Israel Tour Update day 3

Dear Israel Tour Parent,

JERUSALEM

Tour 1

Today the group headed for a poetic and picturesque tour of the Yamin Moshe Quarter were they followed in the footsteps of one of Israel’s greatest poets, Yehuda Amichai. Established in 1891, Yamin Moshe and Mishkenot Sha'ananim, is a humble quarter of stone houses and narrow alleyways perched on a hill a stone's throw away from the westernmost of the Old City's walls.

Later today the madrichim have prepared an adventurous street game as well as a photography game to be played in Rechavia, a famous part of Jerusalem, which home to David Ben Gurion, the first Israeli prime minister in 1948.

In the evening the group will be introduced to the magical and at times complex mish mash of Israeli society, as they will visit various Jerusalem neighbourhoods. Part of the visit will be to explore the diversity within the State of Israel, focusing on two particular Jewish groups, the Charedim (ultra-orthodox) and the Chilonim(secular).

Yamin Moshe and Mishkenot Sha’ananim

Yehuda Amichai – 1924 - 2000

Tour 2

The group started their day at the southern excavations of the Temple Mount, which were begun in 1968 and soon became one of the largest earth-moving archaeological projects in Israel. These excavations are the most important for understanding the Temple Mount because of the impossibility of excavating on the mount itself.

The group then headed on a 10 minutes walk to the HaRova HaYehudi - The Jewish Quarter. In 1267, after the Crusaders were driven from Jerusalem, a small Jewish community re-established itself in the ruins of what is now the Jewish Quarter. This area has been the center of the Jewish community in the Old City ever since.

HaRova HaYehudi

The Tour then headed to the holiest site in Judaism – HaKottel Hamaravi – The Western Wall. It is the holiest of Jewish sites, sacred because it is a remnant of the Herodian retaining wall that once enclosed and supported the Second Temple. The Western Wall was built by King Herod in 20 BC during his expansion of the Temple enclosure, and is part of a retaining wall that enclosed the western part of Temple Mount. According to the Roman-Jewish historian Josephus, construction of the walls took 11 years. In 70 AD, the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and its Temple. During the Ottoman Period (beginning in the 16th century), the wall became the Jews' chief place of pilgrimage, where they came to lament the destruction of the Temple.

For centuries, the Western Wall was located in a narrow alley just 12 feet wide that could accommodate only a few hundred densely packed worshipers. But in 1967, immediately after the Six Day War, the Western Wall Plaza was created, which can accommodate tens of thousands of pilgrims.

At the same time, the Israelis made the wall about 6 1/2 feet higher by digging down and exposing two more tiers of ashlars (squared stones) from the Temple Plaza's retaining wall that had been buried by accumulated debris for centuries.

President Obama at the Kottel

June 10, 1967 - Israeli paratroopers reach the Kottel

Tour 3

The group started their day with a walk to Rechov Haneviim, the ‘’Prophets Street’’. The special name of this street was given in 1924 during the British Mandate, where it said that religious leaders from the Muslim, Christian and Jewish quarters agreed to name it the Prophets street, as that is a name that all three faiths can identify with. According to tradition the reason for that name is that it is believed that three prophet’s one from each religion is buried there.

Signpost of Rechov Haneviim

With Jerusalem being at the heart of the political discourse between Israel and the Palestinians, the chanichim went on a tour of the ‘’city line’’, over looking the West Bank, Eastern Jerusalem, the occupied territories from 1967 and learned about the problematic and at times hostile matzav- situation.

The security fence separating Israel from the West Bank overlooking Beit Lechem (Bethlehem)

Quotes

"Israeli drivers are mad-they drive on the rightside." - Michael Revens, Tour 1

"After learning so much today I'm so excited to jump in the pool. P.s. I love you mummy."-Laura Shaw, Tour 2

"We got to see Jerusalem through other eyes." - Jenna Julius, Tour 3

If you want to see the UJIA Summer Snap photos from your child's tour just go to: http://www.ujia.org/israel-experience/snap/photo-gallery/2010/

Make sure to take note of the procedures in the Notes box, if you want to get in contact.

Best wishes from the Israel Tour Team

Alyson Joseph
Senior Administrator

Ben Jardine
Shaliach & Israel Tour Co-ordinator

Katie Pollock

Mekasheret (Office Contact) in Israel