Day 11

The usual morning. Breakfast then Old Testament. Luckily our professor cancelled our paper that was due. That was the only class we had today, so the rest of the day was free. But because it is Friday we weren’t allowed to go to the Old City or East Jerusalem. We aren’t allowed there because that is the prime time for riots to happen. Friday mornings are the main time for prayer every week and can get people riled up. So we can’t really leave the building, because we are in East Jerusalem. The only way to leave is if you get a taxi to take you to West Jerusalem. Which is lame. Most kids, well mainly the late 50, went to the Israel Museum. But we had already been there, so we just hung out at the Center for the day. I started to do a little bit of homework, but ended up just sitting with some of my favorite girls and we just talked and stalked blogs until lunch. It was actually a lot of fun. I then watched Pride and Predjuce with a few girls, because Sister Chapman, (one of the old ladies) had brought it. We had a lecture about the Western wall at four, and then had dinner at four thirty. Which was way too soon, because we really had just eaten lunch a few hours before. After dinner we all had to change into skirts and long sleeves, well the girls anyways. I had to borrow one of Whitney’s skirts because I only brought three with me and they are all too nice to be walking around the city in. So off on our field trip, which was exciting because we got to be in the Old City after dark, which we are not allowed to do. We all then walked over to the Wailing Wall. Jewish people go there to pray, it is one of the Holiest places on Earth. And is the only part of the retaining wall left from King Herods??? temple. Which was the last Jewish temple build, but has long been destroyed. It is just outside the Dome of the Rock, which is a Muslim area. So it is a very tense area. But like I was saying before about Friday being the Holiest day of the week. So at sun down hundreds of Jews come to the Wailing Wall and leave little notes in it for God. We all got to go up to it, separated into different areas by male or female, and put a little note in or pray. This is a really happy night for them so they will all circle up and sing Hebrew songs. The males side was a bit crazy, their were the ultra orthodox Jews who were praying and everyone else who was dancing and singing. They were even getting on each others shoulders and doing handstand tricks. Our side was a little more reserved, but fun none the less. There was a large group of school girls there and I blended right in. I stood in their circle and danced and sang with them. And they would keep motioning me into the inner circle, the more select smaller circle. They would all come up to me and hug and kiss me and say “Shabbat Shalom.” (which means peaceful Sabbath) The lady who was leading the whole thing came up to me as well. This was easily my favorite night here. It was so much fun to be apart of the Jewish culture for the night and they were all just the greatest people. We shuttled back to the center afterwards. They were playing the Ten Commandments movie, it was probably one of the cheesiest movies I have ever watched. I only watched for a little while but couldn’t keep my eyes open. So I ended up going to bed.