Jerusalem- take 2

      This past weekend, some friends and I headed to Jerusalem. We had a 5 day weekend, thanks to Rosh Hashanah (Shanah tova everyone!), which is the Jewish New Year. People celebrate by eating a lot of sweet things, especially apples and honey, to wish for a sweet year. Now that's a tradition I can get behind! Rosh Hashanah kicks off the start of the Jewish holidays. Next up is Yom Kippur, the day of atonement, which is a solemn day of repentance. After that is Sukkot, the festival of tabernacles, a week long celebration that remembers when the Holy Presence was in the tabernacle before the Temple.
     What does all this mean for a non-Jew living in Israel? I only have 5 days of class over the next three weeks. It's time to put away the books, pull out a suitcase, and travel. Our trip to Jerusalem was amazing. We stayed in the old city, which is like another world. Tiny cobblestone streets, busy shuks, and more tourists than locals. The best part of staying in the old city was being there after the tourists had gone.

Our first night stop was the Western Wall.

So great being there when it wasn't crowded! The next day we walked the ramparts of the city. We saw phenomenal views like this one

while walking on small sections of stone like this

my classmate Seth

So we were excited to take a break at a beautiful outdoor cafe

major props to Seth's guidebook!

Before gearing up for the next stage in the adventure

L-R Esther, Seth, and Angel

We wandered to the pools of Bethesda. Now, as a Minnesotan, when I hear about water, I tend to get a little excited. There's not a lot of standing water in these parts. So imagine my surprise when we arrive and see this

oh look, more rocks

I guess the last time the pools were full was in the Roman era. Too bad, I'm always up for a swim. We spent a large portion of the weekend wandering and getting hopelessly lost, only to realize we knew where we were after all. When things got too busy on the street, we climbed to the roof for amazing views like this one.

  I can't wait to continue exploring this country I now call home. There are so many places that I haven't seen, and so many places I want to go. Medical school isn't a big time commitment, right?

Jerusalem!

     Yesterday I finally got out of Beer Sheva. While there are things I love about my new home, it was nice to get away for awhile, especially to a cooler, greener place. Our class took the trip together. We spend the afternoon at Hadassah hospital, listening to thesis presentations by a group of international students finishing their MPH. It was fun meeting some other transplants to Israel, and to learn about some of the issues from their home countries.
     We spent the evening in the Old City with a tour guide, learning a little of Jerusalem's vast history. It's an unbelievable place. Everything is crowded- the people, the buildings, the merchandise at the shuk. Despite this, the city smells amazing. I wish I could capture smells to go along with my photos. You can't really understand Jerusalem without its scents. We started off at the Jaffa Gate, the western entrance.

     From there we moved through the narrow corridors of the shuk...

   

                                            

                                       then we arrived at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre... 

Inside were lots of mosaics like this one...

Which were okay, until you realized how they were made. Check out this close up...

We then wandered from the Christian quarter to...

where we saw this...

It looks like nothing special, until you realize it's a part of the city wall from the First Temple period       (1000-586 B.C.). It used to be a lot taller, I promise.

And finally, the Western Wall, where we ended our tour. Things were a little crazy there because the Israeli Army was having a ceremony to induct a group of paratroopers. There was a huge crowd, with lots of paratrooper's family members running around. Understandably, they were very emotional, which is saying a lot because Israelis are never afraid to show how they feel. It's one of things that makes living here easy- no need to learn Hebrew, just watch the hand gestures.

my new roomie Bethany and I checking out the Dome of the Rock and the Mount of Olives

     So the first trip to Jerusalem was a success. A few classmates and I are heading back next weekend for Rosh Hashanah (Jewish New Year). Can't wait to get to know this incredible city a little better. Rosh Hashanah kicks off several weeks of Jewish holidays (Yom Kippur, Sukkot), which means that we get a break from classes. I'm hoping to do some more traveling, but at the very least it will be nice to get a break from studying. Classes start for the Israeli students after the holidays, so life in Beer Sheva is about to get more interesting.