Tisha B’Av – The Real Jerusalem Streets

Rediscovering Ancient Jerusalem before Tisha B’Av

July 26, 2020Sharon A

Oh, Jerusalem.

How does the city sit solitary, that was full of people!

So begins Eicha, the Book of Lamentations read at night on Tisha B’Av.

We are in what is known as the Nine Days that end with Tisha B’Av, Wednesday night, and Thursday, August 29 – 30, 2020.

With the COVID-19 restrictions, the Old City will not be teeming with crowds as usual.

This view from the step toward Plaza of the Kotel, the Western Wall, is well known.

The area inside called Wilson’s Arch is not as familiar. This inside space had been closed much of the time due to coronavirus restrictions.

However, this week on the eve of Rosh Chodesh Av, leading Israeli rabbis attended a special afternoon service to pray for health and relief from the coronavirus pandemic.

Underneath the Jerusalem streets, excavations continue with new finds.

Jerusalem Archaeological discovererstorage center from the days of Kings Hezekiah and Manasseh (8th — Photo credit: IAA

A significant administrative storage center from the days of Kings Hezekiah and Manasseh (8th century to the middle of the 7th century BCE) was recently been exposed in an archaeological excavation near the US Embassy in the Arnona neighborhood of Jerusalem.

Restoration work has progressed on the Pilgrims’ Path.

This is the road underground which runs from Shiloah Pool to the Old City, where the Jewish Temples once stood.

The actual old stones remain along what was the busy route on the holidays thousands of years ago.

Three years ago when it was first opened to media,

this video was recorded for an official explanation.

The Roman market place might have looked like this scene.

Under Pilgrim Road, the drainage system has also been excavated. This is where the last Jews hid until the Romans found and murdered them.

The earth removed was carefully searched for bits of history, last year we participated in the sifting project. The best we found were nice pieces of pottery.

However, discoveries include this Roman coin issued after the destruction of Jerusalem.

Five years ago the exhibit “By the Rivers of Babylon” opened at the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem, see HERE – and is still a favorite.

With only limited attendance allowed in museums now due to corona health restrictions, new for this year is a virtual tour of BLMJ exhibit HERE now you can see for yourself,

The Romans destroyed the Temple and leveled Jerusalem.

The Jewish inhabitants were murdered or exiled.

Stones of destruction as they remain today.

For the first time in many years, I do not plan to walk around the walls of the Old City on Tisha B’Av.

Crowds will not pack into the Kotel, Western Wall plaza this year.

COVID-19 restrictions are limiting the annual walk to 50 people.

How does the city sit solitary, that was full of people!

Next year in Jerusalem, even for those of us in Jerusalem has taken on new meaning.

Jerusalem: Layers of History Underground

August 13, 2019August 27, 2019Sharon A

It is obvious the future skyline of Jerusalem, Israel, is changing daily, as buildings go up and up.

But centuries of history of Jerusalem are underground going back thousands of years.

This is the image most think of when mentioning Jerusalem of old.

But under the Jerusalem, Israel streets layers of history are being revealed daily.

Along the southern side of the Old City Walls, the new excavations can be seen by everyone.

The intricate archaeological work under the Givati Parking lot is another site open to the public.

Across from the Old City Walls, not far from Dung Gate, centuries-old houses are being restored.

The remains of Roman domination in Jerusalem are on display.

One new discovery was a two-story house. The destruction by Rome of Jerusalem was so powerful that the upper level of this house fell on top of the lower one and a two-meter high piece of the structure was unearthed.

As in other Ir David finds of the historic time period, blackened remnants from the destructive fires were discovered in this house.

I opted to take photos from above and not enter the bedroom below.

But below we did go.

We followed the path of the drainage system of Jerusalem to the Shiloah pool in the Kidron Valley, which was under the Jerusalem streets in the time of the Romans.

This map shows the route of the planned Pilgrims Path which is being excavated and made safe for tourists.

Another layer under the old street has been found, the drainage channel from which the last Jews of Second Temple times tried to hide and escape from the Romans.

This poster illustrates the street scene in more pleasant ancient times and the drainage channel which ran below it.

However, the last Jews of Jerusalem did not escape to Masada.

They were discovered hiding in the drainage channel by the Romans and all murdered.

The artifacts they left behind are being revealed daily at the Sifting Project in the Zurim Valley.

Today large portions of the drainage channel have been careful revealed by archeologists.

From the Givati Parking lot, we surfaced at the base of the Western Wall.

Here are stones from the Roman destruction of the Second Temple, tossed away and remaining today.

Pieces of stone with Temple carvings are in this area by the Davidson Southern Excavations.

Under your feet, almost anywhere in Jerusalem’s Old City are layers of history.

A new excavation under the Western Wall exposed a very old mikvah, a ritual bath.

Work in this area leads archeologists to believe the Greeks were building a theater that was never completed.

More sections of the Western Wall stones have been revealed under the present street level.

The Davidson Southern Excavation is continuing with new discoveries, with the view of the Mount of Olives in the background and Al-Aqsa Mosque on the left.

Children, tour groups, thousands of all ages filled the Jerusalem Old City streets during the Nine Days leading up to Tisha B’Av.

People sat on the ground, on Jerusalem stones to hear Eicha, the book of Lamentations, at night.

Tens of thousands arrived all night long for Tisha B’Av at the Kotel, the Western Wall.

There was so much more I could share, but I will conclude with two favorites on Tisha B’Av.

This gentleman with a lovely English accent, born in 1931, took a head start before the group walking around the walls of the Old City. He said that he comes most every year for the last 25-years. Later during the walk, he refused any help, and his only complaint was timing to get to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv after Shabbat.

Kessim, Ethiopian religious leaders, have been coming to the Kotel each year before Tisha B’Av to pray.

Near the Kotel, under this old archway, three of the men, from the larger group of Kessin all dressed in white who were on a tour, stopped to talk.

Think about it–their traditions went back to the times of the First Temple.

They arrived in Jerusalem to find Zion, Jerusalem, the First Temple had been destroyed.

Another ancient war, another layer of history yet to be revealed.

On and below the Jerusalem streets, old and new, constantly evolving.

Though 15 Real Photos of Arab Girls was the most popular RJS post.

I hope you enjoyed these bits of archeological finds, there are more to share next time.

19 Photos of Jerusalem on Tisha B’Av

August 2, 2017Sharon A

The Nine Days leading up to Tisha B’Av

are always hot, unless you live in Southern Hemisphere.

This year was no exception,

unless you count hotter than usual temperatures.

Jerusalem, Israel, is known for its cooler evenings,

but the night of Tisha B’Av stayed warm and humid.

In spite of the uncomfortable weather, thousands ventured out

to sit on the stones and streets to hear a reading of

Eichah, the Book of Lamentations.

At Gan Ha’atzmaut, Independence Park,

this woman sat on a bollard to listen,

while this policeman sat on the ground.

I have joined the Walk around the Walls since 2011,

security threats seem to be an annual feature of this event.

With the recent murders and riots on Temple Mount,

the walk only got permission to proceed at the last minute.

It was hard to get the long line of participants into one photo.

As we approached the Damascus Gate,

the location of many recent troubles,

the Arab media was waiting to record the marchers.

Police on horses were ready

as the crowd proceed along with Israeli flags.

A few stopped to rest near Damascus Gate,

just before the steps came into view.

This year Tisha B’Av fell after Ramadan

and the Damascus Gate was quiet.

This is the only time all year

that I walk by this gate

and around it to capture the dramatic night views on this side of wall,

on the way to the Lion’s Gate.

This was the scene of Muslims worshipers

filling the streets and rioting and being controlled by the police.

However, hundreds of Jews filled the same streets

and sat late into the night on the stones peacefully listening

to the Women in Green’s list of speakers.

Continuing around the walls and entering through Dung Gate,

one sees the huge stones that have remained over the centuries

at the base of the wall,

reminders of the ancient destruction of Jerusalem.

On to the Kotel, the Western Wall,

where thousands gathered, to sit, to mourn,

even to spend the night on the ground.

People were arriving throughout the night.

The gilded of Dome of the Rock,

built over the foundation stone, glimmered above the Kotel lights.

Jerusalem, city of peace, has seen many rulers

and thousands of years of conflict.

This year passed quietly,

the only words one heard on the walk around the walls were

“תודה – Thank you!” over and over,

to the police and security personnel guarding along the route.

The lights on the Old City streets were dimmed

for Tisha B’av night,

but the large Temple Menorah glowed brightly.