Western Wall… day 8 (morning)

     We started the morning tour of the southern and western walls in the Temple Mount . It was Bar mitzvah day and the way toward the Western  Wall had constant processions of Bar mitzvah celebrations . It was so fascinating to watch the boys surrounded by their family and some community members as they march towards the Western Wall with music. Learning about the laws of the temple was also pretty fascinating - things about how taxation and sacrificial fees are being done during the time of Christ. We walked around the steps of the temple during the time of Jesus. We also had a chance to pray and leave our prayers/intentions on the wall. The men and women are separated. The men section is so much bigger as in Judaism , they’re the ones that are required to pray and allowed to enter inside the Synagogue. Gabe had the chance to go inside the synagogue with a yahmakah on his head. 

The men’s side of the Western Wall

                       

Touching the wall and leaving all my prayer intentions .

Gabe inside the Synagogue 

Gabriel after visiting the Synagogue 

One of the many Bar mitzvah processions 

 After the well, we headed downhill to the Church of St Peter the site where he denied Christ 3 times in Gallicantu. From Gallicantu, you can visualize the Garden of Gethsemane. It only took 40 minutes for the Roman soldiers from this point to capture Jesus in the Garden. He had the chance to escape up to the Mount of Olives but He knew that " It was the hour" when He will be destined to die. 

Church of St Peter in Gallicantu

We broke for lunch around the Jewish quarter in the old city. We both had burgers ( without cheese of course- kosher law). Shopped around and bought a Menorah.

Pics from the Jewish Quarter below:

Our new Menorah 🕎 

Just Inside the Zion Gate to the old city ...

After our lunch break, the bus dropped us off in the Mount of Olives.