Shabbat Shalom

A 'to-scale' model of the Second Temple and the City of Jerusalem as it would have looked during the Second Temple period at the Israeli Museum.

Today was a day off from our course and I took advantage of the time off to get some cultural experiences in the cool airconditioned spaces of the Israeli Museum.

The pavillion at the Israeli Museum that houses the Dead Sea Scrolls.

It was great to have such a diversity of exhibits - from the Dead Sea Scrolls, to archeological exhibitions, to modern art, judaica and even an outdoor 'to-scale' model of Jerusalem.


Adi Nes' photo, in the contemporary art section of the Israeli Museum, plays on Di Vinci's Last Supper using Israeli soldiers.

Today was the first Friday of Ramadan and it was also Shabbat and as I walked around the Old City moving from the Armenian Quarter to the Christian Quarter and then the Muslim Quarter I was able to see hundreds of Muslims on their way to prayer on the Temple Mount and Al Aqsa mosque, Christians praying the Stations of the Cross along the Via Dolorosa and then in the evening, I again went to the Western Wall to experience Shabbat at the Western Wall. There, Jewish men, women and children prayed, sang and danced and there were hundreds and hundreds of them crowding the Western Wall plaza! It was quite the experience of cultures and religions today and it was an amazing experience to be right in the midst of all of these communities!

The Western Wall during Shabbat.
Please note that the photo is not my image as photography is not permited at the Western Wall during Shabbat.