Jerusalum

For the next few days we were in Jerusalem. These are the old city walls. 

Walking through the old streets of Jerusalem felt surreal. 

This was an area that has been excavated from the Roman times. 

Here is a beautiful temple people still use in the old town. 

These boys go to school 364 days a year!

We got use the neatest building throughout the week that has an outdoor area with the most amazing view of the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock. 

We went to a class on how to pray.  It was really moving, and then we all walked down to pray at the wall together. 

Here is the picture in Dinosaur goes to Israel where he prays at the wall. 

My friend left notes from all the children in her daughter's pre-K class. I left a note as well. 

We went back later that night for a tour of the tunnels beneath the wall. 

These is a special indoor men's section to pray near the wall, and a women's area above that looks down on it. 

It was amazing to go in these excavated tunnels. This used to be ground level before the Turks built upon it to make the ground cisterns and have new homes above. 

You can see where water still gathers in some areas. 

We stopped at this door that would have led to the second temple.  It is considered by Jews to be the holiest place on earth, as close as you can currently get to the temple site.  They believe all prayers travel to the wall before going up to G-d.  I prayed here for Maya. 

When I came out from under the wall, I had lots of crazy text messages.  Apparently while I was underground in the tunnels, our birth mother, Jacquee, went into labor three weeks early.  Ari had no idea where I was because this was an extra tour that we added on ourselves so it wasn't on the itinerary. I think my prayers for the baby went right up to G-d! My friends all bought me these gifts. 

Ari and I looked at flights and realized that if I left Saturday, Sunday, or Monday morning, I would still get to Los Angeles on Monday afternoon.  We decided that I should stay in Israel for as long as possible before leaving. I didn't get pictures the next day because of Shabbat. 

We went in the famous King David hotel to look around. 

My friends and I went to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It was built in 330 A.D, knocked down, rebuilt, etc. It is said that the spot these people are touching was where Jesus was anointed before burial. 

This is supposed to be around where the cross was believed to be hung. 

This is believed to be where the tomb of Jesus was before it was destroyed. People were waiting for two or three hours to go in. 

When we first walked up we saw two of the factions of Christians changing whose turn it was in the church outside. 

That night we went to dinner in a very wealthy couples house that hosted our group. 

I saw there the largest spider I have ever seen not in a zoo.

The house was amazing. 

They had live music and a view of the Western Wall again for everyone to celebrate that night.