Tuesday 22 July 2014 Goodbye to Scott, visit to Russian Church of Mary Magdalene, ship pillows and hygiene kits to Gaza

 

Tuesday morning Scott left to go home.  He had a noon flight so caught the transport van at 7:00 a.m.  He was detained with questions for over one hour, probably because he booked his flight so close to coming over.  His plane was the last to leave before they restricted American airlines from flying into or out of Ben Gurion Airport.  They had a missile warning while he was being interrogated and had to seek shelter in a part of the airport without windows.  We were sad to see him leave as we had a wonderful time with him.

 

Mom does look a little sad or tired

 



Blaine and Scott outside our apartment.



Tues July 22, after Scott left, we went to the lower entrance of the JC to see what had happened the night before. There was a lot of explosions, sirens, yelling, fires, and police chasing the kids. The lower gate has turned into a Palestinian hotspot at night.  The locals have set up shop with couches, tables, burned tires, and lots of rocks they throw at the local Israeli police.

They have moved the garbage dumpster into the middle of the road so cars had only 1 lane. We walked into the Old City and stopped at the Russian Church located just above the Garden of Gethsemane on the Mount of Olives.  It's called the Convent of Mary Magdalene. The visitor hours are limited (Tues. & Thurs. from 10:00-12:00 a.m.)

 

This is the stairway leading up to the church.

 



The gardens were beautiful



I think the outside of this church is one of the prettiest in Jerusalem



The nuns were busy working.

 

There was a wide variety of flowers and trees

.

The Dome of the Rock is just across the Kidron Valley.

 

The mural was Mary Magdalene telling Tiberius that Jesus had been resurrected.  We asked for the scripture that told about it but the nuns said it was in the book of Mary Magdalene, which we don't have.



The panels reminded Blaine of the same design in some of our temples.



Mural of Mary and Christ.



That afternoon we took a load of pillows over to Hebrew University as part of a humanitarian delivery to the Gaza Strip.  We had already sent humanitarian kits as part of the delivery.
 I'm not sure if they will get through to the people that need them.  It was some Palestinian students from Hebrew University that organized the aid.



Two Palestinian boys met Inas, Namati, Blaine and me to pick up the supplies for Gaza. 

Monday 21 July 2014 Masada and Ein Gedi with Scott

 

Monday we took Scott to Masada and the Dead Sea.  It was 106 degrees.  It's so barren.

Scott's view from the top of Masada.



Ruins from the homes of Masada.



Lunch at the Dead Sea



The shore line of the Dead Sea is rugged and rocky.

Sunday 20 July 2014 Walk through Muslim Quarter, playing carillon bells with Scott

 

  

Sunday, we went into the Old City to get on the Temple Mount ( Dome of the Rock). Security said it was closed because of Ramadan.  I'm not sure if that was the real reason or if there had been some conflict on the grounds.  We walked through the Muslim Quarter before we went to play the bells at the YMCA with the students and Claytons.

 

Roof top views

Ramadan lights still on



Linda and Scott play "Follow the Prophet" for Jerusalem to hear.

 

Jan Clayton helps all of the BYU students as well as Scott and me.

Friday 18 July 2014 Mea Sharim, Ein Karem, and Western Wall Shabat with Scott

 

Friday, July 18, we took Scott to Mea She'arim  to see the Ultra Orthodox or Hasidic part of Jerusalem.  We didn't take pictures of them but did of the signs as you enter.  They're reminding people to dress modestly, don't take pictures, and observe their Sabbath.

 

We then went to Ein Karem for dinner.  Ein Karem is one of my favorite towns near Jerusalem.  It's the Park City of Jerusalem- wooded, little shops and restaurants, and fun hiking trails.



We then came into the Old City to usher in the Sabbath at the Western Wall.  There were a lot of Jewish people attending.  I think it may have something to do "Protective Edge" conflict which is in it's second week.

 

 



Overview of the Western Wall from the Jewish Quarter.

The Dome of the Rock and the Western Wall are adjacent to each other.

Thursday 17 July 2014 Visitng Western Wall and St James Armenian Church with Scott

 

Scott came to visit arriving around noon Thurs. July 17.  We had the Claytons and Nickles give the afternoon tours and headed out with Scott into the Old City.  First stop was the Western Wall.  It is called that because it is the Western Wall of the original temple mount.  It is the spot that is closest to where the original Holy of Holies had been. 

This is a  cabinet that contains some Torah  Scrolls at the Western Wall.  We had never noticed it before.  I'm not sure why it was there.

We then walked into the Armenian Quarter.  Scott spoke Armenian to the guard and we were escorted back to their private church where a service was conducted while we were there.



Inside the Armenian church during the service.

 



This is the young man that showed us around.  He and Scott conversed in Armenian.

 

A family photo in front of St. James Church which is part of the Armenian Compound.



Inside St. James church

 

Mural in St. James Church

 



 

Wednesday 16 July 2014 Ice Cream for students who broke School Kit assembly record

  

Wednesday, we had our promised ice cream party for all those who helped break the record for completed school kits.  The kids love the "real" ice cream and will do just about anything for it.

Monday 14 July 2014 Muslim Cemetery on Saladin Street and Ramadan Canon

  

 

On Monday, July 14, 2014, Blaine and I walked into the Old City to run some errands.  As we were walking down Saladin Street, the Palestinian section just outside Damascus Gate, we found a walk way we hadn't gone on before.  It turned out to be a Palestinian cemetery above the Skull of Golgotha next to the Garden Tomb.  After the fact, we learned that only Muslims can go up there.  That is where the cannon is shot each sunset of Ramadan signaling the end of the fast.

 

A view of the city wall near Damascus Gate. Notice the layers of the wall.




Overlook of the Old City

The cemetery had head stones and was poorly kept.



Ramadan lights decorate the Muslim Quarter.

Sunday 13 July 2014 hygiene kit distribution at Friends of Fahmi Library, Visit the Knesset

 

Sunday, July 12, we took 3 students with us to help distribute hygiene kits at the Fahmi Library.  Inas and Namati Ansari had picked up the kits earlier and were distributing them.  I noticed they were also giving the women money either 50 or 100 shekels ($15-30).  This was part of the Ramadan where they give money to the poor.  Many of these women were from the West Bank and had come into Jerusalem for Ramadan.

Angela Walters, our BYU student, helped give out the kits.

This woman put up the bag to cover her face when we took this picture.  Many of the Muslim women don't want their pictures taken.

The women waited patiently in the stairwell for their kit and money.



Cute babies are everywhere.
 

Namati Ansari, Angela Walters, and Blaine





Kyle Schofield, Chris Schmutz, and Inas Ansari are the 3 on the right side.





After our humanitarian work, we took the students to the Knesset for a tour of the building.  This is the general assembly room.  The ruling party sits on the right side.



This is where the public can view the sessions.



This is a tile mosaic that Chagall designed for the reception area.  We were here a couple of weeks before and took pictures of the Chagall tapestry.



This document in the entry of the Knesset is the equivalent of a declaration of independence.  It is one of the three original documents.