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July 2, 2009 9.30 am: fifteen lucky voyagers gathered at the Domodedovo airport to go for Jerusalem – the land of three religions and cradle of civilization. Four hours in the clouds and we are in the Promised Land.
“Ladies and gentlemen! Let the ascension to Jerusalem begin!” – these words said by Boruh Kimelfeld, our guide and good angel of the trip were the first step onto the Holy Land.
That trip was not whatsoever touristic.
We were exploring Jerusalem according to the program prepared by MVK International exhibition company and an Israeli company TOURS’R’US Ltd. We were given 72 hours to get it together, recall ancient legends and go the way of three thousand years.
The very first day we went back to 1868 – the year when the restaurant where we had our first kosher dinner was opened.
Lavabo before partaking the bread. The ancient ritual played by a famous Israeli calligrapher Avraham Borshevsky.
The first, but not the last surprise: each of us received a colorful album about Israel and a first letter of our names written calligraphic.
…the first day on the Holy Land ended on a high note.
We saw the second day long before sunrise. 4.20 am – we are on feet already preparing to deep in remote ages.
The first steps on the Way of Cross.
We are at the entrance to the Holy Sepulcher that rests on the place where as to religious faiths Jesus Christ was crucified, buried and then raised. Every year the temple witnesses the Descent of the Holy Fire.
Here descended the Holy Fire.
The temple.
Deepening further into history we stepped into the Hebrew adytum – the place where there was standing the Temple of Solomon destroyed in 586 BC by Babylonians. This temple was reconstructed, but then destroyed again in 70 AD during the rebellion against the Romans. But before we entered the holy territory we were blest by a cohen who is a direct descendant of the high priests. He is waiting the building of the Third Temple while being a priest.
Then the sun rose.
Day or night, anytime you may see prayers at the Western Wall.
Here you may say a direct message to God.
Further and further on… the Dungeon of Christ.
At the entrance to the Temple of Madonna Sepulcher.
In the Temple.
We are on the way to the Garden of Gethsemane that is on the western slope of the Mount of Olives. Eight olive trees in the garden that witnessed the Saviour still fruit.
Here we will have a breakfast people had during the Christ times.
A wonderful look-out over Jerusalem.
A breathtaking view opens up from the Mormon University on Cofim mount.
Here we took breath and came back to the 21 century for a while. The organ music is played specially for us.
A few moments of recreation in the university garden…
Now, let’s try to mill olives as they did 2,000 years ago when producing the olive oil.
We leave the university and take our way to one of the world biggest museums: the Museum of Israel.
Opened in 1965 the Museum possesses an encyclopedic collection covering the world cultural heritage from the prehistoric tomes to nowadays. It has the richest gathering of biblical archeology including the Dead see scrolls.
This is a model of Jerusalem of the Second Temple times made at 1:50 scale. Its creates Jerusalem and the Second Temple in the 1 AD.
This land “leaks milk and honey”. But who knows how many pains were taken to reach that! To make a desert the flourishing garden people need the latest agro-technologies and skilful hands. We put in spoke, inasmuch as the trees we planted would see the future of this land.
We – calligraphy lovers – appreciated the visit to a famous Israeli calligrapher Avraham Borshevsky.
7.13 pm – the sound of air horn all over Jerusalem. The horn sounded the beginning of shabbes, the main Israeli holyday. Right here we enter the Big Synagogue of Jerusalem.
Alas! We could not make photos there.
This was how we ended our tour around holy places.
The next day was fully devoted to mundane desires. We had a good rest at the Dead see.
Here we reached harmony of soul and body.
All in 72 hours? One more miracle of the Promised Land? Yes, a miracle, thou partially handmade. This miracle was made by MVK-Travel and the Israeli company TOURS’R’US Ltd. headed by Fedor Poberezhsky.
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