The Western Wall

The first night that we arrived in Jerusalem, we went on a Western Wall Tunnel Tour, where we were able to go underneath the old city and see the where the Western Wall started and what the Herodian Roman streets were like.

The Dung Gate, which is the closest entrance to the Western Wall--there is a men's and women's security gate

In the courtyard by the Western Wall

The entrance to the Western Wall Tunnel

Inside the Tunnel

holes in the ceiling where they brought water into the area

The bottom of the Western Wall

The day after our Western Wall Tunnel Tour, we toured the four quarters of the Old City and were able to visit the Western Wall itself, which is one of the most significant sites to Jewish people today. The Western Wall is important because it is the supporting wall for the Temple Mount and the closest remains to the spot where the Holy of Holies once rested; it is still believed to be an area of divine presence. The wall was built during King Herod's time and following Muslim conquests, the Temple Mount was destroyed and The Dome of the Rock, a Muslim mosque, was built upon the spot where the Holy of Holies had been. Also, Muslims built houses along the Western Wall and the part that people visit is all that is left of the original structure.  As you will see from the Western Wall pictures, it is divided into a women's section and a men's section. Our tour guide told us that the men's section is more than twice the size of the women's section because men were originally the only ones to go to the Western Wall to pray and men are larger than women so they need more room. Many people who are at the Western Wall pray very loudly--the men sometimes shout and the wemen cry and rock back and forth as they pray.

Outside the Dung Gate--waiting in the security checkpoint line

me touching the Western Wall

mom and I in the women's section of the Western Wall

the men's section

the women's section

standing in front of the Western Wall

view of the Western Wall from the observation deck

After the first week of my archaeological dig, a few of us spent our first Friday night back in Jerusalem at the Western Wall. Everyone told us that we had to see the Western Wall during the Shabbot because thousands of people come to pray, sing, and dance in front of the wall. Even though those observing Shabbot are not supposed to use electricity or do work of any kind, I snapped a few pictures so you could see the difference between the Western Wall during a normal day and the Western Wall on Shabbot.

The men's section on Shabbot

The women's section on Shabbot