Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Yad Vashem

Today was a different day in the life of Ancient Paths. We got an earlier start, leaving at 7:30 on foot from our hotel in the old city and walking to the temple mount. The temple mount is actually Mt. Moriah which King Herod leveled to build the temple. What is left is the platform he built that is 3 football fields by 5 football fields. Now it is the home to Dome of the Rock, the 3rd most holy site in Islam. It has significance for the Jews as the place where Abraham was asked to sacrifice Isaac, where Solomon built the temple and where Herold built the temple where Jesus taught. The Muslims consider it holy because they believe it is where Abraham was asked to sacrifice Ishmael and where Muhammed ascended. The Rock of the Dome is not a mosque but a shrine although there is a mosque on the mount. As in Jesus’ day there is a police presence because of the tensions between people groups.

A short walk past a cemetery took us to the Pool of Siloam and Hezekiah’s Tunnel. II Chronicles 32:30 tells us that Hezekiah had a tunnel chiseled out to bring water into Jerusalem in preparation for the siege by Sennacherib. We were able to walk about 1/3 mile with cold water ankle to mid- calf deep. The workmen worked from both ends and amazingly met in the middle taking under 2 years to complete.

In Bethlehem we saw the ruins of another of Herod’s palaces and fortresses. He had the “mountain” made by hauling dirt/rock pail by pail. We know from Josephus’ writings that Herod died in Jericho and his bier was brought to this site for burial. This was confirmed when several years ago it was actually unearthed. The Zealots took it over, built tunnels and occupied it until 66AD when Rome destroyed it. During our time at the top, we heard the Muslim call to worship. It is done by men calling in person from east to west, town to town.

After lunch of chicken shawermeh and a little time for shopping, we headed back to Jerusalem for time at Yad Vashem the Holocaust Museum which means Place of the Name. Just as Masada was physically exhausting so this experience was emotionally draining. Especially poignant was the children’s memorial. It was dark with twinkling lights and every child’s name (under 18) who died was read with their age and country given. This is done continually, and it takes 5 days to complete the list. The rest of the museum with displays and testimonials of survivors was equally sobering. It convicts us to never let happen again.