East Jerusalem

My Sar El buddy Allen (US Air Force) and I entered the old city through the Jaffa gate. There are six other named arch ways to get in through the walled city of Jerusalem. After an Israeli-ish breakfast at the hostel we walked a freedom unit (a mile) on that hot morning to get there. Soon the sun got so intense the only smart thing to do was to duck-and-cover for a while in a cafe. After all, sun is actual nuclear fusion in the sky.
The Old City of Jerusalem is today divided unequally into the Arab Quarter (Muslim), Christian, Armenian and Jewish Quarters. Security is necessary and is kindly provided by the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) in green and civilian police in black. Sometimes there is violence like, not uncommonly, in certain other un-named countries. But here in The Holy City (not Brooklyn), it feels awkward.
Boys and girls are conscripted into military service and are sorted according to their particular talents like at Hogwarts. I’ve met female helicopter crew chiefs and there are female fighter pilots. These particular girls in the picture must carry their weapons wherever they go in uniform whether on city busses or in town. After basic training they are allowed to have their uniform pants tailored to be more ‘conforming’. Hello Kitty and rhinestone phone covers sticking up from a rear pants pocket completes the look.
The next four pictures are of the Western retaining wall left over from the Roman destruction of the second temple in 70 CE. The Romans were royally pissed off about persistent Jewish rebellions and had enough. The Jews simply couldn’t do Pax Romana like everybody else. The first temple built there (Solomon’s) was wrecked in 586 BCE by the Babylonians for a different reason. Read the non-upbeat Book of Lamentations about that unfortunate event.
In this same series you can see the Men’s section at the wall. Women pray in a separate smaller divided section beside the Arab ramp in the second picture. I have seen a plastic chair heaved over the barrier into their section for why, idk. That’s all there is to it, except that the wall is the closest a praying Jew can get to the traditionally holiest Jewish place on earth, which inconveniently happens to be up that Muslim ramp under a gold Muslim dome. To be fair, the same place, not the rock, mind you, is the third holiest place on earth for Muslims after Mecca and Medina.
In the next series, before Allen and I have lunch, is the inside of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. The outside of it is a bit disappointing for its holy reputation, rather common looking in this town. But so is the Western wall. The church was built originally by the Byzantines in the 4th century (years over 300) and, you guessed it, was destroyed in 1009 CE like pretty much everything else throughout history. But it’s quite something inside now. Stunning, in fact. There is a lot going on religiously within the walls as well.
The church is strictly controlled by the Roman Catholics, Armenian Apostolics (they got in early) and four other orthodoxies including Greek. They all have a kind of Mexican stand off between each other according to the so called Status Quo decree of 1757 CE.
Nothing at all can be changed or altered in any way unless all six parties agree unanimously. This has led to a funny situation where a stone mason left his ladder propped up against the second story wall in 18th century and it can’t be moved. They all can’t agree what to do with it so it will remain forever there. I shit you not. But consider maybe the sects did actually secretly agree to play a little joke on us about their contentiousness.
Now lunchtime. Left is falafel. Right is shawarma. A good falafel beats the best French fries you could have. Shawarma has to come with a basket of pita. You can get more. Both are hummus based. No surprise there. Stay hydrated.Read more