Über und unter den Dächern von Jerusalem

Hello dear ones, we started the last day of our wonderful journey through the Holy Land with a short hike down the Mount of Olives, through the Kidron Valley, and back up past the Old City. At the Damascus Gate, we turned right towards the Garden Tomb. The Garden Tomb is mainly considered the final resting place of Jesus by Protestants and Free churches. Many other denominations and archaeologists prefer the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem, as Emperor Constantine already had a basilica built over the tomb in the fourth century. Regardless, the Garden Tomb is an oasis of tranquility, with a clear view of a skull, Golgotha, above the tomb. The burial chamber definitely dates back to Roman times. After a short tour of the beautifully laid-out garden, followed by a devotion, we had the rest of the day free. The photos I uploaded hopefully give an overview of the incredible diversity and beauty of Jerusalem. Despite the difficult situation, tolerance is practiced. The muezzin calls to prayer, church bells ring, and Jews pray at the Western Wall, while soldiers are sworn in on the side. "Whoever does not believe in miracles is not a realist" (David Ben-Gurion).

Our journey has come to an end and we are all back home with our loved ones. Yes, physically we are back in Germany, but in our thoughts we are still in Israel, with our wonderful tour guide Rina, who introduced us to her homeland with passion, competence, humor, and warmth. Many of her explanations and stories will certainly occupy us for a while. Images, words, smells, songs, conversations, devotions have deeply embedded themselves in our hearts and minds and will hopefully accompany us for a long time. And who knows, maybe one day we will set off for Israel again, "to Jerusalem, to your city, we will return with joy" (Jewish prayer).