Time flies

The days are going by fast and we don't have much time to take care of our blogs and other personal writing projects. It is going to be a challenge to keep up with everything. Yesterday and this morning, our team spent time organizing the next 3 months; it will help find time to write. I definitively need to document my recent activities; I am taking a few days off at the end of January to visit more places in Jerusalem, go to Bethlehem, and catch up! In the meantime, I want to share two of the most sacred sites of the Old City: the Wailing Wall and the Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Crossing the plaza of the Wailing Wall seems truly unreal. How many times have I seen pictures of it? And suddenly, I am here walking on this vast square, watching the men praying on one side, the women and children on the other, all of them following a ritual that I can only observe without being part of it. And yet, somehow, I feel part of it!

Walking on the ground of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock is a unique experience as well. I have less images of it in my mind only its golden dome dominating the Old City of Jerusalem. I am there early on a Sunday morning when non Muslims are allowed to visit the plaza. Under the early sun, the colors of the dome are amazing. I am struck by the silence of this place and the incredible craftmanship; I cover my head.

One thing to remember however: no one can access these sites without Israeli control, the army screens everyone and forces each visitor through metal detectors. It is hard, after all, to ignore the signs of division and military power.