Jerusalem: initial reflections

I arrived in Jerusalem in the afternoon on Saturday. It is an amazing city, and the most beautiful one I have been to so far.

On Saturday, most businesses are closed in accordance with the Jewish day of rest. The streets were for the most part deserted, and I saw only a few people walking around. Initially I was a bit frustrated. I was hungry and tired and the hostel was closed until 8:00 PM, as were most restaurants. I eventually found one that was open. The food was delicious.

After eating, I went to do some exploring and ran into a tour group of Jewish young adults taking part in the Birthright Israel program. To encourage Jews to learn more about their faith and country, the Israeli government offers a free 10 day trip to Israel. The government pays for their plane tickets, accomodations and most of the food. The participants travel across the country and spend time connecting with their Jewish culture and heritage.
I asked the guide if I could tag along, he was Ok with it and glad I joined. He was very passionate and spoke excitingly about the thousands year old Jewish connection to Israel, famous Israelis, and the persecution in some countries of Europe and the middle East that some Jews endured that encouraged many to come to Israel.
We went to a lookout and had a view of the Old City. It is a breathtaking sight, full of sites that are holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims.
Looking ahead, I also saw the separation wall that Israel is building around the West Bank. The official purpose is to keep out Palestinian suicide bombers, who have in the past wreaked havoc in Jerusalem and other parts of Israel and killed and maimed hundreds of civilians. The wall however also cuts into Palestinian land in the West Bank and is displacing many people. The position of my tour guide is that it is necessary and has done a good job keeping Israelis safe. In a few days I will be hearing what the Palestinians have to say, from the "other side".

Jerusalem is a very multicultural city. Some Jews are very observant, others less so, others not at all. The men wearing black clothing are orthodox Jews and are very observant of the law. Many Jews are also religious but less so. The skullcap worn by some is called a yarmulke. Others are more secular and do not dress differently from non-Jews. I also see a few African immigrants, Arab Israelis, and a lot of tourists.

I think of Isaiah 56:7, "...my house shall be a house of prayer for all nations". I think of Jerusalem's multicultural mix. Not all people there pray but the variety is so cool to see.

I am impressed by how many people speak English. Most Israelis I have met are outgoing and friendly, whenever I try to say something in Hebrew and end up mangling it, they just talk to me in English. Most Israelis I have met know English well enough to speak it at a conversational level and many are quite fluent. Many also speak Arabic. I am very impressed by how they have taken the time to learn the English language, it is not their primary language and very different from Hebrew. Yet they take the time to learn it instead of demanding that tourists speak their tongue. How many Canadians would be willing to take the time to learn Hebrew?