New Experiences in the Old City

We woke up and headed to Independence Hall to hear the declaration of the Jewish State given by David Ben Gurion. We saw a video about the establishment of Tel Aviv and the building which held the historic occasion.

Next we drove a short 45 minutes to an overlook where the view of the Old City of Jerusalem was breathtaking. We toured the Jewish Quarter, had lunch near the Western Wall and got time to look at the beautiful souvenirs. Finally we walked down the steps to the Kotel where each person placed a note into the wall and got to stand in the place people have prayed for centuries.

After a meaningful morning, we went to the shuk (market) on Ben Yehuda street and got a taste of the busy environment right before Shabbat. We sampled Israeli pastries, drank fresh squeezed juice and picked up souvenirs. Afterwards it was time to prepare for Shabbat. We sang songs, spoke about what Shabbat meant to us and had a great discussion about what it means to be a Jewish person in America and Israel.

Now we get a day of rest and study before the next phase of the journey begins.