34 » OpenRoad Driver
In Jerusalem churches proliferate on
the Kidron Valley’s eastern slopes, while
Mormons established the newest on the
Mount of Olives. Most beautiful, Church
of All Nations features a wondrous mosaic
depicting Jesus mediating between God
and mankind. Mordecai reminds us that
Jesus prayed in the adjacent Gardens of
Gethsemane before His arrest.
Old Jerusalem crowns the opposite mount.
A golden shrine revered by Muslims and
Jews alike, Dome of the Rock rises above
the city’s thick block walls. Muhammad
is said to have galloped on his steed into
heaven off the boulder enclosed inside.
Four minarets soar above the adjoining
Al-Aqsa Mosque, where Muhammad led
prayers.
At Dung Gate, young soldiers check our
backpacks. Entering the Jewish quarter,
we gaze upon the lofty Western Wall, sole
remnant of King David’s great temple.
Orthodox Jews gather here dressed in black
still mourning its destruction. Purifying at
the plaza fountain, they pray at this most
holy site. Joining the devout at the Men
and Women’s sanctuaries, we write wishes
on bits of paper and slip them reverently
into the sacred wall’s niches.
Passing through a tunnel and another
checkpoint, we emerge in the Christian
quarter on Via Dolorosa, or “the way of
suffering.” Believing Jesus had dragged his
wooden cross along this winding route,
Franciscans established Stations of the
Cross for spiritual meditation. Most are
based on medieval legends, such as one
dedicated to Veronica who allegedly wiped
His brow. Another represents an actual
Biblical episode. Inside its tiny chapel, a
bronze sculpture portrays Simon helping
Jesus bear the heavy cross.
Via Dolorosa ends at Church of the Holy
Sepulchre, built by Emperor Constantine
in 325 AD. His mother Helena
consecrated it claiming the discovery
of Jesus’ cross and tomb. Crusaders,
Franciscans and Orthodox monks later
revamped and enlarged it. Since 638 AD,
a Muslim family has kept the keys, and
peace between five resident Christian
denominations.
Caesarea offered large public baths featuring
terracotta plumbing, marble benches and mosaic floors.
Joining streams of pilgrims, our group
trickles into the dim interior towards five
further stations. Edging right, steep stone
steps recreate the way to Calvary. Ornate
chapels memorialize sites where soldiers
had stripped off His garments, nailed Him
to the cross, and crucified Him. Below
another stairway, a long line of people
await entry into the immense marble vault
enclosing His tomb. Instead, Mordecai
leads us to view the anointing stone and a
small, obscure chapel. “Here, Jesus’ mother,
aunt and Mary Magdalene may have
watched His crucifixion,” he whispers.
Departing toward Jaffa Gate, countless
stalls line the narrow roadway offering
olivewood mangers, hookahs, menorahs,
vibrant enamelware, spices, olives, dried
fruit and exotic sweets. Seemingly out of
place, two T-shirts declare: Keep Calm and
Eat Kosher and Guns N Moses.
Onboard the ship again, lecturers present
entertaining cultural insights. Cruising
from Israel’s largest to its busiest port,
we enjoy special Israeli cuisine: eggplant
salads, latkes, falafels and rugelach, a fruit-
and-nut pastry.
In Haifa our new guide Lem points out
buildings that reflect early Turkish and
British occupations. “Our cities display
different histories and lifestyles. In
Jerusalem, we pray. In Tel Aviv, we play.
In Haifa, we work,” he smiles. “And here,
Muslims, Christians and Jews live together
as neighbours and celebrate Hanukkah,
Ramadan and Christmas as the Festival of
Three Holidays.”
From a Mount Carmel viewpoint, we
admire the terraced Hanging Gardens of
Haifa. “That gold-domed structure is the
Báb’s mausoleum, founder of the Bahá’í
religion,” Lem tells us. “In 1850, Iran
executed him as a heretic, and exiled Bahu,
his disciple. Bahu eventually settled here.
As Bahá’í followers highly revere prophet
Elijah, Bahu’s dying wish was to inter his
teacher close to his legendary cave. Now,
worshippers from all over make pilgrimages
to visit the Báb and Elijah’s holy sites.”
Acre lies twenty-five kilometres north.
From a shady park inside the World
Heritage old town, Lem tells us about
Bahu’s imprisonment in the bordering
Crusader fortress. He then shepherds us
past enormous Al Jazzar Mosque, through
a bustling street bazaar and into the Knight
Templar’s tunnel, a dark 350-metre escape
that exits at the Acre’s seawall. A long
stairway leads us atop, where we gaze upon
what has become a quiet fishing port. Here,
we tour a small church dedicated to John
the Baptist. Our day trip concludes at the
Tunisian Synagogue where we contemplate
a series of colourful mosaics outlining
Judaism’s rich history.
Caesarea is our final destination. Other
shipmates choose to cross the Carmel
Mountains into Nazareth, travel around