The Damascus Gate

Because we couldn't eat at the hotel, we all gathered together and began walking towards the Old City...just a few blocks from our hotel. The wall that encloses the present-day Old City of Jerusalem was built in the sixteenth century by the Ottoman ruler Suleiman the Magnificent. Originally it had seven gates; an eighth, named the New Gate, was added in the late nineteenth century in the walls' northwest sector. We entered the Old City through the Damascus Gate. Called the Shechem Gate by the Jews, it is the largest and most splendid gate. Located on the wall's northern side is adjacent to ruins attesting that this has been teh site of the city's main entrance since ancient times. The gate's defenses include slits for firing at attackers, thick doors, and an opening from which boiling oil could be spilled on assailants below.

We meandered our way through the narrow streets until we found a restaurant. Yummy! Schwarmas, hummus, as well as several other things that I couldn't identify but sure tasted good.

On the way back to the hotel we stopped at a place of new ministry called the Jerusalem House. It will eventually be a place where people can come and pray. Several volunteer groups have been coming and helping the folks there renovate the building and landscape the grounds. It is a beautiful piece of property once owned by Horatio Spafford (penned the words of the hymn - It is Well With My Soul). While taking a tour of the building I met a volunteer group there from Olive Branch, Mississippi. Would you believe that the pastor of their church was Rev. Wayne Marshall - a friend of mine from college? Small world!

The cleansing ritual

Coming to Jerusalem during Holy Week (Passover) was quite an experience in itself. We stayed at the Grand Court Hotel and arrived with all of our luggage and met our team there. However, our hotel rooms were not quite ready.

I don't know if you realize it or not but the most significant observance related to Passover involves the removal of chametz (leaven) from the homes (and the hotels!) This commemorates the fact that the Jews leaving Egypt were in a hurry, and did not have time to let their bread rise. It is also a symbolic way of removing pride from the soul.

Chametz includes anything made from the five major grains (wheat, rye, barley, oats, and spelt) that has not been completely cooked within 18 minutes after coming into contact with water. Traditional Jews also avoid rice,corn, peanuts, and beans as if they were chametz. All of these items have been used to make bread, thus use of them was prohibited to avoid any confusion. All chametz including utensils used to cook chametz must either be disposed of or sold to a non-Jew.

The process of cleaning the home (or hotel) of all chametz in preparation for Passover is an enormous task. To do it right, you must spend several days scrubbing everything down, going over the edges of your stove and fridge with a toothpick and a Q-tip, covering all surfaces that come in contact with foil or plastic wrap. After the cleaning is completed, the morning beore the seder, a formal search of the house (or hotel) for chametz is undertaken and any remaining chametz is burned.

Our hotel was in that process. Everything in the kitchen and in the dining room was wrapped in plastic wrap. No food was being served that day because of the preparation. Undoubtedly, this hotel does a lot of Jewish business and had to be made "kosher" for the Passover meal.

WOW! Talk about living UNDER THE LAW!

Stay tuned...