Jonathan Siegel (JSBird) : photos : Israel 2004 : The Old City, mid morning but many of the merchants have not opened up yet- powered by SmugMug

15 year old Max's first trip to Israel. We rented a car and spent 2 weeks touring.

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Jonathan Siegel (JSBird) > The Old City, mid morning but many of the merchants have not opened up yet

Jonathan Siegel (JSBird) > The Jewish Quarter of the Old City was demolished by the Jordanians in 1948. Since 1967, the quarter has been rebuilt. This synagogue was restored- the photo on the left was how it was found by the Israelis in '67

Jonathan Siegel (JSBird) > The Dome of the Rock, where Allah is said to have ascended to heaven, sits on the site of the Jewish Holy Temple, destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD. More than 150 years earlier, Herod built a large retaining wall around the Temple compound, and the only remnant of the Temple complex is this retaining wall, seen just below the Dome of the Rock. It is called simply the Western Wall.

Jonathan Siegel (JSBird) > Father and son walk in the Old City

Jonathan Siegel (JSBird) > The Western Wall is considered the most holy site in Judaism since it's walls were the walls of the Temple complex.

Jonathan Siegel (JSBird) > The tradition is to slip a prayer into a crack in the wall, and God would hear the prayer immediately. Sort of a fax to God

Jonathan Siegel (JSBird) > Max sends his "fax"

Jonathan Siegel (JSBird) > The original City of King David, circa 1000 BCE, was just south of where the Temple southern wall is, and just south of the present wall of the Old City. King Hezekiah ~700 BCE had a long tunnel dug from the spring into the city, to protect the water supply during an Assyrian attack.

Jonathan Siegel (JSBird) > Today the tunnels are still accessible, deep under the earth, with knee deep water still running. Here some soldiers join their platoon to visit (acting as tourists), stripped to their underwear to avoid getting their uniforms wet. Soldiers are required to keep their weapons with them at all times...

The Old City, mid morning but many of the merchants have not opened up yet

> The Old City, mid morning but many of the merchants have not opened up yet

The Old City, mid morning but many of the merchants have not opened up yet

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