Day 08 - Temple Mount, Western Wall, Rabbinic Tunnels, Herodium, Shepherds Field, Bethlehem, Johnny's (shopping)

We began the day with a brief drive into the Old City, entering the Temple Mount through the only checkpoint allowed to non-Muslims. The Temple Mount is a holy site for Jews, Muslims and Christians. While Israel retains legal jurisdiction for the whole site, Israel has given spiritual jurisdiction to the Jordanian Awqaf counsel for the Temple Mount itself. We first stopped at Al-Aqsa mosque (formerly Crusader ruled by the Templar Knights) - which is the third holiest place for Muslims after Mecca and Medina. We continued on to the southeastern corner which is the highest point on the temple and therefore the site of Jesus’ temptation by Satan. We saw the Dome of the Rock - which is also Mt. Moriah where Abraham sacrificed a lamb instead of Isaac.

We came down to the Western Wall where we observed the prayers of the Jews for peace. Also, being Monday, there were several bar mitzvas in progress with the men leading in celebration with very happy and supportive ladies peering over from the court of women.

We left the court for an underground walk along the excavated western wall - most of which was original to Herod (1st c BC), including an earlier section exposed from the Maccabeans (2nd c BC).

We completed the Temple tour by visiting the Antonia Fortress where the Roman legions were stationed and where Jesus was tried by Pontus Pilate, condemned, and began the walk to the cross.

We departed the Temple Mount via the Lion Gate and made our way to Herodium National Park, Herod’s magnificent man-made mountain fortress. In life it was a lavish retreat with Roman pools, a mountain lookout, and an amphitheater. In death it was his mausoleum. Though much was destroyed in the Jewish revolts, recent archaeological restoration enabled us to exit through tunnels dug by second century Jewish revolutionaries.

Leaving The Herodium, we stopped by the Shepherds’ Fields to see the area of Bethlehem where the shepherds lived in caves and the traditional site of the shepherds seeing the angel chorus, also a site of a memorial Byzantine monastery.

To finish the day, while in Bethlehem we enjoyed Johnny’s souvenir shop - Johnny is an Arab Christian and his shop supports local Christian craftsmen.

Until tomorrow - Shalom!