm not sure if he drew them from photos, but they were amazingly simple, yet totally recognizable. I didn't really enjoy his flat, 2-D looking paintings, but the museum was definitely worth the 10 Shekels ($2.50).
Course sign-ups are due next week. I think I'll take three politically focused courses, Hebrew, and 20th Century Israeli Art. Every single course looks awesome, so it's too bad that I can only take 5. Unfortunately, Intro to Islam is at the same time as the Middle East Conflict course I'm taking. I would've loved to learn about that.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
...more pictures
TOP: The view from my dorm. Directly across the street is a nice plaza with cafes, a bakery, and small food markets. MIDDLE: Street sign for my street. BOTTOM: City Hall, at Rabin Sqaure--where Yitzchak Rabin was murdered.
13. Pictures
TOP: Hallway on ground floor of my dorm. MIDDLE: Park outside my dorm. BOTTOM: My dorm, from the park.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
12. Weekend in Jerusalem
I just returned from an absolutely amazing weekend in Jerusalem. Though I've been there once before, I wasn't able to wander around like this second trip. I want to return several times in the coming months, but I think it would be really tough to live there given the extent to which the city shuts down for Shabbes, starting at ~3 PM on Friday.
I spent most of the weekend with my friend Yoni. He worked as a chef at my summer camp in 2006 and is currently studying for the university entrance exam. We spoke a lot about the IDF (Israeli Army), the life of soldiers, the conflict in Lebanon in 2006, and how a Palestinian state would function should it develop. I had yet another "light bulb moment" when we spoke about how divided the Palestinian world is. There is little uniting Palestinian peoples--no singular culture, religion, or history. Two uniting elements arose out of our conversation: language and an opposition to Israel. These are obviously very general observations, but critical nonetheless.
Religion is predictably everywhere in Jerusalem. On Friday morning, I went to the Kotel (the Western/Wailing Wall). It's an overwhelming place to visit. I stayed there for, I think, an hour. I find myself fascinated by the ultra-orthodox Jews who spend most of their day at the Kotel, every day. Their blacks robes, black hats, long beards and "Pey-es" (~sideburns) seem better suited for the 12th Century. Seeing five-year-olds in the traditional garb is mind-numbing. Their strict adherence to tradition, more than anything else, is tough to comprehend. One group, the Satmars, wear top hats that look like big furry rings (see google for a visual).
I left the Kotel and aimlessly wandered through the Christian Quarter of the Old City. I then stumbled into a drab, inconspicuous church. The place was absolutely enormous, rather ornate, and appeared Greek Orthodox given the presence of so many icons and images. However, a picture of the Pope told me otherwise. I walked up a steep staircase to find a line of people waiting to knee below a picture of Jesus. There was silver everywhere, as well as gold images, and a big cross. People were taking pictures (so I did too) and some were crying. Needless to say, I was quite confused. I questioned a few people about where I was, but no one answered my questions in English. Finally, a Russian tour-guide, in broken, though adequate English, told me it was the "Golgotha." The way he said it made me know that I should've known what it was. When I asked what that meant, he let me know that I was looking at the site of the Crucifixion of Christ. Embarrassment set in pretty quickly. I then asked, "well, then, where am I?" He replied that I was in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I accidentally walked into one of the most important sites in Christianity, after leaving the holiest site in Judaism. The guide told me to walk over to where Jesus' body was brought after taken down from the Cross. Predictably, the site of the resurrection had quite a long line. I am still amazed at my impeccable wandering. The contrast between the Kotel and the C.o.t.H.S. is overwhelming. Both are sites with many tourists, but I was amazed at how the Kotel is still a site of active prayer. The Church didn't have the presence of active, personal, formalized religion.
As I left the C.o.t.H.S., I was bombarded by Muslim calls to prayer that were playing over speakers throughout the old city. In less than 2 hours, I had absorbed three religions, three worlds, and three overlapping histories. I am excited to walk around the city with certain destinations in mind.
On Friday night, I went to the Kotel for Shabbat Services. At times, I felt rather out of place, and ironically, I was at, arguably, the center of Judaism. I turned my orange jacket inside-out in order to expose the grey color of the inside of my coat in an attempt to fit into the sea of black. I met a really nice Argentinean man who invited me to join his friends for prayer. It was cool to be with them. At times, it felt like a soccer game because of the singing and dancing. He was curious why I never went to Yeshiva (Orthodox school). The sense of tradition reflected in the prayers and hundreds of people around me was nonetheless overwhelming. It was an awesome (literally) experience.
I spent most of the weekend with my friend Yoni. He worked as a chef at my summer camp in 2006 and is currently studying for the university entrance exam. We spoke a lot about the IDF (Israeli Army), the life of soldiers, the conflict in Lebanon in 2006, and how a Palestinian state would function should it develop. I had yet another "light bulb moment" when we spoke about how divided the Palestinian world is. There is little uniting Palestinian peoples--no singular culture, religion, or history. Two uniting elements arose out of our conversation: language and an opposition to Israel. These are obviously very general observations, but critical nonetheless.
Religion is predictably everywhere in Jerusalem. On Friday morning, I went to the Kotel (the Western/Wailing Wall). It's an overwhelming place to visit. I stayed there for, I think, an hour. I find myself fascinated by the ultra-orthodox Jews who spend most of their day at the Kotel, every day. Their blacks robes, black hats, long beards and "Pey-es" (~sideburns) seem better suited for the 12th Century. Seeing five-year-olds in the traditional garb is mind-numbing. Their strict adherence to tradition, more than anything else, is tough to comprehend. One group, the Satmars, wear top hats that look like big furry rings (see google for a visual).
I left the Kotel and aimlessly wandered through the Christian Quarter of the Old City. I then stumbled into a drab, inconspicuous church. The place was absolutely enormous, rather ornate, and appeared Greek Orthodox given the presence of so many icons and images. However, a picture of the Pope told me otherwise. I walked up a steep staircase to find a line of people waiting to knee below a picture of Jesus. There was silver everywhere, as well as gold images, and a big cross. People were taking pictures (so I did too) and some were crying. Needless to say, I was quite confused. I questioned a few people about where I was, but no one answered my questions in English. Finally, a Russian tour-guide, in broken, though adequate English, told me it was the "Golgotha." The way he said it made me know that I should've known what it was. When I asked what that meant, he let me know that I was looking at the site of the Crucifixion of Christ. Embarrassment set in pretty quickly. I then asked, "well, then, where am I?" He replied that I was in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. I accidentally walked into one of the most important sites in Christianity, after leaving the holiest site in Judaism. The guide told me to walk over to where Jesus' body was brought after taken down from the Cross. Predictably, the site of the resurrection had quite a long line. I am still amazed at my impeccable wandering. The contrast between the Kotel and the C.o.t.H.S. is overwhelming. Both are sites with many tourists, but I was amazed at how the Kotel is still a site of active prayer. The Church didn't have the presence of active, personal, formalized religion.
As I left the C.o.t.H.S., I was bombarded by Muslim calls to prayer that were playing over speakers throughout the old city. In less than 2 hours, I had absorbed three religions, three worlds, and three overlapping histories. I am excited to walk around the city with certain destinations in mind.
On Friday night, I went to the Kotel for Shabbat Services. At times, I felt rather out of place, and ironically, I was at, arguably, the center of Judaism. I turned my orange jacket inside-out in order to expose the grey color of the inside of my coat in an attempt to fit into the sea of black. I met a really nice Argentinean man who invited me to join his friends for prayer. It was cool to be with them. At times, it felt like a soccer game because of the singing and dancing. He was curious why I never went to Yeshiva (Orthodox school). The sense of tradition reflected in the prayers and hundreds of people around me was nonetheless overwhelming. It was an awesome (literally) experience.
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