Jerusalem, by Hunter

Yad Vashem is a special memorial to the Holocaust. The unique, symbolic architecture was truly intriguing. The triangle shaped dome expresses the ups and downs of the timeline of the Holocaust. Chronologically, the dimensions of the pathway would distort accordingly the sorrows of the story. Everything in the museum had symbolic value that captured the hearts of all its visitors, such as the beginning there was a movie that made us appreciate the green and beautiful world of Europe where millions of Jews lived.  The end of the tour brought us back to that same beauty, saying despite of all the horror, Jews survived and thrived and that it is never to be forgotten.

Machne Yehuda- famous open market in Jerusalem

 The old city of Jerusalem was quite a spectacular experience.  Unlike any other city in the world, it
co -exists with three religions in one city: Judaism, Islam, and Christianity.  This integration is evident in the markets, where these cultures are divided into quarters, including an Armenian quarter.  Tall walls protected the ancient city with a large iron gate.  Believe it or not, this city is built on top of other ancient cities.  The old city of Jerusalem was truly a wondrous experience for the American students.  

Rabbi Goor invited us to a delicious dinner at a restaurant called Foccacia...delicious!

Visiting wall is one of the coolest Jewish events of my life, aside from my Bar Mitzvah.  It combined a historical structure with a meaningful moment.  We each slipped a piece of paper into the wall and said a prayer.  I was told that my grandma, whom I’ve never met, had been there.  Israel is so cool so far!