Hello all, this is the first post I have initiated without Cari's assistance (she is so happy).
This post will focus on my trip to the Kotel (Western Wall) on Pesach (Passover), as well as an attempt to paint a verbal picture of our experience waiting for the light rail yesterday.
On the way into the Old City of Jerusalem, outside the Yaffa Gate modern roads roan atop the ruins of yesteryear.
Similar to a picture taken by Cari, this is the Kotel as you pass through security.
We arrived around 8:30 am to pray and hear the Birkat Kohanim (Priestly Blessings) from the decedents of Mosses' brother Aaron.
Got fairly close to the Kotel on one of the busiest days of the year.
According to news reports, over 60,000 awaited the Birkat Kohanim.
May not come out well, but here is a panorama (best if you can zoom in).
As we left, my friend Yaakov and I passed the leaders of Beta Israel (Ethiopian Jewish community of Israel).
The 28 of April, 2014 is a day that I
hope to soon NEVER FORGET. During Pesach (Passover) my wife fell, hurting her
foot in the process. After a week of rest, her injury, in our opinion,
warranted a trip to an emergency medical facility for an x-ray. As is our
normal means of transportation around the wondrous city of Jerusalem, we took a
ride on the Light Rail to the Central Bus Station followed by a short walk to
the Terem Medical facility (Pictures of the view from Terem can be seen in
Cari’s previous post).
With a bandaged foot, and me with my
cane, we departed for the Central Bus Station. Shortly after reaching the train
and seeing that it would not arrive for another four minutes, we searched for a
seat to rest. We noticed that though the minutes passed, the sign still said
four minutes until the train’s arrival, and began to get perturbed. Only a few
short minutes later we heard a siren sound across all of Jerusalem, only
finding out later it was heard throughout all of Israel.
With a quick glance around one of the
busiest areas of Jerusalem it becomes apparent that everything has come to a
standstill. A few seconds later, you are able to perceive that this stoppage
goes far beyond people staying in place. In a country of bustling traffic
including cars, busses, trains, and people, with an affinity for the horn that
rivals the State of New York, everything has shutdown. Not only are the feet of
thousands of people around us stationary but also so are those of the millions
across Israel, as well as the tires of all the cars, busses, train wheels and
any other way of transportation. People rise, if possible, and stand without
making gestures, except for those possibly wiping a tear from their face.
This unity of millions comes on Yom
HaShoah (Holocaust Remembrance Day), a day devoted to the memory of the six
million lost and those that struggled to resist Nazi Germany. For two minutes,
millions of Jews and all present in the State of Israel remember in their own
ways. Some saying Tehillim (Psalms), prayer, or crying as we all remember the
horrendous acts committed during the Second World War. Let us all endeavor to
NEVER FORGET the Holocaust. In addition, do all we can to educate the world so
such evil will never be replicated against any people, and to speedily stop the
genocide still committed around the world.
As I am sure, my
words did not do the moment justice so maybe this video will help.
http://youtu.be/OeozUSWdoQA
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