Wednesday, April 2, 2014

End of the Zman Tiyul outside the old city!

While digging to build near the police headquarters and Jerusalem jail, they found this column that was left when it cracked. Our guide says it is dated to sometime between the Second Temple Period and the Early Byzantine Empire. 

During the British occupation of Palestine, the Central Prison of Jerusalem was used to imprison Jewish and Arab criminal. More infamously this prison was where Jews and Arabs that fought against the British were incarcerated. It is now a controversial museum.
 Above is what Baruch's friend Yaakov calls a British Tank "Clown Car" 



 
Baruch's in Solitary confinement


The Gallows. Creepy isn't it? 

Fearing retaliatory actions from the Jewish Freedom Fighters, none of the Jewish inmates were hanged in the Central Prison. Arabs sentenced to death were however sent to these gallows. The one time the British were going to hang two Jews for their actions, the two boys killed themselves with a grenade. One was named Moshe Barazani (1926-1947) and the other Meir Feinstein (1927-1947). Below are their graves.



 This is a hole that was dug where prisoners escaped. It was the largest escape where 12 men escaped through the sewage. 

 Above is a picture of Rabbi Aryeh Levin who walked to the prison every Shabbos to tend to the Jewish inmates. He called all the prisoners "his boys." Rabbi Levin is known to be a great Tzaddik (righteous person), that did many wonderful deeds for his fellow human beings.
 
 The top two pictures are of the court yard.


 The Kitchen 


On a lighter side of life.
We also visited a place that helps the elderly of Jerusalem. This organization caters to elderly immigrants that have little means. They make by hand many various art pieces and bind books for a stipend.

Baruch's friend Simchah


  Where we had lunch on a park bench :) 

 Can you see the windmill? 

When you peddle it makes the stuff above the bikes work. A flower comes out of the pot, one plays music, another one was a drum lol they were all fascinated by it.



We spent about 5 minutes trying to figure out the time... They all thought it was broken until Cari pointed out day lights savings. 

Baruch in a garden in Yemin Moshe, one of Jerusalem's nicest (and expensive) neighborhoods.

Everything was so beautiful in the neighborhood. So many flowers :) 





 This windmill and part of Jerusalem was build by Moses Mentefiore. He started funding the building in the 1850s and worked to improve its protection so people would feel safe living outside of Jerusalem's walls.




 The Miller's standing across from Mt. Zion


We strolled into King Davids Hotel... It's only about $450 a night.

 Below is a controversial sign outside of the King David Hotel. It tells of the events of July 22, 1946 when Menachem Begin's followers attacked the British. Killing both soldiers and civilians. Despite the warnings from Begin's Irgun, the hotel was not evacuated. The reason the sign is controversial is because it is written in a manner that seems to praise the Irgun's actions.


Signatures of all the famous people who have stayed there. We found Bill and Hilary Clinton, Obama, both Bushs, Sting, Metallica, Richard Gere, and many many more.  


Then next two photos are the three buildings being built by the Woldorf Astoria. These are to be the newest luxury hotel of Jerusalem. The Schottenstein family (they funded artscroll Talmud) has purchased the pent house for only $31 million.


Here is a massive aqueduct built by King Herod. The city is still trying to decide what to do with the area since it is prime real estate. King Herod lived in the time of Julius Caesar, for a reference point.

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