The Jewish Quarter, Jerusalem

A stroll through the Jewish Quarter is something we have done as a family countless times. Not much has changed over the years, which is so comforting. Even though the kids are all grown up now, we still like to stop at the same ice cream store on the way to the Kotel, as we did when they were very little and could barely hold the treat. There are a few new places to eat, a couple new shops but it is still all so familiar, so home like.

The Jewish Quarter is very clean and parts of it are fairly quiet.

Coming from the Jewish Quarter, this is the first view one gets of the Western Wall. It is also a great photo spot.

This is the only remnant from the Second Temple which was destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E. For the Jews, this remnant of what once was the most sacred building, now is the holiest spot. The Western Wall - Kotel ha-Ma'aravi, or Kotel, is the place for quiet reflection, prayers and giving thanks to G-d.

The Western Wall is divided into two sections, men's and women, by a fence (a mechitza).

The Wall is 62 feet high exposed and 105 feet high with the foundation. The first seven visible layers are from the Herodian period. The largest stone in the wall is 45 feet long, 15 feet deep, 15 feet high and weighs over 1 million pounds.

Scraps of paper, kvitlach, are prayers that people put into the crevices of the wall in hopes that they will be answered. More than a million notes are placed each year.
Twice a year, before Rosh Hahanah and Passover, workers, under supervision of a Rabbi, remove the pieces of paper. They are then buried on the Mount of Olives.

Cardo, a Byzantine road, ran through the heart of the city. It has been preserved with the original roman columns. Beyond the columns is an underground area with a number of nice shops and art galleries.
All the shops and restaurants in the Jewish Quarter are closed for Shabbat.

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